Japanese History Digest
Early Edo Period
Establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate (Ieyasu)
After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Tokugawa Ieyasu, based in the Kanto region, came into conflict with the Western Army led by Ishida Mitsunari and others who sought to preserve the Toyotomi government. In 1600, Ieyasu defeated them at the Battle of Sekigahara. This victory allowed Ieyasu to gain effective control over the entire country.
In 1603, Ieyasu was appointed Seii Taishogun (Barbarian-Subduing Generalissimo) by the Imperial Court and established his shogunate in Edo (present-day Tokyo). This marked the beginning of the Edo Shogunate and the start of the Edo period. Ieyasu appointed his longtime retainers to key positions in the shogunate and established a stable governance structure. He also classified the country’s feudal lords (daimyō) into three categories: shinpan (relatives of the Tokugawa family), fudai (hereditary retainers), and tozama (those who joined after the Battle of Sekigahara), arranging their domains strategically to strengthen control.
Ieyasu remained vigilant toward the remnants of the Toyotomi clan and, through the Osaka Campaigns of 1614 and 1615, destroyed them completely. This solidified Tokugawa rule and brought an end to the age of warfare. The shogunate subsequently established laws such as the Buke Shohatto (Laws for the Military Houses) and the Ikkoku Ichijō Rei (One Castle per Province Edict) to regulate the daimyō, laying the foundation for over 260 years of peace.
The early Tokugawa period under Ieyasu was marked by his careful and strategic consolidation of power, as well as the development of a system to control the feudal lords. This enabled the Tokugawa family to establish a long-lasting rule over Japan.
Consolidation of the Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa Hidetada, the son of Ieyasu, succeeded his father as the second shogun in 1605. While Ieyasu continued to wield actual power from Sunpu as Ōgosho (retired shogun), Hidetada governed from Edo Castle. During this period, a dual government system emerged, with Ieyasu handling external affairs with the tozama daimyō, while Hidetada focused on managing Tokugawa territories and fudai daimyō.
Hidetada followed Ieyasu’s policies, codifying laws such as the Buke Shohatto and the Kuge Shohatto (Laws for Court Nobles), thereby stabilizing the administrative framework of the shogunate. He also strengthened ties with the Imperial Court by marrying his daughter Masako (Kazuko) to Emperor Go-Mizunoo and tightened control over religious institutions, as seen in the Purple Robe Incident. These actions further solidified the foundation of the Edo Shogunate.
The third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu—Hidetada’s son—continued to strengthen the political structure. The shogunate refined its internal bureaucracy, including positions such as rōjū (senior councilors), wakadoshiyori (junior councilors), bugyō (commissioners), and ōmetsuke (inspectors). The sankin-kōtai (alternate attendance) system was introduced, compelling daimyō to spend alternating years in Edo, thereby reinforcing central control and establishing the bakuhan system.
Iemitsu also pursued a national seclusion policy (sakoku), severely restricting foreign contact. He issued the Keian Edict to regulate the conduct of farmers and ensure domestic order. While peasant uprisings such as the Shimabara Rebellion did occur, the shogunate suppressed them and further reinforced its rule.
Thus, the periods of Tokugawa Hidetada and Iemitsu represent a time when the Tokugawa political structure was fully consolidated, forming the basis for the long era of stability that followed.
Transition to Civil Governance (Ietsuna)
Tokugawa Ietsuna succeeded as the fourth shogun of the Edo Shogunate. His reign is known as a turning point toward bunji seiji (civil governance), a form of rule emphasizing Confucian ethics, law, and etiquette over military force and intimidation, which had characterized previous administrations (budan seiji).
Ietsuna, together with his close advisor Hoshina Masayuki and others, pursued moderate policies that moved away from the hardline military rule of his predecessors. A major catalyst for this transition was the Keian Uprising of 1651, led by Yui Shōsetsu, which highlighted the need to ease dissatisfaction among samurai and daimyō.
Key policies during Ietsuna’s rule included the relaxation of the ban on adopting heirs on one’s deathbed and the prohibition of junshi (ritual suicide upon the death of one’s lord). These reforms were aimed at preventing the extinction of daimyō families and reducing the number of masterless samurai (rōnin). The ban on junshi ensured that retainers would continue to serve new lords, thereby stabilizing the feudal hierarchy and preserving the bakuhan system.
Ietsuna also demonstrated flexibility by accepting the advice of capable retainers, leading to more considerate and stable governance. Under his leadership, the institutions of the shogunate were refined, and a shift occurred from authoritarian methods to a more principled and moral style of rule.
In this way, Tokugawa Ietsuna’s bunji seiji symbolizes the transition from military dominance to a stable political system rooted in Confucian virtue, contributing to the long-term peace and social order of the Edo period.
Timeline of the Early Edo Period
| 1600 AD | Battle of Sekigahara |
| 1603 AD | Tokugawa Ieyasu appointed Seii Taishogun; establishment of the Edo Shogunate |
| 1605 AD | Hidetada becomes the 2nd shogun |
| 1614 AD | Winter Campaign of the Siege of Osaka |
| 1615 AD | Summer Campaign of the Siege of Osaka (Fall of the Toyotomi clan) |
| 1615 AD | Buke Shohatto (Laws for the Military Houses, Genna Code) |
| 1615 AD | Kinchū narabi ni kuge shohatto (Laws Governing the Imperial Court and Court Nobles) |
| 1623 AD | Iemitsu becomes the 3rd shogun |
| 1629 AD | Purple Robe Incident (Shie Jiken) |
| 1635 AD | Buke Shohatto (Revised under the Kan'ei Code) |
| 1651 AD | Ietsuna becomes the 4th shogun |
| 1651 AD | Yui Shōsetsu’s Rebellion (Keian Uprising) |
| 1665 AD | Shoshū Jiin Hatto (Temple Regulations for All Buddhist Sects) |
Facilities where you can learn about Early Edo Period
Special Historic Site: Edo Castle（as listed by the Ministry of the Environment）
https://www.env.go.jp/garden/kokyogaien/1_intro/his_01.html
Sunpu Castle Park
http://sumpu-castlepark.com/
Daitoku-ji Temple
http://www.rinnou.net/cont_03/07daitoku/
Myōshin-ji Temple
https://www.myoshinji.or.jp/
