Final answer:
The Meiji Restoration's unexpected side effect included the social displacement of the samurai class, leading to rebellions like the Satsuma Rebellion, and rapid modernization which altered Japan's social fabric and culture.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unexpected Side Effects of the Meiji Restoration
One of the unexpected side effects of the Meiji Restoration was the social and economic upheaval caused by the disbandment and disenfranchisement of the samurai class. As Japan modernized its governmental structures and military, shifting from a system of feudalism to a centralized state, the samurai, who had long been the military and often the ruling elite, found themselves stripped of their privileges and status.
This led to several rebellions, including the significant Satsuma Rebellion of 1876, as they attempted to resist the dramatic changes to their traditional way of life. Moreover, the rapid industrialization and modernization efforts changed the social fabric of Japan, leading to the rise of new political and economic classes and influencing cultural expressions like the birth of Yōga and Nihonga in the art world.