In a seeming paradox, Japan witnessed one of the longest periods of peace and stability
under the rule of the of the Tokugawa family. From warriors to rulers, these shogun led Japan
with a controlling hand during the Edo period from 1600 to 1868. Seeking to preserve Japanese
ideals and limit outside influence, the shogun government restricted movement in and out of
Japan. Despite this isolation, agricultural innovations and the development of merchant products
brought about the growth of new cities, the constructions of roads, and an increase in population.
Sequestered from the West, Japan flourished under the Tokugawa reign. Yet their rallying call to
“Revere the Emperor” became a harbinger of doom as the lure of the outside world could not be
denied.
The Edo period was established after a power struggle which resulted in the Battle of
Sekigahara. Tokugawa emerged as the acknowledged victor, ushering in the reign of the
shogunate. The period was marked by strong rulers whose unique contributions carried Japan
forward. Oda Nobunaga laid the groundwork for the country’s unification by establishing strict
rules with an adherence to a caste system with a hierarchy led by the samurai, followed by
peasants, artisans, and merchants. In an attempt to limit western ideals and preserve Japanese
traditions, Christianity was banned. Under the new bakufu, Nobunaga sought peace and treated
former rivals with respect as long as they were loyal to his regime; those who disobeyed felt his
hand of justice. In a letter to an insurgent, Nobunaga admonishes him for “issuing instructions in
secret”, being “steeped in avarice” and showing “no concern either for ethics or for your own
reputation.” (de Bary, 443-44...
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isolation. The group I feel most aligned with are the samurai, specifically those such as Sakuma
Shōzan. These men sought not to undo the shogunate but were looking to expand their
knowledge through exposure to the West. “Eastern ethics and Western science” would have
allowed the perfect blend of old and new, yet adherence to the past was their undoing. No culture
can stand alone and the lure of the outside world could not be denied.
Works Cited
“The Cambridge Companion to Modern Japanese Culture.” Cambridge University Press. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .
De, Bary William Theodore, Carol Gluck, and Arthur E. Tiedemann. Sources of Japanese Tradition. New York: Columbia UP, 2006. Print.
Huffman, James L. Modern Japan: a History in Documents. New York: Oxford UP, 2010. Print.
To many Japanese and in particular the samurai and daimyo, the Tokugawa appeared weak in how it had responded to the Western pressure to sign the ‘required’ treaties. “In 1867, Tosa, Mito, Choshu and satsuma daimyo allied with each other against the Tokugawa house.” (Woods, SW. (2004). Japan an Illustrated History (1st Edition). Hippocrene books pg. 111). The citizens of Japan wanted the Emperor to restore power over the Shogun, resulting in the sonno joi (revere the sovereign (Emperor), expel the barbarian.) The influence of Western ideas on some samurai caused some to question Tokugawa’s ideas of how to rule Japan, which is how the sonno joi movement began in 1858. Sonno joi was the movement that satsuma and choshu went through to aim to restore the power of the Emperor and bring down the
Musui’s Story is the exciting tale of a low class samurai’s life towards the end of the Tokugawa era. Although one would normally imagine a samurai to be a noble illustrious figure, Musui’s Story portrays the rather ignominious life of an unemployed samurai. Nonetheless, this primary account demonstrates the tenacity of samurai values and privileges present at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. The social status of samurai had been elevated to such a state that even someone like Musui was easily able to gain influence in everyday affairs with his privileges. Not only that, but he had retained his values as a warrior and still kept great pride for his arts in weaponry.
customs and traditions hidden in the roots of the Japanese empire. The Tang Dynasty displayed a
This aristocratic warrior class arose during the 12th century wars between the Taira and Minamoto clans and was consolidated in the Tokugawa period. Samurai were privileged to wear two swords, and at one time had the right to cut down any commoner who offended them. They cultivated the martial virtues, indifference to pain or death, and unfailing loyalty to their overlords. Samurai were the dominant group in Japan. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the samurai were removed from direct control of the villages, moved into the domain castle towns, and given government stipends. They were encouraged to take up bureaucratic posts.
Riichi, Yokomitsu. Shanghai. Michigan: The Center for Japanese Studies, The University of Michigan , 2001.
The top structure of the society includes the Shoguns, Daimyos and Samurais. ‘Shogun’ was the title granted by the Emperor to Japan’s top military commander (Web-japan.org, 2013). Initially Emperors controlled the country but over time Shoguns became more powerful than the Emperor and took over the whole government, the Shogun was generally the real ruler of the country until 1867 when feudalism was abolished (Web-japan.org, 2013). Daimyos were the lords and their roles were to manage and maintain the law, collect taxes and aiding in armed forces for the Shogun (Ask.com, 2013). Samurais were the members of the military class, they were the warriors of traditional Japan. The roles of the Samurais were to protect and serve their daimyos or lords usually in wars (Answers.yahoo.com, 2013).
Ogawa, D. (1993) The Japanese of Los Angeles. Journal of Asian and African Studies, v19, pp.142-3.
Greene, Carol. Enchantment of the World Japan, p. 97. 28 Pitts, Forrest R., Japan. p. 78. -. 29. Davidson, Judith.
As the Meiji time came to end and at the time of the loss of life on the emperor in the year 1912, Japan had achieved: an incredibly centralized, bureaucratic government, a constitution creating an chosen parliament, a well-developed transport and communication system, an incredibly knowledgeable population free of feudal school limitations, an established and swiftly increasing industrial sector based on the most advanced technology and a powerful army. Japan received regained complete management associated with its f...
Samurai have played a big part in Japans history. There have been supreme samurai or Shoguns whose rule shaped Japan in early times. These shoguns ruled in different eras or periods. There are three main periods concerning the samurai usage. They are the Kamakura, Ashikaga and the Tokugawa period. The samurai were introduced as a part of the government in the Kamakura period.
Shirane Haruo. et al. Early Modern Japanese Literature: An Anthology 1600-1900. New York: Colombia University Press, 2002. Print.
...ining power over its subjects. The Tokugawa instead took the wives and children of the shoguns semihostage in Edo to deter powerful families from taking over the Tokugawa. This is the way the Tokugawa handled the problem because they were no outsiders to Japan but they had many enemies within the state. The Tokugawa and Chinese, however, both closely maintained their contact with foreigners, especially in trade. The Chinese established the Canton system which limited the Europeans to trade in only one city and need a guild approval to trade. The Japanese solved this problem of foreign relations through directing all trade traffic to Honshu, a port city under Edo’s direct rule. This was significant because this direction of trade meant the Edo government could collect taxes on the products rather than another daimyo, drawing power and wealth away from rival families.
Today, whenever Japanese history is mentioned in the media, people think of the romanticized stories of ninjas, Japanese mercenaries who carried out covert operations, and samurai, warriors that were part of the hereditary military caste in feudal Japan, but these versions have been skewed, just as many other historic characters have. History is full of brilliant past adventures and relevance that Hollywood takes at face value. Once people find out that the famous ninja did not actually wear black pajamas and that samurai were not as honorable as portrayed, one may become curious as to what really happened back then. Just what actually transpired in Japanese history, and which period is the most significant? In the opinion of experts on Japan's history, this period would be the Tokugawa, or Edo, Period. What makes this era of peace significant and stand out against the many war-wrecked periods of Japan's history?
Deal, William E. 2006. Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. Facts on File, Inc., 2006. eBook
There are many historical aspects of the Japanese, but the most interesting is the history of the Samurai. In Japans history war played a large role in the country. Controlling clans fought for parts of the land and overall control of the country. These clans were powerful families that resided in the country and who all wanted power and control of Japan for themselves. The families that would be in control were known as Shoguns. These shoguns would have warriors that fought for them if any of the other clan families would try to attack him in order to overthrow him and take his power from him. The Samurai followed a code that developed from Chinese beliefs when in battle. The Samurais code was known as the Bushido. This code was also known as “The Way of The Warrior” which was the main belief s...