98475 (community total) + 34 (my reviews) = 98509
11 Likes
98509 (community total) + 68 (my reviews, 3 days) = 98577
About 270 years in: ~1833
In 1830 the てんぽうEra began and could be described as the beginning of the end for the Tokugawa Shogunate. A number of natural disasters, especially the Great Tenpō Famine, contributed to significant hardships being faced by the Japanese people. The famine lasted from around 1833 to 1837 due to a long running series of poor weather conditions, extreme cold, and floods. Aside from that, there were more recent earthquakes in major cities, and another large fire in Edo. Disease was also spreading, the impact of which was made much worse due to the famine. Smallpox, measles, and Influenza alone killed thousands more over the last few years of the famine. The government itself, however, was just making things worse with their overall handling of significant issues. The lack of food and employment made the fragile economy collapse further, which later led to the Tenpō Reforms. This was a range of economic policies meant to reduce spending, increase growth, and generally bolster the economy, but it wasn’t very successful. Other changes that just further angered the people were increasing tax rates, and the banning of most forms of public entertainment. To make things worse for the Bakufu, many of their actions just exposed the corruption and greed they had been living by.
Tokugawa Ienari finally retired in 1837, handing over to his son Tokugawa Ieyoshi, who became the 12th Shogun. Ienari was still largely in control however, and it was until he died in 1841 that Ieyoshi could take full control and make significant changes to the government. This same time was also marked by a number of rebellions against the government and citizen living conditions, one of the largest of which was led by Oshio Heihachiro in Osaka. Oshio had been a police officer for 14 years but was now running a Confucian school after having a ‘spiritual awakening’ but was employed by the government. During the famine and economic collapse, he had asked the government for support, as well as wealthy local merchants, and despite being of a high status, he received nothing. He was angry that there was no way regular citizens could find any kind of support from the government in this situation, and so started to rally up support to fight the governments corruption. With over 300 followers they set fire to thousands of buildings and stole up to 40,000 koku of rice, which they planned to redistribute among the people, but much of it ended up getting destroyed. Once Bakufu troops finally got things under control, most of the rebels had been killed, while a few were captured and interrogated (and then died). Oshio himself fled with his son, but were soon found, upon which he killed himself and his son. This inspired other rebellions in other cities to try to bring down local government officials and highlight the horrible conditions the people were living with, all of which strengthened the hate towards the Shogunate, and made them look weak at the same time.
14 Likes
98577 (community total) + 70 (my reviews) = 98647
10 Likes
98647 (community total) + 83 (my reviews) = 98730
10 Likes
98730 (community total) + 10 (my reviews) = 98740
10 Likes
98740 (community total) + 56 (my reviews) = 98796
9 Likes
98 796 (community total) + 233 (My reviews since Monday) = 99 029
11 Likes
99029 (community total) + 4 (my reviews) = 99033
heh, I like that number
12 Likes
99033 (community total) + 42 (my reviews) = 99075
10 Likes
99075 (community total) + 26 (my reviews) = 99101
10 Likes
99101 (community total) + 16 (my reviews) = 99117
10 Likes
99117 (community total) + 25 (my reviews) = 99142
10 Likes
99142 (community total) + 27 (my reviews) = 99169
10 Likes
99169 (community total) + 132 (my reviews) = 99301
13 Likes
99301 (community total) + 22 (my reviews) = 99323
九万九千三百二十三
10 Likes
99323 (community total) + 22 (my reviews) = 99345
10 Likes
99345 (community total) + 32 (my reviews) = 99377
12 Likes
99377 (community total) + 120 (my reviews) = 99497
Actually had to use a calculator for that whoops haha
In my defence, it is getting late ok!!
12 Likes
99497 (community total) + 48 (my reviews) = 99545
12 Likes
99545 (community total) + 77 (my reviews) = 99622
12 Likes