6' Cultural Borrowing

1
6. Cultural Borrowing

• Learning about the West
• Law and Education
• Debate on Modernization

2
Learning about the West

• Changing approach from Tokugawa to Meiji
• Iwakura mission (1871-73)
• Fukuzawa Yukichi
• Translations, literature, styles, foods, music
  among urban upper class

3
Iwakura mission (1871-73)
4
Fukuzawa Yukichi
5
Law and Education

• Return to Chinese code and machinery
• Judicial and legal reforms (1871)
• Education school system, textbooks, enrollment
  (40 to 90 from 1880-90)
• Dilemma of cultural identity

6
Debate on Modernization

• Fukuzawa and Tokutomi from individualism to
  nationalism
• The governments wealthy nation and strong army
• Traditionalists Japanese identity
• Debate inconclusive but towards conservative and
  nationalist position

7
Study Questions

• How did the approach of learning from the West
  change from the Tokugawa to Meiji era?
• How did the Japanese legal system and process
  change after the reform in 1871?
• What was the Meiji Japanese education system like?