Tokugawa Ieyasu's Impact on Japan's Social Hierarchy and Cultural Flourishing

In 1603, Leyasu was among the three powerful warlords who succeeded in establishing social order and peace in Japan. During his rule, Tokugawa Leyasu established three main categories of daimyo. The shimpan, which consisted of Tokugawa shogun’s collateral descendants, the fudai, comprised of the descendants of Tokugawa’s loyal followers before the 1600 battle of Sekigahara and the outer daimyo, also known as tozama, were rivals or allies of Leyasu at the time of Sekigahara battle and became Tokugawa vassals after the battle (Lu 203). Leyasu formed the Tokugawa Shogunate government at Edo, which is today known as Tokyo, in 1603. This government was headed by the shogun, whose military regime was referred to as bakufu. Tokugawa Shogunate implemented policies that brought about peace and social stability in Japan. Tokugawa managed to establish the dynastic rule for his descendants, who ruled for approximately 250 years.

Leyasu Tokugawa brought peace to Japan through the creation of strict rules and guidelines for the Japanese. Ieyasu established the implementation of a class system that restricted social mobility among classes within the existing social hierarchy. During this period, the Shogun dominated the social hierarchy, followed by the daimyos and then the Samurai. Next were the farmers, artisans, and merchant classes. Despite daily interactions of members from different classes, the Shogun enforced strict rules and monitored each citizen's activities. For instance, the Shogun had the Daimyos families residing in Edo as a way of restraining them. Daimyos family members traveling to and from Edo underwent thorough interrogations by shogun guards referred to as metsuke at the entrances and exits of the gates leading to and away from the city. Moreover, daimyo families had to seek approval from the bakufu before contracting a marriage. Hence, most of the daimyo families were bound to the Tokugawa through marriages. As a result of this strict class system, the citizens of Japan experienced stability, safety, and high education and cultural expression levels (Lu 203). Due to the security of the Tokugawa government, the traditional culture of the Japanese reached its peak during this period. For instance, Kanadehon Chushingura, or “Revenge of the 47 Samurai," became one of the most famous plays of all time.

The class system's strict policies also affected the Samurai. Traditionally, the Samurai ranked highly within the society as a result of their impeccable warrior skills. With the implementation of the class system, the Samurai found their relevance started to decrease (Hillsborough 10). For instance, when Japan was experiencing constant internal wars among feudal lords during the 15th and 16th centuries, the Samurai had masters to serve. Through this ideology, the Samurai felt important since they perceived their fighting skills as a way to maintain honor even during death. However, with the Tokugawa Shogunate ending the war, the Samurai began questioning the Samurai code. Eventually, they diverted to literature and martial arts since they no longer had masters to serve.

The class system implemented by the Tokugawa Shogunate was an effective policy as peace and stability prevailed all over Japan for nearly 250 years. The system ensured no social mobility existed among members within the social hierarchy consisting of the Shogun, daimyos, Samurai, farmers, artisans, and merchant classes. The strict policies of the class system mostly affected the daimyos families who were the immediate rivals of the shogunate government. The peace and stability in Japan resulted in the enrichment of the Japanese culture as well as the growth of Japan's Economy. Other members of the social hierarchy who were impacted by the policies of the shogun family were the Samurai, as their warrior culture changed to literature and martial arts.

Work Cited

Hillsborough, Romulus. Samurai Revolution: The Dawn of Modern Japan Seen Through the Eyes of the Shogun's Last Samurai., 2014. Internet resource.

Lu, David. Japan: A Documentary History: The Dawn of History To The Late Tokugawa Period. USA: Routledge, 2015.