Modern History of Japan

Modern History of Japan

Fall 2021

Syllabus

2021/1/17

Ryoichi Imai

International Student Center, Kyushu University

My JTW Course Page

JTW Homepage

Contents

1. Course Outline

2. Organization, Attendance, and Other Requirements

3. Pre-requisites

4. Assessment Details

5. Schedule and Readings

Course Outline

The course is designed to provide some introductory knowledge of Japanese history. The course will cover the history of Japan's political and economic system from Edo era to the end of World War II.

Organization, Attendance, and Other Requirements

Students are expected to buy the text book.

Gordon, Andrew (2003), A Modern History of Japan. Oxford University Press.

Some lecture notes will be uploaded on this website. The course consists mainly of a series of lecture given by the instructor. Depending on the number of the students who register this course, they may present some selected reading materials in the late half of the course. Each course attendant is supposed to do at least ONE oral presentation of the reading assignments. The presenter must make a set of PowerPoint slides. If too many students take this course, individual presentations will be replaced by group ones. There is one final examination, closed-book or take-home.

Pre-requisite

None.

Assessment Details

You can get two credits by satisfying the following three requirements.

1. Class Attendance and Discussion 20%

According to the government guideline, no students are allowed to take the course final examination, if they do not show up in more than 1/3 of the class meetings. The government has set up a more rigorous grading standard on credits.

2. Presentation 40%

3. Final Examination 40%

Getting the course credits is not a hard task, while no negotiation is allowed on credits or grades.

If you need to acquire three credits in accordance with the credit transfer policy of your home university, you can get three credits by making a second presentation in different topics in addition to the requirements as above.

Schedule and Readings (subject to Change)

1. (10/5) Introduction

Concise History of Japan Overview - Wikipedia

Religion in Japan – Buddhism in Japan (Wikipedia)

Shinto – Ise Shrine, Usa Shrine, Izumo Shrine, Itsukushima Shrine

Ancient Buddhism – Houryuji, Todaiji

Amidism – Byodo-in, Chion-in, West Honganji, East Honganji

Zen – Tenryuji, Bairinji, Eiheiji,

Lotus Sutra – Minobusan Kuonji

Concise Geography of Japan

Prefectures in Japan

2. (10/12) Introduction continues

3. (10/19) Introduction continues

4. (10/26) The Tokugawa Polity

Supplement:

The Sengoku Warlords and Their Culture

Kumamoto Castle Suizenji Seishuen

Dazaifu and Sumo　Sumo Banzuke

Japan: History and Nature

5. (11/2) Social Economic Transformations

6. (11/9) The Intellectual World of Late Tokugawa
This is not a replacement. 10/22 (Tue) is the special holiday to celebrate the new emperor’s coronation.

7. (11/16) The Overthrow of the Tokugawa

8. (11/23) The Samurai Revolution

9. (11/30) Participation and Protest

10. (12/7) Social Economic, and Cultural Transformations

Matsumoto Kaichi School

Elementary School Moral Textbook (1934 – 1940)

Silk (movie)

The Nomugi Pass (movie)

Demon Slayer (Wikipedia)

Demon Slayer – The Infinity Train (movie)

11. (12/14) Empire and Domestic Order

Economy and Society