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{{History of Japan}}
This is the '''glossary of Japanese history''' including the major terms, titles and events the casual (or brand-new) reader might find useful in understanding articles on the subject.

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==A==
*''[[ashigaru]]'' (足軽) – feudal foot soldiers drawn from the peasant or commoner class, rather than from the samurai hereditary warrior class.
*''[[Ashikaga shogunate|Ashikaga]]'' – ''bushi'' clan from [[Kamakura, Kanagawa|Kamakura]] whose members ruled as ''[[shōgun]]s'' over Japan from 1336 to 1573.

==B==
*''[[shōgun|bakufu]]'' (幕府) – a ''[[shōgun]]''{{'}}s government; commonly called "shogunate" in English.
* ''[[bettō]]'' (別当) – the head of a civilian, military or religious institution.
*''[[bugyō]]'' (奉行) – a magistrate. Examples include the [[Edo period]] ''machibugyō'' who administered the city during the Edo period.
*''[[Samurai|bushi]]'' (武士) – a member of the warrior class (a samurai).
*''[[bushido|bushidō]]'' (武士道) – purported warrior code of honor, analogous to Western [[chivalry]].

==C==
*''[[chōnin]]'' (町人, "townsman") - a social class that emerged in Japan during the early years of the Tokugawa period. The majority of ''chōnin'' were merchants, but some were craftsmen, as well.

==D==
* ''[[daimyō]]'' ({{lang|ja|大名}}) – a feudal lord during the later [[Muromachi period]], [[Sengoku period]], [[Azuchi–Momoyama period]] and Edo period.

==E==
* ''[[Edo]]'' (江戸) – the old name of Tokyo when it was the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. Alternate, outdated spellings include Yedo and Yeddo.
*Eikyō Rebellion (永享の乱 ''Eikyō no Ran'') – [[Ashikaga Mochiuji]]'s 1439 rebellion against the Ashikaga shogunate. See also the article ''[[Kantō kubō]]''.

==F==
*''[[fudai daimyō]]'' (譜代) – a ''daimyō'' who was a hereditary vassal of the [[Tokugawa clan|Tokugawa]] before the [[Battle of Sekigahara]] (1600). See also ''tozama daimyō''.

==G==
*''[[gaikoku bugyō]]'' (外国奉行) – commissioners appointed to oversee foreign trade and relations between 1858 and 1868.
*[[Genkō War]] (元弘の乱, Genkō no Ran) – a civil war which marked the fall of the Kamakura shogunate and end of the power of the Hōjō clan
*''[[Genpei War]]'' (源平合戦 Genpei Kassen) (1180–1185) – a conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clans and in late-Heian period Japan that resulted with the defeat of the Taira.
*''[[genrō]]'' (元老) – unofficial term for retired Japanese statesmen considered "founding fathers" of modern Japan who served as informal advisors to the emperor during the Meiji and [[Taishō period]]s.
* ''[[gokenin]]'' (or ''kenin''; 御家人) – A vassal of the ''shōgun'' during the Kamakura, Ashikaga and [[Tokugawa shogunate]]s.
*''[[Gosanke]]'' (御三家)– Three branches of the Tokugawa clan from which a ''shōgun'' might be chosen if the main line became extinct. Established by [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] in the early Edo period. They were the ''daimyō'' of the [[Owari Domain|Owari (or Bishū)]], [[Wakayama Domain|Kii (or Kishū)]], and [[Mito Domain|Mito]] [[Han (Japan)|Han]].
*''[[Gosankyō]]'' (御三卿) – Three branches of the Tokugawa clan from which a ''shōgun'' might be chosen if the main line became extinct. Established by [[Tokugawa Yoshimune]] in the middle of the [[Edo period]].
* ''gosho'' (御所) – The Emperor's throne or his residence. The residence of a member of the Imperial family, and a term to indicate those members. The residence of a prince or ''shōgun'', and a term for prince or ''shōgun''. 
*''[[gōzoku]]'' (豪族) – local samurai clans with significant local land holdings.

==H==
*''[[haibutsu kishaku]]'' (廃仏毀釈)– anti-Buddhist violence, in particular that of the early Meiji period. See also ''[[shinbutsu bunri]]''.
*''haimyō'' (俳名) – a "[[haiku]] pen-name". It was common in the [[Edo period]] for artists, writers, [[kabuki]] actors and others to take part in [[poetry circles]] and to take on pen-names under which they would compose poetry or create related works, such as ''[[haiga]]'' paintings.
*''[[han (Japan)|han]]'' (藩) – feudal [[fief]]s; the land owned and controlled by a noble lord or clan.
*''hansatsu'' (藩札) – [[Scrip of Edo period Japan|scrip]] issued by a ''han''.
*''[[Hatamoto]]'' (旗本) - high-ranking direct retainers of the Tokugawa shogunate
*''Heian'' 
**(a) ''[[Heian-kyō]]'' (平安京) – capital of Japan from 794 to 1185; located in present-day [[Kyoto]].
**(b) ''[[Heian period]]'' (平安時代) – historical period during which capital was located at [[Heian-kyō]].
*[[Hiki Yoshikazu]]'s rebellion (比企能員の乱 ''Hiki Yoshikazu no Ran'') – Hiki Yoshikazu's rebellion against the [[Hōjō clan]].
*[[Hōjō clan]] (北条氏) – branch of the Taira clan that ruled Japan from Kamakura during the Kamakura period. Not to be confused with the Later Hōjō clan (see below).
*''[[Hōkōshū]]'' (奉公衆) – During the Muromachi period, the [[Gokenin]] part of the ''shōgun''{{'}}s personal army. They constituted five uits were in service from the time of [[Ashikaga Yoshimitsu]] to that of [[Ashikaga Yoshinori]]. The ''[[KantōkKubō]]'' had his own ''Hōkōshū'', which were an important part of his power base.

==J==
*''[[jitō]]'' (地頭) – ''shōgun''-appointed officials that managed ''[[shōen]]'' ([[Manorialism|manors]]) during the Kamakura and Muromachi shogunates.
*''[[Jōkyū War]]'' (承久の乱 ''Jōkyū no Ran'') – a 1221 war between [[Emperor Go-Toba]] and the [[Kamakura shogunate]].

==K==
*''[[kaikin]]'' (海禁) – "maritime prohibitions" imposed by the Tokugawa shogunate from roughly 1635 to 1853. See also ''[[hai jin]]'', ''[[sakoku]]''.
*''[[Kami]]'' (神) - are the spirits or phenomena that are worshipped in the religion of [[Shinto]].
*''[[Kamikaze]]'' (神風) – were a part of the [[Japanese Special Attack Units]] of [[military aviation|military aviators]] who initiated [[suicide attack]]s for the [[Empire of Japan]]. It also means "divine wind" or "[[Kami|spirit]] wind".
*''[[Sesshō and Kampaku|kampaku]]'' (関白) – an Imperial regent who served a number of functions, including chief advisor and secretary.
* [[Kannō disturbance|''Kannō'' disturbance]] (観応擾乱, Kannō Jōran), also called [[Kannō incident|''Kannō'' incident]] – a 1350 factional struggle with serious consequences pitting [[Ashikaga Tadayoshi]], Takauji's brother, against the Kō brothers, [[Kō no Moronao|Moronao]] and [[Kō no Moroyasu|Moroyasu]]. See also the article [[Nanboku-chō period]].
*''[[kanrei]]'' (管領) - a high political post (''shōgun''{{'}}s deputy) of the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates. Originally called [[shitsuji]].
*''[[Kenin (Japanese history)|kenin]]'' (家人) – one of the lower castes under the ''ritsuryō'' system (see below). Also a direct vassal of the ''shōgun'' during the Kamakura period (see "gokenin" above).
*''[[Kentō-shi]]'' (遣唐使) – mission to [[Tang dynasty|Tang China]] (唐) for importing the technologies and culture of China to Japan.
*''[[Kenzui-shi]]'' (遣隋使) – mission to [[Sui dynasty|Sui China]] (隋) for importing the technologies and culture of China to Japan.
*''[[koku]]'' (石) – an amount of rice equal to the amount one man eats in a year; used in feudal times as a measurement of income and of wealth.
*''Koga kubō'' (古河公方) – title arbitrarily assumed by [[Ashikaga Shigeuji]] after his escape from Kamakura to the city of [[Koga, Ibaraki]].
*''[[kubō]]'' (公方) – ''shōgun''. Title later also assumed by the [[Kantō]] ''kanrei'', who became known as ''[[Kantō kubō]]''.
* ''[[kugyō]]'' (公卿) – a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.
*''[[Kyōtoku Incident]]'' (享徳の乱, ''Kyōtoku no Ran'') – a long series of skirmishes and conflicts fought for control of the Kantō region of Japan in the 15th century.

==L==
*''[[Later Hōjō clan]]'' (後北条氏) – also known as Odawara Hōjō clan. A powerful warrior clan of the Sengoku period, it had renamed itself after the original Hōjō clan from Kamakura (see above).

==M==
*''[[Meiji Restoration]]'' – The 1867 restoration of the [[Emperor of Japan|Emperor]] to being the true ruler of the country, in practice as well as name, and the downfall of the last shogunate. 
*''[[Minamoto]]'' – the Minamoto clan defeated the rival [[Taira]] clan in 1185, establishing the first shogunate.

==N==
*''[[Nagaoka-kyō]]'' (長岡京) – the capital of Japan from 784 to 794 (after Nara, before Kyoto).

==O==
* ''[[Ōnin War]]'' (応仁の乱, Ōnin no Ran) – a civil war that lasted from 1467 to 1477 during the Muromachi period.

==R==
*''[[rensho]]'' (連署) – "co-signatory", the ''rensho'' was the assistant to the regent of the Kamakura shogunate.
*''[[ritsuryō]]'' (律令) – the East Asian historical law system based on the philosophies of [[Confucianism]] and Chinese [[Legalism (Chinese philosophy)|Legalism]]. In Japan, ''ritsuryō'' was in effect during the late [[Asuka period]], the [[Nara period]] and the early [[Heian period]]. The ''Taihō-ritsuryō'' (大宝律令, [[Code of Taihō]]) was a key element of the ''ritsuryō''.
*''[[rōjū]]'' (老中) – one of the highest-ranking government posts in the [[Tokugawa shogunate]]. There were usually four or five ''rōjū''.
*''[[rōnin]]'' (浪人) – a [[samurai]] without a lord or master during the [[History of Japan#Feudal Japan|feudal period (1185–1868)]] of [[Japan]].

==S==
* ''[[sadaijin]]'' (左大臣) – Senior Minister of State overseeing all branches of the Department of State with his deputy, the ''udaijin''.
*''[[sakoku]]'' (鎖国) – the "self-isolation" policy followed during the [[Edo period]] (1603–1867), under which Japan engaged in limited trade or communication with the outside world.
*''[[samurai]]'' (侍) – the feudal Japanese noble warrior class.
*''[[sankin-kōtai]]'' (参勤交代) – the [[Edo period]] (1603–1867) policy under which feudal lords (''daimyōs'') had to travel to the capital in [[Edo]] annually, and to leave their families in Edo year-round. This was used by the ''shōgun'' (warlord leader of the nation) to prevent rebellion. 
*''[[Sengoku period]]'' (戦国時代, sengoku jidai) was a time of social upheaval and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century.
*''[[seppuku]]'' (切腹) – honorable ritual suicide. Also called ''hara-kiri''. One of the death penalties which respected a samurai's honor. The belly was ceremonially cut and an assistant then cut the head from the back. Suicide allowed a samurai to keep his honor because it was considered dishonorable for a samurai to be killed by others.
*''[[Sesshō and Kampaku|sesshō]]'' (摂政) – Imperial regent for a child emperor or empress; the regent often continued in this role, changing titles to ''[[Sesshō and Kampaku|kampaku]]'' once the child emperor came of age.
*''[[shikken]]'' (執権) – the regent for the ''shōgun'' during the Kamakura shogunate. The [[Hōjō clan]] monopolized the ''shikken'' post and was therefore the effective ruler of Japan.
*''[[shinbutsu bunri]]'' (神仏分離) – The forcible separation of Buddhism and Shinto, in particular during the Meiji era.  
*''[[shinto]]'' (神道) – is the traditional religion of Japan that focuses on ritual practices to be carried out diligently to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient past.
*Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order (神仏判然令, Shinbutsu Hanzenrei) - A Meiji era law that forbade the mixing of Buddhism and Shinto, an effort to weaken Buddhist temporal power. See [[shinbutsu bunri]] 
*''shitsuji'' (執事) – see ''kanrei'' above.
*''[[shizoku]]'' (士族) – "warrior families", term used to refer to former samurai after the abolition of the class system following the Meiji Restoration.
*''[[shōen]]'' (荘園 or 庄園) – a [[manorialism|manor]] and its fields. 
*''[[shōgun]]'' (将軍) – warlord dictator; the practical head of the nation, having seized power militarily or inherited it from another ''shōgun''.
*shogunate – see ''bakufu''
*''[[shugo]]'' (守護) – officials appointed by the ''shōgun'' to oversee one or more provinces.

==T==
*''[[taikō]]'' (太閤) – a title frequently taken on by retired ''[[kampaku]]'' (Imperial regents). The term is most commonly used in reference to [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi]].
*''[[tairō]]'' (大老) – the highest-ranking government post of the Tokugawa shogunate. There was usually only one ''tairō'', or, at times, none.
*''[[tandai]]'' (探題) – during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, ''tandai'' was a colloquialism for a high-ranking official (for example a ''shikken'' or ''rensho'') with governmental, judiciary or military responsibilities within a certain area. 
*''[[Tokugawa shogunate|Tokugawa]]'' (徳川) – [[Tokugawa Ieyasu]] united Japan through force, becoming its ''shōgun'' in 1603. [[Tokugawa clan|His family]] ruled in that position until 1867.
*''[[tokusō]]'' (得宗) – the head of the mainline Hōjō clan, who monopolized the position of ''shikken'' (see above) during the Kamakura shogunate.
*''[[tozama daimyō]]'' (外様) – a ''daimyō'' who had become a vassal of Tokugawa Ieyasu after the Battle of Sekigahara (see ''fudai''). There were ''tozama'' who had fought both for and against Ieyasu.

==U==
* ''[[udaijin]]'' (右大臣) – Junior Minister of State overseeing all branches of the Department of State during the late Nara and Heian periods, deputy of the ''sadaijin'' (see above).
*''[[Uesugi clan]]'' (上杉氏, Uesugi-shi) – a clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan, important for its power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods (roughly 14th–17th centuries).
* [[Uesugi Zenshū]]'s rebellion (上杉禅秀の乱 ''Uesugi Zenshū no Ran'') – Uesugi Zenshū's 1416 rebellion against [[Ashikaga Mochiuji]].

==W==
*''Warring states period'' - See ''[[Sengoku period]]''

==Y==
* [[Yūki War]] (結城合戦) – 15th century rebellion by the [[Yūki clan]] against the Ashikaga shogunate.

==See also==
*[[:Category:Government of feudal Japan|Category:Government of feudal Japan]]
*[[Japanese units of measurement]]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Glossary Of Japanese History}}
[[Category:Japan history-related lists]]
[[Category:Glossaries of history|Japanese history]]
[[Category:Japanese historical terms|*]]
[[Category:Wikipedia glossaries using unordered lists]]