Unit 3

From Isolation to Adaptation

Chapter 16 Introduction

In what ways can intercultural contact affect a culture's sense of identity?

Chapter 16 is about the long-term effects of Japan’s contact with the West. After the initial contact, many Japanese people adopted some western ways, but not all Japanese people felt comfortable with this growing westernization.

Some changes were easy to fit with traditional Japanese ways, and others were not. This discrepancy caused a backlash against westernization among some Japanese people. 

What consequences did the westernization have for the Japanese and the remainder of the world? What kinds of conflict arose between those who preferred to westernize and those who were more conservative?

Did being Japanese now mean something different?