9 Japan's Edo Period

Japan's EDO PERIOD The Edo period lasted from 1603 to 1867. It was named after the city where the government was located at the time. This is now Japan's capital city, Tokyo. The Edo period was a time of peace and stability in Japan.

Shogun In the Edo period, the military government was called the Edo shogunate. The shogun had national authority and power over the emperor, the court, all of the daimyo, and the religious orders.

Daimyo The 300 regional daimyo were the landowners who commanded over the samurai. They had regional authority and were ruled by the shogun.

Samurai The samurai were known as the warrior class. After the shogun and the daimyo, they had the highest social status. This meant that they were allowed to use weapons, and they mostly used swords. Japanese CLOTHING During the Edo period, the way people dressed depended on their class. Royal clothing

The shogun and other members of the royal court wore formal clothes, such as kon'e and benkan. There was no gender difference between the costumes of rulers at the time.

Daimyo dress Daimyo lords and ladies wore robes called kosodes and sashes called obi. These would be decorated with lively designs, such as irises and cherry blossoms.