Rethinking Japanese History

Amino Yoshihiko was one of Japan's most original historians of the 20th century. Through his own efforts, he opened up an entirely new field of research into Japan's medieval history. In this book, he explores the changes in Japan's state and society before modern times from many angles, including the spread of writing, the circulation of money, class and discrimination, women's social status, the origins of the emperor and the name Japan, and cultural and lifestyle differences between regions. Challenging conventional wisdom, he reconsiders and reinterprets Japanese history. In his account, medieval Japan was not an isolated island nation, and its inhabitants were not all farmers rooted to the land. Nor was it a world made up only of armed samurai, power-hungry nobles, and emperors from an unbroken line. In striking contrast, he presents a dynamic history shaped by trade, circulation, and competition, with large numbers of non-agricultural people active on its stage: mountain and sea dwellers who lived off the land and waters; all kinds of artisans organized into guilds; new Buddhist sects deeply involved in social change; women who enjoyed a measure of freedom and actively participated in society; merchants who made full use of land and sea routes; entertainers, beggars, and shrine maidens who traveled far and wide to make a living; people of various kinds labeled "nonhuman," whose hands were tainted by "pollution"; and lords and bureaucrats striving to manage their estates and territories... Alongside farmers, they continually adapted to and transformed their environment in order to survive and prosper, creating distinctive economies, political systems, societies, and cultures.