The surname of the shogunal family of the Edo shogunate, which lasted for approximately 260 years.
Originally a local lord in Matsudaira Village, Kamo District, Mikawa Province, who used the Matsudaira surname, but changed it to Tokugawa during Ieyasu’s time.
The Edo Shogunate began in 1603 (Keichō 8) when Tokugawa Ieyasu established it, and ended in 1867 (Keio 3) when the 15th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, carried out the Restoration of Imperial Rule, lasting approximately 265 years.
The Edo Shogunate began in 1603 (Keichō 8) when Tokugawa Ieyasu established it, and ended in 1867 (Keio 3) when the 15th shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, carried out the Restoration of Imperial Rule, lasting approximately 265 years.
The Edo period lasted approximately 260 years primarily due to the stable politics, peaceful society, and economic development achieved by the Tokugawa shogunate. In particular, the foundation was laid by Tokugawa Ieyasu’s establishment of the Edo shogunate and the subsequent rule by the shoguns. Systems like the bakufu-han system and the sakoku policy contributed to domestic stability.
For more on the Edo period under the Tokugawa shogunate, see here.
One of the surnames
While the above is considered the main lineage, different branches of the Tokugawa clan can be found in various regions. The origin of the name is said to derive from the place name Tokugawa in Nitta District, Kōzuke Province.
There is also a surname written with the same characters but read as “Tokusen”.
Explanation of this calligraphy
The top row shows the hiragana spelling, the middle row the kanji spelling, and the bottom row the katakana spelling of “Tokugawa”.
