Meiji Restoration

The Meiji Restoration (Japanese: ????, Meiji-ishin), also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution or Renewal, was a chain of events that led to a change in Japan's political and social structure. It occurred from 1866 to 1869, a period of 4 years that transverses both the late Edo (often called Late Tokugawa shogunate) and beginning of the Meiji Era. Probably the most important foreign account of the events of 1862-69 is contained in A Diplomat in Japan by Sir Ernest Satow.

Related Topics:
Japanese - Japan - 1866 - 1869 - Edo - Late Tokugawa shogunate - Meiji Era - Ernest Satow

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The formation in 1866 of the Satcho Alliance between Saigo Takamori, the leader of the Satsuma domain, and Kido Takayoshi, the leader of the Choshu domain, marks the beginning of the Meiji restoration. These two leaders supported the emperor and were brought together by Sakamoto Ryoma for the purpose of challenging the ruling Tokugawa Shogunate (bakufu) and restoring the emperor to power.

Related Topics:
1866 - Satcho Alliance - Saigo Takamori - Satsuma - Kido Takayoshi - Choshu - Emperor - Sakamoto Ryoma - Tokugawa Shogunate

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The Tokugawa bakufu came to an official end on November 9, 1867, when the 15th Tokugawa Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu "put his prerogatives at the emperor's disposal" (Beasley, 52) and then resigned his position 10 days later. This was effectively the "restoration" (Taisei H?kan) of imperial rule, although Yoshinobu retained considerable power.

Related Topics:
November 9 - 1867 - Tokugawa Yoshinobu

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Shortly thereafter in January 1868, the Boshin War (War of the Year of the Dragon) started with the Battle of Toba Fushimi in which an army led by forces from Choshu and Satsuma defeated the ex-shogun's army and forced the Emperor to strip Yoshinobu of all power. Some shogunate forces escaped to Hokkaido, where they attempted to set up the breakaway Republic of Ezo, but this came to an early end in May 1869 with the siege of Hakodate, Hokkaido. The defeat of the armies of the former shogun (led by Hijikata Toshizo) marked the end of the Meiji Restoration; all defiance to the emperor and his rule ended.

Related Topics:
1868 - Boshin War - Choshu - Satsuma - Hokkaido - Republic of Ezo - 1869 - Hakodate - Hijikata Toshizo

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The leaders of the Meiji Restoration, as this revolution came to be known, claimed that their actions restored the emperor's powers. This is not in fact true. Power simply moved from the Tokugawa Shogun to a new oligarchy of the daimyo who defeated him. These oligarchs were mostly from the Satsuma Province (Okubo Toshimichi and Saigo Takamori), and the Choshu province (Ito Hirobumi, Yamagata Aritomo, and Kido Koin.)

Related Topics:
Oligarchy - Daimyo - Satsuma Province - Okubo Toshimichi - Saigo Takamori - Choshu - Ito Hirobumi - Yamagata Aritomo - Kido Koin

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