Medieval Japanese Vocabulary
Clan: Group of families related by blood or marriage
Shōgun: literally 'a commander of a force'. A shogun was one of the milatary dictator of Japan from 1192 to 1867
Samurai: Class of warriors in feudal Japan who pledged loyalty to a noble in return for land.
Vassal: In feudalism, a noble who held land from and served a higher ranking lord, and in reform was given protection
Heian: A period in Japanese history running from 794 to 1185.
Kamakura: Kamakura is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Minamoto no Yoritomo: The founder and the first shogun of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan.
Ashikaga Takuji: The founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate.
Daimyo: One of the great lords who were vassals of the shogun.
Hokkaido: Second largest main island of Japan.
Honshu: The largest main island of Japan.
Shikoku: The smallest main island of Japan.
Kyushu: The third largest main island of Japan
Jomon: A part of Japanese prehistory from about 14,000 BC to 300 BC.
Yayoi: A Japanese era dating from 300 BC to 300 AD.
Jimmu: The legendary first emperor of Japan (660 BC)
Kyoto: is a city in the central part of the island Honshu in Japan.
Calligraphy: The art of producing decorative handwriting or lettering with a pen or brush.
Meditation: Relaxing and being deeply or seriously thoughtful.
Tanka: A Japanese poem consisting of five lines, the syllables are made in a pattern of 5-7-5-7-7.
Martial Arts: Sports/skills that originated as forms of self-defence or attacking.