1. Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan.
17 Facts About Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
1. 2.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was the younger brother of Tokugawa Ietsuna, as well as the son of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
3.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was born in Edo and after his birth moved in with his mother to her own private apartments in Edo Castle.
4.
In 1651, shogun Iemitsu died when Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was only five years old.
5.
Immediately after becoming shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi gave Hotta Masatoshi the title of Tairo, in a way thanking him for ensuring his succession.
6.
In 1682, shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi ordered his censors and police to raise the living standard of the people.
7.
In 1684, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi decreased the power of the tairo after the assassination of Masatoshi by a cousin in that same year.
8.
Nonetheless, due again to maternal advice, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi became very religious, promoting the Neo-Confucianism of Zhu Xi.
9.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi soon began to lecture even more, and in 1690 lectured about Neo-Confucian work to Shinto and Buddhist daimyos, and even to envoys from the court of Emperor Higashiyama in Kyoto.
10.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was interested in several Chinese works, namely The Great Learning and The Classic of Filial Piety.
11.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi journeyed from Nagasaki to Osaka, to Kyoto, and there to Edo.
12.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi took an interest in Western matters, and apparently asked them to talk and sing with one another for him to see how Westerners behaved.
13.
Tsunayoshi's first son Tokugawa Tokumatsu died at the age of 4 due to illness.
14.
Ienobu was the son of his other brother, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi Tsunashige, the former Lord of Kofu, which was a title Ienobu held himself before becoming shogun.
15.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi's death was just four days short of his 63rd birthday.
16.
Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was given the Buddhist name Joken'in and buried in Kan'ei-ji.
17.
The years in which Tokugawa Tsunayoshi was shogun are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengo.