Tokugawa Ieyosu became a distinctive figure after succession of the title of daimyo after his father's death. He was a very good military leader, an intelligent warrior, possessed virtues which helped him to go up through the ladder of success. He was patient, observant and wit. He didn't take random decisions, in contrary, he always searched for the advise from other, more experienced subordinates. He was always very respected by his fellowmen, he got married countless of time, he had many sons and many concubines. Hideyoshi was his main and only important rival. He knew he couldn't stand against Hideyoshi, therefore, he became his 'allay'. He tried to be in the middle of all Hideyoshi's decisions, nonetheless, he didn't take part in a total disaster - the great conquer of Korea, Hideyoush was defeated, Tokugawa, stayed in his castle in Edo. Ieyosu knew what the power was, he understood it, used it wisely, with great respect. The patience made him an excellent decision-maker. He was a founder of elaborate land division; of social, political and economic surveillance. He adopted and put in practice Neo-Confucian values. Each of daimyo had a right to keep a specific, certain amount of samurai. All was dependent of the productivity of the land. It couldn't be higher than 60%. In 1603 Tokugawa became a shogun, the country has been shattered apart, the constant civil wars made it ruined and parted. Despite it all, he established the new political system that lasted for more than 260 years. Daimyo gained more and more rights, he could control his land, however, his productivity was limited to 50.000 bushes of rice. Still, they were powerful, they had to swear total and unconditional obedience to the Shougun. He divided daimyo into three groups; daimyo, tozma and fudai it helped him to keep an eye on all of them, regardless of their whereabouts. Moreover, he forced them to spend half of their lives in the capital Edo to follow every of their steps carefully. Daimyo couldn't pay taxes, therefore, he forced them provide fixed military fee for military costs, maintaining public roads, house-exchange. All just in case of Mongol attack. Daimyo were restricted in the matters of adoption, marriage and making alliance among themselves, it all was forbidden. Tokugawa had unlimited power, yet, he was afraid of growing strength of the Imperial House, Tayotomi Hideyoushi and Christianity. To have a complete power and authority he had to fight out Hideyoshi's sons, he did it gradually. After Hideyoushi suicide, the threat of losing power disappeared. The Christianity was a religion he was aware of, it was something Japan didn't want and was afraid of. The threat didn't come from British, Dutch or Portuguese, but, from his own land. The second and the third generation of his own vassals were Christian themselves. During the siege of Osaka castle he ordered all the Christian priests were irreversibly expelled from Japanese land. In 1640 the Dutch fleet helped him in bombardment of Shimabara peninsula. The government he established was the longest ever in Japan, he patronized Neo-Confucial ideology which was harsh, yet, very effective. The art evolved and bloomed, the puppet theatre had its onset. The puppets were art in themselves, wonderfully dressed, meticulously constructed could mimic the most subtle gesture, with the body language of eye rolling, eyebrows arching, all the body danced and lived in the hands of the puppet master.
The Banaku Theater was so popular that the actors replaced puppets. Along with Kabuki Theatre, both, dominated the entertaining sphere. The satire was the main topic, the actors were mostly men. The modernity knocked louder and louder to the hermetic Japanese door. Years of 1700 till 1850 are marked by explorations, discoveries and changes. Moreover it was a very peaceful time in Japan, steady and prosperous. Merchants triggered the economy, they were wealthy and extremely powerful. Most of their income had to be and was confiscated. The restrictions were harmful, the family could have only one child, there were continuous, hidden cases of families killing their offspring. The horrid truth was witnessed in silence. The population had to be more or less the same, the amount of people had to be sustained. It was a time when famine was unknown. So-called native schools emerged, it was a ''piece of modern west'' in archaic and isolated Japan. It was the end of ''bakufu'', the number of deaths through suicide rapidly increased. New reforms led to bankruptcy of huge landlords. The difference, the depression, perhaps, was felt in the air. It deteriorated when the daimyo freed their samurai. With no land and no mater they became ronin. The fear of West made Japan wait for an unknown. In 1770 Russian extended their dominance over northeast Asia. The British attempts to establish trading relations with Japan were futile. Japan didn't want to become second India. America opened itself toward Japan, it was successful, it was good. S o it was with the Dutch. There was indeed a time of treaties to be signed and respected. The most important were ''treaty ports'', Foreign Settlements, the trade with China and the Middle East. The Christian books were pronounced as ''forbidden books''. There were major steps to enter a new chapter, the chapter of changes - Meji Era.
Bibliography:
1. The Cambridge History of Japan, 2001
2. Japan History; From Prehistoric to Modernity, 1999
3. The Oxford History of the World, 1997
4. The Modern Nation: The History of Japan, Second Edition, 2009
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