Structure of Feudal Japan

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Structure of Feudal Japan
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EMPEROR

• Emperor

• Emperor and imperial family highest on social
  ladder
• Religious leader
• Direct descendant of Amaturasu Omikami
• Figurehead (leader in name only)
• No political Power
• Under control of Shoguns clan
• ALL classes of society provided for Emperor and
  his court.
• Emperor still exists today

His Imperial Majesty AKIHITO 125th Emperor of
Japan
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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
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Shogun

• Shogun

• Miltary Leader
• Highest in warrior class
• Clans fought to acquire this status
• Political Leader
• Those of other classes under him provided for his
  needs
• Shogun gave protection and privileges
• Portion of land
• Produce on land

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
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Daimyo

• Daimyo

• Part of warrior class
• Means Great Names
• Shoguns representatives
• Ran estates according to shoguns rules
• Swords most valuable possessions
• Used often to demonstrate loyalty to Shogun
• Lived in huge castles surrounded by moats

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Daimyos
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Samurai

• Samurai

• Professional warriors
• Loyal to shogun and Daimyos
• Lived in Daimyos castles
• Fairly high social status but little political
  power
• Needs met by lower classes than them

Satsuma Samurai
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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Daimyos
Samurai
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Ronin

• Ronin

• Wandering Samurai
• Had no Daimyo
• Paid soldiers
• Worked as
• body guards for rich merchants
• Paid soldiers during civil wars
• Low social class
• No political power
• Depended on others for economic well-being

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Bushi Warrior Class
Daimyos
Samurai
Ronin
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Peasants

• Peasants

• Largest class
• Included farmers and fishermen
• Low social status
• No political power
• VERY poor
• Valued because they produced food for all other
  classes
• Often made material for clothing
• Paid taxes with rice and work
• Had to pay 2/3 of years crop to upper classes
• Often starved

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Bushi Warrior Class
Daimyos
Samurai
Ronin
90 of population
Peasants
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Artisans

• Artisans

• Craftspeople who made variety of products
• Art
• Cooking pots
• Fish hoods
• Farm tools
• Theatre
• Ship anchors
• swords
• Great sword makers highly respected
• On whole, however, artisans not as respected as
  peasants because they didnt produce food

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Bushi Warrior Class
Daimyos
Samurai
Ronin
90 of population
Peasants
Artisans
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Merchants

• Merchants

• Sold goods and produce made by others
• Very low social status
• Produced nothing of value and lived off the
  efforts of others work
• Often made to live in separate locations
• Not allowed to mix with other classes except to
  do business

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Bushi Warrior Class
Daimyos
Samurai
Ronin
90 of population
Peasants
Artisans
Merchants
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Eta

• Eta

• Means full of filth
• Discrimination because of Buddhist prohibitions
  against killing and Shinto concepts of pollution.
• originally discriminated against because they
  were butchers, leather workers, grave-diggers,
  tanners, executioners
• Seen as hereditary
• Still discriminated against today

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Structure of Feudal Japan
Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Bushi Warrior Class
Daimyos
Samurai
Ronin
90 of population
Peasants
Artisans
Lowest Class
Merchants
Eta
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Hinin

• Hinin

• Means Nonhuman
• Not hereditary, but punitive (punishment)
• Was very extremely small chance you could get out
  of this classif you were pardonedbut this is
  highly highly unlikely.

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Figurehead
Emperor
Shogun
Bushi Warrior Class
Daimyos
Samurai
Ronin
90 of population
Peasants
Artisans
Lowest Class
Merchants
Eta
Hinin