...How did the Tokugawa Period contribute to the economical and political success of Modern Japan? Introduction: Important aspects of the Tokugawa period led to the development of Early Modern Japan. The Tokugawa Shogunate’s evolving economic and political structure became the foundation for the political economy of the rapid modernisation of Japan, which was to follow after. Tokugawa Leyasu, the great Shogun This period between 1603 (when Tokugawa Leyasu became the great “Shogun” of the Tokugawa Shogunate) and 1867 (when Tokugawa Yoshinobu formally returned political authority to the emperor) is also called the Edo Period. Edo is the former name for what is now Tokyo. This period was named after Edo castle, where the emperor lived, and was also the headquarters of the feudal government at the time. This period in Japan’s history has also been interpreted in contrary ways- once dismissed as the “Feudal dark age” it is now looked upon as the “ Golden Age of Peace and Prosperity”, before the arrival of Western imperialism changed Japan’s place in the world forever. For centuries before and after the Tokugawa Shogunate, the Emperor reigned powerless in Kyoto, while military men really ran the country. Edo Castle today [ 1 ] Edo Castle today [ 1 ] Edo Castle today, Chiyoda, Tokyo , Japan Edo Castle today, Chiyoda, Tokyo , Japan Edo Castle c. 1638 What was the structure of the “Four class system” introduced in the Tokugawa Period? The Tokugawa Shogunate...
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...ERA’s (1868-1912) IMPORTANCE IN JAPANESE MODERNIZATION.” Japan is a country that has never been colonised and was never colonised during the colonial period. It was governed by the Emperors, Shoguns, Daimyos and the Samurais through the feudal structure of governance with the Emperor as the head of the hierarchy. It maintained its isolationist policy and never opened-up to the outside world for centuries and was in a stagnant stage in terms of development. However, in the 19th Century it dumped its feudal past and subsequently emerged stronger and economically superior after the rubbles left behind by the Pacific War in the 20th Century. Japan showed her strength in the two World Wars. Japan is now ranked one of the world’s largest power/economy behind The United States and China. It is regarded as a distinct civilization of its own, with very unique history. To fully understand present day Japan and its economic miracle, critical investigation needs to be done on its past history to see where its foundation of modernity and industrialization has been laid. When investigation was done, it showed that the Meiji Era (1868-1912) is considered to be the upward trajectory that fired-up Japanese industrialization and helped establish its modernization path. This started when Japan’s pre-modern political system and its feudal society (1603-1865): the Edo Period, led by the Tokugawa Shogunate, with its band of radical samurais was ended in 1868. The Tokugawa Shogunate/central Government...
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...Behind every success is the journey to it. Japan has always been one of the most educationally successful countries on the world, yet, its success comes with a long period of modifications and changes to its education system. When European countries travelled throughout the world with their advanced technology and science, Japan was still struggling with its weak and corrupted government. In 1853, Tokugawa era, Commodore Matthew C. Perry of U.S. navy went to Japan and forced it to allow its merchants to trade with foreign merchants, apparently with greater benefit for foreign merchants. (OECD) Dazed by this event, a large number of low-ranking samurais were resented with the powerlessness of the Emperor with foreign “threats”. Due to this,...
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...book called “Tao Te Ching, which translates to “the way of nature. Taoism is based on the ancient Chinese understanding of the universe. Historically, the origin of Taoist philosophy is unclear, but it is said that the founder of Taoism is Lao-tzu, who lived in the sixth century B.C.E. Taoism can be described in terms of its history and its effects on Chinese people, nut it cannot be clearly delineated as a religion with a certain body of doctrine and rituals of Chinese antiquity. Philosophically, for Taoism, the ideal life is one that is lived in harmony with the way of this shifting nature. By the early centuries of the Common Era, Taoism had been converted into a religion complete with gods, priests, temples and sacrifices. In the modern days, Taoism is mainly associated with charms, exorcisms and magical attempts to prolong life, in which there is a self-generating force called chi (rather than there being a Creator Deity). This force manifests two interplaying aspects: yin and yang. Yin is the dark, receptive, female aspect of the universe; yang is the bright assertive, male quality. These two opposites are ever-present in nature, and are constantly shifting in balance. The rhythm that the two elements create through their interplay is called the Tao or way. The founder of Confucius is known as K’ung Fu-tzu (Kung, Master). The teachings of Confucius are based on certain central...
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..."Patriarchy", according to princeton.edu, is a social system in which the role of the male as the primary authority figure is central to social organization, and where fathers hold authority over women, children, and property. Among the warrior class in Tokugawa Japan, male samurai defended a patriarchal social order developing a code of chivalry, which is called bushido. In pre-colonial West Africa, the social order of the Ibo promoted patriarchy by excluding women from participating in meaningful production and they undermined the economic and political power of African women. In nineteenth-century Europe, both industrialization and the spread of democracy favored male interests over those of women in the middle class because men have already...
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...centuries, elderly geisha have also developed a deeply routed tradition of secrecy. Elderly women behind the mask have fulfilled a destiny rooted in Japanese history. Although associated with prostitution, many modern day women continue to seek this tradition. My research however, revealed contradictory information on whether or not geisha were actually prostitutes. The majority of my research material stated geisha actually started as men jesters and musicians who entertained in brothels. This continued until 1751 when the first document record of female geisha appeared. Most documented material on geisha treated them as images of lovely passive girls whose purpose was solely in male entertainment and pleasure or as prostitutes or courtesans. During the time period of 1751 it was not uncommon for actors to double as prostitutes. It was also not uncommon for Meiji government officials to select geisha for their wives. It is still said that geisha inhabit a separate reality which they call the karyūkai or "the flower and willow world." Before they disappeared, the courtesans were the colorful "flowers" and the geisha are the "willows” because of their subtlety, strength, and grace. In 1647, women were banned from public stage after squabbles between samurai and desirable women. The government was not concerned over morality, rather were...
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...The Yakuza The Yakuza and their reputations The yakuza origins can be traced back to the time of transition of Japan from feudalism to a modern state in the later 19th century around the time of the Meiji restoration. As a result of this transition, a pool of samurais without power, hooligans and landless peasants formed the supply of the Yakuza. (Varse, 2003) Yakuza, 8-9-3 is a losing combination in the card game hana-fuda and hence later on used to describe gamblers who were born to lose and was of no use in society. The Yakuza have different identities, to some they are violence specialists, to some gangsters, to some extortionists, to some gamblers, to some the Japanese mafia. While it is not wrong to have such impressions on the yakuza, this not completely true as there is so much more behind the yakuza than just being violent gangsters. Also according to Siniawer, he does not want to call the yakuza, “gangsters” because sometimes “it may evoke romantic images of Prohibition-era bosses”, which will inaccurately depict the yakuza. The yakuza are essentially different from the (Sicilian) mafia, in the sense that the perception of the mafia as an unambiguously predatory entity locked in bloody combat with the state, which are exemplified by such crimes as the assassination of the Italian prosecutors Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. This was different with the yakuza who proudly displayed the name of their gang, and its crest, and crest at the entrance. (Hill, 2003:...
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...[pic] TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4 INTRODUCTION 5 KONGO GUMI ENVIRONMENT 7 Feudal Japan 8 The Restoration of Edo 8 The Meiji Restoration 9 World War 1 12 The Mid War Period 13 World War 2 15 The Occupation of Japan and Post War Reconstruction 16 The Economic Miracle 17 The Lost Decade 18 Global Financial Crisis 19 Natural Disasters 20 Abenomics 21 STRATEGIES KONGO GUMI USED TO SURVIVE TURBULENCE 23 Kongo Gumi in the 20th Century 23 Meiji restoration 23 The Mid War Period 24 World war 11 24 KONGO GUMI WOULD HAVE SURVIVED IF: 25 WOULD KONGO GUMI HAVE SURVIVED IF IT MADE IT THROUGH TO THE ABENOMICS ERA? 26 LESSONS FROM KONGO GUMI 27 CONCLUSION 28 REFERENCES 31 Appendix 1 – Infographic of Japan’s timeline EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Kongo Gumi was a success as it operated in a stable industry. The belief system has survived for thousands of years and has many millions of adherents. With this firm foundation, Kongo had survived some tumultuous times. The temple construction had until recently been a reliable mainstay, contributing 80% of Kongo Gumi's $67.6 million in 2004 revenues. The story of Kongo Gumi suggests that firms should blend elements of conservatism and flexibility. This means that firms should stay in the same business for more than a millennium and...
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...Eurozone: Euro Falling? In recent news, many of the Eurozone Financial Ministers met to discuss the value of the Euro, how they will reform the outstanding debt situation within the Eurozone, and how they will respond to strengthen its power. However, discussions have come to a standstill as German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is only looking out for the best interests of her country. She wants those financially irresponsible countries, such as Greece, to reform their ways and is, moreover, concentrating her energy instead on changing Eurozone treaties to allow closer fiscal union and supervision of member nations' budgets, even though analysts have told the Euro-bearing nations that the currency might take a harsh blow from which it will never recover, possibly leading to the complete dissolution of the Euro currency. People are saying that this will only have an effect on Europe, but they are wrong. The official decisions that are made will affect the rest of the world and will either cause Europe to rise up to the occasion or make the world enter another Era of Depression. It is because of these reasons that show Europe’s debt crisis has forestalled market activity; they are implementing characteristics of a mercantilist society, modernizing their economic systems to benefit only themselves, and a globalized economy will occur, whether its one of prosperity or trepidation. Mercantilism which is the economic theory that European governments used serving only their countries’...
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...I. OVERVIEW Modern Japan has long captured the attention of economics and researchers around the world. The island-country provides a fascinating example of immense successes against all odds, from its isolated geolocation, lack of natural resources to the total economic collapse post World War II. With a GDP that ranks third worldwide in 2014 only after the United States and China, and a population that is a fraction of the former two, Japan owns a great deal of its achievement to various homegrown aspects (World Bank, 2014). This essay analyzes keys aspects of Japan to get a broad overview of Japanese business culture, using the Hofstede's Model and key social institutions. II. HOFSTEDE’S MODEL OF JAPANESE CULTURE: Figure 1. Japan on the Hofstede's Model (The Hofstede Centre, 2016). Figure 1 shows Japan's scores on six dimensions of the Hofstede's Model. Based on these scores, Japanese culture is characterised by low power distance, high masculinity, high context, medium individualism, very high uncertainty avoidance, and high long-term orientation. 1. Power Distance Japan is ranked at an immediate score of 54 in power distance index. It shows that the extent between the powerful and the less powerful within institutions and organizations is neither very far nor showing immense inequality. Japan almost reaches the balance. Confucianism makes a deep impact on Japanese culture. The main effect of Confucian philosophy on Japanese business is in the development of a...
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...Let’s Hope It Repeats: A History Lesson Human beings posses, as an innate part of our nature, an incredible ability to argue with each other about just about anything. Some of these arguments are necessary to push us forward, and some keep us locked in a standstill and accomplish nothing. One of the biggest arguments that today’s society is embroiled in is that of the existence, and treatment of, homosexuality and same-sex relationships. Unfortunately, it seems that this is one of those arguments that keeps us from moving forward. What frustrates me the most about the whole argument is how unnecessary—and ridiculously riddled with misconceptions and outright insulting fabrications—it is. Homosexuality seems to be too difficult a concept for our society to accept, but it is too real, and too ancient, an issue to deny. My purpose for writing this paper is to address one of the myths about homosexuality, and in doing so make a vital point about the biggest misconception that exists on the subject. In a society where each consecutive generation pushes the boundaries of social norms and acceptable behavior further outside of polite society’s comfort zone, fads and rebellions are commonplace. Often homosexuality gets lumped in with these fleeting trends and is seen as something transitory, something that will go away if denied acceptance long enough. On the contrary, homosexuality is not something new or impermanent. Rather it is a concept, a fact of life, which has been...
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...All About Japan "A land of incredible diversity: modern yet steeped in custom; home of the friendliest of welcomes. A country of blazing neon lights and rugged mountains, coasts and valleys." Japan has a fascinating and multifaceted culture; on the one hand it is steeped in the deepest of traditions dating back thousands of years; on the other it is a society in a continual state of rapid flux, with continually shifting fads and fashions and technological development that constantly pushes back the boudaries of the possible. It could therefore be said that Japan is a country of stark contradictions and is in part this that makes it such a fascinating country to visit and unique tourist destination. If you are looking for something different you are sure to find it here! People One people, one race? Japanese people appear at first glance to be one of the most socially and ethnically homogenous groups in the world. It is reasonable to equate Japan’s rapid post-war economic development to the 1990s with social solidarity and conformism. Despite labour shortages since the 1960s, authorities resisted officially sanctioning foreign workers until the 1980s, relying on increased mechanization and an expanded female workforce instead (1). Until recently, Japanese workers have associated themselves primarily with the company they work for – a businessman will introduce himself as ‘Nissan no Takahashi-san’ (I am Nissan’s Mr Takahashi). By extension, we might get the idea that a Japanese...
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...Journal of Banking & Finance 25 (2001) 535±554 www.elsevier.com/locate/econbase Eciency of the Dojima rice futures market in Tokugawa-period Japan Shigeru Wakita * Faculty of Economics, Tokyo Metropolitan University, 1-1 Minami-Osawa, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo, 192-0397 Japan Received 21 May 1998; accepted 20 December 1999 Abstract Co-integration analysis is applied to historical data (1760±1864) from the worldÕs ®rst well-established futures market, in rice at Dojima (in Osaka, Japan). The market shows a strong seasonal character. The summer market was strongly characterized by producersÕ hedging behavior, and may be called a ``commodity-oriented futures market''. On the other hand, the spring and autumn markets in the middle of Tokugawa era were ``®nancial'' markets, characterized by the unbiasedness hypothesis from the theory of rational expectations. Ó 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classi®cation: G13; N25 Keywords: Futures market; Market eciency; Cointegration; Osaka 1. Introduction In Tokugawa-period Japan (1603±1867), the rice trading center was Osaka, a city called the ``kitchen for the country''. It was there that clan governments (Han) across the land shipped much of the rice they collected as land tax in lieu of cash. In Dojima, the site of the rice trading activities, a rice futures market * Tel.: +81-426-77-2307; fax: +81-426-77-2304. E-mail address: wakita@bcomp.metro-u.ac.jp (S. Wakita). 0378-4266/01/$ - see front matter Ó 2001...
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...laborers. But with the Industrial Revolution, some societies traded this ancient poverty for amazing affluence. Historians and economists have long struggled to understand how this transition occurred and why it took place only in some countries. A scholar who has spent the last 20 years scanning medieval English archives has now emerged with startling answers for both questions. Gregory Clark, an economic historian at the University of California, Davis, believes that the Industrial Revolution -- the surge in economic growth that occurred first in England around 1800 -- occurred because of a change in the nature of the human population. The change was one in which people gradually developed the strange new behaviors required to make a modern economy work. The middle-class values of nonviolence, literacy, long working hours and a willingness to save emerged only recently in human history, Dr. Clark argues. Because they grew more common in the centuries before 1800, whether by cultural transmission or evolutionary adaptation, the English population at last became productive enough to escape from poverty, followed quickly by other countries with the same long agrarian past. Dr. Clark’s ideas have been circulating in articles and manuscripts for several years and are to be published as a book next month, "A Farewell to Alms" (Princeton University Press). Economic historians have high praise for his thesis, though many disagree with parts of it. "This is a great book and deserves...
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...Sumo A sumo match (tori-kumi) between yokozuna Asashōryū (left) and komusubi Kotoshōgiku in January 2008. Sumo (相撲 sumō?) is a competitive full-contact wrestling sport where a wrestler (rikishi) attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring (dohyō) or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally. It is generally considered to be a gendai budō (a modern Japanese martial art), though this definition is incorrect as the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, from the days when sumo was used in the Shinto religion. Life as a rikishi is highly regimented, with rules laid down by the Sumo Association. Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal "sumo training stables" known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives—from meals to their manner of dress—are dictated by strict tradition. In addition to its use as a trial of strength in combat, sumo has also been associated with Shinto ritual, and even certain shrines carry out forms of ritual dance where a human is said to wrestle with a kami (a Shinto divine spirit). It was an important ritual at the imperial court. Representatives of each province were ordered to attend the contest at the court and fight. They were required to pay for...
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