Introduction
This paper aims to analyze the character and part played by Tokugawa Ieyasu in Japanese history. I chose Tokugawa Ieyasu because he played a crucial role in the Tokugawa shogunate’s growth and Japan’s unification. Ieyasu, the first of Japan’s three unifiers, established the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled for over 2.5 centuries. His legacy has significantly impacted Japan’s arts, politics, and economics, making it an essential part of its culture. He led his troops to victory in the Battle of Sekigahara, which resulted in the unification of Japan, and was an aspirational and astute strategist.
Through his support of the performing arts, literature, and the arts in general, he significantly impacted Japanese society. He was a significant reformer who made several organizational adjustments that influenced how Japan was structured. The primary reasons I decided to analyze his character and role in Japanese history are the factors that make him such a significant figure.
My argument concerning Tokugawa Ieyasu is that he made numerous accomplishments, including his support of haikai, the introduction of laws and regulations to advance women’s standing, the advancement of the arts, and the improvement of farmer and merchant livelihoods. I will further demonstrate that Tokugawa Ieyasu was an essential character in Japanese history who left an enduring impression on the country.
History of Edo
The center of Japan during the Edo Period was Edo, now known as modern-day Tokyo. (1603-1868). It was a time of significant political and cultural advancement, and Edo became Japan’s political and cultural hub. During this time, the Tokugawa shogunate, a hereditary military autocracy headed by the ruthless Tokugawa Ieyasu, ruled. During this time, the Tokugawa shogunate made the nation economically peaceful, stable, and prosperous.
Many famous cultural trends originated in Edo, including ukiyo-e woodblock prints, sumo wrestling, and kabuki theater. The era was also noted for its science, technology, and educational advancements. Edo was a significant commercial port and silk trade center that had connections to Europe. The Edo era is remembered for its political stability, which endured for over 200 years, and its cultural accomplishments.
Autobiography
I, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was born in 1543 to a modest, local daimyo household in the province of Mikawa. Despite not coming from an incredibly wealthy family, I was fortunate growing up because my father was a trusted adviser to the warlord Oda Nobunaga. I consequently obtained a formal education in the arts and got martial arts and combat training. I was adopted into the Imagawa household when I was six years old because my mother remarried after my father passed away (Squires). I acquired my knowledge of the art of war here and ultimately attained the rank of general. I was made the Imagawa clan’s deputy shogun in 1560.
After a protracted battle, I could extinguish the Imagawa clan and take over the Mikawa province. I increased my influence and power through shrewd marriages and partnerships, forging a solid military pact with the Japanese daimyo (Squires). My troops decimated the Toyotomi family in 1590, putting me in charge of Japan (Squires). I was named seii taishogun, or shogun, of Japan the following year. I consolidated my power and increased my sway as a shogun. In addition to overseeing the construction of cities and castles and ending Japan’s protracted civil war, I also established an impressive network of alliances.
As a shogun, I also established several laws and rules that supported my authority and contributed to developing a stable and unified Japan. My decisions were made with the Shogunate’s best interests in mind and founded on the values of peace and order. I was a shogun until my demise in 1616 (Squires). Even though there were some issues during my reign, I had a significant legacy. The creation of a secure political order and the unification of Japan were among my accomplishments as shogun. Japan also experienced a time of rising prosperity and cultural development during my reign.
Field and Background
I, Tokugawa Ieyasu, established the Tokugawa shogunate and made numerous significant contributions to the Edo era. My influence on the world of women was one of the most important. I put into effect several laws and rules throughout the Edo time to enhance the status of women and advance gender equality. Creating a code of conduct, especially for women, was my inspiration.
The Onna Daigaku, created by Kaibara Ekken, was intended to teach women proper etiquette, including how to conduct themselves in public and interact with males (Paulson). This code gave women a set of rules to abide by, a revolutionary move in improving their societal status. Additionally, because women were granted more control over their marriages thanks to the Onna Daigaku, I could lower the number of arranged marriages.
Additionally, I strengthened women’s property and succession rights. I established a rule during the Edo era that allowed women to inherit and manage property. This represented a significant change from the prior system, which only permitted men to inherit and manage property. I was able to help many women and their families financially by introducing this legislation (Paulson).
Furthermore, I significantly influenced the warrior code in addition to advancing women’s rights. The samurai code was altered during my reign to promote a more effective and well-organized society. I put into effect rules controlling how the samurai behaved, forbidding them from resorting to pointless violence and requiring their allegiance to the Shogunate. I also made it a requirement for samurai to follow the Confucian code of ethics, emphasizing respect, kindness, and dignity.
I significantly improved the livelihoods of merchants during my tenure. I wanted to build a stable and peaceful community to flourish in economic development. By establishing a more regulated market, my policies sought to enhance the lives of the traders. I pushed business owners to establish outlets in urban areas so they could operate more efficiently. In addition, I instituted a system of taxation based on a percentage of earnings rather than a fixed rate. This made it possible for company owners to grow and maintain their profits.
During my reign, merchants’ standing also changed as they were respected and granted a position in the upper classes of society rather than being seen as people of a lower social status. This was a result of their input to the economy and their capacity to meet the populace’s needs with goods and services. As such, the trade among merchants and other people flourished, especially around the Nihombashi bridge, a notable region till today (Life during the Edo Period).
I created a set of rules and laws to safeguard the interests and rights of the merchants and guarantee their success. This included restrictions on the number of stores that could be established in a specific location and the imposition of product standards. I also gave retailers money assistance in the form of grants and loans so they could buy better tools and supplies.
Additionally, I encouraged businesspeople to participate in politics. I granted them the right to vote in elections and the ability to join municipal assemblies. This represented a significant improvement in their political rights and gave them a voice in choices that would impact their daily lives.
In the Edo Period, traders’ attire and hairstyles changed over time. Merchants usually wore a “hakama,” a long, pleated skirt, and a “Hanten,” a short-sleeved overcoat, in the early years of the Edo Period. This clothing choice was functional and unrestrictive for retailers. But as the Edo Period continued, traders started donning elaborate and vibrant kimonos and hairdos. The “kamishimo,” which consists of a traditional kimono and a shorter, more vibrant hakama, gained popularity.
Merchants also started donning long, ornate topknots in their hair (Life during the Edo Period). I thought strict rules should be implemented to keep the nation in order. I wanted all merchants to present themselves in a tidy, organized fashion, including how they should dress and style their hair. Additionally, merchants shouldn’t appear overly ostentatious in their attire and hairstyles, as this could suggest money and power, which was frowned upon. As a result, I mandated that merchants don an understated, functional, and discreet apparel.
Furthermore, I enacted some policies throughout my rule that significantly changed the way of life for Japanese farmers. I wanted to increase agricultural output, increase farming’s profitability, and strengthen societal structures. The han system, a type of decentralized feudalism that partitioned Japan into smaller principalities or domains, was the first thing I created (Abe). A daimyo, or warlord, controlled these domains and was responsible for keeping law and order and collecting taxes (Abe). This system stabilized the agricultural system by making it more straightforward for local officials to ensure that farmers had access to the land needed to grow their crops.
I also implemented some economic changes that gave farmers more freedom. I removed restrictions on crop sales, enabling farmers to offer their goods in various markets. Farmers were able to sell their crops for more money as a result of the greater competition. I also loosened restrictions on transportation, enabling farmers to move their goods to regions with greater demand. In addition, I gave farmers access to credit, allowing them to borrow funds to buy the property, tools, and other necessities for their success. Farmers were able to improve yields and diversify their crop portfolio (Abe).
Additionally, I upheld laws that prohibited taking farmers’ land without their consent, giving them some degree of security. Finally, I made a variety of other improvements to farmers’ livelihoods. I ended the corvée labor system, which had required farms to participate in significant public works initiatives (Abe). I also implemented a plan for government-run granaries, giving producers access to food during famines. The roads and transport networks were also improved, enabling farmers to quickly move their products to different locations.
Furthermore, I supported the growth of the arts during the Edo era. I contributed to building numerous temples and castles that served as venues for writing, music, and the arts. I also promoted support for the skills, which helped performers hone their craft and earn a livelihood. The Shogunate provided financial assistance to many of the most well-known artists of the time, including Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige (Hokusai and Hiroshige―the thirty-six views of Mt. Fuji and the fifty-three stages of the tōkaidō).
These artists produced works of art that reflected both the beauty of the period’s society and the natural world. This time, the ukiyo-e woodblock prints were produced, representing the Edo era. Bold colors and bold lines were other characteristics of the painting style created by the artists of this period. Moreover, during the Edo era, performing arts such as Kabuki and Bunraku puppet theater flourished, as Sadler discussed. These shows were well-liked by the general populace and contributed to the period’s culture’s popularization. Additionally, there was a lot of writing excellence during the Edo period, as depicted in the documentation by Zidarić. This time saw the creation of many of the most significant literary works, including the Tale of Genji, widely regarded as one of the greatest works of writing ever written.
When I was younger, I first became interested in haikai after reading Matsuo Basho’s poetry, one of the genre’s best masters. I could quickly start writing my haikai and find my voice. My haikai frequently has a melancholy tone and concentrates on the splendor of the natural world and the fleeting nature of life. I have also been able to assist people from various backgrounds in coming together by drawing on my knowledge of haikai. I was able to bring together members of the merchant and warrior classes, who had never been able to communicate before, as the head of the Tokugawa shogunate (Tokugawa Ieyasu / Useful Notes).
To bridge the gap between the two types and foster a feeling of community, I used haikai. I am proud of my haikai work and think it has contributed to Japan’s calm and harmony. Haikai, in my opinion, is a potent means of expression that can facilitate communication even among those who do not speak the same tongue. I have gotten a lot of personal pleasure from my work in haikai, and I’m happy that I was able to use it to make Japan more cohesive.
Reaction to the Edo Period
From experience, I can say that the society I currently inhabit is hardly optimal for someone living in the Edo era. To begin with, the class structure is exceptionally rigid and oppressive, with outcasts at the bottom and samurai and nobles at the top, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants (Life during the Edo Period). This system, in my opinion, is highly harmful to a community because it perpetuates the notion of social hierarchy and restricts social mobility.
The Edo era was also marked by a high degree of social and political control, with little room for individuals to freely express their opinions or move about (Surya and Kaluge). I consider this to be a violation of fundamental human rights, and I think the government ought to place more of its attention on the advancement of the populace than on its management. I believe a dearth of gender equality also characterized the Edo era. Women’s rights were restricted, and they were prohibited from participating in politics or occupying influential societal positions. I think that for civilization to advance, this needs to be changed.
Finally, I think society during the Edo era was overly traditional and too slow to change. According to Vaporis, this hampered the emergence of novel concepts and inventions, thereby impeding the advancement of society (449). The rigid class system should be eliminated in favor of a more just and equitable approach to a better Edo period society, as stated by Pitelka. Additionally, I believe that individuals should have more freedom to move around and express their opinions. I also think women should be given more rights and opportunities, and more stress should be placed on equality between men and women (Surya and Kaluge). Finally, I believe that society should be more accepting of change, fresh perspectives, and technological advancements.
Conclusion
Japan’s over 200-year-long Edo era, marked by peace and prosperity, was primarily made possible by Tokugawa Ieyasu. From the political and economic structures he put in place to the advancements in the arts and gender equality he supported, his impact is still felt in contemporary Japan. We should honor Ieyasu’s memory for the beneficial changes he brought about in Japan. We ought to follow his lead to build a more just and better community. Without regard to gender, class, or race, we should work to create an egalitarian society. Along with promoting freedom of speech and mobility, we should also stress the significance of innovation and change. We can build a just, prosperous, and cohesive community by adhering to Ieyasu’s legacy.
Works Cited
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Sadler, Arthur Lindsay. Shogun: the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tuttle Publishing, 2009.
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Vaporis, Constantine. “Spectacular Accumulation. Material Culture, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Samurai Sociability.” Japan Forum, vol. 33, no. 3, 2020, pp. 448–450. Web.
Zidarić, Jakov. Ieyasu Tokugawa obnova šogunata (1558-1616). Diss. University of Zagreb. Faculty of Croatian Studies, 2021. Web.