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1450 - 1750 // Tokugawa Shogunate
In the mid-16th century, there was a new Shogunate in Japan, called the Tokugawa. The reunification of Japan was in need of military and diplomatic people who were skilled to restore unity under the Shogunate in their country. And the Japanese did find those leaders. The Tokugawa Shogunate, in Japan, succeeded in doing things like enclosing the islands in state of isolation and having long periods of peace which increased the growth of trade; they were also a powerful government, where military, feudalistic leaders were under them.

In the early 1600s, there was a possible threat from the Europeans that was coming over Japan. So the Tokugawa enshrouded the islands in a state of isolation. Japan did not know about the European intentions and they were scared that merchants and missionaries will mess up the existing social order, which doesn’t allow foreign activities in Japan. Hideyoshi’s successor, Ieyasu and himself, were persecuting Christian missionaries and converts and then finally banned it n 1614. European missionaries were taken out of Japan, and the ones who hid, were killed. The Japanese were forced to renounce their own faith. Those who practiced other religions in secret were persecuted. It had become an underground faith of isolated communities. Ieyasu isolated Japan from outside influences. Even Japanese ships were not allowed to sail and trade overseas. Many different European nations were forbidden to go to Japan. This isolation lasted for about two and a half centuries. It was over by about the mid-17th century. 

Patterns of the reappearance of civil war were placed in a position of strength in the Japanese society and Japan needed to get military leaders to restore their land to unity and peace. There were three military leaders at the time. Nobunga was the first leader and from a minor warrior household. Toyoyomi Hideyoshi was the next leader, who was skillful at diplomacy. The third leader was Tokugawa Ieyasu, who did come from the daimyo house, he was an ally of Hideyoshi. The rule of the Tokugawamade Japan have longer periods of peace, and that made trade do better and commerce as well. Although the merchant class was the ones who grew wealthy, while the samurai class was going into poverty, when they were the ruling class before. This was the effect of the peace.

The Tokugawa Shogunate was a powerful government where the ruler was an absolute dictator. Military feudalistic leaders were even under them. The emperor of Japan was still honored, though, as the ceremonial leader. The Tokugawa did not have much patience with Christian missionaries from the west. The Chinese has more patience with them. They were very worried that the Tokugawa control will be brought down by the Europeans. Trade was very careful and controlled in the hands of the Tokugawa. But the daimyos on the far islands of Japan were tougher to control because of their distance.

The Tokugawa Shogunate in Japan made a big impact in this time period. They were very strict on having Christian and European missionaries enter Japan. They had Japan isolated for a long time because they did not want to risk losing power if something went wrong and they mistook the threat of the Europeans. But the state of isolation was successful and the growth of trade was also god at the time of the long periods of peace and unity.