Essays on Asuka

Shintoism and Buddhism in Japanese History

Before the spread of today’s religion, the early civilizations had different views as to how they could explain the things around them. Some would say it is the work of spirits who dwell upon plants, animals and inanimate objects while others believe in the intervention of divine beings who created the world prior to mankind. While some of these early beliefs have been forgotten in favor of newer religions, there are countries where early beliefs played heavily in the formation of the nation and even triggered a conflict to occur when a new religion was introduced to the ...

Introduction

Japan has stood significantly as one of the most powerful nations in contemporary times, particularly due to its strong political and economic foundations and technological advancements that have since led it to become a strong innovator. Although Japan took only less than three decades to rebuild itself following the devastation brought by its defeat in the Second World War, one could not simply ignore the fact that it has also went through a vast series of historical maladies and errors (Mason & Caiger 361-374). The intriguing circumstances behind the formation of Japan as one of the most politically and economically powerful nations in ...

Introduction

Japanese art encompasses a wide range of art media and styles which is inclusive of calligraphy on silk and paper, ancient pottery, sculpture, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, ink painting, the more recent manga, kirigami, origami and kirie. These arts have their foundation on the wide range of human habitation in Japan which is up to the 10th millennium BC to present day. Going by history, Japan is exposed to sudden invasions that come with alien and very new ideas which are then followed by long periods of literally minimal contact with the rest of the globe. This has caused Japanese art ...

The Jomon period is an era that ranges from c. 11,000 -400 a.c.e. The Jomon remained absolutely a Stone Age society that engaged in artistic activities. During this era, the Japan Buddhists were hunters, gatherer and did some agriculture too. They lived in linked communities that exercised a great deal of cooperation. The Jomon period set forth aesthetic templates that were to be used in the subsequent Japan-Buddhists artistic periods. The most remarkable artistic works of the Jomon period is the pottery vessels. They were earthenware made using coiled clay and then fired in exposed fires. The surface of the ...