Origins of Outcasts
In what period did the outcast system begin in Japan?
the Azuchi-Momoyama period
What two religions contributed to people being treated as unclean?
Shinto and Buddhism
What were the Eta and Hinin known as during the Edo period?
The lowest class in society
What’s one negative result of being an outcast in society
Social isolation or job discrimination
What important service did outcasts provide for towns?
sanitation and waste removal
Who created the strict class system in Japan?
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Why did Shinto and Buddhism view certain jobs as impure?
Because they involved death or blood, which are seen as unclean.
Who were the Burakumin descended from
the Eta-Hinin
What did being an outcast affect for future generations?
Family history and marriage choices
Why was their work important to health?
it helped prevent illness and pollution
What were the four main groups in Hideyoshi’s class system?
samurai, agriculturalists, craftsmen, and merchants?
What religion sometimes showed kindness to outcasts?
Christianity
What outcast group mostly included slaves and eventually faded
the Senmin
What’s a mental health impact of being an outcast
psychological distress or poor well-being ( being sad or feeling like you don't belong)
How did the Hinin support emotional well-being
by entertaining or doing temporary jobs others avoided
What types of work caused people to become outcasts under this system?
leatherwork, butchery, or execution?
What did outcast communities often have to follow?
Strong work rules and separation from society
What type of jobs did Burakumin typically do
Cutting meat or working with leather
Why was it hard to stop being an outcast?
Because it was often passed down and hard to avoid
What lesson does outcast labor teach us about society?
That every job, even if not respected, is necessary for a functioning society.
What word described people with "low status" in feudal Japan?
eta
What were outcasts not allowed to live near?
temples or castles
How were outcasts affected in their personal lives
They couldn’t marry freely or get many jobs, even if they were Japanese
What strategies or actions did some outcast groups take to fight against discrimination and gain equality in society?
What is joining influence groups to fight for their rights and respect
What’s one way outcasts showed strength in society?
doing overlooked but essential jobs that kept things running