HANDBOOK TO LIFE IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN JAPAN HANDBOOK TO LIFE IN MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN JAPAN WILLIAM E. DEAL Case Western Reserve University Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan Copyright © 2006 by William E. Deal All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information contact: Facts On File, Inc. An imprint of Infobase Publishing 132 West 31st Street New York NY 10001 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Deal, William E. Handbook to life in medieval and early modern Japan / William E. Deal. p. cm. — (Handbook to life) Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8160-5622-6 (alk. paper) 1. Japan—Civilization—To 1868. 2. Japan—History—1185-1868. I. Title. II. Series. DS822.2.D33 2005 952’.02—dc22 2005003371 Facts On File books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk quantities for businesses, associations, institutions, or sales promotions. Please call our Special Sales Department in New York at (212) 967-8800 or (800) 322-8755. You can find Facts On File on the World Wide Web at http://www.factsonfile.com Text design by Cathy Rincon Cover design by Semadar Megged Illustrations by Jeremy Eagle Printed in the United States of America VB FOF 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 This book is printed on acid-free paper. For Moriyama Tae CONTENTS LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ix 4 SOCIETY AND ECONOMY 107 Society 108 LIST OF MAPS x Women 115 Social Protest 117 LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS x Economy 119 Reading 129 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi 5 WARRIORS AND WARFARE BY LISA J. ROBERTSON 131 INTRODUCTION xiii Warrior History 132 Warrior Ethics 138 1 HISTORICAL CONTEXT 1 Martial Arts and Weaponry 149 Historical Survey 2 Armor, Helmets, and Shields 167 Biographies of Historical Figures 21 Fortifications 173 Reading 51 Warrior Ranks and Hierarchy 174 Battle Tactics 178 2 LAND, ENVIRONMENT, AND Wars and Battles 182 POPULATION 53 Reading 184 Landscape and Environment 54 City, Town, and Countryside 60 6RELIGION 187 Population Statistics 62 Introduction 188 Gazetteer of Place-names 63 Shinto Traditions 190 Reading 85 Japanese Buddhist Traditions 202 Christianity 217 3 GOVERNMENT 87 Role of Women 218 Imperial and Military Rule 88 Reading 219 Structure of the Imperial Court 89 Structure of the Shogunates 92 7 PHILOSOPHY, EDUCATION, Law, Crime, and Punishment 101 AND SCIENCE 221 Reading 105 Philosophy 222 Education 227 11 TRAVEL AND COMMUNICATION 325 Science 231 Introduction 326 Reading 240 Land Travel and Communication 327 Maritime Travel and Communication 333 8 LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 241 Reading 338 Language 242 Literature 249 12 EVERYDAY LIFE 339 Reading 260 The Family 340 The Home 342 9 PERFORMING ARTS 263 Marriage and Divorce 345 Introduction 264 Sexuality 346 Musical Instruments 265 Pregnancy and Childbirth 347 Music and Dance 267 Food and Drink 348 Religious Performing Arts 270 Dress and Personal Appearance 350 Theater 272 Sports and Diversions 353 Street Entertainers and Calendar 355 Storytellers 281 Festivals and Yearly Rituals 355 Reading 282 Death and Dying 358 Reading 359 10 ART AND ARCHITECTURE WITH LISA J. ROBERTSON 283 LIST OF MUSEUMS 361 Introduction 284 Art 287 BIBLIOGRAPHY 363 Tea and Related Arts 302 Architecture 307 INDEX 383 Reading 324 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Warriors defend Uraga Bay from Admiral Perry 20 Warrior in a fixed shield defensive position 179 Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–99) 37 Warrior procession 181 Tomoe Gozen (late 12th century), famed Warrior with head of his defeated enemy 182 woman warrior 49 Buddhist protective deity 192 Leisure-time boating on the Sumida River 56 Sake barrels given as shrine offerings 195 Thatch roof construction 59 Ema 196 Black pines at Ginkakuji 60 Hotei, one of the seven gods of good fortune 198 Dragonfly 61 Inari shrine 199 Amusement area in the city of Edo 63 Atagoyama Shrine 200 Edo shop 68 Zen Buddhist meditation hall 209 Edo street scene 69 Amida Buddha 211 Edo-period-style storefront 75 Bodhisattva Jizo 212 Edo-period local government building 99 Bodhisattva Kannon 213 A device used to apprehend criminals 102 Buddhist temple altar 215 A basket used to transport criminals 103 Edo-period astronomical observatory 238 “Welcoming cat” (maneki neko) 113 Writing set, including brush and inkstone 247 Interior of an artisan’s woodworking shop 114 Poet-priest Saigyo (1118–1190) 250 Edo-period rice riot 119 Edo-period musical instruments 265 Scale used in the conduct of business 123 Musician playing a biwa 266 Measure used in the conduct of business 123 Drum 267 Edo shop front 124 Nakamuraza, a Kabuki theater 277 Rice used for paying taxes 125 Scene from an Edo-period Kabuki play 278 Edo-period coins 126 Bell tower and temple bell 311 Warriors preparing for battle 150 Ginkakuji, in Kyoto 312 Warrior with bow and arrows 153 Shinto shrine gate 314 Sword blades with heat-tempered patterns 160 Main tower of Himeji Castle 317 Warrior with polearm 161 Wall of the main tower at Himeji Castle 318 Warrior holding a spear 163 Wall and gate at Himeji Castle 319 Ninja 165 Ho Gate at Himeji Castle 320 Armor 168 Warriors firing from castle weapon portals 321 Warrior wearing face mask 170 Edo domain lord residence 322 Buddhist warrior-monk 176 Edo-period woodcutter’s house 322 Kamakura-period foot soldier 177 Edo-period farmhouse 323 L IST OF I LLUSTRATIONS ix Edo commoner residences 324 Kitchen stove in a traditional country home 349 Procession of a domain lord 326 Edo-period-style sake shop 350 Palanquin 328 Kamakura-period aristocratic woman 351 Oxcart 328 Everyday medieval warrior attire 351 Edo-period riverboat 333 Edo-period spinning wheel 352 Takase-style boat 337 Straw boots 352 Women drawing water from a well 341 Playing a game called kaiawase 354 Hanging laundry 341 Edo-period doll 354 Exterior of an Edo commoner’s house 342 Gion Festival parade 356 Childbirth 347 Buddhist grave markers 359 LIST OF MAPS Important Lords in the 16th Century 10 Major Battles in the Medieval and Early Topographic Map of Japan’s Main Islands 55 Modern Periods 183 Provinces of Medieval and Early Modern Major Roads in the Early Modern Period 330 Japan 84 LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS Table of Events 15 List of Shoguns and Regents 100 Medieval and Early Modern Regions, Structure of Troops for Battle 175 Provinces, and Equivalent Modern Chronological List of Significant Prefectures 83 Wars and Battles 182 Structure of the Imperial Court 90 Syllabic Sounds in the Japanese Language 244 Court Ranks 91 Some Representative Noh Plays Listed List of Emperors 91 According to the Five Types 275 Administrative Structure of the Kamakura Some Important Edo-Period Kabuki Shogunate 93 Plays 279 Administrative Structure of the Muromachi Some Important Edo-Period Bunraku Shogunate 95 Plays 281 Administrative Structure of the Tokugawa List of Some Important Castles 316 Shogunate 97 List of Tokaido Road Post Stations 329 H ANDBOOK TO L IFE IN M EDIEVAL AND E ARLY M ODERN J APAN x ACKNOWLEDGMENTS riting this book has been a humbling experi- In Japan, I received generous assistance from Wence. I am mindful that a book is the product Nishimura Shoji of Waseda University, who has self- of the support and guidance of many people. Both lessly offered support for the past 15 years. Audrey current and former students of Case Western Morrell, den mother extraordinaire, transformed the Reserve University and Boston University assisted drudgery of travel into an enjoyable experience. with research for this book: Eric Bugyis, Miriam Moriyama Tae, my former Japanese teacher and Chusid, Christine Fergus, Elizabeth Grammatikov, travel companion, instilled a love of traditional and Matt Snyder. Special thanks to Julie Digiananto- Japanese culture that is a guiding light for this book. nio for her editorial assistance. I would like to thank Many thanks go to wonderful friends who pro- Cleveland artist Grace Vibbert, who rendered sev- vided support and encouragement: Jeff and Naoko eral expert illustrations for this volume, and Ken Gumpf, Jeff Catts, Sid Fowler, Barbara Green, Eliz- Clickenger, at Dodd Camera in Cleveland, who pro- abeth Kirk, Fred Land, Alyson and John Kallmeyer, vided expert advice about photographic matters. and Sam Oriti (especially for reminders of Maine in Further, I am indebted to Joanne Eustis, Gail Reese, Cleveland). Daniel Meckel and Betul Basaran offered Bonnie Godden, and the staff at Kelvin Smith steadfast friendship, scholarship, and much-needed Library at Case Western Reserve University for all of humor. their assistance with my bibliographic needs. I also More personally, Yuki and Sumi kept an eye on enjoyed strong encouragement from my Case col- the research team every day without fail. My broth- leagues Tim Beal and Peter Haas. I am grateful to ers, Bruce Deal and Robert Deal, took care of family publishing consultant Henry Rasof for bringing this matters at a difficult time so that I could remain project to my attention, and to Claudia Schaab and focused on writing. Most of all, I thank Lisa Robert- Melissa Cullen-DuPont at Facts On File for their son for her creativity, ideas, expertise, writing, edit- steadfast editorial expertise. ing, and support. A CKNOWLEDGMENTS xi INTRODUCTION his book is an introduction to Japanese history, gawa military government. These and other events Tculture, and society from 1185—the beginning lead to the end of warrior rule in 1868. of the Kamakura period—through the end of the This volume introduces readers to significant peo- Edo (Tokugawa) period in 1868.