51Characteristics of the Edo Period

The Edo Period refers to a period of roughly 260 years, starting in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu assumed the position of the most supreme military power. He was called Shogun and he established a Shogunate government called bakufu in the land of Edo, now Tokyo, which lasted until its collapse in 1868. The Shogun continued to rule over the feudal lords of various regions; this status being aided greatly by the system of alternate-year attendance of these lords at the Shogun’s court, which forced feudal lords to build a residence in the vicinity of Edo Castle to comply with the required regular courtesy calls to the Shogun, thus making hostages of their families. To the outside world, Japan remained closed. Christianity was banned, and international communications were limited to the Netherlands, China, Korea and Ryukyu, which is now known as Okinawa. The establishment of this exclusive and tightly-controlled reign resulted in roughly 260 years of peace, and it is during this period that unique societies and cultures were fostered.