Good morning, we are working on fun and frivolous documentaries for December. These are documentaries that do not quite fit in with a history curriculum. We will conclude Asia’s monarchy series with a look at the Japanese Emperor. The run time for this episode is 53:05.
The Japanese Imperial Family is considered to be the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world. Its roots date back to the sixth century BC. They were regarded as divine figures at least until the end of World War II. Still little is known about the Imperial Family and the press is kept at arm’s length. The role of the Imperial Family has come into question over the years. Some people would like to get rid of the emperor while others hold the emperor as a symbol of Japanese nationalism. The first emperor Jimmo was said to have been the first emperor and a direct descendant of the sun goddess. This divine idea carried on until the end of World War II. Until then the emperor’s decisions were not to be questioned and they were treated as living gods. Although the Emperor had renounced his divineness there are still sections of society that believe that the emperor is divine. These are people who are willing to fight and die for the emperor. However, other segments of society would love to get rid of the emperor. They believe that since his role in the war was not resolved the emperor should be gotten rid of. Some point out that the emperor system also runs contrary to democracy. Many people believe Emperor Hirohito should have apologized or abdicated the throne because of what happened in World War II. Both the supporters and dissenters of the system. So what was Emperor Hirohito’s role in decisions made during World War II? Even talking about the emperor’s role in World War II can cause trouble. Historians believe that the Emperor was central to the war effort. The Americans pardoned Hirohito and allowed him to remain on his throne. So how could the emperor continue to survive? Then there is a discussion on Japanese mythology and the suggestions that the roots of the emperor’s survival lie in these myths. Shintoism is also discussed in this section. The Emperor is the high priest of Shinto and is the only one who could perform the rituals of Shinto. Emperor Jimmo was the first king-like figure who unified Japan. However, his origins are observed. The Imperial Family does not allow excavations to discover more about the ancestry of the Imperial Family. The Emperor would rule Japan until the 12th Century when powerful nobles known as shoguns took over forcing the Emperor into hiding. The emperor was hidden away at the palace in Kyoto. Nobody would ever see the emperor in public. He would continue to be the high priest of Shinto, providing legitimacy to the shoguns. The shoguns needed to be approved by the Emperor, even though he did not have true power. As the shoguns ruled, Japan descended into civil war as different shoguns vied for power and control. Japan became isolated because of its distrust of the outside world. The isolation continued until Commodore Perry came and demanded to see the Emperor. The shoguns realized the power of the other monarchs in foreign lands. The shoguns were overthrown and the new elite had to figure out how to deal with the emperor. The myths about the emperor being divine were revived and he became associated with Japanese nationalism. The Japanese Emperor was now established as the soul of the Japanese nation. With this soul restored Japan started to expand its empire. The Imperial Household Agency was established and the rules of succession were firmly established. How will other emperors succeed in the future? How does the Emperor continue to be a controversial figure? Tune into the rest of this episode to find out more. This was a good episode to end on, especially in light of the Brunei episode. The pacing was very done and the debate on the role of the Emperor was very well done. Both sides were given air time and the participants were very well-spoken. This would be one episode I would show to a history and a geography classroom.
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The purpose of this blog is to share information on what can be used in a classroom, private school, or home school setting as well as serve as a portfolio of my personal and professional work. The reviews are my opinions and should be treated as such. I just want to provide a tool for teachers to select documentaries for their classrooms. |