Interesting Paper Topics on Japanese History
- The Nara Period in Japan, which took place from A.D. 710 to 794, is most known for the cultural exchange that occurred when Buddhist monks from China visited the region via the Korean Peninsula. The Japanese learned and adapted from China's written language during this time, which is why modern Japanese kanji looks almost indentical to Chinese characters. The Chinese monks also shared Buddhism's religious traditions and literature, once Japan's elite learned the Chinese language. Your paper might focus on this cultural or religious exchange.
- Following the Nara, Heian and Kamakura Periods, the Moromachi Period (1336-1573) was marked by major political upheaval and internal strife. The Ashikaga shogunate took power over the Imperial Court. Regional rulers known as daimyo rose in power, which led to several civil wars; the most famous is the 10-year Onin War, which sprang from the vacuum of power upon the death of shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa.
The Moromachi Period ended when warlord Oda Nobunaga drove shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki from the throne in 1573. Writers interested in the political or militaristic history of feudal Japan may want to follow Nobunaga's conquests, or explore the influence of Western traders from Europe and Portugal on Japanese economics. - The Edo Period (1603-1867) is perhaps the most well known to Westerners, as art and poetry were prolific at this time and many Japanese period films, called "taiga" films, take place during this time. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate the powerful daimyo were brought under heel by the decree they must spend every second year in the city of Edo, the seat of the shogunate's power, at great financial cost. Foreign travel was forbidden, effectively shutting Japan away from the rest of the world. A caste system was also strictly enforced, with noble and samurai families at the top.
The Tokugawa Shogunate eventually collapsed under political pressure as Emperor Meiji was restored to power and Commodore Perry demanded passage for trade, opening the country to greater international exposure and influence. This period is of particular interest to historians, as it gives us a glimpse of the last remnants of pre-Westernized Japanese civilization. - Although Japan was influenced a great deal by Western traders, scholars and ambassadors prior to the 1940s, the country's entrance into World War II halted any peaceful exchange with England and the U.S. At the war's end private Japanese companies flourished, which allowed the nation to quickly rise out of poverty. Companies focused on industrial and technological advances, and lifetime employment was offered to individuals in return for lower wages. The decades that followed have secured Japan's place as an economical superpower on the global stage. The economic and political climate of Japan both during and after the war might be an interesting topic for anyone studying international economics or global social influence.