- 8 Mar 2005
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I'm having a little bit of difficulty following the timeline of events following the end of the (only later referred to as) Sakoku period (鎖国), or, isolated period of Japan brought on by the Tokugawa shogunate to maintain control over the country of Japan & keep the Shogunate in power... There was possibly a real fear that Western influence would weaken the Shogunate's power, causing it to lose its control of Japan.
After the opening of Japan by Admiral Perry, there was a faction of Japanese loyalists who were against the shogunate for, among other things, failing to protect Japan from the "foreign barbarians" as it were.
There were some uprisings and then a coup which followed a particular loss by the Tokugawa shogunate to Choushuu loyalists...
This led to the Meiji restoration , led by younger & enlightened members of the samurai classes. Initially, there was much talk about returning to a time of antiquity. Still, the men leading the restoration quietly dropped the idea of "expelling the barbarians" and adopted a modernisation policy through the cultural exchange to strengthen the country.
My question is, were the loyalists not involved in the planning of the Meiji restoration? How could there be a coup against the Tokugawa shogunate for failing to guard against the foreign influence that led directly to the opening of more foreign influence and trade? Were the loyalists and the samurai classes two different groups?
It seems like the outcome of the Meiji restoration was precisely the reason why there was a coup against the Tokugawa shogunate in the first place.
If anyone could enlighten me, I would appreciate it greatly!
After the opening of Japan by Admiral Perry, there was a faction of Japanese loyalists who were against the shogunate for, among other things, failing to protect Japan from the "foreign barbarians" as it were.
There were some uprisings and then a coup which followed a particular loss by the Tokugawa shogunate to Choushuu loyalists...
This led to the Meiji restoration , led by younger & enlightened members of the samurai classes. Initially, there was much talk about returning to a time of antiquity. Still, the men leading the restoration quietly dropped the idea of "expelling the barbarians" and adopted a modernisation policy through the cultural exchange to strengthen the country.
My question is, were the loyalists not involved in the planning of the Meiji restoration? How could there be a coup against the Tokugawa shogunate for failing to guard against the foreign influence that led directly to the opening of more foreign influence and trade? Were the loyalists and the samurai classes two different groups?
It seems like the outcome of the Meiji restoration was precisely the reason why there was a coup against the Tokugawa shogunate in the first place.
If anyone could enlighten me, I would appreciate it greatly!