Japan: a Country of Changes (Rough Draft)
Japan: A Country of Changes
Located in East Asia, near China and Korea, Japan offers a rich, complex and interesting history. There is a wide array of countries which would surely be interesting to develop on; however, I have always had a fascination with Japan in particular. The differences between their way of living and ours are so extreme that elaborating on them would be unquestionably captivating. In Quebec, the Japanese culture is not taught, nor considered important. International sides of it are showed on television, such as Animes or movies but, what is mostly known about Japan is their peculiar modern culture. I believe educating people on this country’s history would surely bring understanding on the subject and hopefully encourage a more positive attitude toward the differences that make the “Country of the Rising Sun” what it is. From its origins to the modern Era, this paper will discuss the drastic changes of the Japanese culture in modern society.
Let’s start by explaining the origin of the word “Japan”. Nihon, the Japanese way of saying Japan, is formed by two kanjis: 日(ni) and 本(hon) meaning respectively “Sun” and “Origin”. The reason is because of its location. Being at the extreme East, the country earned the name of “Country of the Rising Sun”. Japan is composed of exactly 6,852 islands scattered over a distance of 377,944 km2 and is home to more than 126,659,683 “nihonjin” which means “Japanese”. Its history began in 300 years B.C. with the Jōmon period. Divided in numerous parts, the eras are as following: Ancient Japan (-300 to 538), Classical Japan (538-1185), Feudal Japan (1185-1868), the Tokugawa Period (1603-1868), the Empire of Japan (1868-1945) and finally Post War Japan (1945-present). I will be focusing more on the Tokugawa Period or commonly known as the Edo period, one of the most influential time for Japan. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, shoguns being military dictators picked by the Emperor to be the rulers, Japan was at the
Located in East Asia, near China and Korea, Japan offers a rich, complex and interesting history. There is a wide array of countries which would surely be interesting to develop on; however, I have always had a fascination with Japan in particular. The differences between their way of living and ours are so extreme that elaborating on them would be unquestionably captivating. In Quebec, the Japanese culture is not taught, nor considered important. International sides of it are showed on television, such as Animes or movies but, what is mostly known about Japan is their peculiar modern culture. I believe educating people on this country’s history would surely bring understanding on the subject and hopefully encourage a more positive attitude toward the differences that make the “Country of the Rising Sun” what it is. From its origins to the modern Era, this paper will discuss the drastic changes of the Japanese culture in modern society.
Let’s start by explaining the origin of the word “Japan”. Nihon, the Japanese way of saying Japan, is formed by two kanjis: 日(ni) and 本(hon) meaning respectively “Sun” and “Origin”. The reason is because of its location. Being at the extreme East, the country earned the name of “Country of the Rising Sun”. Japan is composed of exactly 6,852 islands scattered over a distance of 377,944 km2 and is home to more than 126,659,683 “nihonjin” which means “Japanese”. Its history began in 300 years B.C. with the Jōmon period. Divided in numerous parts, the eras are as following: Ancient Japan (-300 to 538), Classical Japan (538-1185), Feudal Japan (1185-1868), the Tokugawa Period (1603-1868), the Empire of Japan (1868-1945) and finally Post War Japan (1945-present). I will be focusing more on the Tokugawa Period or commonly known as the Edo period, one of the most influential time for Japan. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate, shoguns being military dictators picked by the Emperor to be the rulers, Japan was at the