The Tokugawa Administration

1567 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The Tokugawa period

The Tokugawa dynasty ruled Japan from the period 1600-1868 that was known as the Tokugawa or Edo period, as Edo was the Capital city at this time (O’Neill,115).This clan came to power via Iyasu’s victory in the battle of Sekigahara in 1600 over the forces loyal to the house of Toyotomi (Gordon, 11). This was the last warrior clan to rule Japan, ending with the restoration of Imperial power in 1868 (O’Neill, 115). The warriors of this clan were known as samurai, a Japanese word meaning “one who serves”, the military elite that went on to establish themselves as the ruling class of military nobility over Japan from 1185-1868 (O’Neill, 106). They were also called bushi, another word for warrior (O’Neill, 108). The Tokugawa regime was known for its elaborate system of civil administration based on the Confucian philosophy (Totman, 98). This system was also established in order to maintain peace and consolidate power (Gordon, 9). It is the organs of this regime that will be analyzed in detail throughout this essay.

Before one can analyze of the organs of the Tokugawa administration one must first define the word administration then have a background understanding of this government via the understanding of the polity of the regime as and the basic political unit thereof.

The word administration is basically defined as the running or activity of an organization. (“Administration”, def.1).

The Tokugawa polity was the bakuhan, the political system in which the bakufu ruled the state through regional leaders called daimyo, of whom ruled territories called han (4, Hall). This government is considered essentially feudalistic despite the controversy over using this European term to describe an Asian regime (8, Hall). Feudalistic regimes...

... middle of paper ...

...006. 6 vols. 1-38. Print.

Heath, Ian. Armies of Feudal Europe. Second ed. Lancing: Flexiprint Ltd, 1989. 4-45.

Web. 18 Mar. 2011. .

McClain, James L. Japan: A Modern History. First ed. New York:

W.W.Norton & Company, 2002. 5-47. Print.

O'Neill, Tom. "The Samurai way." National Geographic Dec. 2003: 98-131. Print.

Ravina, Mark. The last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Takomori. First ed. Hoboken:

John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2004. 13-42. Print.

Totman, Conrad. "Tokugawa Japan.". An Introduction to Japanese Civilization.

Ed. Arthur E. Tiedman. First ed. New York: Colombia University Press, 1974. 13 vols. 98-130. Print.

Varley, H. P. "Age of Militant Houses." An Introduction to Japanese History. Ed. Arthur

E. Tiedman. First ed. New York: Columbia University Press, 1974. 61-96. Print.

Show More
Related

  • Samurai

    997 Words  | 2 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • The American and Japanese Trading: The Meiji Restoration

    851 Words  | 2 Pages

    When the American Commodore Perry arrived and forced the Japanese to open up trading with the Americans in 1853 it caused a massive shift in the way Japan was run. The shogun could not deal with the looming threat and began a campaign of anti-foreignism “’Toi!’ (Expel the Barbarians!)” . The shogun eventually capitulated and began to allow foreign ships into Japan; this sparked the anti-foreign element, created by the shogun, to remove the shogun and reinstate the Emperor into power: “’Sonno’ (Revere the Emperor) was added to their mantra of ‘Toi’ to represent the old system where the Emperor was like a god. The Emperor took power back into his hands and renamed himself Meiji meaning “Enlightened Rule.” However, the Emperor did not expel the ‘barbarians’, instead he saw them as a method of creating a better Japan and began a campaign known as the ‘Meiji Restoration’ to modernize the nation. Japan needed to modernize because the western countries had forced the Tokugawa shogunate to sign unfair treaties that greatly favoured the western countries, notably the United States of America, Russia, Great Britain and France . One of the key events of the Meiji Restoration was the decline and fall of the samurai class in Japan. This essay intends to show the reasons for the decline of the samurai at the beginning of the Empire of Japan through the policies enacted during the Meiji Restoration. This will be shown through the military, cultural, political and social reforms enacted by the Japanese government.

    Read More

  • Comparing Britain To Japan

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Tokugawa Ieyasu set up a government in Edo (now Tokyo) and the Edo period began. The Tokugawa regime adopted an isolationist policy that lasted for more than 200 years, cutting off exchange with all countries except China and the Netherlands. The age of the Samurai came to an end with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, and a new system of government centered on the Emperor was set up. The new government promoted modernization, adopted Western political, social and economic systems, and stimulated industrial activity. The Diet was inaugurated, and the people began to enjoy limited participation in politics.      From around 1920 a democratic movement gained strength.

    Read More

  • Shogun

    1892 Words  | 4 Pages

    The post of shogun was, in theory at least, purely military, so Yoritomo's administration and those of later military rulers came to be known as the shogunate, bakufu, or "tent government," to distinguish it from the civil government in Heian-kyo. As the samurai clans under the Minamoto began building political power, Japan's political center shifted away from Heian-kyo toward the Kamakura bakufu, leaving Heian-kyo as the symbolic, religious and cultural center of Japan. The Kamakura Shogunate set down a pattern of rule in Japan that would last for some seven centuries.

    Read More

  • Shogunate Japan

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tokugawa period, also known as Edo period (1603-1867), was the final period of traditional Japan that lasted for more than 250 years (britannica.com,2013). The period was a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the Shogunate founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Tokugawa Shoguns maintained strict control over the structure of society by keeping a firm control over what they were allowed to do and what they were not allowed to do.

    Read More

  • Influence of the Samurai on Modern Japanese Society

    1723 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today deriving directly and indirectly from the beliefs of the Samurai.

    Read More

  • Feudal Europe and Japan similarities and differences

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    Japan lasted from 1185-1603. During that time Japan had emperors, shoguns, daimyos, samurai, and peasants who were all apart of a social class, and all together it was called the Samurai Society. The emperor was just a figurehead for the shogun. The shogun was a powerful military leader that ruled in the emperor’s name. Daimyo were powerful landlords. The daimyo often led armies of samurai. These samurai were trained professional warriors who served daimyo and shoguns. The samurai had to follow a certain code of rules for samurai called Bushido. One of their rules included to always have self-discipline to become a good samurai. The samurai warriors wore light armor, helmets (usually shaped like an animal), and had two swords around their waist. Their armor had a lot of detail and color to it, like their unique helmets. After the samurai comes the peasants, which included farmers and fishermen. They usually always work, then pay takes to the shogun. They usually gave the shogun what they earned from working like food or crops. What made their jobs a bit difficult was their topography. Japan’s topography included many mountains, undersea volcanoes, and barely any flat land to farm on. The Japanese didn’t only work they also practiced their religion. For example, they practiced Confucianism, Buddhism (...

    Read More

  • The Impacts of Japanese Buddhism

    1817 Words  | 4 Pages

    The development and evolution of the different sects of Japanese Buddhism such as Zen Buddhism played an important role in the development of classical Japanese culture throughout the four major periods, which was shown in the way that the Nara period, the Heian era, the Kamakura period, and the Edo period were all shaped by the ascent and decline of different Buddhist sects. It is these transitions that make Japanese history a myriad, but fascinating web of interconnecting events that manages to confuse even the most veteran historians. At first, Buddhism was only a pastime of the elite class of landowners and daimyo that held no special significance to the common peoples. It was mainly another way for the central government to gain power and influence among the many local lords that it had to contend with on a regular basis. Although it is to be noted that most of these new converts to Buddhism did not abandon their earlier religions, but instead blended it together with several aspects of Shintoism, the original indigenous religion of Japan(“Japanese Buddhism”,1). This created several amalgamations of the two religions wherever and whenever they met(“Japanese Buddhism”,1). However, as Buddhism was introduced to the general population through the process of hierarchical diffusion, it quickly branched off and evolved from its original form as different sects that shaped contemporary Japanese culture (Kasahara, 302).

    Read More

  • Samurai vs Knight

    1340 Words  | 3 Pages

    War played a central part in the history of Japan. Warring clans controlled much of the country. A chief headed each clan; made up of related families. The chiefs were the ancestors of Japan's imperial family. The wars were usually about land useful for the production of rice. In fact, only 20% of the land was fit for farming. The struggle for control of that land eventually ga...

    Read More

  • Effects of the Great Kanto Earthquake in Japanese History

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tsuzuki, Chushichi. The Pursuit of Power in Modern Japan, 1825-1995. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Questia. Web. 28 Apr. 2011.

    Read More

  • Orientalism and 47 Ronin

    1024 Words  | 3 Pages

    Louis, Thomas and Thomas Ito. Samurai: The Code of Warrior. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2008.

    Read More

  • Comparison of Tokugawa and Manchu

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...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.

    Read More

  • Reflection of Modern East Asia

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    Our preliminary class gave a brief, yet detailed outline of major events affecting the East Asian region. Within that class, prompted by our limited geographical knowledge of Asia, we were given a fundamental explanation of the geographical locations of the various events taking place in the region. In subsequent classes, we were introduced to the major wars, political shifts, and economic interests which shaped Japan, China and Korea to what they are today. We examined the paradigm of pre-modern Japanese governance, the Shogunate, and the trained warriors which defended lord and land, Samurai. In addition, we examined the socio-economic classes of Medieval Japan, which included the Samurai, peasants, craftsmen, and the merchants. We also examined pre-1945 Japan’s policies toward foreign entities, notably the Sakoku Policy, which sought to expunge all foreign presence and commerce in an effort to protect its borders and culture. 1945, however, saw ...

    Read More

  • Japan and Japanese Culture

    1178 Words  | 3 Pages

    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...

    Read More

  • Japanese culture

    1426 Words  | 3 Pages

    The small island country of Japan is rich in a culture that has developed over thousands of years. It is very difficult to analyze another culture without some knowledge of that culture first. During my two year residency in Japan, my eyes were opened to the culture of Japan and its people and I grew to love it as much as my own. (The ideas expressed in this essay mainly consist of my own knowledge and observations of Japan). The Japanese are a very traditional people. But this should not be confused with a primitive people, because the Japanese are not primitive by most dictionaries' definitions of the word. Japan has been changing in recent years in its view of its own economy, in its social interactions, in its thoughts about religion, and in its overall view of its place in the world and among other nations.

    Read More

More about The Tokugawa Administration

Open Document