The shogunate, history and legacy of Japan's military dictatorship

The shogunate refers to a feudal military system of government that ruled Japan for several centuries, between the Heian era and the Meiji Restoration. Under the authority of a shogun, general-in-chief and true ruler of the country, the shogunate profoundly influenced Japanese history and culture. Discover the different shogunates who succeeded one another, how they functioned, their influence and the imprint they left on the cities that were their seat of power.

It wasn't until the 11th and 12th centuries, when the samurai became the country's dominant force, that the shogunate really emerged. At this time, warriors in the pay of large landowners took power over the aristocratic court in Kyoto. In 1185, they imposed their military dictatorship with the creation of the first " bakufu " (literally "tent government") in Kamakura by Minamoto no Yoritomo. Thus was born a shogunal power that would endure for almost 700 years.

La statue de Minamoto no Yoritomo, le fondateur de Kamakura au Genji-yama Kôen, Kamakura

The statue of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of Kamakura at Genji-yama Kôen, Kamakura

I.D.O.

The Ashikaga shogunate and its cultural influence from Kyoto (1336-1573)

Founded in 1336 by Ashikaga Takauji, the Ashikaga shogunate settled in the Muromachi district of Kyoto, hence its other name of "Muromachi shogunate". As its shoguns were close to the imperial court, this shogunate was weaker than the others. The feudal lords(daimyō) became increasingly autonomous over time.

However, the Muromachi period was a cultural golden age under the patronage of the Ashikaga shoguns. Kyoto saw the rise of many arts, including Nō theater, the tea ceremony and bonded poetry. Zen Buddhism spread from the temples of Mount Hiei, and Zen gardens flourished in the capital.

Ashikaga Takauji

Ashikaga Takauji was the first Shogun of the Muromachi period.

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Founded in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of the three unifiers of the country at the end of the 16th century, the Tokugawa shogunate marked the apogee of shogunal power. From their capital in Edo (present-day Tokyo), the Tokugawa shoguns imposed their absolute authority over the whole of Japan for over 250 years.

They established a strict caste system, with samurai at the top of the social hierarchy, and maintained internal peace by keeping feudal lords under tight control. In particular, feudal lords were obliged to reside every other year in Edo, leaving their families hostage under the system of alternate residence(sankin kōtai).

The castle of Edo at the time of Tokugawa

Edo Castle in the Tokugawa period, painting on folding screen.

R.A

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