Compare And Contrast The Edo Period In Japan

1056 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Tokugawa dynasty administration

The Edo period in Japan reflected tradition and peace under the rule of long reigning Tokugawa shogun dynasty. This time period was prompted when Catholic missionaries traveled from Europe and converted many Japanese individuals to Christianity. The Tokugawa Shoguns who were the leaders of Japan and they feared the outcome would demoralize Japan’s rich culture and this was the first step toward European domination. To prevent this horrible outcome, the Act of Seclusion was released by the shoguns which closed Japans borders. For over two and a half centuries, many citizens struggled because trade was prohibited. This time frame is known as the Edo period, and spanned from 1603 to 1868. Many people suffered from lack of food and money to keep …show more content…

The nation was a militarily weak, primarily agricultural, and had little technological development at the start of the Meiji period however it got better as time progressed. The beginning of the Meiji period was called a restoration in the country as there was a lot of change and modernization which happened as a result. After the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed with the West, Japan also signed similar agreements with Britain and Russia. Mutsuhito’s reforms design based off of western development and made Japan one of the leading industrial nations. By 1906, school attendance was as high as 95%, and Japan came to one of the highest literacy rates in the world. Universities as well as professional schools were also established to promote higher education and to meet the demands of a labor force based in new industries. The reestablished Japanese government recognized the importance of education in the country need to become more advanced and modern. However, this was not just one aspect that changed in Meiji period, many other areas in society changed and strengthened. The Meiji period helped Japan accomplish equality with many other western trade

Show More
Related

  • Feudal Europe and Japan similarities and differences

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    Japan lasted from 1185-1603. During that time Japan had emperors, shoguns, daimyos, samurai, and peasants who were all apart of a social class, and all together it was called the Samurai Society. The emperor was just a figurehead for the shogun. The shogun was a powerful military leader that ruled in the emperor’s name. Daimyo were powerful landlords. The daimyo often led armies of samurai. These samurai were trained professional warriors who served daimyo and shoguns. The samurai had to follow a certain code of rules for samurai called Bushido. One of their rules included to always have self-discipline to become a good samurai. The samurai warriors wore light armor, helmets (usually shaped like an animal), and had two swords around their waist. Their armor had a lot of detail and color to it, like their unique helmets. After the samurai comes the peasants, which included farmers and fishermen. They usually always work, then pay takes to the shogun. They usually gave the shogun what they earned from working like food or crops. What made their jobs a bit difficult was their topography. Japan’s topography included many mountains, undersea volcanoes, and barely any flat land to farm on. The Japanese didn’t only work they also practiced their religion. For example, they practiced Confucianism, Buddhism (...

    Read More

  • Russia vs. Japan

    1092 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...their own career path and destiny for their life.(197) This was a (new concept)** during that time period because the lower class was not always granted the same opportunities as the upper class. (197) The Meiji restoration also introduced the idea of a democratic form of government, rather than a dictatorship.(197) They actually began to give citizens a voice in government, which was an entirely new concept to the Japanese.(197) Not only were the Japanese beginning to gain more rights, but they were also beginning to accept ideas that were once looked down upon(would have never been considered), such as sports(201). The rise of baseball became really popular during the Meiji Restoration as well.(201) Overall the Meiji Restoration was a major advancement in the Japan society and it symbolized the renewal of the Japanese people and a new Japanese government.

    Read More

  • Comparison of Tokugawa and Manchu

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ining power over its subjects. The Tokugawa instead took the wives and children of the shoguns semihostage in Edo to deter powerful families from taking over the Tokugawa. This is the way the Tokugawa handled the problem because they were no outsiders to Japan but they had many enemies within the state. The Tokugawa and Chinese, however, both closely maintained their contact with foreigners, especially in trade. The Chinese established the Canton system which limited the Europeans to trade in only one city and need a guild approval to trade. The Japanese solved this problem of foreign relations through directing all trade traffic to Honshu, a port city under Edo’s direct rule. This was significant because this direction of trade meant the Edo government could collect taxes on the products rather than another daimyo, drawing power and wealth away from rival families.

    Read More

  • In The Mexican Revolution, The Meiji Restoration, And The Risorgimento

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    The goals of the Meiji Restoration included dismantling of the old feudal regime and the creation of a nation-state capable of standing equal among Western powers, including the United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the Unites States. The leaders of the Meiji Restoration were mostly young samurai motivated by increasing domestic problems and threats of foreign intrusion. Saigō Takamori was also an influential leader in the Meiji Restoration. He was responsible for leading several rebellions against the government in companionship with samurai warriors and peasants who distrusted the new regime. The citizens of Japan were also, arguably, influential leaders of the Meiji restoration. Under their pressure to insist on the creation of a constitutional government, the government formed a Cabinet system in 1885 and in 1886 began developing the Constitution, which would be presented as a gift from the emperor to the people in 1889 and established a bicameral parliament. Revolutionary tactics from the Meiji Restoration included the development of transportation and communication. Railroads were built, telegraphs connecting major cities, and the institution of a European-style banking system developed. We can clearly recognize differences between the revolutionary tactics of the Meiji Restoration to those in the Mexican Revolution and those in the

    Read More

  • Comparing Britain To Japan

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    The establishment of the Japanese archipelago assumed its present shape around 10,000 years ago. Soon after the era known as the Jomon period began and continued for about 8,000 years. Gradually they formed small communities and began to organize their lives communally. Japan can be said to have taken its first steps to nationhood in the Yamato period, which began at the end of the third century AD. During this period, the ancestors of the present Emperor began to bring a number of small estates under unified rule from their bases around what are now Nara and Osaka Prefectures. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Tokugawa Ieyasu set up a government in Edo (now Tokyo) and the Edo period began. The Tokugawa regime adopted an isolationist policy that lasted for more than 200 years, cutting off exchange with all countries except China and the Netherlands. The age of the Samurai came to and end with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, and a new system of government centered on the Emperor was set up. The new government promoted modernization, adopted Western political, social and economic systems, and stimulated industrial activity. The Diet was inaugurated, and the people began to enjoy limited participation in politics.

    Read More

  • Japan's Attack on Pearl Harbour

    1016 Words  | 3 Pages

    Japan was a country of contradictions in the early 1900's. Her growth in industry was a major factor for influencing her growth of power; whilst at the same time their structure was a very traditional political one. The Japanese Emperor Hirohito was right in the centre of the Japanese government. The emperor made Japan very militaristic and the military had a very strong influence in Japan. Japan's growth in industry had risen greatly since in the preceding 50 years and still it continued to grow.

    Read More

  • European Imperialism of China and Japan

    402 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the early 1800’s, Japan had blocked off all trade from other countries. Foreign whaling ships could not even reload or repair their ships in Japan territory. This offended many other countries. In 1852, Matthew Perry was sent to Japan to negotiate open trade. Japan felt threatened by the United States, and gave in to their demands. Japan was frightened by their stipulations, and immediately began to reform. They developed a new education system that was similar to America and Europe’s. They also developed a Western style judiciary system.

    Read More

  • Modernization In Japan

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    This contrasted to the Ottoman Empire, which did not undergo such a revolution to become an industrialized society. In a state-guided industrialization program, Japan created modern infrastructure by creating railroads, postal systems, and national currency. Along with being a major exporter of textiles, munitions, industrial goods, newspapers, and electric lights were produced. The Ottomans were not able to create industrial economies to fend of European intrusion, and in turn, they depended on Europe. Japan was able to have a solid foundation for its industrial growth due to urban development that took place in the Tokugawa era. Different from the Ottoman Empire, Japan, in its time of peace, had become a fairly urbanized country with an educated population, leading into a burst of economic growth and commercialization. In contrast to the Ottoman Empire, Japan was able to experience industrialization due to the utilization of its own resources. The Ottomans, on the other hand, relied on foreign loans to support economic development. Unable to pay off these massive debts, Europe took control of its revenue-generating

    Read More

  • Shogunate Japan

    804 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Tokugawa period, also known as Edo period (1603-1867), was the final period of traditional Japan that lasted for more than 250 years (britannica.com,2013). The period was a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the Shogunate founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Tokugawa Shoguns maintained strict control over the structure of society by keeping a firm control over what they were allowed to do and what they were not allowed to do.

    Read More

  • Silence by Shusako Endo

    2003 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the late 16th and early 17th century, Jesuit missionaries went to Japan in order to spread their Christian faith. In the beginning these missions went well, with nearly 300k converting to Christianity. However, over time their presence was frowned upon, as they were seen as outsiders interested in changing Japan’s culture. As a result, Christian missionaries began to sneak back into Japan. This led to the systematic elimination of many Japanese Christians, and Jesuit missionaries. In the novel Silence, Shusaku Endo illustrates the discrimination, and suffering many Christians endured in Japan during this period.

    Read More

  • Westernization in China and Japan

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    Within a short period of time, Japan had caught up with many Western technologies; having established universities, founded telegraph and railroad lines, as well as a national postal system being created. Shipping and textile industries were a huge success an exports rose.

    Read More

  • Western Influence on Japan

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    as well.8 The Meiji period was an important part of Japan's changing western ways. After World War II, Japan changed forever. With the Atomic bomb physically destroying their cities, and their defeat destroying their. imperialistic mentality, Japan was deeply wounded. Japan lost the respect of the world during the war and few people felt sorry for them....

    Read More

  • Christianity to Japan

    3492 Words  | 7 Pages

    Japan has been a home for Shinto and Buddhist religions for centuries. The Christian missionaries during the 16th, 19th and 20th centuries worked hard to evangelize the Japanese nation but could not get desired success. There efforts in past failed partly due to sanctions imposed by the local rulers. The Jesuits missionaries traveled with Spanish and Portuguese traders to many areas of America and Asia-Pacific and established their churches and religious missions. They were funded, sponsored and trained by their respective governments in order to spread Christianity. At several places they preached the Christian faith by force but the aboriginal population did not accept it wholeheartedly. Initially the Jesuits targeted the elite class of the country and a large number was converted. The rulers also forced their subject to embrace the same faith. About 300,000 Japanese were converted in the first phase. Later on, Christianity was prohibited as the rulers started seeing them as a threat to their authority. Following a change of regime, the ban was lifted and missionaries were again allowed to enter Japan. Like many Native American tribes, the Japanese also resisted the new religion. As a result, presently Christians form only 1% of the total population in Japan. This paper is focused on how the Christian religion was introduced in Japan, the evolution of evangelism, establishment of churches, the restrictions and hurdles faced by the missionaries and priest of the new religion and the response of Japanese nation towards an alien faith. All these queries are answered in detail given as follows.

    Read More

  • Christianity In Silence Endo

    586 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although Christian missionaries were welcomed in the 1540s by the Japanese rulers, Christianity was banned after the unification of Japan under a single shogun. The missionaries were welcomed primarily because they came with traders who brought weapons for the Japanese. During the Shimabara Rebellion, a large number of Christians rose up in a revolt that was violently put down. Silence is set in the aftermath of this rebellion - an atmosphere of vengeful

    Read More

  • Tokugawa Period

    669 Words  | 2 Pages

    Japan's Tokugawa, or Edo, was the final era of traditional Japanese government, culture, and society from 1603 to 1867. Emperor Meiji took control over Japan after the Tokugawa shogun lost his power in 1868. When Emperor Meiji came to power, Japan was a militarily weak country, it was primarily agricultural, and had little technological development. The Western Powers, Europe and the Unites States, contrived Japan to sign treaty, which limited their own control over foreign trade. The treaties also made crimes concerning foreigners in Japan to be tried in a Western court, not a Japanese court.

    Read More

More about Compare And Contrast The Edo Period In Japan

Open Document