Modern History of Japan

Fall 2021

Syllabus

2022/01/09

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. (10/4) Introduction

    Concise History of Japan Overview - Wikipedia

@@A Short History of Japan before the Showa Era

    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. (10/11) Introduction continues

3. (10/18) Introduction continues

4. (10/25) The Tokugawa Polity   

Supplement:

The Sengoku Warlords and Their Culture

Kumamoto Castle Suizenji Seishuen

Dazaifu and Sumo@Sumo Banzuke

Japan: History and Nature

5. (11/1) Social Economic Transformations

6. (11/8) The Intellectual World of Late Tokugawa

7. (11/15) The Overthrow of the Tokugawa

8D(11/22): The Samurai Revolutions

9. (11/29) Participation and Protest

12/6: No class@Nagasaki Tour cancelled

10. (12/13) Social Economic, and Cultural Transformations

Matsumoto Kaichi School, Video, Elementary School Moral Textbook (1934 – 1940)

Silk (movie),@The Nomugi Pass (movie)

Higher Schools, Imperial Universities

Mitsubish Nagasaki Shipyard, Yahata Steel Works

Japanfs Meiji Industrial Revolution

Reach Beyond the Blue Sky The Life of Shibusawa Eiichi

Demon Slayer (Wikipedia),@Demon Slayer – The Infinity Train (movie)

11. (12/20) Empire and Domestic Order

‹`˜a’cŽ–ŒiThe Boxer Rebelionj

“ϊ–{ŠCŠCνiBattle of Tsushimaj

Kokoro by Natsume Soseki

-----Winter Break-----

12. (1/10) Economy and Society

@@@World War 1 (wikipedia)

      1923 Great Kanto Earthquake

      Showa Financial Crisis (J)

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivor Symposium ->Moved to Spring

13. (1/17) Economic History of the Pre-modern Japan

Japan and the Great Divergence, 725 to 1874@
voxeu article
Agricultural Land Survey 1598-1872 (in Japanese)
Kyoji Fukao (2018) Historical Insights for the Long-run Stagnation of Japanese Economy (J)

The Cambridge Economic History of the Modern World:

   Volume 1, 1700 to 1870

   Volume 2, 1870 to the Present

Clark and Ishii (2012) Social Mobility in Japan, 1868-2012:  The Surprising Persistence of the Samurai, University of California, Davis

Students' Presentations: Materials are subject to change.

Kenichi Ohno (2006) The Economic Development of Japan

14. (1/24). Presentation 1

Chapter 2 The Edo Period: Pre-conditions for Industrialization ······ 21

Lancia

 

Chapter 3 Meiji (1): Key Goals of the New Government ······ 39

Jules

 

Chapter 4 Meiji (2): Importing and Absorbing Technology ······ 55

Birger

15. (1/31). Presentation 2

Chapter 5 Meiji (3): Development of Major Industries ······ 71

Salma

 

Chapter 6 Meiji (4): Budget, Finance and the Macroeconomy ······ 85

Rinad

 

Chapter 1 Modernization for Latecomers ······ 1

(Lorna, optional)

 

Final Exam

Final Take-home Examination (New 2021)

Last Year .

Review of the History of Ancient and Mediaeval Japan

Readings: chapters from A History of Japan, 2nd edition, by Conrad Totman

Underlines show the leaders.

Ch.1: Geology, Climate, and Biota

Ch.2: From Erigines to Agriculture

Ch.3: Political Consolidation to 671 CE

Presenters: Gesine, Mikaela, Melissa, Haruka

Ch.4: Establishing the Ritsuryo Order (672-750)

Ch. 5. Ritsuryo Adaptation and Decay (750-1250), pp. 87-113.

Presenters: Joy, Casey, Emma, Gesine

Ch. 6. Classical Higher Culture (750-1250), pp. 114-139.

Ch. 7. The Centuries of Disorder (1250-1550), pp. 146-174.

Presenters: Marie, Kathi, Gregoire

Ch. 8. Medieval Higher Culture (1250-1550), pp. 175-202

Ch.9: Establishing the Bakuhan Order (1550-1700).

Presenters: Yang, Phoenix, Mellissa, Harry

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