EDO PERIOD (1603-1867)

HISTORY RELIGION POLITICS History Overview Early Japan Nara, Heian Periods Kamakura Period Muromachi Period Azuchi-Momoyama Meiji Period Militarism, WW2 Post War Samurai Shinto Christianity Emperor Kabuki Ukiyo-e

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the most powerful man in Japan after Hideyoshi had died in 1598. Against his promises he did not respect Hideyoshi's successor Hideyori because he wanted to become the absolute ruler of Japan. In the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu defeated the Hideyori loyalists and other Western rivals. Hence, he achieved almost unlimited power and wealth. In 1603, Ieyasu was appointed Shogun by the emperor and established his government in Edo (Tokyo). The Tokugawa shoguns continued to rule Japan for over remarkable 250 years. Ieyasu brought the whole country under tight control. He cleverly redistributes the gained land among the daimyo: more loyal vassals (the ones who supported him already before Sekigahara) received strategically more important domains accordingly. In order to excert absolute control over the people, a strict four-class-system existed during the Edo period: at the top of the social hierarchy stood the samurai, followed by the peasants, artisans and merchants. The members of the four classes were not allowed to change their social status. Outcastes (eta), people with professions that were considered impure, formed a totally discriminated fifth class. Ieyasu continued to promote foreign trade. He established relations with the English and the Dutch. On the other hand, he enforced the suppression and persecution of Christianity from 1614 on in order to reduce dangerous foreign influence. After the destruction of the Toyotomi clan in 1615 when Ieyasu captured Osaka castle, he and his successors had practically no rivals anymore, and peace prevailed throughout the Edo period. Therefore, the warriors (samurai) were educating themselves not only in the martial arts but also in literature, philosophy and the arts, e.g. the tea ceremony. Zen Buddhism and neo-confucianism was spread among them promoting self discipline, morals, and loyality. In 1633, shogun Iemitsu forbade travelling abroad and almost completely isolated Japan in 1639 by reducing the contact to the outside world to very limited trade relations with China and the Netherlands in the port of Nagasaki. In addition, all foreign books were banned. Despite the isolation, domestic trade and agricultural production continued to improve. During the Edo period and especially during the Genroku era (1688 - 1703), popular culture flourished. New art forms like kabuki and ukiyo-e became very popular especially among the townspeople. The Tokugawa government remained very stable over the centuries; however, its position was slightly declining due to a growing debt and other developments particularily during the later decades: The merchant class grew increasingly powerful while some samurai became financially dependent of them. This resulted in the fading class distinction between the samurai and the merchants, and the slow decline of the samurai. Furthermore, high taxes and famines were the cause for uprisings among the farmers. In 1720 the ban of Western literature was cancelled, and several new philosophies entered Japan from China and Europe (Dutch Learning). In the end of the 18th century, external pressure started to be an increasingly important issue, when the Russians first tried to establish trade contacts with Japan without success. They were followed by European nations and the Americans in the 19th century. It was eventually Commodore Perry in 1853 and again in 1854 who forced the Tokugawa government to open a limited number of ports for oversea trade. However, the trade remained very limited until the Meiji restoration in 1868. Those events caused growing anti-Western feelings and critics towards the Tokugawa Bakufu resulting in another movement demanding for the restoration of the emperor. The anti-Western and pro-Emperor movements (sonno joi) were especially popular among ultra-conservative samurai in the Choshu and Satsuma provinces. More moderate men, however, early recognized the big advantages of the Western nations in science and military, and favoured a complete opening to the world. Finally, also the conservative Choshu and Satsuma samurai recognized this fact after being confronted with Western warships in several incidents. In 1867-68, the Tokugawa government fell because of heavy political pressure, and the power of Emperor Meiji was restored.

EDO PERIOD Tokugawa Japan (World Cultures) Much information about Tokugawa Japan. Edo World (J-Entertainment) Much information about Edo. Edo Quiz (J-Entertainment) A Quiz about Edo. The Warrior Ethic (Hold it) About Tokugawa Japan. The Tokugawa Art Museum (Central Japan Network) The museum's homepage. Art of the Edo Period (WebMuseum, Paris) About some arts of the Edo Period. Edo World (J-Entertainment) Much information about Edo. Edo Quiz (J-Entertainment) A Quiz about Edo. The Tokugawa Art Museum (Central Japan Network) The museum's homepage.