Feudal Japan: The Tokugawa & Samurai

Global History I: Spiconardi

The Samurai

Bushido The way of the warrior Code of conduct for the samurai

Any samurai who violated this code was expected to commit seppuku

Seppuku ritual suicide in which a samurai disembowels himself (a.k.a. hara-kiri)

Bushido

Read the excerpt from “A Samurai

Instructs His Son.” What qualities

should a samurai possess?

The Tokugawa Shogunate

Comes to power in 1603 and reigns over a 265 year period of peace Forced all the warring daimyo to live in

the capital city of Edo (Tokyo) Any daimyo who left Edo was required to

have their family remain

Toku-GO-AWAY!

Isolation Tokugawa distrusted foreigners

Banned all western merchants Prohibited Japanese from traveling abroad

Caused increase in internal trade Merchants gradually gain influence in feudal

society

Tokugawa Highway System

...Perhaps the most crucial use of the road was for governmental communication with the provinces. Official messengers traveled by foot, horseback (in wartime), and palanquin. The government used a system of relays for messengers, with reliefs at every seven li [3.9 km]. Government messengers had priority over any other type of traveler. They had first access to ferries at river crossings along the way, and could freely pass government road barriers at all times of the day or night. Private citizens were not allowed to travel at night; a series of barriers and checkpoints along the road kept them from doing so….

According to Patricia J. Graham, what were two ways the Tokugawa controlled the use of the Tōkaidō Road?

Tokugawa Shogunate

Cultural Developments Kabuki Form of theatre in

which actors wore bright & colorful costumes

Originally only women performed

Became so popular men wanted in and banned women

Haiku Form of poetry in which the verse usually contains a 17-mora verse

Tōkyō (to-o-kyo-o とうきょう ),