Tokugawa Period The Tokugawa Period, also referred to as the Edo Period, took place from 1603 to 1868 in Japan. It was an era of artistic growth, intellectual development, strict foreign policies, and set social order. Under the shogunate leader, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Japan became isolated from all outside influence. The main religion was Confucianism, as Christianity/ Catholicism was banned. Tokugawa Ieyasu also shifted the capital to Edo, which is modern day Tokyo. Education became available to many people, allowing for new discoveries in the fields of science, language, medicine, and geography. Haiku poems became very popular in literature. During the Edo Period arts flourished greatly. The majority of the art produced originated from the lower two classes of the social …show more content…
The Tokugawa Shogunate introduced these sections into the cities of Edo, Kyōto, and Ōsaka. The purpose was to separate the rich townsmen from participating in the culture and nightlife. Geishas were professional women who entertained people with their skill in music, poetry, and storytelling. Theatre also blossomed in the Edo Period. Both of the theatre forms kabuki and bunraku were extremely popular. Kabuki is very visual. It involves extravagant and dramatic costumes along with face/ body paint, an emphasis on dance, and exaggerated body gestures. Multiple instruments such as drums, flutes, and the shamisen help to set the mood for the play. Bunraku differs greatly. By using puppets as actors, bunraku is narrated by a single person with a shamisen accompaniment. Three people control the puppet, the most experienced puppeteer guiding the head and right arm, the second controlling the left arm, and the least experienced is in charge of the feet. Both kabuki and bunraku storylines usually follow similar themes, such as heroic legends, tragic love stories, and tales with historical origins. Art during the Tokugawa period allowed entertainment and expression for many people of many