Changes

====Origins====

====Origins====

[[Image:Edo period architecture.jpg|thumb|left|View of a Kabuki Theater, 1770.]]

[[Image:Edo period architecture.jpg|thumb|290px}left|View of a Kabuki Theater, 1770.]]

According to tradition, Japan was unified by [[Emperor]] [[Jimmu]], the grandson of the [[goddess]] [[Amaterasu]], in the year 660 B. C. He conquered Honshu, the largest island, in a series of expeditions starting from his home base of [[Setsuma]] in Kyushu.  About AD 405, the Japanese court officially adopted the Chinese writing system. Together with the introduction of Buddhism in the sixth century, these two events revolutionized Japanese culture and marked the beginning of a long period of Chinese cultural influence. From the establishment of the first fixed capital at Nara in 710 until 1867, the emperors of the Yamato dynasty were the nominal rulers, but actual power was usually held by powerful court nobles, regents, or [[Shoguns]] (military governors). Japan was closed off from the rest of the world for a long period of time while under the rule of the shoguns (see [[Tokugawa Shogunate]]), with the sole exception of [[Nagasaki]], where [[Dutch]] merchants maintained a permanent trading post.  While the Japanese Emperor continued to reign in the old capital of [[Kyoto]], he was primarily a figurehead.

According to tradition, Japan was unified by [[Emperor]] [[Jimmu]], the grandson of the [[goddess]] [[Amaterasu]], in the year 660 B. C. He conquered Honshu, the largest island, in a series of expeditions starting from his home base of [[Setsuma]] in Kyushu.  About AD 405, the Japanese court officially adopted the Chinese writing system. Together with the introduction of Buddhism in the sixth century, these two events revolutionized Japanese culture and marked the beginning of a long period of Chinese cultural influence. From the establishment of the first fixed capital at Nara in 710 until 1867, the emperors of the Yamato dynasty were the nominal rulers, but actual power was usually held by powerful court nobles, regents, or [[Shoguns]] (military governors). Japan was closed off from the rest of the world for a long period of time while under the rule of the shoguns (see [[Tokugawa Shogunate]]), with the sole exception of [[Nagasaki]], where [[Dutch]] merchants maintained a permanent trading post.  While the Japanese Emperor continued to reign in the old capital of [[Kyoto]], he was primarily a figurehead.

{{Clear}}

{{Clear}}

Near the bottom of the prestige scale--but much higher up in terms of income and life style--were the merchants and artisans of the towns and cities.  They had no political power, and even rich merchants found it difficult to rise in the world in a society in which place and standing were fixed at birth.  Finally came the entertainers, prostitutes, day laborers and servants, and the thieves, beggars and hereditary outcasts.<ref> Totman (2000) 225-30</ref>

Near the bottom of the prestige scale--but much higher up in terms of income and life style--were the merchants and artisans of the towns and cities.  They had no political power, and even rich merchants found it difficult to rise in the world in a society in which place and standing were fixed at birth.  Finally came the entertainers, prostitutes, day laborers and servants, and the thieves, beggars and hereditary outcasts.<ref> Totman (2000) 225-30</ref>

===Economy===

====Economy====

The Tokugawa era brought peace, and that brought prosperity to a nation of 31 million, 80% of them rice farmers.  Rice production increased steadily, but population remained stable.  Rice paddies grew from 1.6 million chō in 1600 to 3 million by 1720.<ref> One chō, or chobu, equals 2.45 acres.</ref> Improved technology helped farmers control the all-important flow of water to their paddies. The daimyo's operated several hundred castle towns, which became loci of domestic trade. Large-scale rice markets developed, centered on Edo and Osaka. Merchants invented credit instruments to transfer money, and currency came into common use. In the cities and towns, guilds of merchants and artisans met the growing demand for goods and services.<ref> Totman (2000) ch 11</ref>

The Tokugawa era brought peace, and that brought prosperity to a nation of 31 million, 80% of them rice farmers.  Rice production increased steadily, but population remained stable.  Rice paddies grew from 1.6 million chō in 1600 to 3 million by 1720.<ref> One chō, or chobu, equals 2.45 acres.</ref> Improved technology helped farmers control the all-important flow of water to their paddies. The daimyo's operated several hundred castle towns, which became loci of domestic trade. Large-scale rice markets developed, centered on Edo and Osaka. Merchants invented credit instruments to transfer money, and currency came into common use. In the cities and towns, guilds of merchants and artisans met the growing demand for goods and services.<ref> Totman (2000) ch 11</ref>

A few domains, notably Chōsū and Satsuma, used innovative methods to restore their finances, but most sunk further into debt.  The financial crisis provoked a reactionary solution near the end of the "Tempo era" (1830-1843) promulgated by the chief counselor Mizuno Tadakuni. He raised taxes, denounced luxuries and tried to impede the growth of business; he failed and it appeared to many that the continued existence of the entire Tokugawa system was in jeopardy.<ref>McClain (2002) pp 128-29 </ref>

A few domains, notably Chōsū and Satsuma, used innovative methods to restore their finances, but most sunk further into debt.  The financial crisis provoked a reactionary solution near the end of the "Tempo era" (1830-1843) promulgated by the chief counselor Mizuno Tadakuni. He raised taxes, denounced luxuries and tried to impede the growth of business; he failed and it appeared to many that the continued existence of the entire Tokugawa system was in jeopardy.<ref>McClain (2002) pp 128-29 </ref>

===Edo/Tokyo ===

====Edo/Tokyo ====

Edo (Tokyo) had been a small settlement for 400 years but began to grow rapidly after 1603 when Shogun [[Ieyasu]] built a fortified city as the administrative center of the new [[Tokugawa]] Shogunate. Edo resembled the capital cities of Europe with military, political, and economic functions. The Tokugawa political system rested on both feudal and bureaucratic controls, so that Edo lacked a unitary administration. The typical urban social order was composed of samurai, unskilled workers and servants, artisans, and businessmen. The artisans and businessmen were organized in officially sanctioned guilds; their numbers grew rapidly as Tokyo grew and became a national trading center. Businessmen were excluded from government office, and in response they they created their own subculture of entertainment, making Edo a cultural as well as a political and economic center. With the Meiji Restoration, Tokyo's political, economic, and cultural functions simply continued as the new capital of imperial Japan.

Edo (Tokyo) had been a small settlement for 400 years but began to grow rapidly after 1603 when Shogun [[Ieyasu]] built a fortified city as the administrative center of the new [[Tokugawa]] Shogunate. Edo resembled the capital cities of Europe with military, political, and economic functions. The Tokugawa political system rested on both feudal and bureaucratic controls, so that Edo lacked a unitary administration. The typical urban social order was composed of samurai, unskilled workers and servants, artisans, and businessmen. The artisans and businessmen were organized in officially sanctioned guilds; their numbers grew rapidly as Tokyo grew and became a national trading center. Businessmen were excluded from government office, and in response they they created their own subculture of entertainment, making Edo a cultural as well as a political and economic center. With the Meiji Restoration, Tokyo's political, economic, and cultural functions simply continued as the new capital of imperial Japan.

===Three cultures===

====Three cultures====

Three distinct cultural traditions operated during the Tokugawa era, having little to do with each other.  In the villages the peasants had their own rituals and localistic traditions.  In the high society of the imperial court, daimyos and samurai, Chinese cultural influence was paramount, especially in the areas of ethics and political ideals.  Neo-Confucianism became the approved philosophy, and was taught in official schools; Confucian norms regarding personal duty and family honor became deeply implanted in elite thought. Equally pervasive  was the Chinese influence in painting, decorative arts  and history, economics, and natural science. One exception came in religion, where there was a revival of [[Shinto]], which had originated in Japan. Motoori Norinaga (1730-1801) freed Shinto from centuries of Buddhist accretions and gave a new emphasis to the myth of imperial divine descent, which later became a political tool for imperialist conquest until it was destroyed in 1945.  

Three distinct cultural traditions operated during the Tokugawa era, having little to do with each other.  In the villages the peasants had their own rituals and localistic traditions.  In the high society of the imperial court, daimyos and samurai, Chinese cultural influence was paramount, especially in the areas of ethics and political ideals.  Neo-Confucianism became the approved philosophy, and was taught in official schools; Confucian norms regarding personal duty and family honor became deeply implanted in elite thought. Equally pervasive  was the Chinese influence in painting, decorative arts  and history, economics, and natural science. One exception came in religion, where there was a revival of [[Shinto]], which had originated in Japan. Motoori Norinaga (1730-1801) freed Shinto from centuries of Buddhist accretions and gave a new emphasis to the myth of imperial divine descent, which later became a political tool for imperialist conquest until it was destroyed in 1945.  

====Current Status====

====Current Status====

Japan's modern economy has many world leading industries and companies, being driven by exports and a mastery of high technology. However, in the 1990s, the economy underwent a major slowdown in part because of overinvestment and an asset price bubble during the late 1980s.  Japan has a huge government debt, which exceeds the Gross Domestic product (176% of GDP) and also faces the challenge of a low birth rate, low immigration and an aging of the population which will further increase the debts.  [[China]] also is becoming a larger economy and a bigger international trading partner than Japan.  

Japan's modern economy has many world leading industries and companies, being driven by exports and a mastery of high technology. However, in the 1990s, the economy underwent a major slowdown in part because of overinvestment and an asset price bubble during the late 1980s.  Japan has a huge government debt, which exceeds the Gross Domestic product (176% of GDP) and also faces the challenge of a low birth rate, low immigration and an aging of the population which will further increase the debts.  [[China]] also is becoming a larger economy and a bigger international trading partner than Japan.

== See also ==

== See also ==