During The Tokugawa Shogunate

Japan’s rich history of power, wealth, and influence had many remarkable eras. One of the more notable periods in Japanese history was that of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868). The Tokugawa Period was talked about in Musui’s Story, an autobiographical book, written by Kokichi Katsu. (Katsu ix) Katsu wrote Musui’s Story for three main reasons: to share how he had transformed from a low-ranking samurai to a well-known hero, to show his sense of self, and to serve as a cautionary tale for his descendants. He showed his sense of self when he became his own person with spirits, shrewdness, and imagination. (xviii) His transformation was proven in his journey of risk taking, danger, family, and friendships that can be told the next generation as well

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, and has been one of the most significant figures in Japanese history. Besides being such a successful and powerful ruler, Ieyasu had immensely changed the way Japanese society was structured and organised. From 1603-1608, Tokugawa began the modernisation of Japan. He became the first shogun who had more power over the emperor, and started changing the ways of Japan’s trade, economy, agriculture and social hierarchy. Ieyasu’s ‘main political goal was to cut off the roots of potential dissent and rebellion’ (University of Colorado, 2015); he did so when his army was victorious at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600.

Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. He was the eldest child of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1633, after his sibling's passing, he released the Daimyo his pre-disessor had left in control and supplanted them with his youth companions. This made him disagreeable with numerous daimyo, yet Iemitsu essentially uprooted his rivals. He is credited with setting up the other participation framework which constrained daimyo to live in Edo (medieval Tokyo) in rotating grouping, investing a sure measure of energy in Edo, and a sure measure of time in their home territories. It is said that one of the key objectives of this approach was to keep the daimyo from picking up an excessive amount of riches or influence by forcing so as to isolate them from their homes, and them to consistently commit a vast entirety to financing the enormous travel costs to and from Edo. The framework likewise included the daimyo's wives and beneficiaries staying in Edo, detached from their master and from their home region, serving basically as prisoners who may be hurt or slaughtered if the daimyo were to plot defiance to the shogunate.

“To guard against external influence, they also worked to close off Japanese society from Westernizing influences, particularly Christianity. When the Tokugawa shogunate grew increasingly weak by the mid-19th century, two powerful clans joined forces in early 1868 to seize power as part of an “imperial restoration” named for Emperor Meiji.” This restoration was the beginning of the end of feudalism, or the way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour, in Japan. The Tokugawa regime acted to exclude missionaries because of suspicion of foreign intervention and colonialism. Eventually, they issued a complete ban on Christianity in Japan.

Social order was officially ceased and mobility between the farmers, warriors, artisans, and merchants was prohibited. This was part of the systematic plan to maintain stability. The fifteen Tokugawa shoguns made their foremost goals political stability and complete isolationism. The stability gained by isolation and strict class control caused feudal Japan to double in population going from fifteen million to thirty million. They also increased in urbanization and the influence of the merchant class.

(5) He applied pressure from land and sea. After six months, Hideyoshi asked for the Hojo daimyo 's surrender and commenced a 3-day attack on the castle when he refused. When the surrender came he confiscated the land. The great Hojo clan was eliminated and from this time on Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the undisputed military dictator of the land. (5) Considered a symbol of his power and desire to rule all of Japan, he ordered the construction of Osaka Castle, later ordering the restoration of the Imperial Palace.

According to S.N. Eisenstaedt, “ Japanese Civilization: A Comparative view,” The circumstances that led to the decline of the Tokugawa and the start of the Meiji Restoration were indeed similar to those associated with the European and American revolutions, also the processes and causes of the rise of the Tokugawa regime resembled

Both the governments of Mughal in India and Tokugawa in Japan seem important in their own right. Mughal in India began to embrace Christianity under the rule of Akbar. India allowed the visitation of Europeans. Europeans could come and learn without any opposition. This was a new beginning for both civilizations.

Imperialism in Japan Background: Japan prior to the Meiji restoration was ruled in a hierarchy very similar to other European countries. The hierarchy was that of lords, samurai and then peasants. The Japanese equivalent to a king at the time was a military dictator called a shogun. During this time the capital was Kyoto and the shogun was part of the Tokugawa clan. That is why this period is referred to as the Tokugawa Shogunate.

The importance of Tokugawa Leyasu taking control included the fact of the Tokugawa shogonate being established bringing along with it 264 years of peace and order. Huge changes which occurred during the reign of the tokugawa family including the introduction of a strict class system and the control of the ruling daimyo families which also made maintaining peace in Japan very easy. Japan 's increased trade and tourism contributed positively to the wealth and success of Japan. These rapid economical and social changes in Japanese society helped to prepare for fast modernization in the following time period. Tokugawa Leyasu had a significant impact on Japan as he established the tokugawa shogunate which brought wealth, peace and education to Japan.

Japan had started with early nomads occupying the area, and had a unique system in which the emperor didn’t serve as the all powerful, which led t extended well-being of the government system. Emperors served as a face for power, but in medieval Japan, the growth of the idea of decentralizing had become prominent. The military system had also been different as opposed to other areas, where a samurai had protected the families of lords and

Starting from the Meiji period, an emperor’s role in society was to act as a god. The politicians in the Japanese government emphasized this role and, to a moderate extent, created a cult following. The factor would be whether Hirohito’s outward appearance to the public matched his power in the government, or if it was a ruse. To get a clearer understanding how much power Hirohito exactly had, his and the United States’ actions post World War II need to be investigated. It is widely known that during World War II Japan had committed a plethora of atrocities.

Samurai were warrior class who lived by an unwritten code called “Bushido.” They fought for the large landowners called Daimyo, they worked for the Daimyo’s protection and against other powerful landowners. The Samurai was taught the values and traditions, and had to be educated in literature and writing. Therefor samurai were also trained in meditation and fighting techniques such as archery, swordsmanship, and martial arts.

Tokugawa Leyasu was the first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi 's death, Hideyoshi had established a council of five regents, Tokugawa leyusu was part of this council. Another one of the advisers chosen by Hideyoshi was Ishisa Mitsunari. The two main people who had rivalry for power was Totyomi and Ishisa Mitsunari. Ieyasu 's victory over the western daimyo at the Battle of Sekigahara gave him complete control of all Japan and also provided him with more power.

Elliot Guereca & Gustavo Sanchez 6th Period Japanese Imperialism in Korea “ Japan saw itself as having to protect Korea from foreign countries” During the 18th and early 19th century the world experienced new changes in world powers with imperialist countries and countries who experienced imperialism. One example of this would be Japanese imperialism in Korea during 1910-1945, a 35 year harsh change in Korea’s culture, impacting both countries in negative and positive ways in the years to come. Everything started during the Meiji period, a period where Japan saw change within its government creating a centralized bureaucracy.