Meiji period

The Meiji period (明治時代, Meiji-jidai), also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 8, 1868 through July 30, 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan during which Japanese society moved from being an isolated feudal society to its modern form. Fundamental changes affected its social structure, internal politics, economy, military, and foreign relations. The period corresponded with the reign of Emperor Meiji after 1868, and lasted until his death in 1912. It was succeeded by the Taisho period upon the accession of Emperor Taisho to the throne.

Meiji Restoration

On February 3, 1867, the 14-year-old Prince Mutsuhito succeeded his father, Emperor Kōmei, to the Chrysanthemum Throne as the 122nd emperor.

Imperial restoration occurred the next year on January 3, 1868 with the formation of the new government. The fall of Edo in the summer of 1868 marked the end of the Tokugawa shogunate and a new era, Meiji ("enlightened rule"), was proclaimed.