Painting depicting the Battle of Shimonoseki

Bakumatsu – the end of the shōgunate Pt. 2

Welcome to part two of this coverage of Bakumatsu, arguably one of the most exciting times in Japanese history, detailing the downfall of the shōgunate and the samurai. In part one, we looked at how the arrival of foreign forces stirred up a panic in Japan, causing a number of social and economic problems that set off the whole chain of events. Satsuma han dominated…

Japanese history overview Pt. 9: The Edo era Pt. 2

Japanese history overview Pt. 9: The Edo era Pt. 2

Welcome to part two of this overview of the Edo era. Whereas in part one we focussed on central administration and foreign policy, this time we’re going to be paying attention to labour issues, taxes and the economy. The second half of the Edo era was characterised by three major reforms, the need for which was brought about by depleting gold and silver supplies, an…