Search

This chapter approaches the narrative from the perspective of historical psychology. This discipline aims to apply psychological methods in aiding and facilitating the historical research process. Unfortunately, historical psychology lacks access to the usual psychological tools, such as experiments or standardised tests and questionnaires; because of that, it finds narrative sources invaluable in two ways. One can be referred to as the qualitative approach and involves analysing the story as a form of psychological interview. The other can be summarised as the quantitative approach. It concentrates on the devices and establishes their significance and interdependence by means of statistical analysis. These two approaches are complementary, as each provides different insights and data. This chapter focuses on the application of historical psychology in research of ethic systems. It is a part of a doctoral study, which analyses the influence ethics had on decision making among warrior clans in 14th century Japan, employing this novel approach. It concentrates on methodological aspects and starts with a brief summary of the research area. It then elaborates on the methods employed, discussing their characteristics, merits and flaws. Before finishing by addressing potential concerns regarding the shortcomings of available methods and how to remedy them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using historical documents and genealogical data, the author explores the history of the Kobayashi clan in the Sengoku period. The Kobayashi clan served their regional lords, the Oyamada clan - who ruled Tsuru-gun, Kai-no-kuni, Japan, and fought the daimyo Takeda clan for the area's leadership. The author analyzed two sources from the period: the Kai-no-Koku-shi, a 124-volume collection of government, religious, and personal documents, and a main source of research on the Kai-no-kuni area; and Katsuyama-ki, a chronicle of Kai-no-kuni. Two genealogical lines appear. The Owari-no-kami line was based in Funazu and expanded to Shimo-yoshida to develop new rice fields. The Izumi-no-kami line was believed to have orginated in Matsuyama, but the author suggests the line originated in Funazu and later moved to Matsuyama.

This article, which studies Japanese shogun Ashikaga Yoshitane and his 1519 ascension to the position of Genji-no-Choja (head of the Emporer's Genjo family clan), challenges the prevailing belief among researchers that Yoshitane manipulated others to gain this position of authority. The author points to evidence suggesting Yoshitane did not seek the position, and that the appointment was largely a show of power by Emperor Go-Kashiwabara over the Ashikaga shogunate. At this time, the Genji-no-Choja was largely irrelevant to the Ashikaga shogunate, and Yoshitane initially turned down the position, considering it too much of a financial burden. Only after officers of the Emperor negotiated more acceptable financial terms did Yoshitane accept the position.

In November 2008, "Ida Monjo," a set of medieval documents of the Ida clan of Kazusa, Japan, was deposited with the Ibaraki Prefectural Museum of History. This revealed that the "JinBoHon" at the Chiba Prefectural Archives, previously considered a copy, was the original from the "Ida Monjo."

Japan's Ichinoseki City Museum holds historical materials on many subjects, including Otsuki Gentaku, who learned medicine in Europe during the 18th century; Otsuki Fumihiko, Gentaku’s grandson and an editor of Japanese dictionaries in the Meiji period; Edo-period industries, especially sword-smiths; and records on the Date clan.

The article examines how the feudal government of Japan transformed its narrow clan loyalties into an unswerving allegiance to the central authority. A national school system was adopted by the leaders of New Japan in order to create such an allegiance to the central government. They first set up a highly centralized and politically dominated school system. Within this centralized system, the one great cardinal principle of education was loyalty to the Emperor.