Tokugawa Japan (1603-1867)

Japan had emerged from long ages:

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Early imperial time, with Shinto religion oriented around ritual and nature The medieval shogunate: super-generals rule through their families A season of inner turbulence 16th century : Re-unification through 2 strongmen: Nobunaga and Hideyoshi In 1603, a pivotal battle established --Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Japan Himeji Castle

Problem# 1 - What to do about the Christians?

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The Jesuits had developed the elite Spanish Franciscans had arrived from the Philippines to common folks Hideyoshi had ordered all missionaries to leave and converts to recant early 17th C: ca. 300,000 Christians

other developments:

Spanish ship washed up on Shikoku

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its officer threatened the rulers 6 friars and 20 Japanese crucified 1597

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arrival of the Dutch in 1600 the Red Hairs were welcomed by the daimyo, and by Ieyasu

Ieyasu changes his mind:

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agitation of Christians survey of east coast by Spanish 1613 systematic persecution of Christians major push from 1623 forward

Now by his sons, Hidetada & Iemitsu

1633-37 the Exclusion Decrees

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No foreign presence Even the Japanese were restricted

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1637 execution of an entire ship of foreigners Europeans (read the Dutch) were limited to a small piece of Nagasaki

Port at Nagasaki

The Tokugawa System:

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250 daimyo, with territories from a province to a few villages hundreds of thousands of samurai millions of peasants and commoners moved the capital to Edo (Tokyo) One of many stations of control Nakasendo Road

Row of Cedars on Tokkaido Rd Two arterial roads

Sankin kotai alternate attendance

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all daimyo families must live at Edo all daimyo must live there half time checkpoints on the roads to Edo enormous debt for the class; 100x the entire money supply by 1700 (?)

The Samurai: the honored class

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some were impoverished; became discontented farmers the ronin: rowdy urban samurai with no place (big problem in 1640s)

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Long period of peace Some samurai started private schools

And the commoners?

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taxes on agricultural produce reached 50% in many areas construction laborers and artisans had fairly consistent lives Significant development of business in first urban, then rural areas

the ideology of bushido

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based in Neo-Confucian philosophy

Chu Hsi and Hayashi Razan (17th C)

everyone has and should accept their place only the samurai (and up) should be educated and trained

The Place of the Chonin merchant

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Confucian ideology considered them to be parasites with rare exceptions, not admitted to the bushi class but terribly important: managers, administrators, financiers

the high culture of the bushido

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Momoyama art (Japanese rococo) the No drama the tea ceremony tightly linked to traditional religions

the Floating World of the chonin

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street parties clubs and pleasure houses Kabuki theatre puppet theatre (bunraku) rowdy fiction (ukiyo-yoshi) geisha

Edo FloatingWorld Utamaro (1753-1806)

ukiyo party Kiyonaga (1752-1815) the evening

Significant Voices

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Hagakure (Hidden behind leaves)

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bushido theory (1716) If you are ready to dieyou are ready to live

Ishida Baigan (18th C chonin voice) without the output of all the classes of the empire, how could it stand?

Ninomiya Sontoku --peasant sage

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to fulfill your given role strengthens

the whole and gives joy to God

While schools flourished in villages and shrines Nearly 50% of men could read and 20% of the women, by 1800

Long stable period, but

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An unhealthy insularity? Inequities and corruption? An unresponsive government?