32
votes
Accepted
What are the hay effigies in this Japanese movie?
It's a scarecrow, but, in Japan, the setting up of the scarecrow is a ritualized process:
... the Scarecrow Festival or Kakashi Matsuri takes place in autumn, from 8th-16th September [Dates were ...
- 10.5k
18
votes
Accepted
Were taiko drums used to determine village sizes?
I suspect this is a misleading interpretation of a custom.
The rumbling power of the taiko has also been long been associated with the gods, and has been appropriated by the religions of Japan. ...
MCW♦
- 31k
9
votes
What did the Japanese military do to maintain their fighting edge during the Edo era/Bakufu (1603-1868)?
It is a misunderstanding to talk of an unified Japan during the Tokugawa period with respect to having its own army, etc. These notions only become relevant after the concept of the "nation of ...
- 10.5k
3
votes
Accepted
How did the Japanese populace view the emperor during the Edo Period?
I was hoping I'd have more of a chance to write something thorough, including sources, but I'll have to make this short. I'm basing this answer primarily on my understanding of Japan both pre- and ...
- 10.5k
2
votes
What did the Edo samurai bureaucracy actually look like?
It is definitely not a full answer but may help you to have a general feel about the Edo era. Some basic facts to help with the perspective:
The samurais appeared much before Edo, and had several ...
- 1,209
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