Tokugawa Iemochi
Encyclopedia
was the 14th shogun
of the Tokugawa shogunate
of Japan
, who held office 1858 to 1866. During his reign there was much internal turmoil as a result of Japan's first major contact with the United States
, which occurred under Commodore Perry in 1853 and 1854, and of the subsequent "re-opening" of Japan to western nations. Iemochi's reign also saw a weakening of the shogunate.
lord Tokugawa Nariyuki, and was born in the domain's residence in Edo (modern-day Minato-ku
in Tokyo
).
In 1847, at age 1, he was adopted as the heir of the 12th generation daimyo Tokugawa Narikatsu, and succeeded him in 1849, taking the name Tokugawa Yoshitomi following his coming of age in 1851. However, in 1858 he was named as the successor to the main Tokugawa house due to the 13th shogun, Iesada, being heirless. The choice of Yoshitomi was not without conflict; there were other factions in the government who supported Tokugawa Yoshinobu
or Matsudaira Naritami
for shogun; it must be said that both of them, as opposed to Iemochi, were adults. It was upon assuming the office of shogun that Yoshitomi changed his name to Iemochi.
On April 22, 1863 (Bunkyū
3, 5th day of the 3rd month), Shogun Iemochi travelled in a great procession to the capital. He had been summoned by the emperor, and had 3,000 retainers as escort. This was the first time since the visit of Iemitsu
in the Kan'ei era, 230 years before, that a shogun had visited Kyoto.
As part of the Kōbu Gattai
("Union of Court and Bakufu") movement, Iemochi was married to Imperial Princess Kazu-no-Miya Chikako
daughter of Emperor Ninkō
, and younger sister of Emperor Kōmei
, but his early death, at the age of 20, put an end to the short marriage. The cause of death is widely reported as heart failure due to beriberi
, a disease caused by thiamine
(vitamin B1) deficiency.
His successor, Yoshinobu
, would be the last Tokugawa shogun, seeing an end to the shogunate which gave way to the Meiji Restoration
.
Taiga drama
, Atsuhime. He is portrayed by Matsuda Shota.
His child self is featured in the novel 'Kazunomiya, Prisoner of Heaven', by Kathryn Lasky, a fictional diary written by Iemochi's wife.
Iemochi is also mentioned in 'The Last Concubine' by Lesley Downer
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, who held office 1858 to 1866. During his reign there was much internal turmoil as a result of Japan's first major contact with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, which occurred under Commodore Perry in 1853 and 1854, and of the subsequent "re-opening" of Japan to western nations. Iemochi's reign also saw a weakening of the shogunate.
Biography
Iemochi, known in his childhood as Kikuchiyo, was the eldest son of the 11th generation Wakayama domainWakayama Domain
The was a han or Japanese feudal domain in Kii Province , with income of 555,000 koku. The domain was also known as or . The heads of the domain were Kishu-Tokugawa clan, one of Gosanke...
lord Tokugawa Nariyuki, and was born in the domain's residence in Edo (modern-day Minato-ku
Minato, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
).
In 1847, at age 1, he was adopted as the heir of the 12th generation daimyo Tokugawa Narikatsu, and succeeded him in 1849, taking the name Tokugawa Yoshitomi following his coming of age in 1851. However, in 1858 he was named as the successor to the main Tokugawa house due to the 13th shogun, Iesada, being heirless. The choice of Yoshitomi was not without conflict; there were other factions in the government who supported Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...
or Matsudaira Naritami
Matsudaira Naritami
was a Japanese daimyo of the late Edo period who ruled the Tsuyama Domain of Mimasaka Province.Born Tokugawa Ginnosuke, the 16th son of the shogun Tokugawa Ienari, Naritami was adopted by Matsudaira Naritaka of Tsuyama. Naritami succeeded him in late 1831, continuing as daimyo of Tsuyama until 1855...
for shogun; it must be said that both of them, as opposed to Iemochi, were adults. It was upon assuming the office of shogun that Yoshitomi changed his name to Iemochi.
On April 22, 1863 (Bunkyū
Bunkyu
was a after Man'en and before Genji. This period spanned the years from February 1861 through February 1864. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
3, 5th day of the 3rd month), Shogun Iemochi travelled in a great procession to the capital. He had been summoned by the emperor, and had 3,000 retainers as escort. This was the first time since the visit of Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu
Tokugawa Iemitsu was the third shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Iemitsu ruled from 1623 to 1651.-Early life :...
in the Kan'ei era, 230 years before, that a shogun had visited Kyoto.
As part of the Kōbu Gattai
Kōbu Gattai
Kōbu gattai was a policy in Bakumatsu Japan aiming at obtaining a political coordination between the Bakufu and the Imperial Court....
("Union of Court and Bakufu") movement, Iemochi was married to Imperial Princess Kazu-no-Miya Chikako
Kazu-no-Miya Chikako
was the wife of 14th shogun Tokugawa Iemochi. She was renamed Lady Seikan'in no miya after she took the tonsure as a widow.She was the eighth and youngest daughter of Emperor Ninkō and his concubine, Hashimoto Tsuneko - renamed Kangyouin after she took the tonsure. She was the younger half-sister...
daughter of Emperor Ninkō
Emperor Ninko
was the 120th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Ninkō's reign spanned the years from 1817 through 1846.-Genealogy:Before Ninkō's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ....
, and younger sister of Emperor Kōmei
Emperor Komei
was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867.-Genealogy:Before Kōmei's accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was ;, his title was ....
, but his early death, at the age of 20, put an end to the short marriage. The cause of death is widely reported as heart failure due to beriberi
Beriberi
Beriberi is a nervous system ailment caused by a thiamine deficiency in the diet. Thiamine is involved in the breakdown of energy molecules such as glucose and is also found on the membranes of neurons...
, a disease caused by thiamine
Thiamine
Thiamine or thiamin or vitamin B1 , named as the "thio-vitamine" is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. First named aneurin for the detrimental neurological effects if not present in the diet, it was eventually assigned the generic descriptor name vitamin B1. Its phosphate derivatives are...
(vitamin B1) deficiency.
His successor, Yoshinobu
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...
, would be the last Tokugawa shogun, seeing an end to the shogunate which gave way to the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
.
Eras of Iemochi's bakufu
The years in which Iemochi was shogun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- AnseiAnseiwas a after Kaei and before Man'en. This period spanned the years from November 1854 through March 1860. The reigning emperor was .- Change of era :...
(1854–1860) - ManenManenwas a after Ansei and before Bunkyū. This period spanned the years from March 1860 through February 1861. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(1860–1861) - BunkyuBunkyuwas a after Man'en and before Genji. This period spanned the years from February 1861 through February 1864. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(1861–1864) - GenjiGenjiwas a after Bunkyū and before Keiō. This period spanned only slightly more than a single year from February 1864 through April 1865. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(1864–1865) - KeiōKeiowas a after Genji and before Meiji. The period spanned the years from April 1865 to September 1868. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:...
(1865–1868)
In fiction
Tokugawa Iemochi is featured in the 2008 NHKNHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
Taiga drama
Taiga drama
is the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
, Atsuhime. He is portrayed by Matsuda Shota.
His child self is featured in the novel 'Kazunomiya, Prisoner of Heaven', by Kathryn Lasky, a fictional diary written by Iemochi's wife.
Iemochi is also mentioned in 'The Last Concubine' by Lesley Downer
External links
- Digitized woodblock print: Shogun Iemochi in procession towards Kyoto in Bunkyū 3