Tokugawa Shogunate

Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa Shogunate: Strengths and Weaknesses
Robert H. Webb
History 483
Professor John H. Sagers
6 August 2010
The death of emperor Hideyoshi and subsequent ascension to the throne of Hideyori in 1598 set into
motion events that would alter the political landscape in Japan for the next two hundred and fifty
years. Tokugawa Ieyasu, in his quest to become absolute ruler of Japan defeated Hideyori loyalists
in the battle of Sekigahara and was appointed Shogun by Hideyori in 1603. This military "coup
d'état" effectively gave Tokugawa complete control of Japan and reduced the emperor to little more
than a figurehead in the governing of Japan. As history would show, the feudal system of
government that Tokugawa created ultimately led to ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The primary beneficiaries of the emerging money economy were the merchants. Daimyo and
samurai traded their rice for money with the merchants who soon became very rich. Merchants,
cashing in on daimyo debt attained positions of authority within the daimyo households. Many were
living lavish lifestyles only dreamt of by samurai. This caused resentment in Japanese society
because, although they were socially inferior, merchants enjoyed an elevated status economically
(Kunihiko 1997). Perhaps the social class that suffered the most indignities was the samurai who,
lacking the means to earn a living on their regular income, indulged in the lifestyle of Edo. Many
had to resort to engaging in handicraft for income vice training at the martial arts thus leading to
inherent corruption (Nobumitsu 1997).
Ultimately, the Tokugawa shogunate wanted to maintain political and social stability in Japan. By
seizing power, Ieyasu was able to quell domestic unrest but another threat was still presented for
total control. Foreign influence proved to be a serious threat to stability within Japan. The initial
threat to Japan was presented by Christian missionaries. After an initial introduction to Christianity,
the shogunate conducted a purging and outlawed the religion. This led to a prolonged isolation of
Japanese society from Western influence. The shogunate wished to prevent daimyo from conspiring
with foreigners thus
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The Military Events of the Meiji Restoration Essay
In this investigation I will look at the major historical and military events of the transition of the Edo
period to the Meiji Period and the Meiji Restoration and look at how they relate to the freedom of
Japanese people.
Japan during the periods of 1600 – 1868 A.D. was a land of seclusion, military power and
oppression. This was known as the Edo period. This however was one of the most peaceful times in
Japan's history. This peace was established through the military powers of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
This peace brought with it no real individual freedoms. The supposed ruler of Japan the emperor
was known as a du jure emperor, ruling by permission from the Tokugawa Shogunate. In 1868, the
Tokugawa shogun lost its power and the emperor ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The Black Ships (1853–56 A.D.)
During the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate, there was a policy in place that cut ties with any other
countries. This policy was known as the Seclusion Policy. This policy limited the amount of trade
with other countries. This policy was still in place during the arrival of the Black Ships. The Black
Ships were a series of American gunships with the intent on establishing diplomatic and trade ties
between Japan and the United States of America. This was an invitation delivered from the president
of the United States, Millard Fillmore, through Commodore Matthew Perry. After Perry had
delivered the message from the president, the ships left and promised to return in one year's time.
This ultimatum intimidated Japan. This started a negotiation that ended the Seclusion policy. The
document known as the Harry Treaty, negotiated by the first U.S. consul, Townsend Harris, gave
special provisions over the other nations and started to end the Seclusion Policy. This treaty leads to
further oppression of the Japanese but not by their own government but the Western world. This will
be discussed later.
The Fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1867 A.D.)
This series of events began to undermine the Shogunate. The Japanese people began to have a
foreign influence that was intimidating. This intimidation was crucial as the people were scared of
the American forces that also returned a year later. This left

The Positive Effects Of Modernization In Japan From 1850-1950
In 1868, provincial rebels overthrew the Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan and the new leaders called
the regime the "Meiji Restoration." This was just the beginning for soon–to–be modernized Japan. A
stronger military, new ideas, technology, and laws would be all used to transform Japan into a
modern industrial nation. Because of these, modernization had a great effects on Japan's society and
the nation as a whole from 1850 to 1950. One effect modernization had was strengthening
international presence and relations for Japan as a whole. This helped to keep them active on global
terms and impacted them in a positive manner. Another effect modernization resulted in was the
transformation of the internal society of Japan. The changes in the society all provided great benefits
for Japan.
One effect modernization had on Japan was strengthening international presence and relations for
Japan. This is first shown in document 1 from a letter written by U.S. Commodore Perry to the
Emperor of Japan telling that, "the President desires to live in peace and friendship with your
imperial majesty, but no friendship can long exist, unless Japan ceases to act toward Americans as if
they were her enemies..." (Doc 1). The purpose of the letter from the U.S. is to open them up to the
rest of the West and to become an ally that they can interact with. The modernization of Japan
allowed them to engage in this transformation served as a long term benefit. Document 2 supports
those international benefits

Shippoku Dining
During the Tokugawa period, Japan was mainly a closed off country as it wanted little to do with
being influenced by the outside world, and particularly, by the West. Japan was willing to dabble
with outside influences on what was becoming a national cuisine, but refused to give up it's national
identity. Introducing foreign aspects to Japanese cuisine was acceptable as long as Japan maintained
power and control over how these aspects would manifest. In Tokugawa period Nagasaki was a
regional site that attracted many Chinese settlers. Influenced by these Chinese settlers, an eating
trend called shippoku became popular. Shippoku dining was based on the imitation of Chinese
cultural dining, but at the same time, the Chinese–like trend was reinvented ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
Shippoku dining included not only imitation of Chinese–style dishes, but also the imitation of
Chinese dining culture. Dishes were communal, which was not common for Japanese cuisine of the
time, and forced shippoku dining to be quite a social experience. Dishes and utensils used for
shippoku were supposed to "look Chinese" and have "Chinese decorations," but the main distinction
between the dishes and utensils used for shippoku from everyday dishes and utensils were what
shippoku diners called them, which shows just how hard they were trying to imitate Chinese dining
culture–an ordinary bowl could turn into a shippoku bowl if you called it the right thing; everything
about shippoku dining was supposed to sound Chinese in both names and pronunciation. This
imitation, however, was explicitly an imitation, which is evident from how hard they tried to look
Chinese. There was less emphasis on authenticity and modestly taking inspiration from Chinese
culture, rather they were blatantly imitating the culture as something that was "other." This attitude
shows that

Musui's Story
Newsletter for October 6–10
Musui 's Story is a samurai 's autobiography that portrays the Tokugawa society as it was lived
during Katsu Kokichi 's life (1802 – 1850). Katsu Kokichi (or Musui) was a man born into a family
with hereditary privilege of audience with the shogun, yet he lived a life unworthy of a samurai 's
way, running protection racket, cheating, stealing, and lying. Before we discuss how Musui 's
lifestyle was against the codes that regulated the behavior of the samurai, it is essential that the role
of the samurai in Japanese society be understood.
The Japanese society was divided into four classes: samurai, peasants, artisans, and merchants. The
samurai was a class of warriors, emerged from Japan during the constant ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
At his arrival at Mishima, he claims being a retainer in the service of Harima–no–kami of Mito in
order to intimidate the guards. According to the book, Mito was one of the three highest–ranking
collateral houses of the tokugawa family.
Musui will deliberately continue his transgressions during his adult years. He kept visiting the
Yoshiwara repeatedly in many occasion, he traveled without permission, dealt with merchants, and
became materialistic. At one occasion, he even shamelessly pulled a big farce (p. 135) of
committing seppuku, which was considered as a sacred samurai ceremony, in order to get money
from peasants. What is striking in all this is that he shows no indication of regret for his act, but
instead describes the whole situation with pride.
Definitely, during his entire life, Musui did not live a life worthy of a samurai ethical standards
expected from all tokugawa samurai. He lied and stole. And throughout his autobiography, he
describes his encounters with thieves, beggars, priests, merchants, gamblers, confidence men, as if
he were taking proud of his actions, presenting himself as a hero, instead of a disloyal samurai. He
displays in the text no sorrow, regret, nor repentance, but pride instead.
The peaceful Tokugawa period presented problem to many samurai, and Musui 's life is just one of
the many examples of lives that those samurai lived. Samurai had no battles to fight. Many had low
income or jobless

Ancient Japanese Government Structure
Japanese government structure is typically characterized by three different eras and structure:
ancient shogunates, the Meiji restoration, and contemporary government. Ancient Japan consisted of
independent territories that all fell under a collective rule known as the shogunate, which was ruled
by the shogun. The shogun was the head of the military, or samurai, and he and his samurai used
military force to keep order and peace throughout the various districts or territories. Many different
districts fought for the shogunate, and ancient Japanese history can further be classified by the clan
or dynasty in power of the shogunate at the time. Over time, Japanese government infrastructure
began to shift towards a more centralized form of power ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The shogun Tokugawa was denounced and the emperor was given the power. This resulted in a civil
war that ultimately ended with the surrender of imperial forces in June of 1869. While such a coup
was long overdue, the short term causes are identified as a growth of domestic problems and the
threat of foreign invasions. By showing a united front, Japan could prevent foreign occupation and
invasion. The early years of the Meiji Restoration saw a reformatting of government structure. The
imperial capital was moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo (Encyclopedia
Britannica 2015). A constitution was drafted that remains to this day. The economy shifted to an
industrial focus, and there was a rise of western cultural and intellectual trends. A notable treaty
drawn during this time was the Anglo–Japanese Alliance of 1902, which solidified Japanese
relations with western nations and increased westernization. As time passed and Japan became more
westernized, Japanese government became more centralized. In addition, the goals of the
government slowly changed, specifically in WWII. Emperor Hirohito, the emperor in power during
WWII, ascended the throne in

The Fall Of The Samurai Analysis
Analysis.
End of Isolationism
One of the most important factors that contributed to the fall of the samurai during the Meiji
restoration was the influx of trade and commerce in Japan at the end of isolationism. The decision to
emphasize trade and commerce during this time period was made by the Japanese government, the
bakufu. However, it marked a weakness that would lead to the downfall of the government and
many high officials, which in turn affected the samurai greatly. During the beginning of the
Tokugawa or Edo period, the Japanese established extreme control over interactions with foreign
neighbors They expelled the Spaniards in 1624, the Portuguese in 1638, and after 1640, all foreign
trade had been eliminated except for a small port that was left open for limited trade with the
Chinese and Dutch under extreme supervision (Norman, 13). Moreover, all foreigners were required
to leave the country. The bakufu believed that the expulsion of foreigners would protect their ability
to trade as well as lead to a society that functioned more ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Daimyos, who had previously prospered due to the land they owned and the rice they earned by
farming on these land, became less important and less influential since people were moving towards
cities. Thus, in July 1869, the practice of daimyos were abolished, and in 1871, the land that they
owned was returned to the emperor. This had a huge impact on the lives of the samurai because the
samurai relied on the daimyos as their lords and to earn a living for themselves. They were the
people that the samurai followed, and without them, there would be no one to pay them. Due to this,
many samurai lost their respective jobs due to a lack of a lord, hence causing them to shift towards
other jobs and stop being

The Importance Of The Warrior Class In Japan
The Warrior class were part of the social class in Japan that included Shoguns, Daimyos and
Samurais. The Shoguns would rule the Daimyos, who had control over the Samurais. Japan's
warrior class led to a lasting effect, enhanced weapons and effect on the social class which led to the
alteration of the warrior class' roles.
In Japan, during the end of the first millennium, the samurai went to war with the emperor. This war
is known as the Genpei War and the Emperor was defeated by the Samurai. This led to the first
established shogunate. During the Edo period (1603–1868) or also known as the Tokugawa
shogunate, there was an era of stability that led to the rise of shoguns. Shoguns were considered the
single ruler of Japan although, the emperor was above the shoguns on the social class. Tokugawa
Ieyasu ruled Japan for 15 generations, controlling about 25% of the peoples land, leaving the rest of
the 75% to be put into domains, ruled by 275 daimyos. The shogun of Japan controlled government,
however, when the Meiji Restoration began in the 19th century, Japans stable society ended and the
Shoguns lost all power, due to Matthew Perry. Matthew Perry was a Christian who was seen as a
threat to Japan as he wanted to create a divide within Japan. Japan was split into two sections, one
being the shogunate and its supporters to remain in power and the Japanese nationalists who wanted
the Emperor to regain power. This divide in Japan led to a civil war known as the Boshin war or the

Tokugawa Iemitsu Research Paper
History is an important aspect in the community as it assists people to understand the past and learn
about the growth and development of a civilization or an individual. Studying the historical events
gives an understanding of how this world came to be, including the different cultures of people and
the surroundings. For instance, Shogunate Japan was a significant historic event. This is because for
250 years, the Tokugawa period brought peace and order in Japan, it aided to enrich and preserve
Japan's culture as seen present today. Shoguns were Japan's military leaders who were given the title
by the emperors. For over 200 years, Japan was ruled by a series of Tokugawa shoguns, which
began in 1603 and ended in 1867. During the Tokugawa period, also known as The Edo period,
many cultures and traditions were developed. Men and women from all social classes engaged in the
traditional arts of music, painting, calligraphy and poetic forms called haiku. A famous individual
known for this period is Tokugawa Iemitsu. He was the third Shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty and
is well known for introducing the period of isolation in Japan. Tokugawa Iemitsu is an extremely
important individual as his legacy has influenced the beliefs and values of Japanese society. ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Moreover, the Tokugawa era was the final period of traditional Japan after it was overthrown and the
Meiji government took over. Tokugawa Iemitsu was born in Edo (Tokyo) on the twelfth of August
1604 into the shogun hierarchy. Iemitsu was confirmed shogun in 1623 when his father, Tokugawa
Hidetada, retired. As he is most known for the isolation policy, he did this because he didn't want the
Japanese culture to fade and be influenced by Europeans. Tokugawa Iemitsu has achieved many
significant accomplishments with this, which has influenced the Japanese

Shoguns In Japan
Impact of the Shoguns
Shogunate Japan was the time of the samurai, where Japan was divided into clans and followed a
leader called Shogun. This was the time from 1185 to 1868, from the time that the emperor was
defeated and Japan converged to military rule until the Tokugawa Shogunate fell. Clearly, the
Shoguns had a very significant impact on Japanese society throughout the hundreds of years that the
Shoguns ruled.
The impact of Shoguns on Japanese society can be demonstrated clearly when the social structure of
Shogunate Japan is analysed. Shogunate Japanese society was separated into three main sections,
the royal classes, the noble classes and the lower classes. Nearly all of the population was in the
lower classes and the least amount of the society was in the royal classes. These categories branch
off into Japanese classes. The classes in the royal category are the Emperor, Royal Family and Royal
Priests. Although these classes are considered the highest classes in Japan, authority was not a word
that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The main weapon of the samurai was his katana, which is said to be the soul of the samurai. The
katana was expertly made by the artisans, it was made of steel that was heated to hot temperatures
and then folded over for strength and sharpness, it could even cut through limbs. The sword also had
a curved edge so they could slash a person instantly after pulling it out. The samurai were expert
archers and could fire accurately while on a moving horseback. The samurai started training at the
age of five and spent years of constant practice on archery, swordsmanship, martial arts, poetry and
religious discipline. The training was very strict and one master would even strike his students at
random times until they learnt to never lose their guard. The samurai had a significant impact on
Japanese society, protecting and serving (PBS, 2003; History.com, No

How Did Tokugawa Shogunate Unite Japan?
Introduction
This paper is to research how Tokugawa shogunate could unite Japan. Tokugawa shogunate is an
important age of Japanese history, because Tokugawa Ieyasu finished the dispersive Japanese
governing of Daimyou to provide sufficient political background to make Japan turn to capitalism.
Tokugawa shogunate was the last shogunate of Japan, and it was also a combination between
feudalism and capitalism. So researching this period of Japan can also be a way to understand the
development and fallen of feudalism during this period around the world. To analyze the reason why
Tokugawa shogunate could united Japan, we can research from three parts to do it: the process of
the unification of Japan, the character of Tokugawa Ieyasu and other Daimyou in that period, and
the economic and labour background of Japan during late phase of shogunate Japan.
First main category: ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Because Oda is the first shogun who tried to unite the whole Japan and the second is Toyotomi
Hideyoshi; the last one is Tokugawa Ieyasum, and he, who was the first leader of the last shogunate
of Japan, must have fortune to make this. Oda and Hideyoshi had already united a large part of
Japan, so that he did not need to spend lots of time and manpower as Oda and Hideyoshi spent,
which would make him easier to united Japan. So, I can compare the process of fighting of the three
persons to unite Japan.
Second main category:
In this part, we can analyze the characteristic of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and compare it with Nobunaga
and Hideyoshi to find the difference among these three giants depending on sources, get the answer
that why Tokugawa could united Japan, but not another two persons. Characteristic is an important
element for a person, especially for politician. It would influence a person's attitude to incidents or
other persons, so that good characteristic would provide a shortcut to success.
Third main

Tokugawa Shogunate Research Paper
Introduction
The Tokugawa shogunate was a very important and stable government in Japanese history. It was
the connection of the feudalism and capitalism of Japan. For over two hundred years, challenges to
Tokugawa authority were few, and this era was known as the time of Great Peace. In general, its
appearance for the populace was grateful, because of a period of freedom from the warfare marked
Sengoku, from the middle of 15th century to the end of 16th century. During that period, the chain
of islands that makes up Japan was ruled by samurai and warlords. During the late sixteenth–century
Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and finally Tokugawa Ieyasu took power in succession and
finally united the whole Japan. However, the success of Tokugawa ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
In the beginning of Tokugawa shogunate, the government announced this policy. Although, self–
fettered is not a sensible policy for the developing of a country. Because of the isolation between
Japan and outside world, there was a large gap was generated on the technical field, and this led the
Black Ship's event to a certain extent, and Japan was forced to sign unequal contracts with European
countries. However, this policy was not so useless at that time, and at least it could help Tokugawa
shogunate rule most populace.
On one hand, in the early Tokugawa Shogunate, Ieyasu cut off the new thoughts getting into Japan
to influence his governing. He had written some letters to the leaders of other countries to reject
their thoughts or religions, such as Mexico and Philippines, and emphasized that Shinkoku and
Buddhism were the only religions in Japan. From this, we can see that even though he united Japan,
people with new thoughts could still shake his rule. For a ruler, people without any disagreement
would be easier to control than the people with innovation, and it was clear that Ieyasu tried his best
to avoid the latter

The Tokugawa Shogunate was the last feudal regime of Japan which was established by Tokugawa
Ieyasu in 1603, following the battle of Sekigahara, and lasting for nearly 300 years until the Meiji
restoration in 1867. During this period there were many achievements, such as the unification of the
country under the Tokugawa family's rule, the solidification of the social class system in japan's
society in order to preserve stability and the establishment of a closed door policy. This essay will
focus to establish how these achievements affected Japanese society and ultimately how successful
this period was for Japan.
The first major achievement which shall be discussed, is the unification of the country under the
Tokugawa family's rule, Through the re–unification of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu completed a process
of unification, the beginnings of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This was due to the belief of a number of reasons; one of which being the fear of being attacked by a
foreign nation, the growing number of the christians who resided in japan and the confidence of
which it believe that it had the ability to self sustain itself economically and agriculturally without
no external source of income (Smith H). This is no way meant that the Tokugawa shogunate was
imposing restrictions on Japan itself, as it wanted to re organise its own trade regulations internally
and externally ('Japan: The enforcement of national seclusion' , 2014) so that it could create relations
with countries in south east Asia. However this was not a complete isolation as Dutch and Asian
merchants were allowed to trade. As such, this was seen as a major achievement because it allowed
Japan's internal economy to flourish through its control of its own trading regulation (Smith

Samurai, Yangban, and Gentry: Dealing with the Problem of...
The samurai of Tokugawa Japan, the yangban of Choson Korea, and the gentry of Ming China were
three very powerful and elite groups of East Asia. These groups consisted of high ranking
government officials with judicial power and influence. Although the groups were located in the
same region they had their similarities and differences in how they obtained power and how they
used their power. Japanese samurai were military nobility who had almost as much power as the
emperor, but were not the highest ranking officials whereas the yangban officials of Korea were the
highest ranking rulers. The gentry of the Ming period of China were once high ranking rulers;
however, the gentry were defined as retired Chinese bureaucrats. Socially, all ... Show more content
Ancestry also played a major role in generations of gentry because those born into wealthy families
were more likely to become gentry than those who were born into poor families. The gentry, like the
yangban, were also wealthy landowners who owned slaves. Gentry were also retired officials who
held high ranking office positions. In contrast, the samurai got their power mostly from the Taiho
Code which involved a yearly census and the division of bureaucrats into separate divisions. The
yangban were also separated into civilian officials and military officials. The major difference that
separated the samurai from the yangban and the gentry was the samurai's involvement with the
military. They were hired as protectors for important government officials and the Japanese military
was mostly made up of samurai. That aside, the ultimate source of power of all three elite groups
was hereditary and ancestral lineage. The social role of the samurai was laid out in the Joei Code.
The samurai looked after matter of the shogunate's vassals and supervised military and police issues.
The Joei Code was the first codification of warrior law and it defined the jobs of the stewards as
well as the military protectors. Land tenure and succession were important matters that the samurai
had to administer. Most arguments that

Meiji Restoration Essay
The inception of the Tokugawa Shogunate around 1600 would reduce the impact of foreign relations
throughout Japanese society. This bulwark helped resist change and development in Japan, although
it continued throughout the western world. Following two hundred years of self imposed seclusion
from the rest of the world, the forceful re–entry of the foreigner brought about considerable change
in Japan. While managing the foreign threat, there was also an imbalance of power in the current
feudal system of the Tokugawa Shogunate. This imbalance created uncertainty for Japan and the
imperialistic foreigners. This imbalance and uncertainty would lead to the end of the Tokugawa
Shogunate and the emergence of the Meiji Restoration. However, to ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Throughout the various themes presented in The Analects, there are some particular teachings
implicit within Japans feudalistic samurai society. The general discussion of virtues and morals
promoted within The Analects leads the student to strive to achieve "gentleman" status or if possible
"sage" status. While the broad application of these lessons did occur in Japan, there are inherent
differences with its practice in China. While the movement of an individual in social and economic
stature in China was based on the quality of work they were able to complete through their apparent
knowledge and work ethic. The same flexibility did not apply in Japan. The rigid feudal, hereditary
structure provided a lack of upward mobility throughout all of society. So the quest for personal
enlightenment was checked by lack of encouragement and the void of personal independence.
However, Confucianism did support the established government's role of enhancing filial piety.
"Duke Ching of Ch`I asked Confucius about government. Confucius answered, 'Let the ruler be a
ruler, the subject a subject, the father a father, the son a son.'" The lessons are scattered with words
of honoring and obeying your parents, "Meng yi Tzu asked about being filial. The master answered,
'Never fail to comply.'" 1 This application, in its transition to Japan included an individual's
superiors, that is to say the daimyo, the Shogun, and the Emperor.

The Tokugawa Shogunate: The Impact Of Western Influence On...
The Tokugawa shogunate was a transition period in which Japan began to modernize and began
trading due to the arrival of Commodore Perry. Society during this period was based on strict class
hierarchy with tight restrictions for social mobility. With urbanization, came an increase reliance on
markets and merchants for funds which increased the need and want for trade with the Western
nations. The images displayed in chapter two show the progress of events and how the Western
nation influenced Japan. It begins with images of how the Japanese viewed the world, moving on
towards the arrival of Commodore Perry, to the modernization of the port cities where a lot of trade
occurred, to the beheading of the domain lord by anti–foreign Japanese citizens, ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
With European influences they were able to produce a more accurate map of the world, which
allowed them to gain knowledge and a good understanding of the surrounding countries. A map
reflecting that knowledge during 1853 is depicted in this chapter . Although it is not as meticulous as
maps are today, there is a great deal of knowledge for this time period. Along with maps, the
Japanese were introduced to newspapers by the Western nations. They were then featured on an
English newspaper where the Japanese culture was introduced to the foreign community . This was
an influential import and made a huge impact on the Japanese community. There is a mixture of
both drawn and photographed images within this chapter. Japanese artists mainly produced images
that are printed or hand drawn, while western artists produced the photographed images. The chapter
overall includes both a mixture of Japanese and western artists. The images within the chapter
portray the viewpoint of the artist who was present at the time of the

Tokugawa Traditions
Tradition played a huge role in shaping Japanese history during the Tokugawa period from 1603–
1868. Many of the traditions practiced in this period are still practiced today for example the kinds
of things taught in education in Japan. Many traditional Japanese also still live in the same way of
life. The traditions that were practiced include; the forms of education, roles of women and warriors
of Japan.
There were many different classes of warriors in Japan from the samurai, to the warrior Buddhist
monks and the Ashigaru foot soldiers. Although they were all different, they all fought under the
traditional Bushido code. In Japanese society, the country was governed by the warriors because
they had so much power. This happened for such a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It was her duty to serve three men: her father, her husband and her son. The woman was brought up
believing she was inferior to the man and she had many duties to do in her family. She was to bear a
son for her husband for which he can inherit the land. She had to teach the kids to read and write and
dress in formal clothes. The woman also had to train as a samurai in order to protect the family
home when the husband was a way. They also had to be in charge of the finance when the husband
was away. A woman could easily be divorced if the husband simply said she was unhealthy or can't
have kids. Although there was a way for her to obtain a divorce and that would be if she seeked
refuge in a temple and became a nun for 2 years. Lower–class women would also help in the house
but they worked as cleaners, cooks or housemaids caring for the children. Other women would also
help their husbands with their work if they were shopkeepers or farm labourers. The women would
plant rice, tend to crops and spin or weave. Whilst the husband was working, the wife would also
tend to the home and help the children. The traditional role for women also changed when the
Chinese brought Buddhism into Japan and with them a distrust of women and no salvation for them.
Women were brought up believing they were inferior to men if they were higher–class or lower–
class and they traditionally spent their days taking care of the kids and

Japan's Shoguns Murderous Thugs Or Ultimate Pacifiers?
Quirky beginning please
When we hear about Japan, one can immediately think of ninjas, food, and their rich culture. In this
episode, we will be focusing on the building blocks of Japan, specifically the Shogunate Period and
discover what Japan's shoguns were, Murderous Thugs or Ultimate Pacifiers?
Let's dig in
Q. Who were the shoguns?
For 700 years, Japan was ruled mainly by a succession of shoguns, whose titles were usually passed
through hereditary. The shogun's family would however sometime become weak, and thus an
opposing leader would seize power from them, after which he would be named shogun and would
start a new ruling family.
Shogun is a title that is bestowed upon a person by the emperor, being a shogun meant that you were
military dictator. Shoguns ran the country with their military force and where the true power of the
country was held, as the emperor was a figurehead being kept occupied in Kyoto with religious
ceremonies. We will be talking about two important shoguns that shifted the momentum of Japan,
Minamoto no Yoritomo and Tokugawa Ieyasu. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Where did it all begin?
So where did it all start? Well, the first shogunate dictatorship was formed from the aftermath of
many wars such as The Genpei War (which spanned for 5 years from 1180 to 1185) between the
Minamoto and Taira clans in the late–Heian period Japan. Eventually, Minamoto no Yoritomo was
successful in destroying the Taira clan at the end of the Gempei War and thus marked the beginning
of the Kamakura Shogunate Period. Yoritomo became Japan's first Shogun in 1192 and after many
years brought peace to his once war infested

Hello everyone, I am Monique Murphy, and I am your tour guide for the latest Cultures of the
Medieval World. Today we will be touring the Tokugawa Shogunate, which lasted for over 250
years bringing the first peaceful era to Japan.
13 Tokugawa shoguns ruled in succession from 1603–1868, with each successive head assuming the
rank of Shogun. This was bestowed by the Emperor who was merely a figurehead and exercised no
political authority.
(slide 1)
http://www.vam.ac.uk/content/articles/t/the–edo–period–in–japanese–history/
The Rise of The Tokugawa Shogunate
Japan had been in turmoil since the emperor had lost all power. Over 300 daimyo, independent
warlords, regularly gathered armies of samurai and peasants to fight each other ... Show more
The Tokugawa shoguns engaged in large irrigation projects and almost doubled the agricultural area
of Japans. Japan produced rice, sesame oil, indigo, sugar cane, mulberry, tobacco and cotton.
Education became a big thing.
Cities grew, with EDO growing almost 10 times its size, from 150,000 people in 1610 to 1.4 million
in 1720, making it the largest medieval city outside China's. Sewer systems kept the cities clean and
healthy.
The roads were clean and safe to travel.
(slide 9)
http://www.us–japan.org/edomatsu/Kawasaki/frame.
The End of the Tokugawa Shogunate
When the US came to Japan's shores in 1853, there was no other way than signing the treaty and
opening up Japan for trade. The US displayed a superior military force that Japan could not match.

At this time the shogunate experienced civil unrests and a growing opposition. Samurai and daimyo
had not prospered as well as merchants and peasants. Taxes were high and repeated famines led to
peasant uprisings. 1868 two powerful "anti–Tokugawa" clans combined forces and toppled the

Effects Of The Sakoku Policy On Japan
Sakoku was the policy introduced to Japan in medieval times. Sakoku translates to 'a country in
chains' or 'the lock up of a country'. This policy proclaimed that no foreigner or Japanese could enter
or leave the country, without the threat of death. The Tokugawa Shogunate, under Tokugawa
Iemitsu, created this policy as well as an array of other edicts and policies to prevent foreigners and
Japanese alike from entering or leaving Japan. These were established and put into action in 1633–
1639 and remained in effect until 1853 when Matthew Perry and the Americans forced the Japanese
rulers to remove these laws. However, these laws did not entirely isolate Japan, as some trade was
allowed just under tight control. The Shoguns of medieval Japan ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
However, there were some unforeseen adverse effects. These effects have influenced and affected
Japan as a nation and culture, enriching the culture and lifestyle that we associate with Japan today.
Japan's isolation allowed them to develop their culture without the influence of other countries or
religions. The economy of Japan also flourished during the Sakoku period. The long period of
stability and peace was central to the economic boom. Moreover, the Japanese culture became richer
because of the sakoku. Without foreign influence, they further developed their own unique culture.
For example, traditional rituals and customs. The Japanese politics were also affected by the sakoku;
the emperor continued to appoint the shoguns to keep his subjects in and foreigners out. These
foreign traders and Christians were not welcomed by authorities. This was because they were afraid
they would cause an uprise in the feudal system. On the other hand, this isolation had a negative
effect because overtaxing and the rice payment continued. Sakoku also adversely affected the
environment; the most noticeable impact was widespread deforestation. Without the ability to
import wood, there was not enough for every person in the country. With an ever–growing need for
natural products such as wood, the land was

The Tokugawa Period In Japan
The Tokugawa period in Japan started in 1603 and ended in 1867 this was the final period of
medieval japan. Tokugawa Shogunate lasted for more than 250 years and Medieval Japan changed
dramatically from feudalism to a modernised society due to the Meiji restoration which also turned
japan into a world of power. The three main focuses which will be discussed in this Essay are
political, social and military which changed in the Meiji restoration. Education, social class, and
women's roles changed drastically when Japan began to modernize. Due to the government which
played a huge role in the social change of the Meiji restoration by creating many new laws. The
biggest change during the Meiji restoration was the schooling of the Japanese children as back in
feudal Japan it was only the high class and nobles that got to go school and now after the Meiji
restoration it is everyone. (Asia for educators, 2009) (Brian Platt, 2014) Back in feudal japan people
had to follow their strict class but after the Meiji restoration the people of japan had the opportunity
to change their class, live somewhere else and the people were also allowed ... Show more content
The western countries convinced japan to become like them this is what the Meiji restoration did. At
the time the western countries were very influential. After feudalism had ended the government
established power over all of the 260 feudal domains of japan. (Chris A, 2009) (Wikipedia,
2013)When the 20th century came japan had national parliament and modern and modernised
constitution. The modernisation of Japan made the nation have more wealth, be more economically
stable and a strong education for the people. There were many political party's arguing to have and
hold the power of Japan but eventually all of the party's agreed to having 1 government rule

Segkugawa Shogunate Essay
During the Early Modern Era, from 1450 to 1750 CE, the Tokugawa Shogunate came to power in
Japan after the civil war. Meanwhile, the global spread of Christianity affected Asia as European
missionaries came to spread their faith among Asian countries, like how the Spanish missionaries
spread Christianity in the Philippines, causing it to be major outpost of Christianity in Asia. In
Japan, the era of sengoku lead to the rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the consequences of the
rise of the Tokugawa Shogunate were the change in social position of ruling elites and the rise of the
merchant class, the rise of Dutch learning, and Japan's seclusion from European influences. The era
of sengoku, the civil war, lead to the creation of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Because of the war
between the shoguns and the retainers, Japan was not politically united, and was mostly ruled by the
daimyo, who were powerful territorial lords. The last chieftain, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who sought ...
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Before, due to Chinese cultural influences, the Japanese social hierarchy ranked the shogun, daimyo
and samurai at the top, whereas the merchants were at the bottom. However, once Japan became
politically stable, the interest of the Tokugawa shoguns was to reduce the number of professionally
armed warriors, so they encouraged the daimyo and samurai to become bureaucrats and government
functionaries. As they lost their accustomed place in society, many of the ruling elite fell into
financial difficulty and fell into genteel poverty. On the other hand, merchants became increasingly
wealthy and prominent because they were successful in urban environments, like the city of Edo.
They soon had more wealth than the ruling elite and some that were exceptionally wealthy were able
to purchase elite ranks or contract marriages with elite families in efforts to improve their social

Tokugawa Feudal System
The Tokugawa period , was the Ending Time of medieval Japan. A time of peace for Japan Under
the Shoguns . The Period lasted from 1603 to 1868 During this period Japan was Known For
Economic Growth and Foregein Policies. The Tokugawa Period Brought 250 years of peace to
Japan, The Tokugawa feudal system was probably the most complicated feudal system ever. It was
close to the European feudal system.
The Feudal system consists of many important roles to keep japan together these roles are starting
from lowest to highest:
The Rōnin (or Lone Samurai) Were On the Bottom of the Tokugawa Feudal System. Rōnin were
Samurai that master has died and did not follow the samurai code to commit seppuku (suicide) and
are left To suffer Great Shame. Some Rōnin's even went to find new lords such as daimyo's and the
Shogun if they needed and extra man. Originally, the Shogun viewed them as a Threat, and exiled
them from the cities. They also prohibited serving new ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
They had a code for the way they lived their lives this code was called bushido which said: a true
warrior must hold that loyalty, courage, veracity, compassion, and honour as important, above all
else.
The Samurai had arranged marriages from the daimyos (As most had few opportunities to meet
women anyway). In the tokugawa period Samurai's often became government officials because
there wasn't much warfare. Samurais carried two swords (not wielding them at the same time) these
swords were called katanas it was curved and thin blade, which created a clean cut through foes.
The Daimyo were powerful landowners or lords that only took orders from the shogun himself.
Daimyo's had armies of samurais sometimes hiring Rōnin to guard their land or him self. Daimyo
Of tokugawa were local lords that owned 3 quarters of the country not being granaries. Daimyo
were joined to the shogun by oath and received their lands as gifts under his political system called

How The Edo Period Affected Western Art
Kento Kariya
Art 204
Paper 2
11/30/14
Japanese art in the Edo period and the effects on western art
In this essay I will talk about Japanese art mainly in the Edo period and it's development and what
influenced it and how these art pieces affected the western art.
Before we start talking about the edo period let's look at the period before it, the Azuchi–
Momoyama Period. Azuchi–Momoyama period started Oda Nobunaga captures the capture Kyoto
and kicks out the previous rules the Ashikaga shogunate in 1573. Using his power and new
technology of the Arquebus which is early muzzle–loaded firearms that came in from portugal he
can very close to complete rule over Japan when he was attack by one of his own generals, ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The chonin were more educated the the people from prior periods because of peace and economic
stability made parents to focus on education their children. The increase in education made it so that
they can enjoy art better and helped art become more popular.
Ukiyo–e (woodblock painting) became popular in the late 17th century because the increase in
demand do to the chonin class and with the technology to paint they were able to mass produce art
pieces. One of the most famous one of these that many people have probably seen before is "The
Great Wave off Kanagawa" by Katsushika Hokusai. This piece is the first of Hokusai's series
Thirty–six Views of Mount Fuji and his most well known and recognized art work in the world. It is
a picture of boats going up against a huge wave with Mount Fuji in the

The Spread of Western Imperialism
In 1853, Western imperialism was at its height. It was spreading to several countries. The British
colonized India, the Dutch colonized Indonesia, the United States colonized the Philippines, and the
French colonized Vietnam. In 1929, the crash of the stock market brought a worldwide depression,
known as the Great Depression. The depression caused instability in many countries. International
commerce declined and tax revenues, profits, and personal income decreased. The Great Depression
especially impacted countries that were in need of raw materials. Between the time of 1853 to 1941,
Japan's culture and political structure changed anticipating westernization because they wanted to be
seen as equals to the Western countries. Japan also became more militaristic so that they would not
be seen as a victim of imperialism. Although Japan experienced some changes, Japan continued the
ideology of kokutai as a method for imperial advancement.
Japan's cultural and political structure changed from being a weak isolated nation to a modern
imperialist country. Before Japan westernized, it was under the rule of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
This was an agricultural economy with a population of 13 billion. Japan did not associate with any
other country because they believed foreign influence was a destabilizing factor. This resulted in
overcrowded farms and scarce minerals. In 1853, Commodore Perry came to Japan with big black
ships. The technological advancements of the ships shocked the

The Tokugawa Shogunate's Control Of Medieval Japan
The Japanese Feudal system was the way the Tokugawa Shogunate maintained control of medieval
Japan. The Japanese Feudal was an effective way to make sure that the Tokugawa Shogunate didn't
get overthrown as the ruler of Japan. Three (3) rules that were part of the Japanese Feudal are: No
one shall leave or enter Japan, Farmers and peasants couldn't be merchants and the daimyo had to
spend six (6) months every year in Toyko with the Shogun.
One (1) of the rules of the Feudal system was no one was allowed in or out of Japan this is so there
was no foreign culture or religion that would spread through Japan and question the way Japan was
being ran and prevent the westernisation of Japan this also included banning Christianity. As stated
by History.com "With the Act of Seclusion (1636), Japan was effectively cut off from Western
nations for the next 200 years". Though it's from a secondary source this quote shows that the
Tokugawa Shogunate didn't want anyone questioning their methods of ruling and they didn't want
anyone bringing in new things e.g guns. This was an effective way to control Japan because the
Japanese wouldn't know of any other way of ruling so they couldn't question how the Tokugawa
Shogunate was ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Another reason why they can't become merchants is because the government can get money out of
the farmers but yet they couldn't get money out of the merchants. A quote from skwirk is "A steady
worsening of the financial situation of the government led to higher taxes and riots among the rural
population" This means that due to the government stuffing up the government had to raise the taxes
but due to being poor people in rural areas started riots. This meant the government needed people
working on farms so the government could get more money. This was another good way of
controlling Medieval

How Did The Tokugawa Culture Influence The Culture Of Japan?
The time from 1600 to 1868 is known as the Tokugawa period in Japanese history, this was a period
of time where Japan experienced peace and stability. The Tokugawa period was a time in history
where elite and distinctive government order ruled the Japanese people. The elite and distinctive
government order was founded and formed in 1603 by a shogunate named Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Tokugawa and a long line of his family ancestors formed and control a distinctive and efficient
military Government System. The military Government system ruled and controlled the Japanese
people for over 200 years. The Government's system of orders had leaders and groups that were well
respected among the Japanese. Therefore, the Japanese culture formed a homogenous culture that
created a strong bond of nation identity to their country. The Tokugawa laws were created in regards
to their respected Japanese identity and culture while also keeping control over the domestic and
foreign affairs. In the early 16th–century the people among Japan's community of Kyushu broke out
into a major conflict. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The domains were great Lords of the Samarian class. The Domains were known as the Daimyo's.
The Domain Lords were placed into three class divisions and given responsibilities depending on
the relationships the Lords form with the Tokugawa family heritage. The Shinpan division Lords
maintains the highest authority and had a bloodline connection of the Tokugawa family. The
Shinpan Domain Lords maintain the Tokugawa Heritage. The Fundi division of lords that remained
loyal and supportive to the Tokugawa family. The Fundi Domain Lords the great commanders the
military and the Lords protected and rule the prominent cities in Japan. The Tozama Lords Division
we're not seen as loyal boards to the Tokugawa family and was given the responsibilities to protect
and rule the outskirts of

The Tokugawa Period: The Rise Of Fascism In Japan
The Tokugawa period signified the beginning of an eventual shift from Fascism in Japan. This was
possible through the growing supremacy of the ruling class that brought about this change. The
country went through many serious transitions during this period. Peace was enforced by a Shogun
that demanded absolute loyalty from his daimyos. The country was isolated from all foreign traders.
The Shogun saw how the rise of a lower–class revolution could cause the destruction of the upper
classes. So, to prevent a revolution in the lower classes, the Shogun began a revolution in the upper
classes. The policies enforced during the Tokugawa Period were put in place to grow the power of
the aristocracy, but eventually, it would help with the formation of a fascist government in Japan
during the early twentieth century.
The country during the Tokugawa period was closed to outsiders as a way of preventing daimyos
from gaining power, as well as preventing the rise of an independent bourgeoisie. The prevention of
the formation of a merchant class was the primary focus of the Tokugawa Shogunate, but as the
nation continued to grow its domestic economy, the formation of a bourgeoisie was impossible to
stop. Instead of forming a bureaucracy that put the economy under state run organizations, the ruling
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The growth of a large military was vital in keeping the northern border safe from attacks by foreign
tribes. The rebuilding of a Great Wall was a recipient of government defense funding by the Ming to
assist with the defense of China. Mongol Occupation of China had involved the repression of
Chinese customs. Ming rulers saw that in order to prevent the return of the Mongols, they had to
invest heavily in defense focused infrastructure. Policies that could help with the defense of China
such as constructing The Great Wall and expanding the military served as the best way for China to
protect its

The Development Of Japanese Landscape Painting
This Paper will be an analysis of the development of Japanese landscape painting, analyzing the
historical context behind these paintings and what led to the changes in style. Both of these
paintings are representative of their specific culture during this rapidly changing time and these
changes will be discussed in relation to the artwork. I am going to be discussing Japanese landscape
painting, the outside influences shaping Japanese landscape painting but also focusing on the
internal elements of Japanese culture shaping the style of artworks. The changing techniques and
styles as well as the changing political climate will all be looked at.
Japanese landscape painting developed from a multitude of influences and incorporated many
themes and ideas, from native beliefs in japan to influences from China and Korea and even from
Europe all which gradually changed painting in japan. The main artistic influence in Japan up to the
mid 19th century was China and and Chinese Landscape painting in Japan was brought over by
traders and became very influential to academics, scholars and the aristocracy, far from merely
copying Chinese painting japan was able to bring their influences to create a very unique type of
painting.
Here we are going to talk about our two paintings in more detail and The First Landscape Painting
for discussion is Uragami Shunkin, Spring landscape, 1821, Ink on silk. This large painting has
many Japanese traits but also carries over numerous Chinese

The 47 Ronin Story Essay
The 47 Ronin Story Paper (#1)
The 47 Ronin Story takes place in 1701, approximately 100 years after the Tokugawa Shogunate
was formed. The story displays much of the changes going on in Japanese society and culture. From
the declining importance of the Samurai, to the rising influence of the merchant class, and finally to
the inevitable changing of values that are all exacerbated by the long peace imposed by the
Tokugawa Shogunate. The changing of values were not just commonplace among the classes, it also
reached into the high echelons of the court. The corruption of the court sparked the beginnings of a
series of events that at it's conclusion would inspire a nation and ultimately define them. The
seventeenth century was a long era ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Another evident sign of the declining of the samurai was Yoshida's lack of faith in what he called the
third group, "those who were with Oishi in his plan to get the castle restored, but who were suddenly
unavailable when it came to embarking on the road to vengeance." (P.172) This proved to be true, as
certain developments began unfolding, the original 300 ronin who pledged allegiance, dwindled
down to 47. The decline of the samurai was also evident in the house of Uesugi as well, and after the
successful assassination of Kira, a messenger from the Shogun's council arrived before Lord Uesugi
to carry out the Shogunate's official decrees. Lord Kira's grandson, Sayhoe, was to disembowel
himself for his inability to fight to the death in defense of his kinsmen. Secondly, the retainers who
fled without aiding their kinsmen were to be beheaded and cast adrift as ronin. Lastly, since Lord
Uesugi failed to act on behalf of Kira, his domain is ordered to be ceased forever. The official
decrees of the Shogunate all display the decline of the samurai under the house of Uesugi. With the
growing underemployment of the classes came opportunity for ambitious men to carve out a place
in the changing japanese capitalist economy. Many thronged to the big cities in search of wealth,
and in turn, cities grew exponentially. Castle towns turned into bustling trade communities and roads
leading into some of the major cities needed to cater to the needs of the traveling men. These

Qing Dynasty Of China And Tokugawa Shogunate
Transformations in China and Japan In both the cases of the Qing Dynasty of China and the
Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, their rule prospered until the centuries old dynastic systems were
overthrown in both countries. In their own ways the Qing and Tokugawa shared similarities yet also
displayed many differences in how they were overthrown, their impacts, and the forces that overall
led to the change at the end of these systems. Their influential powers from the 1600s to the early
19th century brought great change to their countries that were seen well at first, but the people were
not happy with either complete outcome, overall leading to the definite ends of the two powers
despite their differences throughout. In the mid–1600s, rebellion ... Show more content on
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For both, the leaders of each had to eventually sign treaties which angered the people and caused
much discontent. In Japan, the shogun gave in and signed the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854. The
people felt that the shogun had given in too easily to the wants of westerners and were getting angry.
In China after the Boxer Uprising, Cixi was forced to sign a treaty the created reform in China. She
had not been doing what was right with the purpose of the Boxers, and other countries needed her to
take more control than let it happen as she was doing (China and the New Imperialism). Connected
to the Boxers, in both countries foreigners caused conflict, causing even more anger among the
people. For Cixi, the Boxers were fueled by hatred for foreigners, and she saw it as no real problem
for what they were doing, even though it was literally hurting and killing the foreign people. In
Japan, Commodore Matthew Perry came from the United States, opening up ideas of trade that
Japan had to truly think about. They had been isolated for 200 years, and suddenly many foreigners
from different countries were coming to trade with them. By agreeing to trade, the shogun made
many of his people angry and ultimately led to his own downfall (Japan and the West). Also by
overall changing policies that both countries had relied on for so long, it created an almost inevitable
change that the people could

Katsu Kokichi’S Autobiography, “Musui’S Story,” Documents
Katsu Kokichi's autobiography, "Musui's Story," documents the life of a samurai in Japan's late
Tokugawa period who adopted the name Musui in his retirement. Katsu is something of a black
sheep within his family, being largely uneducated and deemed unfit for the bureaucratic office 's
samurai of his standing were expected to hold. As such, he typifies in many ways the lower ronin, or
masterless samurai, many of whom famously led roaming, directionless lives and wreaked havoc
among the urban poor and merchant classes. The novel addresses the decaying power of samurai
throughout the Tokugawa period and depicts their struggle to find purpose. Throughout the story,
Katsu is impacted by three interconnected systems of power that impact his life ... Show more
However, the challenges of this economic power come through forms of temptations that plagued
Japanese men at the time. These include drinking, smoking, gambling, and prostitution. For
instance, during his youth, Katsu was "[tricked] into going with [Karoku] to the pleasure quarters in
the Yoshiwara. [He] enjoyed himself immensely and after that went every night. [He] used up all his
money" (Musui 44). In this section, Katsu exhibits a lack of self–control over his money. His
behavior is representative of many low–level samurai throughout Tokugawa Japan. These
irresponsible economic decisions combine with pre–existing financial disparity to place samurai
largely in debt. Similarly, these districts were often seen as an escape for samurai and members of
the lower class. Just before Katsu has fled home for the second time, he says "To take my mind off
my woes, I went to the Yoshiwara" (Musui 60). Many samurai were disheartened by the fact they
were indebted to merchants and had no true purpose in life. As an escape, they fled to districts like
the Yoshiwara. Ultimately, economic power is created by a flourishing economy and is challenged
by the temptations of man.
Domestic power comes from family lineage and is used to determine social status/class. The
Japanese class system prohibits individuals from moving between classes to maintain the power of
the Daimyo and Shogun. Moreover, domestic power resides in the level of respect granted to

Bushido: A New Religion In The Samurai
Bushido "Think lightly about yourself...but think heavily about the world"– Miyamoto Musashi
(Google.com). Stated in the article, "Samurai and Bushido," "The Samurai were members of a
powerful caste in feudal Japan, began as provincial warriors before rising to power in the 12th
century with the beginning of the country's first military dictatorship, known as the shogunate. As
servants of the daimyos, or great lords, the samurai backed up the authority of the shogun and gave
him power over the emperor" (History.com). I chose this subject because I've always been interested
in the Samurai, but i never knew that they followed a code or anything like that. I wrote this paper to
inform anyone who would like to know about the Samurai and their code. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
One place this warrior's code can be found is in the practice of martial arts. Some of these martial
arts include judo, karate, and jujutsu. There is even a sport called kendo that bases its rules and
philosophy almost completely off of Bushido. In kendo there are two players, both with wooden
poles that represent swords. One player must strike the other with one carefully placed strike to win.
In BigBearAcademy.com the author states, "The Bushido of the Samurai was also a spiritual basis
for those who committed kamikaze attacks during World War II" ("Samurai Bushido Code,"
Warner).
Bushido played a major role in the philosophy as well as the lives of the Samurai. It laid out how
Samurai would be expected to live their lives and what responsibilities they would possess as a
Samurai. Bushido still has a lot of influence in the world today as well. It affects many modern
sports and martial arts and people continue to strive to mold their lives around the Bushido
guidelines. " He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty"– Lao Tzu

The Reasons For The Collapse Of Japan
The closing of Japan refers to the decision by the shogunate to end all relations with Westerners.
They turned all foreign ships away except the Dutch ships at Nagasaki bay. The decision to close the
country to the West was in response to foreign threats, especially from the British, who had
encroached upon Japan soil on multiple occasions. This isolation tactic was the first of its kind for
Japan and was initially viewed as a protection initiative for its people. Another reason for the
isolation strategy stemmed from information gathered by inquiring scholars and officials. One of
these scholars was Aizawa Seishisai, who was an adviser to a shogun relative named Tokugawa
Nariaki, who resided in the Mito domain. Seishisai wrote a thesis

Japan Under The Shoguns Research Paper
History Speech Today I am going to convince you that Japan Under the Shoguns was a more
important society than that of the Vikings. I will talk to you about Japan's daily life and the wars
they fought the warriors and the weaponry. The houses in the city had to be long and narrow so they
could fit into the narrow streets of the city. But the farmers had houses that were adapted to their
conditions. Some farmers had rooms in their houses to store animals. The more wealthy peoples
houses were typically built in the centre of a large garden and the house was symmetrical. The long
hallways connect the rooms. This showed their skills in design and planning. There were many
theatres in Japan where they hosted all kinds of different plays.

Tokugawa Shogunate Economy In Japan
The Tokugawa Shogunate era was a period of significant growth and change in Japanese society.
There were two major catalysts that led to this development in Japan. Firstly, economic growth
occurred due to a transformation within the agricultural sector. Merchant driven trade and market
activity saw drastic changes in the work of the peasants. They moved from their agricultural land to
the major cities. Trade increase led to the the creation of an effective and reliable transportation
systems that allowed for Western and Eastern parts of Japan to trade. Improvements to the road
systems and shipping networks were expanded under Tokugawa's rule. The influx of the population
of Japanese in the city served as a major impetus for growth and change because the old notions of a
static, agrarian–based economy were substituted for a well structured ... Show more content on
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Samurai were forbidden to engaged in profitable trade or farming therefore they gradually became
economically weaker. This was in contrast to the commoner people who's trade began to lead to the
creation of a well educated and a powerful population. This contributed to the inversion of the status
hierarchy system that had been installed by the Shogun and his powerful samurai. The agricultural
production increased by about 70 percent between 1450 and 1600. Peasants increased the intensity
with which they worked the land leading to an overall growth in the land production. A rise in the
peasants overall well–being correlated with Japan's significant rise in it's population. The population
increase caused for the the emergence of castle towns. Building these towns required vast amounts
of labour leading to the movement of peasant habitation. These cities eventually evolved into urban
areas. This society continued to grow, leading to an economic surplus which was a key factor in the
rapid

The Influence Of The Tokugawa Period In Japan
The Tokugawa period in Japan, otherwise known as the Edo period (1603–1867) was the final era of
traditional Japan (Britannica School 2015). Ieyasu Tokugawa united Japan, preventing Japan from
going into chaos. The Meiji Restoration period (1868–1912) consisted the return of full emperor
control and the birth of major political, economic and social change. During the Tokugawa period
Japan went through large economical change through the harvesting of agriculture to the production
of various items, all achieved through peace. From 1603– 1867 Japan was fulfilled with a 250–year
war–free country and isolation, only prior before the country was scattered into many different
rulers. United into one ruler, Tokugawa Ieyasu, during the Tokugawa period

Civil Disobedience And The Civil Rights Movement
During the Civil Rights Movement, King and many of his followers and fellow activists deeply
followed the path of non–violent protest, otherwise known as civil disobedience. After being
arrested during the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, King received a series of critiques from fellow
clergymen stating their disapproval of his actions. Of course, King addressed a letter, now more
commonly known as "Letter from Birmingham Jail", to his critics as well as the nation in order to
defend his ideology. Though King does a great job at explaining to his audience the essence of his
ideology, he fails to address the practicality or universality of civil disobedience. Civil disobedience
may have been a powerful tool for the Civil Rights Movement but it seems the political atmosphere
of the United States was able to make its success possible. The United States is considered a modern
democratic state and its constitution limits the power of the government to a degree. In this political
atmosphere, civil disobedience and other forms of protest would be the ideal. At most, the
government would only be able to imprison an individual and with reasonable punishment, the most
probable sentence would be only a few months to a year or two. Now, suppose a person living
during the early era of the Tokugawa Shogunate wanted a change and does so through civil
disobedience. Let us say that this person is a daimyo or lord who disagrees with the Shogun and
directly disobeys an order. First

The Tokugawa Shogunate: An Important Role In Japan
Japan has an extensive history, beginning with the first humans arriving around 35,000 B.C.E. The
location of Japan has played an important role in the country's development. Although the
archipelago is situated near the mainland, there is still a significant amount of open sea, which
divides the two landmasses. Throughout most of Japan's history, it has been shut off from the
outside world, neglecting to open its borders to foreigners. The sakoku policy, Sakoku meaning
"locked country", was established in 1633 by the Tokugawa Shogunate, it prevented outsiders from
entering Japan on a punishment of death. The policy also prevented Japanese from leaving Japan.
Nara was established in the late 8th century, serving as the first centralized capital of the nation. The
Nara period was the last time that political power was in the hands of ... Show more content on
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In 1600 during the Azuchi–Momoyama period, Tokugawa Leyasu moved to reunify the country and
successfully established the Tokugawa Shogunate. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate the feudalist
system was re–established. During his reign, Tokugawa ruled from Edo, the location of present day
Tokyo. Under the Tokugawa Shogunate the Edo period was a time of stability for the Japanese
people, but there was little or no development when compared to other nations in the rest of the
world during the same period, setting it apart from western settlements. From 1852–1854,
Commodore Matthew Perry arranged a trade agreement between Japan and the United States. The
government at Tokyo was forced to agree to the demands of the United States as they were
intimidated by the technologically advanced and heavily armed fleet of steam ships under the
command of Commodore Perry. The ships in Perry's fleet are now known in Japan as the "Black
Ships" and have come to symbolize the threat brought up by western

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