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| Cultural diffusion is the spread of cultural elements from one society to another. Cultural Diffusion helped to shape Japanese culture. |
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| To isolate is to be separated from others. The isolation of Japan resulted in it having a unique culture. |
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| Shinto was the original religion of Japan. Shinto expressed the love and beauty of nature. It also stressed purifying what was unclean. |
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| A regent is someone who rules in the name of another. For example, Prince Shotoku ruled under the name of Empress Suiko. |
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| A courtier is a member of a ruler's court. Small, pointed beards were considered attractive on male courtiers. |
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| The price for failing to live up to the code of Bushido was seppuku. Seppuku became an elaborate ceremony for the samurai. |
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| Daimyos were local lords in the era of the samurai. The shoguns ruled with the help of daimyos but soon daimyos became in charge. |
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| Kanji is a chinese writing used by Japanese scholars to write Japanese words. Kanji enabled the japanese to develop a literature of their own. |
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| Prince Shotoku ruled as regent under Empress Suiko. He adopted new ideas about government from China. He also issued the Seventeen Article Constitution. |
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| Tanka is a form of poetry. Each poem had 5 lines with 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7 syllables in each line. The poems are devoted to the love and beauty of nature. |
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| Kamikazes means "divine winds." Suicide pilots were called kamikazes after the storms that destroyed an invading fleet. |
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| Matsuo Basho invented a new form of poetry called haiku. A haiku poem has 17 syllables in all. A haiku poet uses images to suggest an idea. |
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| The Noh theater is a classic form of Japanese drama involving heroic themes, a dance and a chorus. Noh theater is old, but is still a popular form of entertainment. |
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| The shogun was the head of the military government during the era of the samurai. Minamoto Yoritomo was the first samurai. |
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| The Heian period begun when the capital was moved to heian-kyo and lasted till the 12th century. The Heian period is often referred to as Japan's Golden Age. |
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