Japan in Transition : From Tokugawa to Meiji

In this book social scientists scrutinize the middle decades of the nineteenth century in Japan. That scrutiny is important and overdue, for the period from the 1850s to the 1880s has usually been treated in terms of politics and foreign relations. Yet those decades were also of pivotal importance in Japan's institutional modernization. As the Japanese entered the world order, they experienced a massive introduction of Western-style organizations. Sweeping reforms, without the class violence or the Utopian appeal of revolution, created the foundation for a modern society. The Meiji Restoration introduced a political transformation, but these chapters address the more gradual social transition. Originally published in 1986. The **Princeton Legacy Library** uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905. In this book social scientists scrutinize the middle decades of the nineteenth century in Japan. That scrutiny is important and overdue, for the period from the 1850s to the 1880s has usually been treated in terms of politics and foreign relations. Yet those decades were also of pivotal importance in Japan's institutional modernization. As the Japanese entered the world order, they experienced a massive introduction of Western-style organizations. Sweeping reforms, without the class violence or the Utopian appeal of revolution, created the foundation for a modern society. The Meiji Restoration introduced a political transformation, but these chapters address the more gradual social transition. Originally published in 1988. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905 CONTENTS FIGURES AND MAPS TABLES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 1. Overview Part One: Administration 1. Introduction o Part One 2. The Central Government 3. The Ruling Class 4. From Domain to Prefecture 5. Local Administration: The Example of Awa-Tokushima Part Two: Organizations Introduction to Part Two 6. Buddhism: The Threat of Eradication 7. The Military 8. Education: From One Room to One System 9. The Press 10. Shipping: From Sail to Steam Part Three: Cities ànd Population Introduction to Part Three 11. Population Changes 12. Castle Towns in Transition 13. The Edo-Tokyo Transition: In Search of Common Ground Part Four: Rural Economy And Material Conditions Introduction to Part Four 14. The Meiji Land Tax Reform and its Effects 15. The Rural Economy: Commercial Agriculture, Byemployment, and Wage Work 16. Grain Consumption: The Case of Choshu 17. The Material Culture: Stability in Transition About the Contributors Index