19 Facts About Tokugawa Iesato

Prince Tokugawa Iesato was the first head of the Tokugawa clan after the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate, and a significant figure in Japanese politics and diplomacy during the Meiji, Taisho and early Showa period Japan.

When Prince Tokugawa travelled to other nations representing Japan during his diplomatic journeys, he usually presented his name as Prince Iyesato Tokugawa.

Prince Tokugawa Iesato held the influential position of president of Japan's upper house of congress the Diet for 30 years.

Tokugawa Iesato was born to the Tayasu branch of the Tokugawa clan, under the name Kamenosuke, he became its 16th head on June 19,1868, following the resignation of the last shogun, Tokugawa Yoshinobu.

Tokugawa Iesato's brothers were Tokugawa Satotaka and Tokugawa Takachiyo, who held the Tayasu headship at different times.

Tokugawa Iesato was briefly the daimyo of the short-lived Shizuoka Domain, before the abolition of the han system in the early 1870s.

Tokugawa Iesato married the daughter of Konoe Tadafusa, Konoe Hiroko, who bore him Iemasa Tokugawa, the seventeenth Tokugawa family head, Yasuko Tokugawa, who married Nobusuke Takatsukasa and bore him Toshimichi Takatsukasa, Ryoko Tokugawa, and Toshiko Tokugawa.

In 1877, Tokugawa Iesato was sent to Eton College in Great Britain to study.

Tokugawa Iesato returned to Japan in 1882, and was given the title of koshaku under the kazoku peerage system.

Tokugawa Iesato became a member of the House of Peers of the Diet of Japan from its creation in 1890, and served as President of the House of Peers from 1903 to 1933.

Iesato is remembered for having recovered the political fortunes and reputation of the Tokugawa family, holding many senior government positions before his retirement, including In 1928, being appointed as the 7th President of the Japanese Red Cross Society, head of the Japan-America Society, and President of the national organizing committee for the 1940 Olympics.

Tokugawa Iesato's grave is at the Tokugawa family cemetery at the temple of Kan'ei-ji in Ueno, Tokyo.

Tokugawa Iesato was succeeded by his son Tokugawa Iemasa.

In 1932, Prince Tokugawa Iesato honored Grew with a reception when he first became US Ambassador to Japan.

From late 1933 and into 1934, Prince Iyesato Tokugawa Iesato went on a world tour.

Tokugawa Iesato first arrived in the US in San Francisco, California.

Tokugawa Iesato had only recently retired from his distinguished thirty-year career as President of the Japan's upper house of congress, the House of Peers.

Tokugawa Iesato arrived aboard the Chichibu Maru ocean liner en route to England.

Prince Tokugawa Iesato first visited America in 1882, after completing his studies in England.