What Is The Significant Change In The Formation Of The Ainu In Early Modern Japan

The Ainu are an indigenous group predominantly from the Japanese island of Hokkaido who were historically isolated from and marginalized from the mainstream Japanese population. In the formation of early modern Japan, state nation-building was determined in part by the hierarchical relationships formed by the Japanese over the Ainu and other peripheral groups like the Okinawans. Before the Tokugawa era, Japanese ethnicity was loosely defined due to weak political authority, but after the shogunate’s political centralization, they had reconstructed their physical and ethnic boundaries. These definitions of hierarchy and boundaries emerged alongside Japanese identity, which had both defined itself in opposition to the Ainu. During this time,

In this paper, I argue that the significant change in the portrayal of the Ainu people from the Tokugawa to the Meiji era can be attributed to various factors, including shifts in the belief system of the ruling class, changes in genetic inheritance objectives, and political goals. During the Tokugawa era, depictions of the Ainu were influenced by the current politics of the state, which were aimed to create a hierarchical, fixed system centered on imperial expansion and the maintenance of established trade relationships built on the political borders of the vassal states. During the Meiji period, however, the state's emphasis shifted toward assimilation and ethnic homogeneity as part of its broader goal in creating a unified nation-state and strengthening national identity. In addition to these economic and political shifts, the rise of inclusive racial theories was a significant reason for these assimilationist policies and the possibility of assimilating the

While both artists depict Ainu men, their styles and compositions differ vastly. Awagimaru depicts Ainu men in an almost positive light. In Awagimaru's art, illustrated sometime during the Meiji Restoration period, the Ainu's image has changed dramatically: their skin color has lightened, and they are no longer depicted solely with weapons but also in traditional greetings to demonstrate civility (Figure 3). One perspective of this depiction could be that it was an attempt to construct a more accurate illustration of the Ainu’s culture. This would also reflect an increase in the recognition of the Ainu as Japan was entering a period of increased national cultural identity