Edo period

The Edo period (江戸時代, Edo jidai) or Tokugawa period (徳川時代, Tokugawa jidai) is the period between 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional daimyo. The period was characterized by economic growth, strict social order, isolationist foreign policies, a stable population, popular enjoyment of arts and culture, recycling of materials, and sustainable forest management. It was a sustainable and self-sufficient society which was based on the principles of complete utilization of finite resources. The shogunate was officially established in Edo on March 24, 1603, by Tokugawa Ieyasu. The period came to an end with the Meiji Restoration on May 3, 1868, after the fall of Edo.

Consolidation of the shogunate

A revolution took place in the centuries from the time of the Kamakura shogunate, which existed with the Tenno's court, to the Tokugawa, when the bushi became the unchallenged rulers in what historian Edwin O. Reischauer called a "centralized feudal" form of government. Instrumental in the rise of the new bakufu was Tokugawa Ieyasu, the main beneficiary of the achievements of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Already powerful, Ieyasu profited by his transfer to the rich Kantō area. He maintained two million koku of land, a new headquarters at Edo, a strategically situated castle town (the future Tokyo), and also had an additional two million koku of land and thirty-eight vassals under his control. After Hideyoshi's death, Ieyasu moved quickly to seize control from the Toyotomi family.

Edo

Edo (江戸, literally "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. It was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868. During this period, it grew to become one of the largest cities in the world and home to an urban culture centered on the notion of a "floating world".

History

From the establishment of the Tokugawa bakufu headquarters at Edo, the town became the de facto capital and center of political power, although Kyoto remained the formal capital of the country. Edo grew from what had been a small, little-known fishing village in 1457 into the largest metropolis in the world with an estimated population of 1,000,000 by 1721.

Edo was repeatedly devastated by fires, with the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657 being the most disastrous. An estimated 100,000 people died in the fire. During the Edo period, there were about 100 fires mostly begun by accident and often quickly escalating and spreading through neighborhoods of wooden machiya which were heated with charcoal fires. Between 1600 and 1945, Edo/Tokyo was leveled every 25–50 years or so by fire, earthquakes, or war.

Edo people

Benin Edo or Bini is the name for the place, people and language of an ethnic group in Nigeria. Similar languages are spoken from the following ethnic groups that include the Esan, the Afemai, the Owan among others. The Edo are also referred to as "Bini" or as the "Benin ethnic group", though currently the people themselves prefer to be simply called "Edo". The Edo are the descendants of the people who founded the former Benin Empire, which was located in South/Mid-Western Nigeria, encompassing what is now the Edo State of Nigeria, as well as surrounding areas.

The name "Benin" is a Portuguese corruption, ultimately from the Itsekhiri's "Ubinu", which came into use during the reign of Oba Ewuare the Great, c. 1440. The Itsekhiri's "Ubinu" was used to describe the royal administrative centre or city or capital proper of the kingdom, Edo. 'Ubinu' was later corrupted to 'Bini' by the mixed ethnicities living together at the centre; and further corrupted to "Benin" around 1485 when the Portuguese began trade relations with Oba Ewuare. See Oba of Benin

Edo (state)

Edo is an inland state in western Nigeria. Its capital is Benin City. It is bounded in the north and east by Kogi State, in the south by Delta State and in the west by Ondo State.

History

The land now known as Edo state, with Benin City as it capital, has a long history of civilisation. Historians and researchers trace its existence to as far back as prehistoric times. As a well-organized unified community. Under a very formidable monarchial authority called Ogiso. With a verbal government machinery representing legislative, executive and judiciary, with some form of checks and balances more or democratic in form. With the people called Igodomigodo {Benins} {Edo} as it inhabitants.

As prince E. Eweka put it, "No one is really certain about the origin of the Edo people whose origin appears to have been lost in myths and legends of the distant past" What is very certain is that Edo Civilization is well over 6000 years according to scientific evidence and before the first ancient inhabitant of Edo land was unified under a monarchial authority of ogiso. The Igodomigodos {Edos} {Binis} govern themselves through the ancient system of seIf governance called Owere {community elders}. The oldest male person in the community who is also the senior among Owere is automatically installed as Odionwere {senior among the community elders}. Odionwere and Owere manage the day-to-day affair of their various communities. This system is still practice in Edo-land to this day.