Tokugawa Japan

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During the mid to late 1800's Japan is faced with significant cultural and social change. Spurred by civil strife, famine, and the arrival of Commodore Perry and his black ships Japan's Tokugawa period ends under the strength of the Chōshū and Satsuma clans. This shift marks the end of feudal Japan and the beginning of imperial rule and subsequently Japanese modernization, known as the Meiji Restoration. The ability of the Meiji regime to solve the problems during the Tokugawa period, amidst the incursion of the West, showcases Japans capability to adapt and eventually become a major global political power during the early 1900s. Tokugawa Japan: Final traditional Japanese government, culture, and society. The Tokugawa shogunate (bakufu) …show more content…
The han system was used to differentiate the various domains in Japan. These provinces were then maintain by their daimyo and his vassals and they had the ability (for the most part) to run their domains as they saw fit, so long as they showed loyalty to the Shogun. This political system relied on the relationship between the daimyo, scattered throughout Japan, and the shogunate in Edo. To ensure daimyo loyalty and cooperation the shogunate implemented a system of "alternate attendance" known as Sankin Kotai. In this system the daimyo had to periodically move from their han to the capital in Edo. Alternatively when they would have to return to their han they were required to leave their family (wife and heir) in the capital. Thus maintaining control over the daimyo while also strengthening the bond between the Shogun and his daimyos across the …show more content…
Discontent among the working class peoples of Japan came about through the taxes placed on them by their daimyo. This problem stems from the hierarchal system in place during the era, because the military class was regarded in such high esteem their samurai were compensated through a stipend pay, in the form of taxes on the farmers. The high taxes imposed on the farmers made it increasingly difficult for them to produce food for the people. On top of that the shogunate policy of a "closed Japan" (isolationism), made it virtually impossible to alleviate the inadequate food production by the farmers, resulting in famine. Furthermore the social structure set forth during this time made it so no person could move freely between classes, creating tensions between them. Along with famine and the complications of static social stratification comes growing concerns about the movements in the West. It was becoming more and more evident to Japanese leaders that Western intervention was inevitable. The arrival of Commodore Perry and his black ships in 1853 justified Japanese concerns and was a major catalyst for the leaders of the Meiji
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