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What trials unite not only Harry Potter or Frodo Baggins but many of literature's most interesting heroes? And what do ordinary people have in common with these literary heroes? Matthew Winkler takes us step-by-step through the crucial events that make or break a hero.

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Feudalism Definition & Facts | Study.com

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Feudal Japan: 1185 - 1603

Hierarchy In Feudal Japan

Society was divided into two classes in Feudal Japan, the nobility and the peasants. The noble class made up roughly twelve percent of the population with peasants making up the rest.

Emperor and Shogun
The Emperor and the Shogun were the highest ranking nobles. During Japan's feudal period the Shogun held the most power while the Emperor was more of a puppet figure with little actual power. As the Shogun was a military leader his sword, or Nihonto in Japanese (katana came later in the Mid-Muromachi period), was an important part of his attire.

Daimyo
Daimyo were powerful warlords and the most powerful rulers under the Shogun from the 10th century to the early 19th century. Within their province the Daimyo had complete military and economic power. Daimyo had vast hereditary land holdings and armies to protect the land and its workers. The most powerful warlords sometimes achieved the status of Shogun.

Samurai
The Daimyo armies were made up of Samurai warriors. Samurai worked under Daimyo, but they had additional privileges and held a higher social status than common people. These privileges included being able to have a surname, a family crest, and carry two swords. People with Samurai family names are still treated with great respect in Japan today. Although most samurai were not well educated, they had a strict code of honor or the "way of the warrior", known as bushido in Japanese. If a Samurai broke the bushido code and brought dishonor to him/herself they would be expected to commit seppuku, or ritual suicide. Women were allowed to serve as samurai but always served under a male leader.

Peasants
Peasants were divided into several sub-classes. The highest ranking of the peasants were farmers. Farmers who owned their own land ranked higher than farmers who did not. Craftsmen, or artisans, were the second highest ranking after the farmers. They worked with wood and metal and some became well-known as expert Samura sword makers. Merchants were the lowest ranking because it was felt they made their living off of other people's work. However, in later times when Japan began to use money more as currency merchants became more wealthy.

Kamakura Period: 1185 - 1333

The Kamakura period began with Minamoto no Yorimoto establishing the Kamakura Shogunate in 1192 in Kamakura. Minamoto referred to his new government as bakufu, which translates to "tent government". The Emperor gave the military title of Seii Tai-shogun to Minamoto and in Western literature his government is often referred to as the shogunate. The bakufu had two main divisions, one to oversee the samurai, and one to judge legal suits. The shogun often had complete power over the emperor and imperial court. Later in the Kamakura period the Hojo clan installed a regent for the shogun. During the Hojo regency the shogun was reduced to a powerless figurehead much like the emperor.

Women
Women who belonged to the aristocracy were allowed to take part in politics. Women could also become samurai warriors but this was not allowed if they were in the aristocratic class. Although women were allowed to become samurai, a male samurai of equal rank could give orders to a female samurai. Female samurai were able to give orders to men of lower social classes like farmers and craftsmen. In the beginning of the Kamakura period women were also allowed to inherit land estates. However, this changed later as the amount of available land decreased towards the middle of Kamakura period.

Gokenin
Vassals of the shogunate during the Kamakura and Muromachi periods were called gokenin. Gokenin exchanged loyalty to the shogunate for protection and the right to attain higher positions in government. Through this system the gokenin provided the shogun with the military force needed to control the country. The gokenin were allowed to own land their children were allowed to inherit the land estates. This led to a weakening of the shogunate. During the Muromachi period the gokenin class were replaced by Daimyo.

Agriculture and Manufacturing
Agricultural methods improved during the Kamakura and farmers were learning how to increase yields by raising two crops a year. Cows and horses were being used to help plow the land and water wheels were implemented for irrigating crops and grinding grain. People who worked on farms often had side jobs of making silk, paper, and pottery. Many of these people quit working on the farm once they realized they could make a living by producing and selling their own goods.

Mongols Attack
The shogunate had little interest in foreign relations and even ignored communications sent from China. In 1268 a new Mongol leader came to power, Kublai Khan, and demanded that Japan pay tribute to his nation. Japan ignored the demands and began to prepare for a potential Mongol invasion. In 1274 the first Mongol invasion took place with a combined force of 23,000 Chinese, Mongol, and Korean troops. They arrived on 600 ships and brought catapults, crude missiles, and archers. The Mongol invaders landed at northern Kyushu at Hakata where they fought with the local Japanese troops. After only one day of fighting a Typhoon wiped out the Mongol forces. Kublai Khan realized that his forces had been defeated by a nature and not superior military force. He decided to attack again 7 years later in 1281. Again the forces landed in northern Kyushu and fought with the Japanese for 7 weeks. Again a typhoon wiped out the Mongol fleet. Shinto priests said that a kamikaze, or divine wind, protected Japan. The victories were a great source of pride and also helped legitimize the shogunate system of government.

Kenmu Restoration
For a short time at the end of the Kamakura period Emperor Go-Daigo regained control of Japan from the shogunate. He tried to restore imperial authority and give back power to the court nobility. Eventually, after almost 60 years of war, Go Daigo was driven from Kyoto and the shogunate system was re-established.
Photos of Kamakura period artifacts
Muromachi Period: 1336 - 1573

The Muromachi period began with the official establishment of the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1336. The term Nanboku-cho, Northern and Southern Court in Japanese, is used to describe the early years of the Muromachi from 1336-1392. Ashikaga Takauji gained support from samurai who were dissatisfied with Emperor Go-Daigo's rule and was able to depose the emperor and appoint himself as shogun. Ashikaga Takauji governed from Kyoto while Emperor Go-Daigo, who had escaped confinement, established his own headquarters in nearby Nara city. The Muromachi period is named after the district in Kyoto from where the third shogun, Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, built his headquarters.

Trade With Ming Dynasty
After the bakufu government agreed to suppress Japanese piracy trade with the Ming Dynasty began. The government in China saw it as Japan paying tribute to the Chinese empire while Japan viewed the arrangement as a profitable trade agreement. Japan's main items of export were gold and copper while China gave Japan mostly silk and books. The trade industry rapidly grew and import taxes on goods from China were an important source of income for the Ashikaga bakufu. Wars were common between regional families who fought to control trade routes.

Shintoism
The apparent role of kamikaze, or "divine wind", in defeating the Mongol invasions of 1274 and 1281 helped renew interest in the Shinto religion. From the Nara period Buddhism and Shinto had coexisted with Shinto practices slowly being incorporated into Buddhism. In 1339 Kitabatake Chikafusa Shotoki, a noble in the Southern Court, wrote the Jinno Shotoki, "Chronicles of the Authentic Lineages of the Divine Emperors". The work sought to remind people of Japan's divine origin and supremacy over other nations as evidenced in the prologue:

"Great Japan is the divine land. The heavenly progenitor founded it, and the sun goddess bequeathed it to her descendants to rule eternally. Only in our country is this true; there are no similar examples in other countries. This is why our country is called the divine land."

Shinto would later become the primary belief system and develop its own scriptures and philosophy.

Onin War 1467-1477
The Ashikaga shogunate maintained order early on but slowly lost power to regional Daimyo which resulted in the Onin War from 1467-1477. The bakufu system of government ended and the nation fell into anarchy as provinces went to war against each other for control of the country. As central control disappeared samurai rose against their overlords and peasants against their landlords. Nobles of the Imperial Court were dispossessed and aristocratic society became very military in character. The provincial wars lasted 100 years until Japan was united under one rule by Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu in the late 16th century.

Western Influence and Christianity
The Portuguese arrived in southern Kyushu in 1543 and were soon making regular visits to Japan. Other nations also tried to establish trade with the Spanish arriving in 1587 and the Dutch in 1609. Japan traded precious metals for European guns, tobacco, fabrics, clocks, and other Western technology. Spanish missionaries, led by Saint Francis Xavier, were successful in converting as many as 150,000 Japanese to Christianity by 1582. Tolerance for Christianity was short-lived and outright persecutions began in 1597. During the later Tokugawa period the exclusion and suppression of Christianity would become national policy.
Photos of Muromachi period artifacts
Azuchi Momoyama Period: 1568 - 1603

The Azuchi-Momoyama period takes its name from Azuchi Castle and Momoyama Castle. Azuchi Castle was one of Oda Nobunaga's main fortresses located next to Lake Biwa in Omi Province. It was built close enough to Kyoto to enable sentries to see any approaching armies, but far enough way to provide protection from lesser conflicts which were not uncommon in the capital. Momoyama Castle, also known as Fushimi Castle, was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward in 1594. It was actually built as a place for Toyotomi to retire and has a famous tea ceremony room with walls covered in gold leaf. All that is left today of the original castles are their stone bases.

Oda Nobunaga
The period begins with Oda Nobunaga gaining control of Kyoto and receiving recognition from the emperor for Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the 15th Ashikaga Shogun. Yoshiaki was only a puppet shogun and was eventually driven from Kyoto in 1573 by Oda Nobunaga. Oda Nobunaga had a reputation as a brutal warlord and unyielding enemy.

In 1582 Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a close ally, requested military assistance from Oda Nobunaga. On his way, Oda Nobunaga stopped in Kyoto and was forced to commit seppuku, ritual suicide, by one of his own discontented generals, Akechi Mitsuhide. Oda Nobunaga had made public insults about Akechi Mitsuhide and had broken a peace treaty with a rival clan resulting in the murder of Akechi Mitsuhide's mother. Toyotomi Hideyoshi soon tracked down Akechi Mitsuhide and defeated him at the Battle of Yamazaki. There are conflicting rumors regarding the fate of Akechi Mitsuhide. One says that he was killed by a peasant with a bamboo spear, and another says he was not killed but began a new life as a priest.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Rise to Power
After the death of Oda Nobunaga a power struggle began between competing daimyo. Eventually, 1584, Toyotomi Hideyoshi was able to reach an advantageous stalemate with Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute and take control of Kyoto and the former Oda domains. By 1590 Toyotomi Hideyoshi had established an army 200,000 strong who defeated rival daimyo in Shikoku, Kyushu, and eastern Honshu. With all areas of the country under Toyotomi Hideyoshi's control, the reunification of Japan was complete.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi instituted measures to secure his position in Kyoto. He sent the rival Tokugawa family to the Kanto region so they would be far from the capital. He took the wives and heirs of rival daimyo as hostages and kept them at nearby Osaka. People of different classes were required to live in separate areas of town. In order to avoid peasants uprising against samurai, peasants were not allowed to carry weapons. Samurai were required to live in castle towns and were not allowed to farm. The campaigns to disarm peasants, as well as enemy forces, were called katanagari, or sword hunts.

Korean Invasions
From 1592 to 1598 Toyotomi Hideyoshi sent Japanese forces to invade China and Korea. Within the first three months the Japanese army had occupied Seoul and Pyongyang. The Chinese intervened which resulted in Japan eventually withdrawing its forces in 1598, a month after the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The Joseon and Ming navies engaged the withdrawing Japanese forces inflicting heavy damage. Out of 500 Japanese ships only 150-200 were able to make it back to Japan. During the battle the Korean Admiral Yi Sun-sin was shot and killed by a Japanese arquebus, a type of muzzle-loaded firearm. The failure to conquer Ming China weakened the Toyotomi family name and clans loyal to it.
Photos of Azuchi-Momoyama artifacts

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Hierarchy In Feudal Japan Society was divided into two classes in Feudal Japan, the nobility and the peasants. The noble class made up roughly twelve percent of the population with peasants making up the rest. Emperor and Shogun The Emperor and the Shogun were the highest ranking nobles.

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Brief History of Samurai Warriors

The samurai were a highly skilled Japanese warriors that hailed from noble families and served the local lords. These warriors were experts in martial arts. Out of the four main classes in ancient Japan-samurais, farmers, artisans and merchants-the samurai were the highest.

The 7 Virtues of Bushido

The Japanese feudal lords employed samurai to protect them and fight for them. Instead of getting paid in money, depending on the merit of the samurai, they were given a particular measure of rice. The samurai followed a strict code of conduct for their masters which was known as the 'Bushido.' This called for self-discipline, valour, honour, duty and self-sacrifice.

The samurai were expert in fighting on the horseback as well as in armed and un-armed combat on the ground. Their favourite weapon was the sword and they used this for beheading their enemies. A samurai's sword used to be his most beloved and prized possession and he literally worshipped it. Only special sword smith could make the swords for the samurai and it was a long procedure to make one.

The oldest swords were straight and were designed in Korea and China. The swords were mainly made of iron, in combination with carbon. The sword smiths used fire, water, anvil and hammer to give the final shape to these unique swords.

7 Interesting Facts about the Samurai

1. In ancient Japan, some women also received similar training in martial arts and strategy as men. These women samurai were called 'Onna-Bugeisha' and they actively took part in combat too.

2. New samurai swords were tested on convicts-live human beings!

3. The samurai usually carried two types of swords with them: a long one called 'Katana' and a short one called 'Tanto.'

4. Samurai named their swords as they believed the swords carried their warrior spirit.

5. The sharp point of a samurai sword is known as the 'kissaki. It is the toughest part to forge and often determines the overall quality.

6. The samurai trained with the help of wooden swords. This art was called 'Kendo' and is still practiced today in Japan.

7. The earliest samurai swords were straight and were designed in Korea and China. It was the samurai's desire to have tougher and sharper swords that gave birth to the curved sword blades we have today.

For more such interesting history articles and videos, go to this page.

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The Samurai : Japanese Warriors - History for Kids | Mocomi

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The samurai were a highly skilled Japanese warriors that hailed from noble families and served the local lords. These warriors were experts in martial arts. Out of the four main classes in ancient Japan-samurais, farmers, artisans and merchants-the samurai were the highest. The Japanese feudal lords employed samurai to protect them and fight for them.

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Map of Japan's Daimyo Territories of Japan in 1664

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Map of Japan's Daimyo Territories of Japan in 1664

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Definition of this period

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Tokugawa period, also called Edo period, (1603-1867), the final period of traditional Japan, a time of internal peace, political stability, and economic growth under the shogunate (military dictatorship) founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu.

As shogun, Ieyasu achieved hegemony over the entire country by balancing the power of potentially hostile domains ( tozama) with strategically placed allies ( fudai) and collateral houses ( shimpan). As a further strategy of control, beginning in 1635, Tokugawa Iemitsu required the domanial lords, or daimyo, to maintain households in the Tokugawa administrative capital of Edo (modern Tokyo) and reside there for several months every other year. The resulting system of semi-autonomous domains directed by the central authority of the Tokugawa shogunate lasted for more than 250 years.

As part of the systematic plan to maintain stability, the social order was officially frozen, and mobility between the four classes (warriors, farmers, artisans, and merchants) was prohibited. Numerous members of the warrior class, or samurai, took up residence in the capital and other castle towns where many of them became bureaucrats. Peasants, who made up 80 percent of the population, were forbidden to engage in nonagricultural activities so as to ensure a stable and continuing source of income for those in positions of authority.

Another aspect of the Tokugawa concern with political stability was fear of foreign ideas and military intervention. Cognizant that the colonial expansion of Spain and Portugal in Asia had been made possible by the work of Roman Catholic missionaries, the Tokugawa shoguns came to view the missionaries as a threat to their rule. Measures to expel them from the country culminated in the promulgation of three exclusion decrees in the 1630s, which effected a complete ban on Christianity. Moreover, in issuing these orders, the Tokugawa shogunate officially adopted a policy of national seclusion. From 1633 onward Japanese subjects were forbidden to travel abroad or to return from overseas, and foreign contact was limited to a few Chinese and Dutch merchants still allowed to trade through the southern port of Nagasaki.

The national economy expanded rapidly from the 1680s to the early 1700s. The emphasis placed on agricultural production by the Tokugawa shogunate encouraged considerable growth in that economic sector. Expansion of commerce and the manufacturing industry was even greater, stimulated by the development of large urban centres, most notably Edo, Ōsaka, and Kyōto, in the wake of the government's efforts at centralization and its success in maintaining peace. The production of fine silk and cotton fabrics, manufacture of paper and porcelain, and sake brewing flourished in the cities and towns, as did trading in these commodities. This increase in mercantile activity gave rise to wholesalers and exchange brokers, and the ever-widening use of currency and credit produced powerful financiers. The emergence of this well-to-do merchant class brought with it a dynamic urban culture that found expression in new literary and art forms ( see Genroku period).

While merchants and to a lesser extent tradesmen continued to prosper well into the 18th century, the daimyo and samurai began to experience financial difficulties. Their primary source of income was a fixed stipend tied to agricultural production, which had not kept pace with other sectors of the national economy. Several attempts at fiscal reform were made by the government during the late 18th and 19th centuries, but the financial strain on the warrior class increased as the period progressed. During its final 30 years in power the Tokugawa shogunate had to contend with peasant uprisings and samurai unrest as well as with financial problems. These factors, combined with the growing threat of Western encroachment, brought into serious question the continued existence of the regime, and by the 1860s many demanded the restoration of direct imperial rule as a means of unifying the country and solving the prevailing problems. The powerful southwestern tozama domains of Chōshū and Satsuma exerted the greatest pressure on the Tokugawa government and brought about the overthrow of the last shogun, Hitosubashi Keiki (or Yoshinobu), in 1867. Less than a year later the Meiji emperor was restored to supreme power ( see Meiji Restoration).

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Tokugawa period (1603-1867), the final period of traditional Japan, a time of peace, stability, and growth under the shogunate founded by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ieyasu achieved hegemony over the entire country by balancing the power of potentially hostile domains with strategically placed allies and collateral houses.

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Q. Who were the shoguns?

A.

The word "shogun" is a title that was granted by the Emperor to the country's top military commander. During the Heian period (794-1185) the members of the military gradually became more powerful than the court officials, and eventually they took control of the whole government. In 1192, a military leader called Minamoto Yoritomo had the Emperor appoint him shogun; he set up his own capital in Kamakura, far to the east of the Emperor's capital in Kyoto, near present-day Tokyo. For almost 700 years after that, Japan was ruled mainly by a succession of shoguns, whose titles were usually passed on from father to son. Sometimes the shogun's family would become weak, and a rebel leader would seize power from them, after which he would be named shogun and would start a new ruling family.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the shogunate in 1603 in present-day Tokyo.

The final shoguns were those of the Tokugawa clan, who came to power in 1603 and ruled until 1867. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the dynasty, built a new capital in Edo, the city that is now Tokyo. His grandson Iemitsu completed the national isolation policy. The shoguns also imposed a strict class system, with the samurai (warriors) at the top, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants. Under the shoguns were lords with the title of daimyo, each of whom ruled a part of Japan. The Tokugawa shogunate remained in firm command of the government during their rule, unlike earlier shogun families whose power was weaker.

In 1867 the fifteenth Tokugawa shogun, Yoshinobu, was forced to give up his position and return his power to the Emperor's court. The Emperor moved from Kyoto to Edo the following year, and his government swept away most of the systems established by the shogunate.

Photo:The Iyeyasu and Mikawa Samurai Museum

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The word "shogun" is a title that was granted by the Emperor to the country's top military commander. During the Heian period (794-1185) the members of the military gradually became more powerful than the court officials, and eventually they took control of the whole government.

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Definition of Tokugawa

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Get information, facts, and pictures about Tokugawa at Encyclopedia.com. Make research projects and school reports about Tokugawa easy with credible articles from our FREE, online encyclopedia and dictionary.

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Explore the walking trail that Father and Koichi took before crossing over to America

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There's nothing better than getting out into nature, and walking through valleys and up mountains is the perfect way to forget about the stresses of big city life and relax. To help you do just that, here's our compilation of top Tokyo hiking trails, ranging from easy to expert.

Mount Koubou: Easy Tokyo Hiking

For those just looking to dip a toe into the Tokyo hiking scene, Mt. Koubou is an excellent starting point. Set in the foothills south of Mt. Oyama, this easy 2.5-hour hike is especially popular during cherry blossom season, when lanterns illuminate the flowers in the early evening.

Near the summit you'll find plenty of picnic tables and benches, and on clear days you can enjoy views towards Mt. Fuji and Sagami Bay. Keen to get going? Here's a full guide to hiking Mt. Koubou.

Nearest station: Odakyu Hadano. From the station, turn right and walk along the road for about 20 minutes. The trail commences on your right just a little way up from the 7-Eleven.

Kinchakuda: Easy

For a gentle ramble, head to Kinchakuda and Hiwada-the trail takes around 2-3 hours, and feels like more of a country walk than a hike. There's a little bit of a real hike at the end, so you can feel like you've earned the view, and there's even an organic cafe and ponies to make it worthwhile. Yes, we said ponies.

Along the route are waterwheels and, depending on the season, cherry blossoms and wild flowers too. Climbing Mt. Hiwada (the end part) may seem daunting to non-hiker cheapos, but it is actually more of a hill, at only 305m high. From the top, you can enjoy views of Fuji-san and Tokyo before heading back down to the main road and either catching the train or walking back the way you came. See our dedicated post on Hiking Kinchakuda for more details.

Nearest station: Hanno. Cheapo tip: Take the Seibu-Ikebukuro Line from Ikebukuro-it costs 470 yen.

Mount Tsukuba: Easy

The double-peaked Mt. Tsukuba is one of the most popular climbs near Tokyo, with an easy route and spectacular views of the Kanto plain. It is one of the top 100 famous mountains in Japan, with a somewhat one-sided rivalry against Mt. Fuji.

You'll find a match-making shrine perched along the route, reflecting the forever-linked twin peaks of Tsukuba. Although the mountain is only 887m high, it can still offer some fun challenges-especially on the way down, as it gets pretty steep. Many people hike up and then use the ropeway to return, saving their legs and enjoying the view. There are different routes to choose from, and you can enjoy an abandoned theme-park on the way up, as well as a hot spring. Read our article on hiking Mt. Tsukuba for more information.

Nearest station: Tsukuba. Buses from the station will take you to two different points on the mountain, and leave hourly.

Mount Takao: Easy

Another popular spot for Tokyoites desperate to escape the city, Mt. Takao has everything you need for a good Japanese hike: a variety of different trails, an unusual shrine, views of Mt. Fuji, monkeys, and a cable-car option too (oh, and packs of the extraordinarily fit elderly).

For the simplest hike, Trail Option 1-the Omotesando Trail-is the best, as it is widely used and takes just 90 minutes or so from the base. The Kasumidai Loop Trail is also easy, and takes you through the forests. You can try the Biwa Waterfall Trail too, which is about 90 minutes long and follows the stream, with chances to see monks undergoing ascetic training at the waterfalls.

Close to the summit (along Trail 1) you'll find Yakuoin Shrine, famed for its enshrined mountain gods and crow-beaked tengu. Other attractions to look out for on Mt. Takao include the local monkey-park, wild flower garden and Keio Takaosan Onsen Gokurakuyu (with separate baths). Beyond the summit is a network of trails leading to other peaks in the surrounding national park. See Ridgeline Images for more details on hiking Mt. Takao.

Nearest station: Keio Takasanguchi. From there, you can hike up the mountain (about 2 hours), or walk to Kiyotaki Station, where you can take a combination of cable cars and colorful open ropeway lifts (ski-lift style) for 470 yen one way, depositing you halfway up the mountain.

Nokogiriyama: Easy/Enthusiast

People don't often hike Nokogiriyama, as there is a ropeway and plenty of walking to do at the top, but if you want to boost your step count for the day, there are two trails to the top which are steep but manageable. The routes (see below) both take about 50 minutes, and merge at the top near a quarry site. There's little to separate the two besides a few different sightseeing spots.

The Sharikimichi route and the Kanto Fureai No Michi route begin at the same place, one with daunting stairs and one without, so that might make your decision for you. Hiking is not the main attraction of the mountain but is a beautiful option, with the aforementioned quarry site and abandoned wooden transport structures to see. Be aware that some points on the trail are not clearly marked, so keep an eye on signs highlighted in provided maps. Once you reach the top of the mountain, you basically continue trekking from the giant Buddha to hundreds of smaller Buddhas and the Temple to the Kannon-so there's no rest for the wicked! Read more about hiking Nokogiriyama.

Nearest station: Hamakanaya. The ropeway and hiking trails are a short walk from the station if you are arriving from Tokyo. From the Yokohama area, travel to Keikyu-Kurihama station, then get a bus to the ferry port and a ferry to the mountain base.

Mount Mitake: Enthusiast

A real nature-lover's delight, Mt. Mitake is filled with all the flora and fauna you could ask for, and is the gate to the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park. There is a cablecar, but if you decide to hike, it's about a 60-minute walk from the valley to Mitake Shrine, and then you can walk for another hour or so to reach the beautiful "Rock Garden"-a forest valley with a stream, moss-carpeted rocks and waterfalls.

From there, it's another hour or so to the summit of Mt. Otake, with various hiking trails to other viewpoints and mountains. There is a Visitor Centre between then ropeway and the shrine, with maps for the different trails, but note that it is closed on Mondays. Ready to go? First read more details on hiking Mt. Mitake.

Nearest station: JR Mitake. From there, you can take a bus to Takimoto cablecar station (10 minutes, 270 yen), then the cablecar (6 minutes, 570 yen one way) about halfway up the mountain.

Mount Mitsumine: Enthusiast

The Saitama side of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai Park is home to Mount Mitsumine and Lake Chichibu, which means superb hiking and beautiful lake views! The course includes breathtaking vistas from suspension bridges, a 2000-year-old shrine, and plenty of mountain huts for hikers and campers.

The full trail takes about 5 hours with time for gazing at views. There aren't many places to eat-so you should stock up and bring your own lunch. This Mt. Mitsumine guide has a list of all the sites and routes. For more details, see our post on this awesome Tokyo hike.

Nearest station: Mitsumine-Guchi. Take a bus from there to the Owa stop. On your return, you can take the bus from the lake all the way to the station.

Mount Oyama: Enthusiast

One of Tokyo's top 50 scenic sites, Mt. Oyama gets better the higher you climb. There are a variety of different routes, so you can choose your difficulty level (including the option to just ride the cablecar and enjoy the views).

Assuming you do actually want to trek though, and are looking for a Tokyo hiking challenge, you can choose either the Yabitsu-Toge Pass or the Otoko-zaka Trail for some serious leg-burn. Mt. Oyama has an awesome shrine and temple to see, and is also famous for tofu-so you'll see some tofu restaurants on the initial ascent to the ropeway (which is where the trails begin).

The onna-zaka (women's trail) is shorter than the otoko-zaka (men's trail), so if you feel like proving a point, this is an added bonus. However, the women's trail does pass by "seven wonders", so there's a bonus for us weak and frail sorts. Once you reach the Oyama Afuri Shrine, you can follow signs for the Shimosha Trail to the main shrine and summit (although it is closed from Feb-April). Here are more details on the Mt. Oyama hike.

Nearest station: Isehara. From the station, you can catch a bus to the start of the trails. There is an information centre with maps at the station too.

Mount Kawanori: Enthusiast

A step up in the hiking stakes introduces Mt. Kawanori, which can be climbed year-round-but be prepared for snow in the winter.

The hike has some risky bits, so you need to watch your footwork. The first rest station can be reached after about 35 minutes. After a rather precarious path which rises above the river, you arrive at the towering Hyakuhiro Waterfall. From here on, it's an unyielding 100-minute climb to the summit, which makes an excellent spot to roll out the picnic mat and bask in the natural surroundings. On this ascent there are some ropes added for support, and a fork in the road allows you to choose a tougher trail (straight ahead) or a better-maintained trail (to your left) on your way to the summit. Find out more about hiking Mt. Kawanori.

Nearest station: JR Okutama. From there, it's a 15-minute bus ride to the Kawanori-bashi bus stop, where the trail starts.

Three-Mountain Hike: Expert

If one mountain isn't enough for you, then why not climb three in a day? The three-peak hike is actually not as crazy as it sounds, and the views are definitely worth it. Combining Mounts Nokogiri, Otake and Mitake, the hike has a steep start, but once you reach the ridge, it is pretty easy.

There is some clambering, and you do need to be in pretty good shape to make it, plus in the winter there is likely to be snow. If climbing during these times, it's advisable to bring crampons-and setting off early is a must, since it will get dark around 5pm. There are some shrines along the route, as well as cedar forests, and incredible views of Mt. Fuji (if you're lucky) from Mt. Otake. If you fancy it, you can hike an extra 2 hours to Tsuru-tsuru onsen to soak your legs, or continue to Mitake and catch the ropeway down instead. See more about this three-day feat of Tokyo hiking here.

Nearest station: JR Okutama. Leave the station and turn left, then cross the bridge over the Tama River and enter the forest path on the right-hand side of the road. Follow the signs for Mount Nokogiri (鋸山) and Mount Otake (大岳山). Make a note of the kanji, as the signs often lack English.

Mount Kentoku: Expert

If you're up for a challenge, then look no further than Mt. Kentoku in Yamanashi Prefecture. The hike first passes by the Kougen Hut, which is set on a delightful plateau with plenty of Sika deer milling about to keep you company.

You can manage this hike in a day or spend the night at the Kougen Hut plateau, which has a campsite as well as sleeping spaces indoors-it is not a hostel though; the hut is unsupervised. From there, getting to the summit of Mt. Kentoku takes a little over 90 minutes, and for those game enough, just below the peak there is a sheer rock precipice which can be tackled via a long chain. You can either hike a steeper route down the other side of the mountain, or return the same way. For more details on this awesome hike, see this post.

Nearest station: JR Enzan. If you're planning to complete this hike as a day trip, make sure you're on an early train, as Enzan Station is 2.5 hours by local train from Shinjuku. From the station, you have a choice of either jumping on a Nishizawa Gorge-bound bus, or forking out for a 20-minute taxi ride.
Special thanks to David at Ridgeline Images for helping us with some of the hiking spots and images in this post. For all your Tokyo hiking needs, check them out here.

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Tokyo Hiking: 10 Trails for Beginners, Enthusiasts and Experts | Tokyo Cheapo

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There's nothing better than getting out into nature, and walking through valleys and up mountains is the perfect way to forget about the stresses of big city life and relax. To help you do just that, here's our compilation of top Tokyo hiking trails, ranging from easy to expert.

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Look at pictures showing the battle of Ueno and the end of the Samurai

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by-yoshitoshi-3 - Meiji Restoration Pictures - Samurai and Bushido - HISTORY.com

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Read about the last battle of the Samurai

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Battle of Ueno The Battle of Ueno (上野戦争 Ueno Sensō) was a battle of the Boshin War, which occurred on July 4, 1868 (Meiji 1, 15th day of the 5th month),[1] between the troops of the Shōgitai under Shibusawa Seiichirō and Amano Hachirō, and Imperial "Kangun" troops.

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The Meiji Restoration was a paramount change in the structure of Japanese society from the top down that allowed Japan to heavily modernize in order to compete with European as well as American forces encroaching in the Pacific. Personally, Emperor Meiji actually accomplished nothing. The primary force for this restoration was the Meiji Six Society along with the resulting Meiji oligarchy headed by Okubo Toshimichi.

Emperor Meiji: Before him an Old Japan; After him a New Japan

To summarize what exactly Emperor Meiji's government did, here's a list I compiled of the various changes Meiji and his government enacted in order to modernize Japan:

Abolishment of the four-tier class system that had dominated Japan since the 11th Century

Forcing Samurai and Daimyo to join commoners, no longer would they hold title and privilege, land was taken and divided into prefectures

Implementation of European-style conscription into the newly formed Imperial Army

Establishment of the Imperial Army and Navy, western-style uniforms and heavy use of European firearms and tactics

Established Universal Elementary Education for both boys and girls

A dramatic industrial shift from a textile and agriculture based economy to one emphasizing heavy industry and weapons manufacturing

Passing of the Meiji Constitution in 1899, modeled after Prussian-style of government

Seizing the peninsula of Korea and defeating the Qing Dynasty in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895

Sent many Japanese technicians and scientists abroad to study under the various European nations as well as the United States. Education in France and Prussia, British help in naval building, Prussian help in building of troops and engineering of fortifications, influx of American capital, etc.

Massive expansion of transportation and infrastructure systems throughout Japan

Establishment of the Bank of Japan as a result of spending during the Meiji Restoration as well as currency reform

Creation of the Diet of Japan

Defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War, gaining immense prestige

The Meiji Restoration transformed Japan in the span of a single generation from that of an isolated island power to a dominant Asian power by the turn of the 20th Century. She had the Army and Navy to dominate European powers as well as the rigid societal discipline needed for aggressive expansion into various regions of Asia. It cannot be understated how far-reaching the effects of the Meiji Restoration were.

Hope this helps answer your question!

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History: What did Emperor Meiji do to modernize Japan?

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Answer (1 of 3): The Meiji Restoration was a paramount change in the structure of Japanese society from the top down that allowed Japan to heavily modernize in order to compete with European as well as American forces encroaching in the Pacific. Personally, Emperor Meiji actually accomplished no...

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Emperor Meiji, or Meiji the Great, was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death on 30 July 1912. He presided over a time of rapid change in the Empire of Japan, as the nation quickly changed from a feudal state to a capitalist and imperial world power, characterized by Japan's industrial revolution.

His personal name was Mutsuhito, and although outside of Japan he is sometimes called by this name, in Japan deceased emperors are referred to only by their posthumous names.

At the time of his birth in 1852, Japan was an isolated, pre-industrial, feudal country dominated by the Tokugawa Shogunate and the daimyo, who ruled over the country's more than 250 decentralized domains. By the time of his death in 1912, Japan had undergone a political, social, and industrial revolution at home (See Meiji Restoration) and emerged as one of the great powers on the world stage.

A detailed account of the state funeral in the New York Times concluded with an observation: "The contrast between that which preceded the funeral car and that which followed it was striking indeed. Before it went old Japan; after it came new Japan."

The Tokugawa Shogunate had established itself in the early 17th century. Under its rule, the shogun governed Japan. About 180 lords, known as daimyo, ruled autonomous realms under the shogun, who occasionally called upon the daimyo for gifts, but did not tax them. The shogun controlled the daimyo in other ways; only the shogun could approve their marriages, and the shogun could divest a daimyo of his lands.

In 1615, the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had officially retired from his position, and his son Tokugawa Hidetada, the titular shogun, issued a code of behavior for the nobility. Under it, the emperor was required to devote his time to scholarship and the arts. The emperors under the shogunate appear to have closely adhered to this code, studying Confucian classics and devoting time to poetry and calligraphy. They were only taught the rudiments of Japanese and Chinese history and geography. The shogun did not seek the consent or advice of the emperor for his actions.

Emperors almost never left their palace compound, or in Kyoto, except after an emperor retired or to take shelter in a temple if the palace caught on fire. Few emperors lived long enough to retire; of the Emperor Meiji's five predecessors, only his grandfather lived into his forties, and died aged forty-six. The imperial family suffered very high rates of infant mortality; all five of the emperor's brothers and sisters died as infants, and only five of fifteen of his own children would reach adulthood.

Soon after taking control in the early seventeenth century, shogunate officials (known generically as bakufu) ended much Western trade with Japan, and barred missionaries from the islands. Only the Dutch continued trade with Japan, maintaining a post on the island of Dejima by Nagasaki. However, by the early 19th century, European and American vessels appeared in the waters around Japan with increasing frequency.

Mutsuhito was born on 3 November 1852 in a small house on his maternal grandfather's property at the north end of the Gosho. At the time, a birth was believed to be polluting, so imperial princes were not born in the Palace, but usually in a structure, often temporary, near the pregnant woman's father's house. The boy's mother, Nakayama Yoshiko was a concubine ( gon no tenji) to Emperor Kōmei and the daughter of the acting major counselor, Nakayama Tadayasu. The young prince was given the name Sachinomiya, or Prince Sachi.

The young prince was born at a time of change for Japan. This change was symbolized dramatically when Commodore Matthew Perry and his squadron of what the Japanese dubbed "the Black Ships", sailed into the harbor at Edo (known since 1868 as Tokyo) in July 1853. Perry sought to open Japan to trade, and warned the Japanese of military consequences if they did not agree. During the crisis brought on by Perry's arrival, the bakufu took the highly unusual step of consulting with the Imperial Court, and Emperor Kōmei's officials advised that they felt the Americans should be allowed to trade and asked that they be informed in advance of any steps to be taken upon Perry's return. This request was initially honored by the bakufu, and for the first time in at least 250 years, they consulted with the Imperial Court before making a decision. Feeling that it could not win a war, the Japanese government allowed trade and submitted to what it dubbed the " Unequal Treaties", giving up tariff authority and the right to try foreigners in its own courts. The bakufu's willingness to consult with the Court was short-lived: in 1858, word of a treaty arrived with a letter stating that due to shortness of time, it had not been possible to consult. Emperor Kōmei was so incensed that he threatened to abdicate-though even this action would have required the consent of the shogun.

Much of the Emperor's boyhood is known only through later accounts, which his biographer Donald Keene points out are often contradictory. One contemporary described the young prince as healthy and strong, somewhat of a bully and exceptionally talented at sumo. Another states that the prince was delicate and often ill. Some biographers state that he fainted when he first heard gunfire, while others deny this account. On 16 August 1860, Sachinomiya was proclaimed prince of the blood and heir to the throne, and was formally adopted by his father's consort. Later that year on 11 November, he was proclaimed as the crown prince and given an adult name, Mutsuhito. The prince began his education at the age of seven. He proved an indifferent student, and later in life wrote poems regretting that he had not applied himself more in writing practice.

By the early 1860s, the shogunate was under several threats. Representatives of foreign powers sought to increase their influence in Japan. Many daimyo were increasingly dissatisfied with bakufu handling foreign affairs. Large numbers of young samurai, known as or "men of high purpose" began to meet and speak against the shogunate. The shishi revered the Emperor Kōmei and favored direct violent action to cure societal ills. While they initially desired the death or expulsion of all foreigners, the shishi would later prove more pragmatic, and begin to advocate the modernization of the country. The bakufu enacted several measures to appease the various groups, and hoped to drive a wedge between the shishi and daimyo.

Kyoto was a major center for the shishi, who had influence over the Emperor Kōmei. In 1863, they persuaded him to issue an " Order to expel barbarians". The Order placed the shogunate in a difficult position, since it knew it lacked the power to carry it out. Several attacks were made on foreigners or their ships, and foreign forces retaliated. Bakufu forces were able to drive most of the shishi out of Kyoto, and an attempt by them to return in 1864 was driven back. Neverless, unrest continued throughout Japan.

The prince's awareness of the political turmoil is uncertain. During this time, he studied poetry, first with his father, then with the court poets. As the prince continued his classical education in 1866, a new shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu took office, a reformer who desired to transform Japan into a Western-style state. Yoshinobu, who would prove to be the final shogun, met with resistance from among the bakufu, even as unrest and military actions continued. In mid-1866, a bakufu army set forth to punish rebels in southern Japan. The army was defeated.

The Emperor Kōmei had always enjoyed excellent health, and was only 36 years old in January 1867. In that month, however, he fell seriously ill. Though he appeared to make some recovery, he suddenly worsened and died on 30 January. Many historians believe the Emperor Kōmei was poisoned, a view not unknown at the time: British diplomat Sir Ernest Satow wrote, "it is impossible to deny that [the Emperor Kōmei's] disappearance from the political scene, leaving as his successor a boy of fifteen or sixteen [actually fourteen], was most opportune".

The crown prince formally ascended to the throne on 3 February 1867, in a brief ceremony in Kyoto. The new Emperor continued his classical education, which did not include matters of politics. In the meantime, the shogun, Yoshinobu, struggled to maintain power. He repeatedly asked for the Emperor's confirmation of his actions, which he eventually received, but there is no indication that the young Emperor was himself involved in the decisions. The shishi and other rebels continued to shape their vision of the new Japan, and while they revered the Emperor, they had no thought of having him play an active part in the political process.

The political struggle reached its climax in late 1867. In November, an agreement was reached by which Yoshinobu would maintain his title and some of his power, but the lawmaking power would be vested in a bicameral legislature based on the British model. The following month, the agreement fell apart as the rebels marched on Kyoto, taking control of the Imperial Palace. On 4 January 1868, the Emperor ceremoniously read out a document before the court proclaiming the "restoration" of Imperial rule, and the following month, documents were sent to foreign powers:

The Emperor of Japan announces to the sovereigns of all foreign countries and to their subjects that permission has been granted to the Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu to return the governing power in accordance with his own request. We shall henceforward exercise supreme authority in all the internal and external affairs of the country. Consequently the title of Emperor must be substituted for that of Tycoon, in which the treaties have been made. Officers are being appointed by us to the conduct of foreign affairs. It is desirable that the representatives of the treaty powers recognize this announcement.
Mutsuhito

Yoshinobu resisted only briefly, but it was not until late 1869 that the final bakufu holdouts were finally defeated. In the ninth month of the following year, the era was changed to Meiji, or "enlightened rule", which was later used for the emperor's posthumous name. This marked the beginning of the custom of an era coinciding with an emperor's reign, and posthumously naming the emperor after the era during which he ruled.

Soon after his accession, the Emperor's officials presented Ichijō Haruko to him as a possible bride. The future Empress was the daughter of an Imperial official, and was three years older than the groom, who would have to wait to wed until after his (manhood ceremony). The two married on 11 January 1869. Known posthumously as Empress Shōken, she was the first Imperial Consort to receive the title of kōgō (literally, the Emperor's wife, translated as Empress Consort), in several hundred years. Although she was the first Japanese Empress Consort to play a public role, she bore no children. However, the Meiji emperor had fifteen children by five official ladies-in-waiting. Only five of his children, a prince born to Lady Naruko (1855-1943), the daughter of Yanagiwara Mitsunaru, and four princesses born to Lady Sachiko (1867-1947), the eldest daughter of Count Sono Motosachi, lived to adulthood. They were:

Crown Prince Yoshihito (Haru-no-miya Yoshihito Shinnō), 3rd son, (31 August 1879 - 25 December 1926) (see Emperor Taishō).

Princess Masako (Tsune-no-miya Masako Naishinnō), 6th daughter, (30 September 1888 - 8 March 1940) (see Princess Masako Takeda).

Princess Fusako (Kane-no-miya Fusako Naishinnō), 7th daughter, (28 January 1890 - 11 August 1974) (see Fusako Kitashirakawa).

Princess Nobuko (Fumi-no-miya Nobuko Naishinnō), 8th daughter, (7 August 1891 - 3 November 1933) (see Princess Nobuko Asaka).

Princess Toshiko (Yasu-no-miya Toshiko Naishinnō), 9th daughter, (11 May 1896 - 5 March 1978) (see Toshiko Higashikuni).

Consolidation of power Edit

Despite the ouster of the bakufu, no effective central government had been put in place by the rebels. On 23 March, foreign envoys were first permitted to visit Kyoto and pay formal calls on the Emperor On 7 April 1868, the Emperor was presented with the Charter Oath, a five-point statement of the nature of the new government, designed to win over those who had not yet committed themselves to the new regime. This document, which the Emperor then formally promulgated, abolished feudalism and proclaimed a modern democratic government for Japan. The Charter Oath would later be cited by Emperor Hirohito in the Humanity Declaration as support for the imposed changes in Japanese government following World War II. In mid-May, he left the Imperial precincts in Kyoto for the first time since early childhood to take command of the forces pursuing the remnants of the bakufu armies. Traveling in slow stages, he took three days to travel from Kyoto to Osaka, through roads lined with crowds. There was no conflict in Osaka; the new leaders wanted the Emperor to be more visible to his people and to foreign envoys. At the end of May, after two weeks in Osaka (in a much less formal atmosphere than in Kyoto), the Emperor returned to his home. Shortly after his return, it was announced that the Emperor would begin to preside over all state business, reserving further literary study for his leisure time. Only from 1871 did the Emperor's studies include materials on contemporary affairs.

On 19 September 1868, the Emperor announced that the name of the city of Edo was being changed to Tokyo, or "eastern capital". He was formally crowned in Kyoto on 15 October (a ceremony which had been postponed from the previous year due to the unrest). Shortly before the coronation, he announced that the new era, or , would be called Meiji or "enlightened rule". Heretofore the nengō had often been changed multiple times in an emperor's reign; from now on, it was announced, there would only be one nengō per reign.

Soon after his coronation, the Emperor journeyed to Tokyo by road, visiting it for the first time. He arrived in late November, and began an extended stay by distributing sake among the population. The population of Tokyo was eager for an Imperial visit; it had been the site of the Shogun's court and the population feared that with the abolition of the shogunate, the city might fall into decline. It would not be until 1889 that a final decision was made to move the capital to Tokyo. While in Tokyo, the Emperor boarded a Japanese naval vessel for the first time, and the following day gave instructions for studies to see how Japan's navy could be strengthened. Soon after his return to Kyoto, a rescript was issued in the Emperor's name (but most likely written by court officials). It indicated his intent to be involved in government affairs, and indeed he attended cabinet meetings and innumerable other government functions, though rarely speaking, almost until the day of his death.

Political reform Edit

The successful revolutionaries organized themselves into a Council of State, and subsequently into a system where three main ministers led the government. This structure would last until the establishment of a prime minister, who would lead a cabinet in the western fashion, in 1885. Initially, not even the retention of the emperor was certain; revolutionary leader Gotō Shōjirō later stated that some officials "were afraid the extremists might go further and abolish the Mikado".

Japan's new leaders sought to reform the patchwork system of domains governed by the daimyo. In 1869, several of the daimyo who had supported the revolution gave their lands to the Emperor and were reappointed as governors, with considerable salaries. By the following year, all other daimyo had followed suit.

In 1871, the Emperor announced that domains were entirely abolished, as Japan was organized into 72 prefectures. The daimyo were compensated with annual salaries equal to ten percent of their former revenues (from which they did not now have to deduct the cost of governing), but were required to move to the new capital, Tokyo. Most retired from politics.

The new administration gradually abolished most privileges of the samurai, including their right to a stipend from the government. However, unlike the daimyo, many samurai suffered financially from this change. Most other class-based distinctions were abolished. Legalized discrimination against the ended. However, these classes continue to suffer discrimination in Japan to the present time.

Although a parliament was formed, it had no real power, and neither did the emperor. Power had passed from the Tokugawa into the hands of those Daimyo and other samurai who had led the Restoration. Japan was thus controlled by the an oligarchy, which comprised the most powerful men of the military, political, and economic spheres. The emperor, if nothing else, showed greater political longevity than his recent predecessors, as he was the first Japanese monarch to remain on the throne past the age of 50 since the abdication of Emperor Ōgimachi in 1586.

The Japanese take pride in the Meiji Restoration, as it and the accompanying industrialization allowed Japan to become the preeminent power in the Pacific and a major player in the world within a generation. Yet, the Meiji emperor's role in the Restoration remains debatable. He certainly did not control Japan, but how much influence he wielded is unknown. It is unlikely it will ever be clear whether he supported the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) or the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). One of the few windows we have into the Emperor's own feelings is his poetry, which seems to indicate a pacifist streak, or at least a man who wished war could be avoided. He composed the following pacifist poem:

よもの海

Yomo no umi

mina harakara to omofu yo ni

nado namikaze no tachi sawaguramu

The seas of the four directions-

all are born of one womb:

why, then, do the wind and waves rise in discord?

Near the end of his life several anarchists, including Kotoku Shusui, were executed (1911) on charges of having conspired to murder the sovereign. This conspiracy was known as the High Treason Incident (1910).

Emperor Meiji, suffering from diabetes, nephritis, and gastroenteritis, died of uremia. Although the official announcement said he died at 00:42 on 30 July 1912, the actual death was at 22:40 on 29 July. After the emperor's death in 1912, the Japanese Diet passed a resolution to commemorate his role in the Meiji Restoration. An iris garden in an area of Tokyo where Emperor Meiji and Empress Shōken had been known to visit was chosen as the building's location for the Shinto shrine Meijijingu.

The Meiji era ushered in many far-reaching changes to the ancient feudal society of Japan. A timeline of major events might include:

3 November 1852: the Meiji emperor (then known as Sachinomiya) is born to the imperial concubine Nakayama Yoshiko and Emperor Komei

1853: A fleet of ships headed by Commodore Matthew Perry arrives in Japan on 8 July; considered by German Japanologist Johannes Justus Rein and described by Francis L. Hawks and Commodore Matthew Perry in their 1856 work, Narrative of the Expedition of an American Squadron to the China Seas and Japan Performed in the Years 1852, 1853 and 1854 under the Command of Commodore M.C. Perry, United States Navy., as the "Opening" of Japan. Death of the Shogun.

late 1850s-1860s: The "Sonnō jōi" movement is in full force.

1858: The Bakufu sign treaties with the Netherlands, Imperial Russia, and Great Britain.

11 November: Sachinomiya is formally proclaimed Crown Prince and given the personal name Mutsuhito.

31 January 1867: Death of Emperor Komei from hemorrhagic smallpox, unofficial accession of Mutsuhito to the throne.

12 September: Formal coronation of the emperor Meiji.

23 October: The nengo is changed to the first year of Meiji.

6 November: The capital is moved from Kyoto to Edo, renamed Tokyo.

late 1860s-1881: Period of rebellion and assassination in Japan.

11 January 1869: Marriage of Meiji to Ichijo Haruko, thenceforth the Empress Shoken.

1871: The abolition of the han domains is proclaimed.

1881: Receives the first state visit of a foreign monarch, King Kalakaua of Hawaii.

Concubines

Lady Mitsuko (1853 - 1873). Not much is known about Lady Mitsuko, however she gave birth to the Emperor's first son. She died in childbirth.

Lady Natsuko (1856 - 14 November 1873). She gave birth to the Emperor's first daughter and also died in childbirth.

Yanagiwara Naruko (26 June 1859 - 16 October 1943). Natural mother of the Emperor Taishō.

Chigusa Kotoko (1855 - 1944)

Sono Sachiko (23 December 1867 - 7 July 1947)

Children

3 November 1852 - 11 November 1860: His Imperial Highness The Prince Sachi

11 November 1860 - 3 February 1867: His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince of Japan

3 February 1867 - 30 July 1912: His Imperial Majesty The Emperor of Japan

Posthumous title: His Imperial Majesty Emperor Meiji

National honours Edit

Foreign honours Edit

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Emperor Meiji (明治天皇 , Meiji-tennō? , 3 November 1852 - 30 July 1912) , or Meiji the Great (明治大帝 , Meiji-taitei? ) , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death on 30 July 1912.

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In 1869, 22 samurai and their families emigrated from Japan to San Francisco. They traveled east and arrived at Gold Hill on June 8, 1869 to establish an agricultural settlement. They purchased land from Charles Graner with help from John Henry Schnell to begin the first and only tea and silk farm in California at that time. The Wakamatsu Farm was the first Japanese Colony in North America.

The farm had a promising beginning, but failed after two years due to a lack of irrigated water and funds. Most of the Japanese colonists had left the farm by 1871, and the land was purchased by the Veerkamp family. Two Japanese colonists, Matsunosuke Sakurai and a young woman named Okei Ito, stayed at the site as caretakers for the Veerkamp family. Okei died shortly thereafter at the age of 17, and her grave is on top of a hill at the farm. Her marker is in both English and Japanese, and has been well-maintained and overlooks the Gold Trail School. Matsunosuke Sakurai served the Veerkamp family the rest of his life until February 23, 1901, and is buried at the Vineyard Cemetery in Coloma. Prior to ownership by both the Japanese colonists and the Veerkamp family, the Nisenan tribe inhabited the site until miner's began working the land for gold. Tailings from the gold rush still line some of the creeks.

The Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony is significant because it is the earliest Japanese settlement in North America, and marks the beginning of Japanese history in California. The maker was dedicated in 1969 by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the Japanese American Citizens League, the El Dorado County Historical Society, and the Friends of the Centennial Observance.

The Veerkamp family farmed the land for 125 years. In 2010, they sold the 272-acre land to the American River Conservancy. The National Park Service places the farm on the National Register of Historic Places. The land is now managed by the American River Conservancy and the Placer Land Trust. The American River Conservancy has received funding from Tourism Cares, REI, The Natural Resources Agency, and the California Conservation Corps to make improvements to the land, including the Veerkamp barn, farmhouse, and dairy. The American River Conservancy also provides tours of the land, and is working to further restore the farm. The American River Conservancy is also preparing a Wakamatsu Farm Festival to be held April 27-June 23 to celebrate the rich history at this site.

The marker for the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony is near the Gold Trails Elementary School at 1336 Cold Springs Road in Gold Hill. The Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony is located at 941 Cold Springs Road outside of Placerville.
El Dorado County
Stretching from oak-studded foothills and the shores of Folsom Lake to the western shore of Lake Tahoe, El Dorado County is probably best known for the 1848 gold discovery at Coloma. "Old Hangtown" sprang up during the Gold Rush and was later renamed Placerville. The county name comes from the mythical land rich in gold sought by Spanish explorers. The first inhabitants of El Dorado County were the Maidu and Miwok Indians, followed by miners attracted to the area by the Gold Rush.

El Dorado County was one of the original counties in California. The Pony Express Trail ran through the county approximately where Highway 50 is today, from April 3, 1860 to October 26, 1861. The first county seat was Coloma, and it was superseded by Placerville for this position in 1857. El Dorado means "the gilded one" in Spanish; a fitting name considering the mines in El Dorado County produced millions of dollars of gold.

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wakamatsu tea and silk farm colony (nol. 815 california historical landmark)

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In 1869, 22 samurai and their families emigrated from Japan to San Francisco. They traveled east and arrived at Gold Hill on June 8, 1869 to establish an agricultural settlement. They purchased land from Charles Graner with help from John Henry Schnell to begin the first and only tea and silk farm in California at that time.

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Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm illustration and Photographs

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Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm illustration and Photographs

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Rediscovering Issei or second generation Japanese in California

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On November 1, 2010, the American River Conservancy (ARC) purchased a 272-acre property called the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony. Wakamatsu Farm is approximately two miles south of Coloma and the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. The physical address is 941 Cold Springs Road, Placerville, California.

Within the American River watershed, Wakamatsu Farm is prime agricultural land with a mosaic of springs, streams, wetlands, and woodlands of blue and live oak. Ponds on the Farm attract wildlife, particularly migratory waterfowl duringthe winter and early spring. But the most compelling feature of the land is its Japanese cultural history. In 1869, the first Japanese emigrants to America arrived on this property. They were samurai, farmers, craftsmen, their families, and a 17 year-old girl named Okei Ito. Fleeing from Japan, they brought from home 1000s of mulberry trees, tea plant seed, fruit tree saplings, paper and oil plants, rice, bamboo, and other crops to establish their Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony.

To understand the significance of the Colony, it is important to highlight the context of Japanese society that the Wakamatsu colonists were fleeing. Beginning in the early 17th century, Tokugawa shogunates emphasized cultural isolation and prohibited Japanese citizens from traveling abroad. This isolationist doctrine remained in place for over 250 years until Commodore William Perry, acting for the United States, forced open several Japanese ports to U.S. trade during the years of 1853 and 1854.

By the 1860s, cultural isolation in Japan was faltering. The daimyo (local lord) of the Aizu Wakamatsu province was Matsudaira Katamori (1835-1893), who was related by marriage to the Tokugawa family. Matsudaira disagreed with the Tokugawa policy of isolation, and he instead chose to walk the fine political line between "Eastern ethics and Western science." John Henry Schnell, an early member of the Prussian embassy, also dabbled in merchandising European weapons. Matsudaira was one of Schnell's best customers.

Schnell trained Matsudaira's samurai in the use of firearms. Schnell was given a Japanese name, samurai status as a"general," and he was allowed to marry a Japanese samurai-class woman named Jou to further strengthen his ties to Japanese society. Strife between the Tokugawa faction and those who propped up the Emperor for their own benefit resulted in civil war, ultimately leading to the Mejii Restoration and the dramatic defeat of Matsudaira's force of 4,000 samurai by over 20,000 of the emperor's soldiers at Aizu, Wakamatsu, in 1868.

After Matsudaira surrendered, Schnell's life was in jeopardy. With Matsudaira's blessing and funding in April of 1869, Schnell booked passage on the PMSS China, a side-wheel steamer rigged for sail. This mail ship carried Schnell, his wife, and their young daughter, along with Okei Ito and the other Wakamatsu colonists to America. Their arrival in San Francisco on May 20th caught the attention of the San Francisco Alta Daily News, which noted that the colonists brought the means for their agricultural productivity with them, including "50,000 three-year old kuwa (mulberry) trees" used for the cultivation of silk worms and six million tea seeds. The newspaper praised their Japanese work ethic, as well as Jou Schnell's beauty and grace.

In June of 1869 John Henry Schnell purchased approximately 200 acres, a farmhouse, and farm outbuildings from Charles Graner, who had settled the Gold Hill Ranch during the early 1850's. Graner had become prosperous by making wine and whiskey to sell to the miners. Applying the farming skills they brought with them from Japan, the new colonists quickly went to work planting mulberry trees, tea plants, and other crops. Schnell successfully displayed silk cocoons, tea, and other plants at the 1869 California State Agricultural Fair in Sacramento then also the 1870 Horticultural Fair in San Francisco.

Unfortunately, the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm was destined to be short-lived. Soon after their first planting, there was a serious drought. The colony arranged for diversion of water from a mining ditch to irrigate the Farm. However, the water was contaminated with iron sulfate. This chemical coated and strangled the tea plants. In addition, the financial support from Matsudaira ended. When the new Mejii government pardoned Lord Matsudaira, he chose to become a Shinto priest and remain in Japan, effectively cutting off the main source of financial support for the Wakamatsu colony.

The fate of only a few Wakamatsu colonists is currently known. In Coloma during 1877, Colonist Kuninosuke Masumizu married Carrie Wilson, an African and Native American descendent. Kuninosuke died in 1915, and his family still lives in the Sacramento region. Colonist Matsunosuke Sakurai, believed to be a samurai, worked for the remainder of his long life for the Francis Veerkamp family, who formally purchased the land in 1873. The Schnell's nursemaid, Colonist Okei Ito, also remained with the Veerkamps until her untimely death at the age of 19 in 1871. Okei-san is recognized as the first Japanese woman and immigrant buried on American soil where she still rests in peace today at Wakamatsu Farm.

In 2014, ARC was contacted by a young student from Tokyo, Japan, who had discovered one of her paternal ancestors was a Wakamatsu colonist while she was researching her family roots. Further research by ARC confirmed that her ancestor, Matsugoro Ofuji, was a carpenter with the Wakamatsu Colony. This discovery was the first proof that some of the colonists had returned to Japan after the colony disbursed.

Although short-lived, the Wakamatsu Tea & Silk Farm Colony represents the beginning of permanent Issei migration to the United States. By 1900, more that 10% of all California Farm products were produced by Japanese-Americans. In 1969, then Governor Ronald Reagan proclaimed the Wakamatsu Farm site to be California Registered Historical Landmark No.815. At the same time, the Japanese-American community designated June 8, 1969 as the Japanese-American centennial. Ichiro Matsudaira, the grandson of the colonists' daimyo financier, and the Japanese Consul General at the time, Shima Seiichi, both attended the event and both supported the proclamations.

For about 140 years, the Veerkamp family was principally responsible for maintaining the agricultural nature of the property and preserving its cultural heritage. In late 2007, the Veerkamp Farm heirs approached ARC seeking to sell the property at fair market value while ensuring public access its historical features and restoration of the old farmhouse. In 2010, ARC purchased the property and continues to manage it. Because the property contains excellent agricultural soils, ARC also supports organic projects and farming operations at Wakamatsu Farm. Onsite is a budding native plant nursery, bountiful giving garden, and beautiful 1.5-mile wheelchair accessible trail around the small lake. Two farming businesses lease landand buildings on the property. Independently-owned, The Bear & The Bee Farm offers sustainably-grown produce and other goods through the onsite farm stand. The family-owned Free Hand Farm offers pastured dairy herd shares, pastured lamb and wool products, and pastured eggs from happy animals living on the Farm.

As a working farm, Wakamatsu Farm is private property, so unscheduled drop-in's are not appropriate. ARC offers public access to the property though many year-round public and private tours and events. Visitors can find all dates to visit Wakamatsu Farm by viewing their calendar.
*This article was originally published on the American River Conservancy website for Wakamatsu Farm.
© 2017 American River Conservancy

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History of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony

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On November 1, 2010, the American River Conservancy (ARC) purchased a 272-acre property called the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony. Wakamatsu Farm is approximately two miles south of Coloma and the Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park. The physical address is 941 Cold Springs Road, Placerville, California.

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Join us for an inaugural biennial pilgrimage to the site of the first large settlement of Japanese in America.

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Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony Pilgrimage--Gold Hill, El Dorado County, CA

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Sacramento resident Marielle Tsukamoto tells the story of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony near Coloma. This story of immigrants settling in the Golden State provides inspiration for people far and wide.

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The Wakamatsu story, an inspiration for all

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Timeline Immigration of Japanese to America

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Timeline Immigration of Japanese to America

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Japanese - Introduction - Immigration...- Classroom Presentation | Teacher Resources - Library of Congress

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This classroom presentation explains Japanese immigration to Hawaii and the U.S., Japanese internment during WW2 and the rebuilding of the Japanese community.