JAPNS 172Introduction to Japanese Civilization

3 credits · Japanese · Penn State

This course surveys the development of civilization in Japan from ancient times to the present. Among the key goals of this course is to discuss what is distinctive about "Japanese civilization." As a survey of Japan it includes topics such as external relations and cultural exchanges with Japan's neighbors and the world more broadly; the nature of indigenous beliefs, Shinto and Buddhism; the making of the Japanese bureaucratic state and gentry society; the rise of the commercialized economy; the growth of Japanese culture; Tokugawa Japan, It offers a basic knowledge of the cultural, political, economic, artistic and historical background of this vital region of the world.