Edo

By. Ahmadi

About of Edo period

Edo(江戸時代) or Tokugawa Ieyasu period  is a category of Japanese history which was dominated and ruled by the Tokugawa Ieyasu family or the Tokugawa shogunate. This period running from 1603 to 1868.  

March 24, 1603, The Tokugawa shogunate was technically established in Edo by Tokugawa Ieyasu and May 3 1868, Tokugawa shogunate or Edo period was overthrown by the Meiji Restoration.

Tokugawa Family in Edo Period

Ieyasu Tokugawa was the most strong man in Japan after  Hideyoshi Toyotomi had died(1598). The battle in Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu Tokugawa defeated the Hideyori loyalists.

Hence, Ieyasu achieved power and also wealth. Ieyasu Tokugawa brought the whole country under tight control. Ieyasu Tokugawa continued to promote foreign trade and he established relations with the Dutch, English .

The important philosophy of Tokugawa :

·         Philosophy, it is Neo Confucianism

·         Morals

·         Education and order in the government

·         Society stood the samurai, followed by the artisans, peasants, and merchants.

Tokugawa government position was declining for reasons:

·         Worsening of the economic situation of the government.

·         High taxes

·         Riots the farm population

·         Disasters

·         Famine

·         Corruption

·         Decline of morals and norm.

Events of Edo

·         In 1600, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Battle of Sekigahara. 

Tokugawa Ieyasu defeats daimyo and Tokugawa establishes hegemony of Japan.

·         1603, The emperor appoints Ieyasu Tokugawa as shogun.

Move government to Edo (Tokyo) and Tokugawa founds the Tokugawa dynasty of shoguns.

·         In 1605, Tokugawa resigns 

Tokugawa resigns as shogun and then is succeeded by Hidetada Tokugawa.

·         In 1611, Ryūkyū Islands

The island become a vassal state of Satsuma domain.

·         In 1614

Ieyasu Tokugawa bans Christianity from Japan.

·         In 1615

Ieyasu and Battle of Osaka. 

·         In 1616

Ieyasu dies.

·         In 1623

Iemitsu Tokugawa becomes the third shogun.

·         In 1633

 Iemitsu bans  reading foreign books and forbids travelling abroad.

·         In 1635

T.Iemitsu formalizes sankin kōtai in Edo as the system of alternate residence 

·         In 1637

Rebellion, Shimabara Rebellion1637–1638.

·         In 1638

Iemitsu Tokugawa forbids ship building.

·         In 1639-1641

Iemitsu bans foreigners except Dutch & Chinese , from Japan.

·         In 1657

The Fire of Meireki destroys and damages city of Edo.

·         1700 and 1707

Ukiyo-e,Kabuki become popular, and Mount Fuji or Fujisan erupts.

·         1792-1864

War (Japan with British, French, Russian, Dutch and American) 

·         1868

The Tokugawa dynasty ends and Meiji era begins.

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