12/15/09 Meiji Transition

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  • January 17, 2010 at 9:45 am #5126
    Rob_Hugo@PortNW
    Keymaster

    I had a lot going on prior to this presentation, but found that focusing on a most interesting time period in Japanese history to be helpful to me personally. The focus on staying in your own area was intriguing to me. What a great way to establish control but still have the people feel and be free, in many ways. Guess I feel somewhat guilty of the same when I don't allow my students to get up and walk around class, even to the trash can or hand sanitizer.
    Anyway, I read about a Japanese boy of 14, named "John Manjiro" no doubt given the name by Americans, who was shipwrecked off of a Japanese fishing vessel in 1841 and picked up by an American ship and returned to the US. He lived in Mass, worked on a whaling ship, then even went west and was involved in the Gold Rush. He returned to Japan after ten years, to intense scrutiny and interviews by the Samurai, regarding American ways, etc. Evidently, he gave the Japanese a little heads up in regards to steamships, and just the forward technological advances that were developing in the states. Interesting reading, on the MIT site Prof. Pitelka shared with us.

    January 17, 2010 at 12:30 pm #29338
    Anonymous
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    Professor Piteka's explanation of the caste system in Japan can be used as
    a social studies lesson on comparative social classes in India, Japan, and the US.
    For example, the Hinin and ETA were marginal groups which were meant to keep
    Japanese in their social classes with limited mobility and controlled occupation.

    I want to use his information to compare and contrast Buddism and Christianity
    in my comparative religion lesson.

    Perhaps the Japanese leadership was opposed to Christianity because it had been
    forced upon them by not-so-well-meaning Westerners in the past. In addition, during the Tokugawa period, the Samurai and Shogunate could not reconcile Buddism with Christianity.
    Thus, to keep Christianity out of Japan, the annual family registration rituals
    at the Buddist temples required that each person
    step on a wooden picture of Jesus and those who refused were labeled as secret Christians.

    The Japanese government at this time kept a close watch on its citizens with regard to their social class and religious practices. As a result, secret Japanese Christians were persecuted and Buddism remained the dominant religion in Japan.

    January 19, 2010 at 10:29 am #29339
    Anonymous
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    I found the discussion of the Iwakura Mission fascinating. Japan seems to have no problems what so ever admitting they are looking for the "best" way to do things in their country.

    I can already see comparisons in my AP WH class concerning earlier missions abroad.
    When Shotoku Taishi was dominant in Japan, he too sent a mission to China to try and centralize his control over Japan. I really am happy that I'm taking this class because I really can't wait to share this information with my students and how it is relevant and interesting. I can see the cyclical themes in Japan and in China now thanks to Clay and Pitelka!

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