1 of 26

Isolation Period in Japan

and the

Arrival of Commodore Perry

Part of the Take & Go Curriculum Modules Project

2 of 26

Table of Contents

Background Information

Japanese

Seclusion Edict

Tokaido Road

Art &

Literature

Neo-Confucianism

Social Structure

01

02

03

04

05

06

07

Arrival of Commodore Perry

08

Standards Connections

References

09

Click

3 of 26

01

Background Information

B

Rise of Tokugawa Shogunate

A

Japanese Reunification

C

Sakoku's Triggering Event

The Tokugawa Shogunate led by Ieyasu Tokugawa was the last feudal Japanese military government. The capital was Edo (Tokyo). It started the Sakoku (seclusion policy).

Japan was reunified by three great leaders: Oda Nobunaga (1543-1582), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598, and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1514-1662).

The Tokugawa Shogunate believed that the European countries, such as Spain and Portugal, used religion (Christianity) to gain political and economic (trade) advantage.

Click below

4 of 26

Tokugawa Shogunate

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjovMjPU9ug&t=1s

Click below

5 of 26

02

The Sakoku Edict

The Tokugawa Shogunate curtailed trade relations with the Westerners. It strictly imposed the Edict of 1635 which mandated the closing of Japan to the Western world. Only the Ducth (outpost in an island near the Nagasaki harbor) were allowed to trade with Japan. During this time, Japan could still trade with China and Korea.

Click below

6 of 26

Seclusion of Japan

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmPxCeJipqA&t=1s

Click below

7 of 26

03

Tokaido Road

The seclusion of Japan from the western world heightened Japanese culture using the thoroughfare known as the Tokaido Road. The road connected the two important places, such as Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). The Tokaido Road served as a conduit for Japanese trade, art, and literature. It became a popular subject in Japanese art and literature. The most popular art was Hiroshige’s woodblock prints showing the different stations of Tokaido Road.

Source: https://toshidama.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/imaginary-journeys-hiroshiges-tokaido-road/

Click below

8 of 26

The 53 Stations of Tokaido

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdD5iRLsu6o&t=4s

Click below

9 of 26

04

Art & Literature

Kabuki

Ukiyo-e

Writers/Dramatists

Kabuki, a Japanese theater, became popular. The performers wore colorful costumes, white makeup, and wigs. Each movement was overemphasized.

Ukiyo-e are Japanese woodblock prints. They showed the lives of the commoners (courtesans, kabuki performers, & wrestlers). The popular ukiyo-e artists were Hokusai and Hiroshige.

Ihara Saikaku was a popular writer among the commoners. Most of Saikaku’s stories talked about love and money. Chikamatsu Monzaemon was a playwright. Most of Monzaemon’s plays talked about love and devotion.

The Tokaido Road propelled the emergence of the commoners, such as the peasants and courtesans. Merchants were doing business in different stations. Various art forms flourished, such as kabuki and ukiyo-e. Ihara Saikaku and Chikamatsu Monzaemon were popular among the commoners.

Click below

10 of 26

Kabuki

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67-bgSFJiKc&t=3s

Click below

11 of 26

Ukiyo-e

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtO5yPCYu-4&t=1s

Click below

12 of 26

Ihara Saikaku

Chikamatsu Monzaemon

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VIR7d1Jo7I&t=6s

Click below

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEA-e-c4Ai8&t=1s

13 of 26

05

Neo-Confucianism

The Neo-Confucianism was a popular school of thought during the isolation period. It discarded superstition and mysticism that were advocated by Taoism and Buddhism. It emphasized rationality and ethics as regards to relationship between and among individuals, families, and society.

Source: https://epochtimes.today/category/asia/local/

Click below

14 of 26

Neo-Confucianism

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtxJU0Pai2Q&t=132s

Click below

15 of 26

06

Social Structure

During the isolation period, Neo-Confucianism impacted the social strata of the feudal military government. The four social classes were-

Samurai (warriors)

peasants/farmers

artisans

merchants

Mobility between the four classes was strictly prohibited. Most of the samurai became traders and government officials.

Click below

16 of 26

Social Hierarchy

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OYvdSvgSQY

Click below

17 of 26

07

Arrival of Commodore Perry

End of the Isolation Period

Reasons

On July 8 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry of the United States Navy, arrived at the Tokyo harbor. There were four big ships. On March 31, 1854, the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed. Japan was forced to open its ports to the Westerners.

Creation of American port on the Pacific

Safe harbors & supply stations

Trade expansion

Source: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/museums/nmusn/Seducation/distance-learning/to-the-ends-of-the-earth/commodore-perry-and-japan/biography--matthew-calbraith-perry.html

Click below