1603 – Tokugawa Ieyasu assumes the title of Shogun in Edo, establishing Tokugawa shogunate.
The Jesuit Mission Press commences publication of a Japanese- Portuguese dictionary.
1604 – Jesuit missionary Rodrigues begins publication of Arte da Ligoa de Japam, a comprehensive introduction in Portuguese to written and spoken Japanese.
1605 – Tokugawa Ieyasu hands the title of Shogun over to his son Tokugawa Hidetada who is shogun until 1623.
Miyamoto Musashi, Japan’s most famous Samurai, began his musha-shugyo (warrior pilgrimage). Musashi fought and won more than 60 sword fights before the age of 30. He founded the Individual School of Two Skies and taught for many years. At the age of 60, Musashi wrote “Gorin No Sho” (“The Book of Five Rings”), the most famous writing about the Japanese Sword Arts. He also wrote “The 35 Articles on the Art of Swordsmanship.”
1609 – At Hirado is established a trading post with Duch tradeships..
1610 – Tanaka Shosuke receives permission from Tokugawa Ieyasu to accompany Rodrigo Vivero Y Velesco on his return to New Spain
1611 – Go-Miyuno-o becomes Emperor until 1629.
Sebastian Viscaino, envoy of the vicery of New Spain, is granted an audience with the retired shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and the shogun Tokugawa Hidetada.
1612 – The persecution of the Christian faith recommences.
1613 – An English trading post is established at Hirado.
Date Masamune, daimyo of Sendai, dispatches Hasekura Tsunenaga to Spain to petition Philip III (unsuccesfully) for the establishment of trade relations with New Spain.
1614 – The siege of the Osaka Castle begins; the winter campaign is inconclusive.
Tokugawa Ieyasu intensifies persecution of Christianity.
1615 – The conquest of the Osaka Castle after the spring campaign and the defeat of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s heirs and supporters. Tokugawa Ieyasu now controls Japan.
Tokugawa Ieyasu imposes a code of conduct on the Kyoto nobility called “Buke Sho Hatto” (Rules for Martial Families).
1616 – The foreign trade is restricted at Nagasaki and Hirado. Tokugawa Ieyasu dies.
1622 – 51 Christians executed in Nagasaki.
1623 – Tokugawa Iemitsu becomes the third Tokugawa Shogun until 1651. The English abandon the trading post at Hirado and they abandon the idea of trading with Japan
1624 – The Spaniards are banned from the country. Persecution intesifies.50 Chistians are burned alive in Edo.
1629 – Myosho becomes Empress until 1643.
Fumie for testing beleif in Christianity begins in Nagasaki.
1630 – Japan cut its ties with the outside world.
1633 – First Sakoku (National Seclusion) edict issued 30 missionaries executed.
1634 – Second Sakoku (National Seclusion) edict issued
1635 – All religious matters are brought under the control of the Superintendent of Temples and Shrines (Sankin-Kotai). Third Sakoku (National Seclusion) edict issued.
1636 – The Japanese are forbiden to leave the country. The Portuguese traders are confined to Deshima Island off Nagasaki. Fourth Sakoku (National Seclusion) edict issued.
1637-1638 – Shimabara Uprising.
Only 5 missionaries thought to remain.
1639 – The Portuguese traders are banished from the country. The policy of total exclusion is implemented and the closure of the country to foreigners (Sakoku Rei). Kirishitan monogatari (Christian Tales) an anti-Christian work is published.
1640 – The shogunate instituted the office of the shumon aratame yaku (inquisitor). The Portuguese diplomatic mission formed of 61 members from Macao is executed. All the Japanese are ordered to register at one temple of their choice.
1641 – The Dutch traders are moved from Hirado and are restricted to Dejima. The Chinese are restricted to Nagasaki.
1643 – Go-Komyo becomes Emperor until 1654.
1646 – The camera obscura arrives in Nagasaki via the Dutch settlement.
1644-1694 – Matsuo Basho – the first and best writer of haiku. He was born a samurai but becoms a poet.
1651 – Tokugawa Ietsuna becomes the fourth Tokugawa Shogun until 1680.
1653-1724 – Lives the writer Chikamatsu Monzaemon
1655 – Go-Sai becomes Emperor until 1663.
1657 – The Great Edo fire.
1663 – Reigen becomes Emperor until 1687.
1665 – Daimyo were ordered to follow the shogunate’s example and to appoint inquisitors charged with a yearly scutiny of Christians
1680 – Tokugawa Tsunayoshi becomes fifth Tokugawa Shogun until 1709.
1681-1683 – Tenna Era.
1683 – La Yeddo sunt incendiate colnsulatele englez şi american.
1687 – Higashiyama becomes Emperor until 1709.
1688-1705 – Genroku Age. The first major cultural expansion of this era has the centres in Kyoto and Osaka. The total lands are now assessed at 25.8 million koku.
1701-1703 – The 47 Ronin’s incident. After the 47 ronin kill a daimyo in Edo in revenge of their former daimyo master’s death, they are ordered to commit seppuku thus rising the civil law over the acceptance of military honour.
1708 – Jesuit missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti is arrested, transported to Edo, and interrogated by Arai Kakuseki.
1709 – Tokugawa Ienobu becomes the sixth Tokugawa Shogun until 1713.
Nakamikado becomes Emperor until 1735.
1713 – Tokugawa Ietsugu becomes the seventh Tokugawa Shogun until 1716.
1716 – Tokugawa Yoshimune becomes the eighth Tokugawa Shogun until 1745.
1716-1735 – Kyoho Era.
1720 – The ban on the importation of foreign books and Chinese translations is lifted (with the exception of books directly concerned with Christianity).
1721 – The five year census begun. The population is approximated to 26 million.
1735 – Sakuramachi becomes Emperor until 1747.
1742 – The codification of the Bakufu laws begun.
1745 – Tokugawa Ieshige becomes the ninth Tokugawa Shogun until 1760.
1747 – Momozono becomes Emperor until 1762.
1753-1806 – Kitagawa Utamaro – Ukiyo-e artist, famous for his pictures representing the “ideal” woman.
1760 – Tokugawa Ieharu becomes the tenth Tokugawa Shogun until 1786.
1760-1849 – Katsushika Hokusai – Ukiyo-e artist, famous for his landscape pictures.
1762 – Go-Sakuramachi becomes Emperor until 1771.
1771 – Go-Momozono becomes Emperor until 1779.
1780 – Kokaku becomes Emperor until 1817.
1781-1788 – Temmei Era.
1787 – Tokugawa Ienari becomes the eleventh Tokugawa Shogun.
1788 – OTSUKI Gentaku, an apprentice of SUGITA Genpaku, describes in an essay the camera obscura, hitherto called a “donkuru-kaamuru” in Japanese, based on the Dutch pronunciation. He also uses the term “shashin-kyo” (photo mirror) as a Japanese translation for “camera obscura.”
1789-1801 – Kansei Era.
1790 – First persecution in Urakami. No one killed.
1792 – A Russian ship enters Nemuro harbor asking to open trade relations for Russia. The request is denied but they are allowed to enter Nagasaki instead.
1797-1858 – Ando Hiroshige – Ukiyo-e artist, famous for his “53 Stages of Tokaido Highway” and other landscape pictures.
1798 – The Shogunate begins colonising Hokkaido Island.
1804-1829 – Bunka-Bunsei Period. The second major cultural expansion in the Tokugawa era with the centre in Edo.
1804 – A Russian ship enters Nagasaki harbour asking for trade concessions. They are refused and the ship leaves after six months.
1808 – A British frigate enters Nagasaki harbour under the Dutch flag looking for other Dutch ships. It leaves without finding any and without bombarding the harbour as they threatened.
1811 – The Department of official translators of Western books is set up within the Bakufu. The Japanese outpost captures a Russian naval officer. They hold him but treat him well.
1813 – The Russians capture a Bakufu merchant and exchange him for the Russian naval officer captured in 1811.
1815 – In a Dutch studies publication he issued, SUGITA Genpaku translates “camera obscura” as “anshitsu shashin-kyo” (darkroom photo mirror).
1817 – Ninko becomes Emperor until 1846.
1819 – A British ship enters Uraga Bay. An armed struggle with the Japanese ensues before they leave.
1824 – A British ship lands on an island off Satsuma coast. An armed fighting ensues before they leave.
1825 – Bakufu issues the order Gaikokusen Uchiharai Rei for all authorities to drive away all foreign vessels.
1830-1844 – Tempo Era. Crop failures in the whole country between 1824 and 1832.
1832 – The total land is now assessed at 30.4 million koku.
1833 – The famine pervades the northern parts of Japan.
1836 – Nation-wide famine.
1837 – Oshio Heihachiro (until recently a magistrate official in Osaka city) leads an attack on Osaka Castle to gain control of the city and relieves the famine starved city dwellers. The rebellion is quickly put down.
Tokugawa Ienari resigns. Tokugawa Ieyoshi becomes the twelfth Tokugawa Shogun until 1853 (although Tokugawa Ienari retains political control). An American merchant ship, “The Morrison” enters Edo Bay but is driven off by gun batteries at Uraga. The ship goes to Kagoshima but is driven off there as well.
Oldest existing Japanese version of any portion of the Bible is published in Singapore.
1840 – The debts to the Osaka merchants total more than 60 million ryo (1 ryo of gold = 1 koku of rice).
1841 – Ex-shogun Tokugawa Ienari dies. Tokugawa Ieyoshi begins the purge of the government officials and the implementation of Tempo reforms. Under Mizuno Tadakuni’s leadership, Bakufu tries to re-establish the control over the daimyo affairs, but this ultimately proves unsuccessful.
Fisherman Nakahama Manjiro, shipwrecked on a Pacific island, is rescued by an American whaler and taken to the United States.
1842 – The order Gaikokusen Uchiharai Rei is issued again to drive off all foreign ships relaxed in seaports, but allowing ships that are storm-damaged or shipwrecked seeking food, fuel or water to enter the port.
1844-1848 – Koka Era.
1845 – Mizuno Tadakuni is removed from the office (for the second and final time) in disgrace. Other associates of his are imprisoned.
1846 – Komei becomes Emperor. Populaţia Japoniei este estimată la aproximativ 28 milioane, dintre care 2 milioane o alcătuiesc stările privilegiate.
1848 – In Nagasaki, UENO Shunnojo-Tsunetari (1790-1851) (father of UENO Hikoma), a trader, imports Japan’s first daguerreotype camera from Holland, the only Western country Japan could trade with. Although Ueno had brought a daguerreotype to Nagasaki in 1843, it was not unloaded. (The daguerreotype was first introduced in Paris in August 1839.)
1849 – Second persecution in Urakami.
1849 – Lord SHIMAZU Nariakira, daimyo of the Satsuma Clan in southern Kyushu, acquired a daguerreotype from UENO Shunnojo-Tsunetari and experimented with it. He did not succeed so well because the camera was probably defective. In 1858, Lord SHIMAZU perhaps took a collodian photograph of three women, titled “Three Princesses.” The image is kept at the Shimazu family museum in Kagoshima.
1852 – The Dutch warn the Bakufu that Commodore Perry’s ships will come to open Japan’s boundaries.
1853 – Tokugawa Iesada becomes the thirteenth Tokugawa Shogun until 1858.
July 8, 1853 – Commodore Perry arrives at Uraga with four warships of the US East India Squadron with a letter for the Shogun demanding him to open trade relations for the United State. He leaves the letter and word that they will return for the answer early in 1854, before departing to Okinawa for the winter.
1853 – Russian Vice Admiral Evfimii Vasil’evich Putiatin calls at Nagasaki with the flagship Pallada and four other warships.
1854 – Bakufu asks all daimyo’s and the Emperor’s opinion on what to do about Commodore Perry’s demands.
February 1854 – Commodore Perry returns to Edo with a fleet of nine vessels. The treaty of Kanagawa is signed with the United States which contained: the opening of Hakodate and Shimoda seaports to the United Sates vessels for provisioning, the promise of fair treatment of shipwrecked sailors, and approving a future United State Consul to live in Shimoda.
1853 – Admiral’s Perry four ships dock at Uraga, ending 250 years of Japanese isolationism.
1853-1854 – Commodore Perry’s naval squadron arrives in Japan with an official photographer, Eliphalet Brown, Jr. (1816-1886) who takes hundreds of daguerreotype photos of people and scenics in Shimoda (Shizuoka Prefecture) and Hakodate (Hokkaido). Some of these images were used to make lithographs which found their way in “A Journal of the Perry Expedition to Japan 1853-1854” by Samual Wells Williams, published in 1856. The print shop which printed this document was destroyed by fire and almost all of Brown’s original daguerreotypes were lost. Perry’s mission leads to the opening of Shimoda (Shizuoka Prefecture) that year and of Hakodate in Hokkaido in 1855 as treaty ports.
After Perry left Japan, a Russian ship with photographer Captain Aleksander Mozhaiskii arrived. He took daguerreotype photos in Japan. One of the images is preserved at Gyokusenji Temple in Shimoda, Shizuoka Prefecture.
1855 – Treaty signed with Russia.
French Catholic Priest Mermet de Cachon arrives in Japan.
1856 – Townsend Harris arrives in Shimoda as the first United State Consulate in Japan.
Treaty signed with Netherlands.
1856 – American consul Townsend Harris and Dutch interpreter Henry Heusken arrive in Japan. Until 1859, they are the only Western foreigners living in Japan outside Dejima, Nagasaki. Heusken teaches basic photography to SHIMOOKA Renjo in Shimoda. Shimooka later moved to Yokohama and opened a photo studio in 1862.
1857 – Scientist ICHIKI Shiro of Satsuma (Kagoshima Prefecture) takes a portrait of SHIMAZU Nariakira, the lord of the Satsuma fief in southern Kyushu. This portrait is the oldest surviving daguerreotype by a Japanese photographer.
Naval doctor L. C. Pompe van Meerdervoort starts teaching photography at the Medical Institute in Nagasaki, the center of Dutch learning. Among his students were UCHIDA Kuichi and MAEDA Genzo. Meerdervoort and other foreigners introduce the wet-collodian process around this year and up to 1859. The three treaty ports of Yokohama, Nagasaki, and Hakodate become the centers of photographic learning in Japan.
1858 – Tokugawa Iemochi becomes the fourteenth Tokugawa Shogun until 1866.
1858 – The Treaty of Amity and Commerce is signed with the United States, giving free trade in six ports, allowing permanent foreign residents in Edo and Osaka, and normal trade tariffs.
1858 – American Consul Townsend Harris succeeds in obtaining a new treaty with Japan for trade at Hakodate, Yokohama, and Nagasaki. Other countries also conclude treaties with Japan, opening the country to foreigners from July 1859.
1859 – More than ten Christians died under torture in Urakami (3rd persecution).
Catholic priest took up an appointment as interpreter for the French consulate in Edo. Representatives of three Protestant churches reached Japan. Seven American Protestant Missionaries arrive.
1859 – With Western foreigners at the treaty ports, they take many photos of Japan. But few of the earliest ones survive. Orrin E. Freeman, an American, is the first person to engage in professional studio photography in Yokohama.
1860 – 80 Samurai officials are sent to Washington D.C. to ratify the Treaty of Amity and Commerce.
Ii Naosuke is assassinated in Edo.
The first American Baptist missionary, Jonathan Goble, arrives in Japan.
1862 – Sankin Kotai system rescinded. Este înfiinţată prima fabrică de filantură de bumbac.
The Shogun goes to Kyoto when he is summoned by the Emperor.
1862 – Ueno Hikoma (1838-1904) (father UENO Shunnojo Tsunetari), after learning photography and chemistry under Dr. Pompe van Meerdervoort, publishes the treastise, Seimikyoku Hikkei which described photographic techniques and the wet collodian process.UENO Hikoma becomes one of the first professional Japanese photographer by opening a photo studio in Nagasaki called “Ueno Satsuei-kyoku”.
Shimooka Renjo (1823-1914) opens a photo studio in Yokohama after learning photography from “Unshin,” thought to be Captain John Wilson, an American who sold his equipment to Shimooka upon leaving Japan.
Englishman William Saunders, a Yokohama resident, takes a number of photographs during a three-month stay from August 1862. He goes to Shanghai, China and becomes famous for Chinese photography.
Until the Meiji Restoration in 1868, early Japanese photographers serve the foreign community almost exclusively since foreigners were the ones who could afford to have a portrait taken. The Japanese believed that being photographed would bring death or illness. From 1865, such superstitions were dispelled and more Japanese started to have their portraits taken.
1863 – The British legation in Edo is attacked and burned down. The British warships attack and destroy Kagoshima in Satsuma in retaliation for the assassination of an Englishman in Edo in 1862.
Samurai from the Choshu family are driven out of the Imperial Court in Kyoto by Bakufu with help from Aizu and Satsuma troops.
1863 – Charles Parker arrives in Japan and stays until about 1868. He operates a studio in Yokohama. Only a few of his photographs survive.
Felice Beato, a famous Italian photographer, comes to Yokohama and stays for 21 years. A substantial amount of his work survives. His Japanese portraits and scenics are highly evaluated. His portraits were hand-colored. This practice was popularized by him. He traveled widely in Japan and built up a large stock of photos which he sold from his studio.
1864 – British, French, and United State ships attack and destroy Shimonoseki in Choshu for having set on fire the western ships off the coast. Niijima Jo founder of Doshisha secretly departs for the US.
The Tokugawa’s military expedition takes place against Choshu family for their attempted take-over of Kyoto. Tokugawa forces win but not without casualties.
1865 – Takes place the Imperial ratification of the treaties with the foreign powers.
A group of Kakure Kirishtan at Nagasaki publicly identified themselves as Christians.
1865 – Uchida Kuichi, who studied under Ueno Hikoma, and Nakagawa Shinsuke both open a studio in Osaka. Hori Yohei (Masumi) opens a photo studio in Kyoto.
1866 – Choshu and Satsuma families make a secret agreement of mutual support. The second Tokugawa military expedition against the Choshu family. Tokugawa forces are beaten easily.
1866– Tomishige Rihei opens a photo studio in Yanagawa, Kyushu. A fire besieges Yokohama and Felice Beato’s photo studio is burned down. The studio is back in business by 1868.
1867 – 64 Christians were arrested in Urakami, and in nearby Omura 110 were jailed under such harsh conditions that 60 died of exposure.
January 1867 – Tokugawa Yoshinobu becomes the fifteenth, and last, Tokugawa Shogun. He accepts the post reluctantly, but once in office attempts to reform Bakufu under French guidance. (The British were supporting the Choshu and the Satsuma families).
February 1867 – Emperor Komei dies. The enthronement of the new Emperor Mastsuhito takes place who regained his traditional powers and took the name Meiji.
November 1867 – Tokugawa Yoshinobu resigns as Shogun under a compromise worked out by Tosa (Tosa Memorial). Following this plan, the shogun’s political authority returns to the emperor while the head of Tokugawa house retains lands and continues to serve as Prime Minister.
January 3, 1868 – Forces from Satsuma, Echizen, Owari, Tosa, and Aki do not accept the Tosa Memorial and seize Tokugawa palace. Tokugawa is reduced to the level of daimyo, and the administration of the country is returned to the emperor. The Shogunate is abolished – The Meiji Restoration takes place.
January 1868 – Tokugawa Yoshinobu accepts the restoration and withdraws his troops to Osaka. Late in the month, other Tokugawa forces attempt to recapture Kyoto but are defeated by Satsuma, Choshu, and Tosa forces. The final battle is fought at Toba-Fushimi. Other northern Tokugawa forces hold out longer; the Tokugawa navy holds out in Hokkaido until 1869, but this battle effectively ends Tokugawa rule.
To be continued: Meiji Era
