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The Tokugawa political system was perhaps the most complex feudal system ever developed. It was similar to the European feudal system, but it was also very structured - an attribute not always associated with European feudalism.
This political system was called the Bakuhan system. Baku comes from ‘Bakufu’, which describes how the Shogun used to control their private affairs inside each fief. Thus, Bakuhan refers to the co-existence of the Tokugawa Shogun with separate, independent governments across each of the fiefs. Since each Daimyo was employed by the Shogun, they managed to hold onto power across the whole of Japan. As such, it concerned itself with controlling the Samurai class, collecting taxes, maintaining civil order, defending the fief, controlling the cities, encouraging commerce and organising that the manufacturing which was required for the nation to develop.
Context Statement:
The ‘Nakasendo Way: A Journey to the Heart of Japan’ is a comprehensive online resource about the history of Japan, with particular emphasis on the geography of the country. It also introduces a wide variety of topics about Japan by describing a fictional trip across this fascinating nation and uses a high degree of historical research to ensure that its content is accurate
Reference: An extract from the ‘Nakasendo Way’ website.
Walk Japan LTD . (2021). Tokugawa Political System. Retrieved from Nakasendo Way: https://www.nakasendoway.com/tokugawa-political-system/