The Meiji

Restoration
and
You
Michael Del Gatto
& George Michel IV

Problems with Tokugawa

Japan
Disputes over
(Isolationist) Foreign
Policy (Beasley 241)
Corruption in the
Government (Beasley 18)
Lack of Nationalism and
Unified Social Structures
(Wray 21)

Commodore Perry Opens Japan

On July 8, 1853 four ships led Commodore
Matthew Perry, anchored at Edo Bay.
Treaty signed between The USA and Japan
in 1854.
Commodore Perry broke down barriers that
separated Japan from the rest of the world.
(Naval Historical Center)

Restoration of the Emperor

Every group in society had some
relation to the Meiji Restoration (Wilson
xi)

In January 1868, Mid-Level Samurai

staged a Coup d'tat overthrowing the
Tokugawa Regime. (Wray 21)
Emperor takes up residence in Edo,
which was renamed Tokyo (Morton 149)

Challenges to the
Restoration
The Boshin War of 1868 1869

(Smith)

Satsuma Rebellion of 1877,

Thousands of Samurai revolt against
reforms and are defeated by peasant
armies. (Smith)

Effects of the Meiji

Restoration
Centralization of the Government

(Morton 149)

Change in Army Structure (Universal

Conscription etc.) (Morton 151)
Abolishment of the Class System of Japan.
(Asia for Educators)

Compulsory Education System leads to

Nationalism and Improved Literacy (Wray 24).

End of the Meiji Era

Emperor Meiji died in 1912
Japans Military and Economic Strength
had greatly improved by 1912 (Morton 168)
Many of the Elder Statesmen who saw
Japan through the Restoration had died
(Morton 168)

Ichiy Higuchi
Lived between 1872 1896.
From The Middle Class, Financially Unstable.
Wrote about poverty, social class, women's
roles, and societal expectations.
Died of Tuberculosis at Age 24.
(Lazzari)

Separate Ways
Wakare-Michi
Written 1896.
About a sixteen year old boy, Kichiz,
who is extremely short and an
Orphan.
Focuses on his relation with Oky, an
older seamstress.

Beauty and Sadness in

Separate Ways
Kichiz represents the sadness, and the
lack of beauty. He has no one and all his
loves leave him.
People are friendly, and then they
disappear. Its always the ones I like. Kichiz (Danly 294)
Even though Kichiz is short and often
bullied, he makes master-crafted beautiful
umbrellas.

Beauty and Sadness in

Separate Ways
Oky is the 20 something stylish beauty
in the story. She is the light in Kichizs
dark life.
She is friendly to everyone, and Kichiz
latched onto her good nature. (Danly 291)
True to Kichizs earlier statements, she
too leaves him at the storys conclusion.

Childs Play
Takekurabe
Written in 1895/96.
Also translated as Growing Up.

(Wikipedia)

Story about Rival Childhood Groups

growing up in the pleasure quarter of a
city where prostitution was legal. (enotes)
Takes place in August, during the time
of the Festival of the Senzoku Shrine
(Danly 256).

The Main-Street Gang

Shta Young, Quiet, Attractive,
Wealthy and Intelligent. Leader of the
Main-Street Gang. Lives with MoneyLender Grandma.
Midori Rich, Attractive, sister of a
famous prostitute, maki. Spent her
money Extravagantly. Originally Best
Friends with Shta.

The Main-Street Gang

Sangor former back-street gang
member who joined up with Shta.
Short, Beefy and Dumb but friendly.
Very Poor, Father a rickshaw man.

The Back-Street Gang

Chkichi is the son of a Fire Chief,
Sixteen years old, and a selfish bully.
Leader of the back-street gang.
Nobu the son of the wealthy Head
Priest of the Ryge Temple. Somber,
Quiet, and Not Judgmental. Yet,
Shtas rival.

Impermanence in Childs
Play
A Story about Growing up. Childhood
passes.
Midori quits school to become a call-girl.
Shta loses his best friend, Midori.
Nobu leaves the school Ikueisha and joins
the Monastery.

History Meets Literature

In Separate Ways, family is shown to
still be important but no longer a
definite determinate of Social Class.
Separate Ways also shows that Social
Climbing is now possible, more so then
ever, with Oky becoming a mistress
and leaving her seamstress life
behind.

More History in Literature

In Childs Play Children are seen
singing ring-a-ring-a-rosy, pocket full
of posies, this is clearly an influence
of the influx of Europeans. (Danly 277)
There is a mention of people wearing
European style clothes on Page 256.
(Danly)

Once More
There is a decline in the Importance of
Religion Money is the new religion.
Shta and to an extent Nobu, enjoy
social clout because of their familial
wealth.
Chkichi has influence and power
because his father, while not noble is
an important member of society.

Meiji Restoration in Pop

Culture
The Last Samurai is based of the
Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, with
large thematic changes
The anime Rurouni Kenshin takes
place during the early Meiji Period,
representing a warrior repenting
after the revolution.

Bibliography

Beasley, W. G. The Meiji Restoration. New York: Stanford UP, 1972.

"Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan." Naval Historical Center. 25 Nov. 2002. Navy Museum. 1
Nov. 2008 <http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/teach/ends/opening.htm>.

Higuchi, Ichiyo. In The Shade of Spring Leaves. Trans. Robert Danly. New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 1981.

Lazzari, Marie, ed. "Ichiyo, Higuchi: Introduction." Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism. 2006.
Enotes.com. 1 Nov. 2008 <http://www.enotes.com/nineteenth-century-criticism/ichiyo-higuch>.

"The Meiji Restoration and Modernization." Contemporary Japan. Asia for Educators. 01 Nov. 2008
<http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/japan/japanworkbook/modernhist/meiji.html>.

Morton, W. Scott, Charlton Lewis, and J. Kenneth Olenik. Japan : Its History and Culture. New York: McGrawHill Companies, The, 2004.

Norman, E. Herbert. Japan's Emergence As a Modern State : Political and Economic Problems of the Meiji
Period. New York: Greenwood P, 1973.

Smith, Bradley. "Meiji Period in Japan." Taisho.com. 1 Nov. 2008 <http://www.taisho.com/>.

"Takekurabe." 5 July 2008. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 1 Nov. 2008

<http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=takekurabe&oldid=223656616>.

Wilson, George M. Patriots and Redeemers in Japan : Motives in the Meiji Restoration. New York: University
of Chicago P, 1992.

Wray, Harry, and Hilary Conroy, eds. Japan Examined : Perspectives on Modern Japanese History. New
York: University of Hawaii P, 1983.