The Meiji Restoration

The Meiji Restoration was a series of events that took place in Japan. The Restoration caused many changes in Japan. After the Meiji Restoration, Japan was no longer ruled by hundreds of Lords, but by one Emperor. It also increased trade with Western powers, resulting in industrialization speeding up. Finally, the Samurai lost their status and power.

At that time, the Shogun ruled Japan, helped by its Samurai. Many Shogun had split Japan into Domains for their Samurai. Japan traded with no one, except for the Dutch and Chinese, who were given limited trading rights. Then, about twenty-five years before the Restoration, Commodore Perry arrived in Japan with his fleet and forced Japan to sign a trade agreement with America, and ulimtaely, the rest of the world. Western nations now had influence in Japan.

In 1868, a series of events happened in Japan, which was ruled by the Shogun at the time. Two years eariler, the foundation of the restoration was set when Saigō Takamori, the leader of Satsuma, and Kido Takayoshi, the leader of Chōshū, formed an alliance between them. They both supported Emperor Kōmei. In late 1867, Emperor Kōmei died, and Emperor Meiji succeeded him. At this time, Japan as starting to be capitalist, and the Western nations had influence, causing problems in the feudal society. Tokugawa Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigned, giving the emperor alot of power.

Meiji then declared abolition of the two and a half centuries of shogun rule acting in the name of restoring Imperial rule. This started with the Boshin war, but Sastuma remained loyal and the Imperial-Sastuma forces destroyed ex-shogun Yoshinobu. Yoshinobu agreed to Imperial rule shortly afterward.

That was not the end of the war, shogun forces fled to the most northern Japanese province (That time it was know as Ezo.) and created the Republic of Ezo. After barely six months, the Imperial troops crushed the republic and executed its leaders. There was little peace afterward. In 1869, all Tokugawa lands were all under Imperial control. Shortly afterward, due to the finicial burden that paying Samurai caused, the Emperor began reducing their numbers. At the same time, the Imperial government imposed a nationwide conscription on Japan. For the first time in hundreds of years, all classes of society could join the military, compared to with before when only Samurai could join.

This however, lead to a series of rebellions. The largest and worst was the Satsuma rebellion, led by Saigō Takamori. The Imperial army, newly trained with western arms and tactics, successfully won most of the battles. Takamori made his last stand at Battle of Shiroyama, where he and the rest of his army was killed, most of them in the final charge against the Gatling guns. Afterwards, there were no more serious Samurai revolts. The Samurai had gotten the message from the Imperial Government that their time was up.

The idea of Samurai society lived on and in World War II Samurai swords were still used. Many land reforms were conducted also, ending the domains belonging to Samurai.

Just some great pic.