Japan

Two women in traditional Japanese clothing examine a patterned cloth, reflecting early 20th-century Japan, with colorful geometric patterns and text evoking the artistic trends of modern Japan in the background.

Becoming Modern: Early 20th-Century Japan through Primary Sources

This curriculum is one of several Teaching about East Asia (TEA) Online Curriculum Projects from the University of Colorado Boulder that offers secondary teachers interesting resources. This curriculum offers seven lessons that examine a critical period in Japanese and world history: the period of Japan’s modernization and international expansion from the 1880s through the 1920s, a time span overlapping the late Meiji, Taishō, and early Shōwa periods. The lessons draw upon a range of historical source materials—including art, literature, memoir, interviews, board games, and government documents—to teach Japanese history using pedagogical approaches that address national content standards and Common Core skills.

Lesson Plan
The image shows the national flag of Japan, featuring a red circle centered on a white rectangular background, as seen in many PBS documentaries about Japanese culture.

Around the Globe: Japan | PBS

PBS LearningMedia’s Around the Globe: Japan is a large collection of resources including webpages, documents, audio files, images, videos, media galleries, and lesson plans centered around Japan, its society and its culture. Resources are available for grades 3-12.

Teacher Resource
A large red torii gate, a symbol of Shinto, stands in the water near shore, with city buildings and forested mountains in the background.

Encyclopedia of Shinto | Kokugakuin University

This is a comprehensive and scholarly online resource created by Kokugakuin University, one of Japan’s leading institutions for Shinto and Japanese religious studies. The Encyclopedia of Shinto provides in-depth, English-language entries on Shinto concepts, rituals, deities (kami), festivals, and historical development. It also includes images and primary source materials. The site is ideal for educators and students seeking academic-level content supported by Japan based scholarship.

Teacher Resource
Wooden plaques with handwritten messages hang on display at a shrine, illustrating traditions in Japanese religion, while people write at a nearby table in an outdoor setting.

Japanese Religions | Freeman Spogli Institute

This resource from Stanford University contains an overview on Japanese religions. The content presents Shinto in a comparative framework alongside Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity. This approach allows students to explore both the uniqueness and the interconnectedness of Shinto within East Asian religious thought. The site is well-suited for teachers planning world religions or global culture units.

Student Resource
A procession of people dressed in traditional Japanese attire, reflecting Shinto traditions, walk in a line, each holding a yellow paper umbrella, outdoors on a gravel path.

Shinto | Asia Society

This short educational overview from Asia Society introduces Shinto as Japan’s indigenous belief system. It explains the role of kami (divine spirits), purification rituals, seasonal festivals, and the deep spiritual connection to nature. Designed for middle and high school classrooms, the page includes clear explanations and engaging visuals, making it a helpful resource for teaching cultural or religious traditions in Japan.

Student Resource
A person in traditional attire walks under a large red torii gate at a Japanese shrine, reflecting the influence of Shintō, the indigenous Japanese religion, with mountains and a clear blue sky in the background.

Shintō | Asia for Educators

This educational page from Columbia University’s Asia for Educators provides a concise, accessible overview of Shinto’s origins and development in early Japanese history (1000 BCE– 794 CE). It explains the concept of kami, early ritual practices, and how Shinto shaped Japanese cultural and spiritual life. Designed for teachers, the site offers clear content suitable for classroom use, particularly in world history or religion units.

Student Resource
A red pagoda, a striking piece of Shinto architecture, stands in lush greenery with a tall waterfall cascading down a cliff in the background under a cloudy sky, evoking the tranquility of sacred spaces.

Architecture and Sacred Spaces in Shinto | ORIASShinto

This module from UC Berkeley examines how key features of Shinto shrine architecture—such as torii gates, honden (main halls), and natural settings—reflect core spiritual values like harmony with nature, purification, and reverence for kami. Designed to support classroom use, it includes background readings, visual materials, and discussion prompts that help students analyze how sacred architecture expresses religious and cultural meaning. It is especially valuable for teachers seeking to integrate visual learning and cross-cultural analysis into their lessons.

Teacher Resource
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