6601001 Japanese History
| Numbering Code | U-LET23 26601 LJ36 | Year/Term | 2022 ・ Year-round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Credits | 4 | Course Type | Lecture | |
| Target Year | Target Student | |||
| Language | Japanese | Day/Period | Wed.5 | |
| Instructor name | YOSHIKAWA SHINJI (Graduate School of Letters Professor) | |||
| Outline and Purpose of the Course |
The study of Japanese history is generally classified into four periods: ancient, medieval, early modern, and modern. Ancient History is broadly referenced as the period from the 2nd and 3rd centuries to the 11th century. This is the period during which the political unification of the Japanese archipelago took place and centralization of power and public governance were promoted under the Ritsuryo system. Medieval History is broadly referenced as the period from the 11th century to the 16th century. During this period, the decentralization of power grew stronger and public governance shifted towards the ruling elites (Kenmon Taisei), and aristocrats, warriors and temples and shrines assumed control over the power structure under the Manorial System. Early Modern History is broadly referenced as the period from the end of the 16th century to the middle of the 19th century. During this period, a unified government emerged following the turmoil of the Warring States period, stable governance was established under the shogunate and domain system, and cities, the commodity economy, and the culture grew exponentially. Modern History is mainly referenced as the period following the mid-19th century, when the capitalist economy and science and technology developed under the strong influence of the West after the Meiji Restoration, and the transition from a modern emperor system to a postwar democracy occurred. This course reviews the flow of Japanese history, the nature of basic historical text, and trends in related research. However, it is not easy to cover the entire history of Japan as described above in one year. Therefore, this course is designed to address a different period of history in each year of study and attempts to view the characteristics of Japanese history accordingly. In other words, although the course will only address one historical period each year, it will serve as an introduction to research on Japanese history as a whole by providing the knowledge and methods required for gaining a general understanding of Japanese history. This year, the course will provide an introduction to ancient Japanese history through discussion on important themes to illuminate the flow of ancient history and provide a perspective for perceiving medieval and post-medieval history. |
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| Course Goals |
Upon their successful completion of this course, students will: -possess basic knowledge of Japanese History and ancient history, in particular. -gain an understanding of the methods used to perceive and reconstruct history. |
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| Schedule and Contents | Please refer to the Japanese syllabus for details. | |||
| Evaluation Methods and Policy |
30% Class Reports 70% Final Report Performance evaluation will be based on the extent to which students are able to achieve the stated objectives. |
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| Course Requirements | Students taking this course must have taken “Japanese History B” in high school or possess an equivalent level of knowledge. | |||
| Study outside of Class (preparation and review) | Students will be given information pertainig to historical and reference materials during the lectures, which they should read as thoroughly and completely as possible. Students will be given information on archaeological and historical sites during the lectures, which they should visit to the extent possible. | |||
| Textbooks | Textbooks/References | Not used. | ||
| References, etc. | Will be introduced during class. | |||
