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Shaping a Unique Worldview

Shaping a Unique Worldview. Japan in 5 Minutes. Satellite image of Japan. The Start of Japan.

wesley-wallace
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Shaping a Unique Worldview

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  1. Shaping a Unique Worldview Japan in 5 Minutes

  2. Satellite image of Japan

  3. The Start of Japan According to Japanese Mythology, two divine beings, the male Izanagi and the female Izanami stood on the bridge of heavan and churned the ocean with a spear to make a small island of curdled salt. From that mystical start grew a string of islands….Japan. Izanagi and Izanami looked at their creation and said, “Why should we not produce someone who shall be lord of what is below Heaven?” So they went on to bear deities called Kami who inhabited the land from that time forward.

  4. Kamikaze For most of their long history, the Japanese have believed their country is favoured by these gods. In 1274, Mongol rulers sent a large fleet from Asia that landed on Kyushu, the southern island of Japan. However a typhoon (hurricane) forced them to retreat. In 1281, the Mongols returned with thousands of ships and more than 100,000 men. The Japanese in their smaller craft defended the island but again a ferocious storm destroyed the Mongol fleet. The Japanese called the storm kamikaze, a divine wind sent by the gods to defend their islands.

  5. By 1281, Japan had twice been saved from invasion by a typhoon. How might this repeated experience influence the worldview of the Japanese people? How might it influence their view of people from other places?

  6. Land of the Rising Sun In many societies, origin stories include important clues to how the people identify themselves and their culture. Origin stories often have connections to geography of the place where a society lives. For centuries, the Japanese have described their country as the land of the rising sun. According to legend Izanagi had a daughter named Amaterasu known as the sun goddess. Once she went into a cave, closed the entrance with a boulder, and refused to come out. The world plunged into darkness. The other gods tricked her into coming out thus bringing back light and hope to the Japanese people.

  7. This image is done by Kunisada Utagawa in the 19th century (1800’s) and shows Amterasu emerging from the cave. How does the artist emphasize her role as a bringer of light?

  8. The image on the Japanese flag reflects unity of the Japanese people? What do the images on Alberta’s provincial flag suggest to you about the identity of Albertans?

  9. The Emperor • Rulers of Japan were considered the descendants of Amaterasu. • Ruled by the Emperor who was believed to be divine (godlike) • Emperor represented God on Earth.

  10. In the early 1800’s the Japanese thinker AizawaSeishisai described the relationship between the sun goddess, the emperors and Japan this way; “Our Divine Land is where the sun rises and where the very beginning energy originates. The heirs of the Great Sun our emporers have owned the Imperial throne from generation to generation without change. This makes the standard (model) for the nations of the world. Japan casts a light over the world and the distances the imperial influence knows no limit.”

  11. A Land Apart

  12. Japan in about 60% the size of Alberta • Forested mountains and steep valleys cover about 80% of Japan • About 18% of the country is level enough to permit agriculture and settlement • Because Japan is an island country t is isolated from its nearest neighbours Korea, China and Russia.

  13. Very tough to travel here Evidence suggests there was some contact between Japan and its neighbor's as far back as mid 200s

  14. Adopting and Adapting Elements of Culture The Japanese chose to adopt elements of other cultures. For example they borrowed the Chinese system of writing in characters. The Chinese characters called Kanji. Over time a new system developed that combined Kanji with Japanese characters called kana.

  15. Protecting the Canadian Identity • Who are your favorite bands? • Who are you favorite writers/authors? • What are you favorite TV shows? • What are you favorite movies?

  16. Questions • How many of them are Canadian? • How many are American? • What other cultures are represented on your list?

  17. Most of Canada’s population lives very close to the United States. Just as the Japanese government was concerned about too much influence from China, the Canadian government became concerned about the influence of American culture on Canadians. In 1955 the government imposed a quota system on Canadian radio and TV. • Today, all radio stations must air 35% Canadian music each week and French-language stations must have at least 65% in the French language. Air time for Canadian television programming varies by time of day and type of station. The idea is to promote Canadian talent and the production of programs. • How have satellite and cable TV changed the number of cultures that Canadians are exposed to? • To what extent do you think media such as music, TV and movies influence your sense of identity as a Canadian?

  18. Choose the two provinces in Canada you think are geographically the most similar to Japan. Write the similarities below. Province #1 - Province #2 -

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