Japan Under the Shogun

Chapter 13

Shogun

• The shogun, or military ruler of Japan, sent for Lord Asano and other nobles to meet with a representative of the emporer. A court official, Lord Kira was assigned to teach Asano the correct way to behave. When Asano didn’t give Kira a large enough payment for his help, Kira insulted him in front of the other nobles. Asano became angry, pulled his sword and cut Kira’s arm.

Asano knew he had committed a forbidden act- he had drawn his sword in the Edo castle and wounded an important official. As a result on order of the shogun Asano took his own life.

Now that Lord Asano was dead, his 47 samurai became ronin, that is warriors without a master. They had lost their honour and their position in society. Out of loyalty to their master, they swore to avenge his death.

They launched a surprise attack and killed Lord Kira in his home. They had fulfilled their duty in avenging their master, but duty now demanded they kill themselves.

The 47 ronin are buried side by side in Sengakuji Temple in Tokyo. Today, they are remembered as great heroes in Japan.

Power and Control

They say that “to understand the story of the 47 ronin is to understand Japan.”

What stories in Canadian history might help people in other countries understand Canada?

The story of ronin took place during the Edo or Tokugawa period of Japanese history, which lasted from 1600 to 1868. Edo the present day city of Tokyo was the capital and the Tokugawa shogun were the rulers.

In the hundred years war before the Edo period, Japan was locked in constant warfare. Powerful landowners, nobles known as daimyo competed with one another for territory and power.

Unifying the Land

Tokugawa Ieyasu became the most powerful man in Japan after he defeated a rival daimyo and generals in a great battle.

Three years later in 1603, the emporer made him the shogun. This means he technically ruled the land, the shogun really held all the power.

Control the Daimyo

• In order to hold onto power he needed to create a strong shogunate where no one would challenge him or his descendants.

• He wanted to create a long lasting government

• How? By controlling the daimyo.

How to control the Daimyo

1. Alternate attendance: Every second year the daimyo

had to live in Edo. The cost was high to go back and forth. They were essentially hostages to the shogun. If there was any rumours of a plot of uprising family members would be killed.

2. Sharing Power: The bakuhan of two levels of government was established. The shogunate was similar to our federal government that controlled foreign matters. The daimyo controlled local affairs.

3. Strict Laws: Laws established by the shogunate controlled many aspects of the daimyo’s lives such as dress and marriage. The daimyo had to pay for projects in their territory such as roads and buildings.

Power Struggle

Increasing Shogun P

• Banned peasants from having weapons

• Network of secret police to watch population

• ¼ of land owned by shogun

Decreasing Daimyo’s P

• Without weapons peasants were useless to fight daimyo

• Needing permission to marry or to change castles the daimyo couldn’t build up defences

• Local daimyo were given villages to govern, collect taxes, keep order and build and protect from floods, natural disasters

A Feudal Society

• Hiearchy similar to Renaissance Europe

EmporerThe NobilityThe Samurai

Peasants

Rigid social structure to help the shogun rule. Membership was hereditary (by birth). People couldn’t change situation but some did by hard work, talent or gaining wealth.

Roles in Society

• 216 strict rules of regulating dress

Example: Upper class women had to wear 12 silk kimono

with all the right colors showing. Peasants were

not allowed to wear silks.

The Samurai

• Like knights of the feudal system. Samurai were much respected warrior class.

• During the Edo period they lived in castle towns controlled by the shogun or daimyo.

• Only the Samurai owned swords.• Many subdivisions in the Samurai ranks.• The lowest were the ronin (samurai without masters)• Forbidden to be involved with trade or business• Policed towns, collected taxes, keeping order• Samurai code was to live simple and thrifty lives (they

had little choice)

Peasants

• Farmers considered important in Edo Japan (FOOD)• Laws controlled every aspect of their lives• Forbidden to smoke tobacco or drink saki (rice wine)• Special permission to travel• Similar to rules imposed on Canada’s First Nations not

allowed to leave reserves for work and required a signed permission by an Indian agent

Artisans

• Craftspeople or artisans• Lived in towns and cities• Had to take on parents artisan if born an artisan• Objects: paper, porcelains, containers, clocks and pans• Extremely skilled but lower than peasants. Since they

weren’t primary producers (of food)

Merchants

• Bought items from artisans to trade and sell• Arranged for shipping/ distributions of food• Stored rice/ used as currency (money) so they were

considered also bankers• At the bottom of the social order since they didn’t

actually produce anything• Had to live cautiously and not show off wealth• Government could take over their business or punish

them

Women in Edo Society

• Born into a class that determined responsibilities• Samurai women were expected to teach young samurai• Women in rural areas were more free than upper class

women• Peasant women worked the fields, planted and

harvested crops, gathered wood, raised silk worms.• Women were always considered lower than men. • Women had no legal existance in the Edo period.• They could not own property.

A Women’s Duties

A samurai textbook from the Tokugawa period had this to say about the wife’s duty to her husband

A woman must think of her husband as her lord, and she must serve him reverently….In her dealings with her husband, her facial expressions and her language should be courteous, humble, and yielding. She should never be peevish or obstinate, never rude or arrogant. When her husband issues instructions, she must never disobey them….A woman should look on her husband as if he were heaven itself.

Fast Forward Two Modern Princesses

Princess Sayako is the daughter of Japan’s emporer. Upon her marriage she was forced to give up her imperial title and become a commoner. In Japan she is not allowed to be emporer. At the time many people thought Japan’s imperial system was unfair to women. Princess Masako is married to Princess Sayako’s older brother. For years she was pressured to have a male son. She stepped down from her duties caused by stress.

Outside Edo Society

• Outcasts were people who were shunned by other classes.

• They usually had dangerous jobs that involved death

Example leather tanners, butchers, animal disposers• Under Tokugawa system they lived apart and not

allowed to change jobs.• The Ainu were separate from the feudal system• They have always been excluded from Japanese society• In 1997 they were officially recognized and some of their

culture was protected and supported

Ainu Rights

• The definition of Ainu is too narrow as language, music, dance, crafts

• Does nothing to reverse years of discrimination

Honour and Duty

Extremely important in Japanese society. Example the story of the ronin. Obedience to authority was important, but avenging their masters death was more important than the law.

Toward a Harmonious Society

The Tokugawa shogun did not create the Japanese social structure. However they used its values and social controls to support their rule. Social controls are the rules and customs in a society that regulate people’s behaviour. The purpose of social controls is to maintain order in a society.

Teachings of Confucianism

• Important role in Japanese society (class distinctions)• Confucius was a chinese scholar brought over by

Buddhist monks• Taught everyone that they had a place in society• If everyone took that place there would be peace and

order• Famous saying “What you do not wish for yourself, do

not do to others.”

Duties of Confucianism

Ruler Subject

Father Children

Husband Wife

Older Brother Younger Brother

Friend Friend

Duties Duties

To be wise, leader to obey

To support and provide to respect

To protect to honour

Continued…

• In Edo Japan, samurai schools and commoners stressed Confucian ideals of duty, especially what is called filial piety, or faithfulness and devotion to parents.

Group Responsibility and Shame

As masters of the farmers, artisans, merchants…the samurai used their power to keep order.

They organized lower classes into groups of five families called goningumi. Members of these groups were supposed to help each other. Each person was considered responsible for the behavior in their group. Everyone in the group could be punished if one was disobediant, did not show respect or work hard enough.

First Contact with West

• Known as Southern Barbarians. Portugese explorers who set up trading posts.

• 1543 a shipwrecked ship off the shore of Japan. • Known as the Southern Barbarians because they came

from the south. • Followed by Spanish and Dutch, then Christian

Missionaries.• At first favourable impressions but many differences

(cultural and religious)• Portugese society (Renaissance) had humanist values

and ideals, favoured competition, the individual and a more flexible social structure

New Kind of Belief

• 1549 Missions were sent to convert Samurai, upper classes and the daimyo

• Franciscan priests worked with the poor and lower classes• Japanese believed in Shinto and Kami and Confucianism • Some basic similarities to Christianity• Both had ethical codes rules about right and wrong

Example both believed murder and stealing were wrong• Idea of one god was new to the Japanese• Christians taught loyalty should be to God not a hiearchy• The Shogunate knew right away that Christianity stood for very

different beliefs to the ones that were considered essential for Japanese identity.

QUESTIONS

1. Why is it hard for a ruler to hold onto power through military strength alone?

2. Think of rulers you have previously studies and modern political leaders. How do they hold onto power?

3. How were the lives of farmers in Edo Japan similar to the peasants of medieval Europe?

4. Swordsmiths were the most honoured of all artisans. What does this suggest about the Japanese worldview?

5. How do the instructions of women in Edo Japan compare with your ideas about the relationship between a husband and wife in Canada today?

6. Today in many modern societies, women and men are equal. Why do you think royal institutions are slow to catch up to modern attitudes?

7. Brainstorm your responsibilities in Canadian society. How are they enforced?

8. Why is it important for a government to maintain order?