Warring States Period- The Tokugawa Period
The Onin War
After Ashikaga took over the shogunate in 1336, Japan never remained truly unified
Because Japan was full of castles and warriors under control of daimyos, small wars occurred for decades
In 1467, a devastating civil war known as the Onin War broke out
The Onin War
This civil war lasted over a century
In order to protect their people, daimyos began building large castles, walls, and armies
During this time, farmers and villagers became wealthier and lived better lives
Oda Nobunaga
Around this time a daimyo known as Oda Nobunaga began unifying Japan
Nobunaga was from a poor country family but due to his bravery and leadership was made military leader of the emperor
With his new power, Nobunaga started destroying the powers of other daimyos and private Buddhist armies
A Unified Japan
Nobunaga would unify most of Japan for the first time in over a century and would make his capital Edo (modern Tokyo)
Shortly after, however, he would be assassinated and one of his generals, Hideyoshi, would take over his rule
At this point, neither Hideyoshi or Nobunada were not Shogun
Although they held all the power in Japan they still supported the weakened Ashikaga shogunate
A Unified Japan
When Hideyoshi died in 1593, his son was to be left in charge when he became of age
Until than Japan would be led by a council
Before Hideyoshi’s son could become emperor Nobunaga’s other general, Tokugawa Ieyasu, defeated the other members of council and gave himself the tile of shogun
The Tokugawa Era
The Tokugawa Shoguns would rule over Japan until 1867, the same year Canada became a country
In order to keep daimyos from becoming to powerful, the Tokugawa Shoguns made them live part of the year in the capital city Edo
When daimyos went to their fiefs, their family had to stay in Edo
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European Contact
Europeans began arriving in Japan beginning with the Portuguese in the sixteenth century
Shortly after the Spanish, Dutch, and English followed
Due to Japan’s hunger for trade, Europeans were welcomed into Japan at first
European Contact
The first major impact of the Europeans in Japan was guns
Guns became very popular in Japan and were shortly included in warfare
Perhaps more importantly, however, was the impact of Christianity
Christianity in Japan
As usual with the Spanish and Portuguese, Catholics missionaries began missions and building churches in Japan
One of the first missionaries was Saint Francis Xavier
Within a few years, thousands of Japanese had converted to Christianity
The Expulsion of Western Culture
Japanese emperors quickly became hostile to this alien religion and banned it in Japan
Missionaries were forced to leave in and in some cases killed
Japanese Christians were put to death
After a rebellion in 1637 almost all contact with the west was cut off
The Last Samurai Clip