Impact of Tokugawa Rule
1603-1868
Major impacts
Peace
National identity
Impact
Development of
trade and agriculture
Development of the
arts and crafts
How did the major impacts change the
socio economic situation?
• Stability of social structure
• Samurai no longer warriors. Served the
Daimyo or Shogun as advisors
• Many Samurai took up teaching
• Isolation contributed to a sense of nationalism
and developed a strong national identity
• This in turn had an impact on the arts and
crafts
Further changes
• Impact on agriculture, more lands opened up
for agriculture
• Development of cities and towns along the
route to Edo
• Banking system, reform of currency
• Rise and development of a mercantile class
• Gradual impoverishment of the Samurai
How complete was the isolation?
• While Japan was closed off, there was limited
contact with the West through trade at
Deshima
• Dutch trade gave the Japanese limited contact
and access to western knowledge
• Gave the Japanese information about what
was happening in China and elsewhere. This
made the Shogun even more unwilling to end
isolation