The Tokugawa Period is also more commonly known as the Edo Period, in that Edo - modern-day Tokyo - was Tokugawa’s seat of power. It had its beginnings in 1600 when Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated his enemies, led by Ishida Mitsunari, at the battle of Sekigahara and subsequently made himself Shogun. Tokugawa introduced a number of revolutionary measures, even among the samurai, to ensure that he retained his position. Primarily he redistributed his estates among the daimyo (the nobles or feudal lords). Moreover, Tokugawa ordered them to build palaces in Edo and spend part of the year there; on their return to their estates, the daimyo had to leave their wives and children in Edo as hostages. Subsequent shoguns maintained a strict control over the nobles and it is also during this period that the role of the samurai started to change. Most were employed by their daimyo who gave them special priveleges although now they were considered more as civil servants rather than soldiers.

The Tokugawa Period is characterised by the suppression of Christianity which climaxed with the Shimabara Rebellion in 1638 when the rebels revolted against the tortuous persecutions of Matsukura Shigeharu. This culminated in the siege of Hara Castle, after which Japan isolated itself from the outside world when no one was even allowed to leave. In the 19th century, the frequent incursions by vessels from the Western World led to the decline of the Tokugawa Period. When the Shogun accepted the terms requested by American President Fillmore in 1854, this opened up relations with other countries albeit faced by serious opposition by the samurai. Many acknowledged that the Shogunate was no longer viable which subsequently led to the abdication of the last Shogun to make way for Emperor Meiji in 1868.

Samurai Dress

Traditionally, the kamishimo was the recognized dress of Japan’s samurai class. Its design has remained largely unchanged over the centuries. The kamishimo is composed of a kataginu (a cape-like garment) and a hakama (a pair of wide, pleated trousers) which were worn over an unadorned kimono. The wide shoulders of the kataginu were stiffened with paper and whalebone. The family crest, or kamon, a customary identifier on Japanese formal wear, appears here on the back of the kataginu. Certain references also show the kamon on the front of the kataginu as well as the sleeves of the kimono.

Fine kamishimo were prized for their intricately patterned textiles, which were skilfully resist-dyed with the use of hand-cut paper stencils. The designs, called komon, were typically organic or geometric and were composed of minute dots. The various komon were thought to have spiritual significance and were chosen by samurai as the symbol for some desired personal quality or physical attribute that could be drawn upon for inspiration or protection. The hairstyle of the Samurai was characterised by a shaven front half of the head. The rest of the hair was gathered and oiled, and then tied up.