HIST 80a Chapter Notes - Chapter 17: Genroku, Commercial Revolution, Izumo No Okuni
8 Dec 2016
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Edo japan (1603 1800) pages 288 304. The tokugawa regime expected everyone to stay put, working at the same occupation as his ancestors for generation after generation. To regulate foreign trade, the shogunate limited where it could take place. Vassal daimyo (fudai) were hereditary retainers who advised the shogun, while outside lords (tozama) were rivals of ieyasu. Rising agricultural yields led to a boom in cottage industries and a commercial revolution. Labor stayed in the countryside while capital came from cities. Japan"s urban population swelled, and entertainers supplied the population with goods and services, from food to prostitutes. Two pleasure zones are associated with the genroku era: the brothel district and the theaters, often located near each other on the margins of respectable society. These constituted the floating world (ukiyo) celebrated in woodblock prints of prostitutes, actors, and pornography. Faced with underemployment, some samurai turned to intellectual pursuits, debating.
