The Japanese The Japanese EmpireEmpire

Tokugawa ShogunateTokugawa Shogunate• combined central government with

feudalism• Oda Nobunaga – military leader uniting the

daimyos– After ten years he controlled most of the country– Soldier then murdered him

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi– Nobunaga’s best general– Acted as a military dictator– Disarmed peasants– Invaded Korea

•Goal of obtaining China•Sent away warriors who could start rebellions

Tokugawa ShogunateTokugawa Shogunate• Tokugawa Ieyasu

– Completed work of unification– Ensure Tokugawas maintenance of rule for

250 years

• Tokugawa Rule– Established headquarters at Edo (Tokyo)– Reassigned daimyos’ lands

• Reorganized to assign lands

– Set up sankin-kotai to establish daimyo loyalty• Had to travel to Edo every other year• Brought tribute and served shogun

for one year

Tokugawa ShogunateTokugawa Shogunate• Political System

– Council of Elders made of Tokugawa family and select daimyos

– Metsuke assisted the Council of Elders• Toured country looking for possible uprisings

• Social Classes– Samurai – held all political power– Farmers – high because they made food– Artisans – Merchants – bottom because they only trade

• Tokugawa Ethics– Duty and honor were central values

Contacts with the WestContacts with the West•1543 – Portuguese arrived in Japan

–Didn’t like Europeans, but wanted their weapons

•Roman Catholic missionaries followed– Jesuits were well liked, converted many

•1587 Hideyoshi saw Christians as a threat–Outlawed the religion

Seclusion PolicySeclusion Policy• Act of Seclusion of 1636

– Forbade Japanese to leave the country– All Europeans except the Dutch were barred

• Dutch only wanted trade

• Changes in Japanese Society– Agriculture brought wealth– System of sankin-kotai helped merchants

prosper• Merchants provided services to move goods

– Increased taxes = increased farming yields• Farm became more efficient, more moved to cities• Classes became less rigid

Seclusion PolicySeclusion Policy•Social life changed in cities

–Bath houses, geishas, theaters–Arts thrived–Haiku poetry became popular

•as cities grew, ban on foreign contacts was relaxed–1800s more Japanese were studying Western ideas