Tokugawa Period Essay

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The Tokugawa period was a time of peace and prosperity following a harsh period of civil war, as well as the last period of traditional feudal government, society, and culture, in Japan. It was a culturally bright period ruled by shoguns, each a member of the Tokugawa clan, who reigned between 1603 to 1867. Tokugawa Ieyasu became the most powerful man in Japan after Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a general who became very respected after uniting Japan in the previous era, died. Hideyoshi intended for a man named Hideyori to succeed him, but, wanting complete control over Japan, Ieyasu overlooked this intention. At the battle of Sekigahara, Ieyasu destroyed all of Hideyori’s followers, leaving him with no enemies. He was made a shogun by the emperor
One of these developments is kabuki theater, one of the three types of classical Japanese theater recognized today. Kabuki theater was characterized by having walkways extending from the stage through the audience for the purpose of dramatic entrances and exits, as well as squared off tatami, or straw floor mats, for the audience to sit on. These theaters were complete with rotating stages and trap doors to quickly and smoothly move props, as well as systems to control lighting and the use of live music. The kabuki actors were originally all women, but the shogunate ruled for them to be all men, as it remains to this day. Kabuki performances are characterized by the actors being clad in bright, flashy costumes and makeup, as well as moving with exaggerated and expressive motions. This animated movement is arguably the most important aspect of modern kabuki theater, because the plays use traditional Japanese that even locals usually cannot understand, and the expression through lighting, music, and the actors’ motion is usually the only way the audience can figure out what is going on. A similar instance is Shakespeare’s plays being performed in the English speaking countries today. Typically a person without a knowledge of Shakespearean plays and language can only vaguely

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