Beginnings of feudal Japan

The same It is
family has called the
ruled Japan
from the Yamato
beginning of Family.
our history.

Then how

did we get

from rule

by the

Emperor to

As feudal
time passed, rule?

Emperors A
became weaker. few rich men
owned most of
The rich in the
country became the land in
Japan. They
more could now
powerful.

challenge the

These power of the
rich Emperor.

landowners

have armies of The weak
their own. They emperors
cannot stop
begin fighting these powerful
each other. landowners.

They create a
civil war.

War between the
powerful

landowners
causes the

peasant who own
land to trade it

away.

The new shogun is all powerful. He reshapes
Japan. A new social order is created. Look at
the pyramid below.

These powerful landowners become
powerful war Lords. Their private armies
are their greatest possession.

Looser!
Kill him

The war lords fight each other until one clan
ends up the most successful and powerful. He
forces the emperor to appoint him shogun. The
shogun is the supreme general of Japan. He
becomes the real ruler of Japan.

Wait!

The Shogun is
not at the top
of this pyramid !

The Emperor must
remain at the top

of the pyramid.

That’s because he
is a dependent of
the Sun Goddess.

But … and only the
Emperor, one of
her decedents can
ask her to bless

the Japanese
people and Japan.

The Emperor has no real power
to rule Japan and the Japanese

people.

That power now rests with the
Shogun.

daimyo is the name for the
large landowners and
war lords. They still

exist. They must obey the
Shogun. That is, as long
as he can force them to

obey him.

This means the Shogun is
often at war.

That’s why the Shoguns didn’t live in
shogun’s palaces. They lived in
military tents with their
government
was called army.

“tent
government”.

Daimyo built large castles on their
feudal lands. The castles were
designed to keep them from being
completely defeated.

* Remember! Castles like this
protected one daimyo
The Shogun is a daimyo from being captured and
who has fought his way executed by another.
to the top of the heap
of clashing daimyo.

If I Listen up fellow
am a daimyo! I’m not
strong fooling. Cross me!
general I
can stay You’re dead!
on top as
shogun

Son! Pay attention to
how I do things. One day

you will succeed me as
shogun.

You need to be smart,
cunning, and ruthless.

Created by

In Overlooking
our gleaming the beautiful
studios high Arsenal Technical
atop the clock High School
tower of the
campus.
arsenal
building