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daimyo

(Encyclopedia)daimyo dīˈmyô [key] [Jap.,=great name], the great feudal landholders of Japan, the territorial barons as distinguished from the kuge, or court nobles. Great tax-free estates were built up from the ...

Hakodate

(Encyclopedia)Hakodate häkōˈdäˈtā [key], city, extreme SW Hokkaido, Japan, on the Tsugaru Strait. Opened ...

Tokyo

(Encyclopedia)Tokyo tōˈkēō [key], city (1990 pop. 8,163,573), capital of Japan and of Tokyo prefecture, E central Honshu, at the head of Tokyo Bay. The Tokyo-Yokohama metropolitan area is the world's most popul...

Nagoya

(Encyclopedia)Nagoya näˌgōˈyä [key], city (1990 pop. 2,154,793), capital of Aichi prefecture, central Honshu, Japan, on Ise Bay. A major port, transportation hub, and industrial center, it has iron- and steelw...

Oyama, Iwao

(Encyclopedia)Oyama, Iwao ēwäˈō ōˈyämä [key], 1842–1916, Japanese field marshal. A native of Satsuma and a follower of Okubo Toshimichi, he worked to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate and restore the emper...

Meiji

(Encyclopedia)Meiji māˈjē [key], 1852–1912, reign name of the emperor of Japan from 1867 to 1912; his given name was Mutsuhito. He ascended the throne when he was 15. A year later the shogun fell, and the powe...

Chikamatsu, Monzaemon

(Encyclopedia)Chikamatsu, Monzaemon mônˈzäĕmŏnˈ chēˌkämäˈtso͞o [key], 1653–1725, the first professional Japanese dramatist. Chikamatsu wrote primarily for the puppet stage in the Tokugawa shogunate. H...

Saigo, Takamori

(Encyclopedia)Saigo, Takamori täkäˈmōrē sīˈgō [key], 1828–77, Japanese soldier and statesman noted for his obstinate conservatism. He was an early opponent of the Tokugawa shogunate. He was exiled (1859...

Utamaro

(Encyclopedia)Utamaro (Kitagawa Utamaro) kētäˈgäwä o͞otäˈmäro [key], 1753–1806, Japanese color-print artist, best known for his portrayals of women. Although he enjoyed enormous success during his lifeti...

bushido

(Encyclopedia)bushido bo͝oshˈĭdō, bo͞oˈshĭdō [key] [Jap.,=way of the warrior], code of honor and conduct of the Japanese nobility. Of ancient origin, it grew out of the old feudal bond that required unwaver...

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