Tokugawa Nariaki
Encyclopedia
Tokugawa Nariaki was a prominent Japanese daimyo
who ruled the Mito domain
(now Ibaraki prefecture
) and contributed to the rise of nationalism and the Meiji restoration
.
, the seventh generation daimyo
of Mito
. The family headship first passed to Harutoshi's eldest son Narinobu, before being passed on to Nariaki in 1829.
Nariaki was also leader of the Jōi
(expel the barbarian) party and made a Bakufu adviser on national defence.
on the issue. He was pro-emperor and favored imperial restoration. Nariaki also greatly expanded the Mitogaku
school established by Tokugawa Mitsukuni
. He wrote a document entitled "Japan, Reject the Westerners" in 1853. in this document, he stated ten reasons why Japan should stay isolated from the rest of the world. He said that the Japanese people had a choice between war and peace, but clearly to him, the Japanese people should choose war so that Westerners would not intrude into Japan's affairs.
Nariaki and Naosuke fought over who would succeed the Shogun Iesada, with Nariaki championing his son Yoshinobu
. Naosuke, who eventually prevailed, favored the Wakayama Domain
daimyo Tokugawa Yoshitomi
.
, a garden whose fame lasts to this day.
Nariaki retired in 1844 in favor of his son Yoshiatsu, and died of a heart attack in 1860, at age 61.
Three of the leading figures of the 1860s were in fact natural brothers, all being sons of Nariaki: Hitoshubashi Keiki, who became shogun as Tokugawa Keiki in 1866; Tokugawa Yoshiatsu of Mito; and Ikeda Yoshinori of Inaba
(Tottori
).
Published posthumously:
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
who ruled the Mito domain
Mito Domain
was a prominent feudal domain in Japan during the Edo period. Its capital was the city of Mito, and it covered much of present-day Ibaraki Prefecture. Beginning with the appointment of Tokugawa Yorifusa by his father, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, in 1608, the Mito branch of the Tokugawa clan...
(now Ibaraki prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...
) and contributed to the rise of nationalism and 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...
.
Clan leader
Nariaki was the 3rd son of Tokugawa HarutoshiTokugawa Harutoshi
was a Japanese daimyo of the Edo period, who ruled the Mito Domain....
, the seventh generation daimyo
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Mito
Mito Domain
was a prominent feudal domain in Japan during the Edo period. Its capital was the city of Mito, and it covered much of present-day Ibaraki Prefecture. Beginning with the appointment of Tokugawa Yorifusa by his father, Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, in 1608, the Mito branch of the Tokugawa clan...
. The family headship first passed to Harutoshi's eldest son Narinobu, before being passed on to Nariaki in 1829.
Nariaki was also leader of the Jōi
Sonno joi
is a Japanese political philosophy and a social movement derived from Neo-Confucianism; it became a political slogan in the 1850s and 1860s in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu, during the Bakumatsu period.-Origin:...
(expel the barbarian) party and made a Bakufu adviser on national defence.
Bakufu official
Nariaki was put in charge of Bakufu efforts to defend the country against encroaching foreigners. His own view was that the bakufu should strengthen its military and fight the foreigners, and was at odds with Ii NaosukeIi Naosuke
was daimyo of Hikone and also Tairō of Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan, a position he held from April 23, 1858 until his death on March 24, 1860. He is most famous for signing the Harris Treaty with the United States, granting access to ports for trade to American merchants and seamen and...
on the issue. He was pro-emperor and favored imperial restoration. Nariaki also greatly expanded the Mitogaku
Mitogaku
Mitogaku refers to a school of Japanese historical and Shinto studies that arose in the Mito domain, in modern-day Ibaraki prefecture.The school had its genesis in 1657 when Tokugawa Mitsukuni , second head of the Mito domain, commissioned the compilation of the Dai Nihon-shi...
school established by Tokugawa Mitsukuni
Tokugawa Mitsukuni
or was a prominent daimyo who was known for his influence in the politics of the early Edo period. He was the third son of Tokugawa Yorifusa and succeeded him, becoming the second daimyo of the Mito domain....
. He wrote a document entitled "Japan, Reject the Westerners" in 1853. in this document, he stated ten reasons why Japan should stay isolated from the rest of the world. He said that the Japanese people had a choice between war and peace, but clearly to him, the Japanese people should choose war so that Westerners would not intrude into Japan's affairs.
Nariaki and Naosuke fought over who would succeed the Shogun Iesada, with Nariaki championing his son 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...
. Naosuke, who eventually prevailed, favored the Wakayama Domain
Wakayama 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...
daimyo Tokugawa Yoshitomi
Tokugawa Iemochi
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...
.
Legacy
In 1841, Nariaki built Kairaku-enKairaku-en
is a Japanese garden located in Mito, Ibaraki, Japan. Along with Kenroku-en and Koraku-en, it is considered one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. Kairakuen was built relatively recently in the year 1841 by the local lord Tokugawa Nariaki...
, a garden whose fame lasts to this day.
Nariaki retired in 1844 in favor of his son Yoshiatsu, and died of a heart attack in 1860, at age 61.
Three of the leading figures of the 1860s were in fact natural brothers, all being sons of Nariaki: Hitoshubashi Keiki, who became shogun as Tokugawa Keiki in 1866; Tokugawa Yoshiatsu of Mito; and Ikeda Yoshinori of Inaba
Inaba Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the eastern part of Tottori Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Inaba bordered on Harima, Hōki, Mimasaka, and Tajima Provinces.-History:The ancient capital, and the castle town, were at Tottori city...
(Tottori
Tottori Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Inaba and Hōki Provinces . It was ruled by different branches of the Ikeda clan.-List of lords:*Ikeda clan, 1600-1617 #Nagayoshi#Nagayuki...
).
Works by Nariaki
- Kōdōkan ki 弘道館記 (1937). Ed. by Meiji Seitoku Kinen Gakkai 明治聖德記念學會. Tokyo: Meiji Seitoku Kinen Gakkai 明治聖德記念學會.
- Meikun ippanshō 明君一斑抄 (1910-1911). Ed. by Kurokawa Mamichi 黒川真道. Tokyo: Dōbunkan 同文館.
Further reading
- Kobayashi Kenji 小林健二 (1998). Tokugawa Nariaki to hansharo 徳川斉昭と反射炉. Tokyo: Sōei Shuppan 創栄出版.
- Lambeti, Matthew V. (1968). A political study of Tokugawa Nariaki of Mito, 1800-1860. New York: Columbia University. (microfilm)
- Ōniwa Kunihiko 大庭邦彦 (1997). Chichi yori Yoshinobu dono e: Mito Nariaki Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu ate shokanshū 父より慶喜殿へ: 水戶斉昭一橋慶喜宛書簡集. Tokyo: Shūeisha 集英社.
