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Room of Japan · History

The Tokugawa shogunate

In short

The Tokugawa shogunate was the government of the shoguns of the Tokugawa family in Edo. It began in 1603 and lasted about 260 years, a long time of peace without major wars.
1603 – 1867About 260 years
江戸幕府Tokugawa shogunate
Seat
Edo (today’s Tokyo)
First shogun
Tokugawa Ieyasu
Last shogun
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Ended
1867, power returned to the Emperor

From the Japan Cultural Expo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the National Archives of Japan.

Sharing the land

When the age of fighting ended, Tokugawa Ieyasu set up a shogun’s government in Edo.

About 80% of the land taken from defeated enemies had to be given to daimyo (lords) as rewards. So the Tokugawa family could not rule too harshly, and the daimyo kept some self-rule in their domains through the Edo period.

Peace and order

The Edo period was a time of peace, with no major wars.

The shogunate made clear lines between warriors and farmers, and the samurai, who had been fighters, became government officials.

The eighth shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, was shogun for 29 years. He read many records himself and used what he learned in his policies.

Hard times and the end

People still suffered from harsh rule, famine and natural disasters. The shogunate tried reforms in the early 1800s, but they did not work.

Support grew for a new system centered on the Emperor. In 1867 the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, gave the power to govern back to the Emperor.

Think about it

There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.

Did you know? — Tokugawa Yoshimune, the eighth shogun, held the post for 29 years.
Next steps
About this page
Land, peace and the end: Japan Cultural Expo, “Timeline of Japanese History Part 4: Edo Period”
1867: Tokyo Metropolitan Government, “Tokyo’s History, Geography, and Population”
Yoshimune: National Archives of Japan, “The Shoguns’ Archives” (Japanese)
Written by CCN CO., LTD.
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