It is said that Tokugawa Bakufu continued about 270 years. It's quite a long time in Japanese history. Why was it possible? The Tokugawa Shogunate or "bakufu" had very clever policies on how to keep feudal lords under its control. One of them was sankinkoutai, which literally means
an alternate-year residence in Edo. Those days, daimyos or feudal lords were obligated to live in Edo and their own deudal domains for a year to show their loyality to the shogunate. Moving with great numbers of servants and subordinate worriors cost them huge amounts of money, so the bakufu was sure that they couldn't afford to prepare the weapons necessary for rebellions. Their wives and the eldest sons were also obligated to live in Edo like hostages.
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I love to read about Japanese history, especially the Tokugawa period. I have read a lot about the end of the Tokugawa. It is very interesting to read about Sakamoto Ryoma, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, Saigo Takamori and Katsu Kaishu.
Thanks for your comment. You probably know more about Tokugawa period than me. Sakamoto Ryoma and other people who worked to establish modern Japan are often featured as heros of history novels and dramas.
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