Figure 1.--This snapshot shows Japanese girls plsying a ring game poutside a neigborhood templel. Notice that many are carrying for baby siblings. Thy all wear traditionl clothing. The photograph is undated, but probbly would have been taken sometime in he early-20th century.

Japan since the 16th century was one of the most isolated countries in the world. Shogun Hideyoshi and the succeeding Tokugawa Shogunate repressed Christianity and other Western influences which was seen as disrupting Japan's traditional society. The role of women among Christian families was one of many European cultural issues that offended Japanese traditional society. Christians were hunted down and killed. Commonly they were crucified. The 26 martyrs of Japan were tortured and crucified on crosses outside Nagasaki to suppress Christianity (1597). Trade with Europeans were severely limited. Thus Japan into the modern had a basically medieval traditional society entered to modern era with women at the bottom of the social structure, totally subservient to men. This was not always the case. Historians a different societal role of women in ancient Japan, a matriarchal antiquity. An important factor in the change that occurred was the two major religions of Japan, Shintoism and Buddhism. The place of women evolved to one acquiescent confinement. This was the situation at the time of the Meiji Restoration (1868). The role of women changed very gradually and primarily because Japan began to build a modern education system which included girls. Boys dominated secondary and university education, but for the first time girls were being educated and exposed to ideas outside the household. Still Japanese society relegated girls and women to household and maternal duties and caring for their husbands. Only with World War II, however, did Japanese women take the next big step. As the War went against Japan girls and unmarried young women were mobilized for factory work. With the Japanese surrender and the coming of the Americans, there were fundamental changes. The Government recognized women as having equal legal rights to men. Economic and social conditions were a different matter and changed more slowly. And are still evolving. A scandal just emerged on how female students were discriminated against in medical school entrances (2018). There is visual evidence of Japans evolving society. After the Meiji Restoration you begin to see men and boys wearing Western dress. This is especially the case for boys in schools as school uniforms were adopted with Western styles. We see girls and women clinging to traditional dress and not just when dressing up for formal occasions, but for everyday wear. We see countless family portraits=its until after World War II with the boys and men wearing Western styles and the girls and women wearing traditional styles. This varies from family to family, but is very pronounced in the photographic record.

Chronolgy

Japan since the 16th century was one of the most isolated countries in the world. Shogun Hideyoshi and the succeeding Tokugawa Shogunate repressed Christianity and other Western influences which was seen as disrupting Japan's traditional society. The place of women evolved to one acquiescent confinement. This was the situation at the time of the Meiji Restoration (1868).

Religion

The role of women among Christian families was one of many European cultural issues that offended Japanese traditional society. Christians were hunted down and killed. Commonly they were crucified. The 26 martyrs of Japan were tortured and crucified on crosses outside Nagasaki to suppress Christianity (1597). Trade with Europeans were severely limited. Thus Japan into the modern had a basically medieval traditional society entered to modern era with women at the bottom of the social structure, totally subservient to men. This was not always the case. Historians a different societal role of women in ancient Japan, a matriarchal antiquity.

Religion

An important factor in the change that occurred was the two major religions of Japan, Shintoism and Buddhism.

Education

The role of women changed very gradually and primarily because Japan began to build a modern education system which included girls. Boys dominated secondary and university education, but for the first time girls were being educated and exposed to ideas outside the household. Still Japanese society relegated girls and women to household and maternal duties and caring for their husbands.

World War II

Only with World War II, however, did Japanese women take the next big step. It was not of its own choosing. The military officers who seized control of the Government launched on a huge gamble. They decided that the force of will could overcome the immense industrial power if the United States. It was a catastrophic decision. After 6 months of stunning military successes, Japan experienced one disastrous defeat after another in the Pacific. As the War went against Japan girls and unmarried young women were mobilized for factory work, but the American largely isolated Japan (1945). Factories no longer received raw materials. Being cut off from the world economy was a disaster for a country that was not self-sufficient in food production. By the time that the war was ended by atomic bombs, the Japanese had begin to starve. With the Japanese surrender and the coming of the Americans, there were fundamental changes. And one of the most important, was the role of women in Japanese society. This and other chsnges were not reforms that would have come easily. The huge shock of the War ricked Japan to the core. Only the unbelievable disaster of the War made these changes possible. Many were imposed upon Japan by the Americcans. The Government recognized women as having equal legal rights to men. Economic and social conditions were a different matter and changed more slowly.

Modern Japam

And are still evolving. A scandal just emerged on how female students were discriminated against in medical school entrances (2018). There is visual evidence of Japan's evolving society.

Garments

At the time of the Meiji Restoration thec Japanese people wire tradituinal garments, mostly kimonos (1870s). This was true for both men, women, and children. For ome time there wa little change. You begin to see a few men and boys wearing Western dress, but it was much rarer to see girls and women in Western dress throughout the 19th century. The first place we see a lot of Westrwern dress was in schools prtraits, especially in the city schools. Japan was the first Asian country to create a public school system. The esecondary schools wre the first to require uniforms, The biys wire Prissian cadet uniforms and the girls English sailor dresses. Primary schools were slower to require uniforms, but agrter the yurn-of the-20th century also began to require uniforms. After the turn -of the century we begin to see Western dress appearing in the rural schools, expecially after world war II in the 1920--first boys and than the girls as well. Here schools adopting school uniforms were a factor. This is especially the case for boys in schools as school uniforms were adopted with Western styles. While girls were slower to wear Western dress, we see this very quickly change after World War II. The American occupation forces had nothing to do with this. We also see these changes infamily portraits. We see girls and women clinging to traditional dress when dressing up for formal occasions, but for everyday wear Western dress quickly became common. We see countless family portraits until after World War II with the boys and men wearing Western styles and the girls and women commonly wearing traditional styles. This varies from family to family, but is very pronounced in the photographic record.

Created: 8:44 AM 12/11/2018
Last updated: 10:31 PM 10/15/2024