Stranger in the Shogun's City

1. Tsuneno's journey from rural Echigo to Edo reflects Japan's pre-modern societal shifts

"If I stayed at home," Tsuneno wrote later, "they were talking about sending me to another terrible place to marry a widower. I was terrified to disobey, but I didn't want to marry a widower. I was being forced into something that I just refused to do."

Tsuneno's defiance of societal expectations exemplifies the tension between tradition and individual desire in late Tokugawa Japan. Born in 1804 to a Buddhist priest's family in rural Echigo Province, Tsuneno experienced three failed marriages by age 34. Refusing to accept another arranged marriage, she made the bold decision to run away to Edo (modern-day Tokyo) in 1839.

Her journey reflects broader societal shifts:

• Increasing urbanization and migration from rural to urban areas
• Growing tension between individual aspirations and familial obligations
• Changing attitudes towards marriage and divorce
• The allure of city life and its opportunities for personal reinvention

Tsuneno's story, pieced together from family letters and documents, offers a rare glimpse into the lives of ordinary women during this pivotal period in Japanese history. Her experiences highlight the complexities of social change and the ways individuals navigated the constraints of their time.

2. Women's lives in 19th century Japan were constrained yet full of untold stories

"To be a woman is to grow up and leave for another household."

Societal expectations for women in 19th century Japan were rigid and limiting. From a young age, girls were taught that their primary role was to marry and serve their husband's family. Education for girls focused on practical skills like sewing, household management, and etiquette, rather than academic subjects.

However, Tsuneno's story reveals that women's lives were far more complex and varied than these expectations suggest:

• Women often experienced multiple marriages and divorces
• Some, like Tsuneno, defied family expectations to pursue their own desires
• Women worked in various capacities, from maidservants to shopkeepers
• They played crucial roles in maintaining family and community networks

Through Tsuneno's letters and experiences, we gain insight into the inner lives, struggles, and aspirations of women who are often overlooked in historical narratives. Her story demonstrates that even within the constraints of their society, women found ways to assert agency and shape their own destinies.

3. Edo's vibrant urban culture contrasted sharply with rural life

"People in the countryside have no idea what Edo is like, what the mansions are like."

Edo's dynamism captivated newcomers like Tsuneno. As Japan's de facto capital and largest city, Edo offered a stark contrast to rural life:

• Population: Over 1 million inhabitants
• Entertainment: Kabuki theaters, geisha districts, seasonal festivals
• Commerce: Bustling markets, specialized shops, diverse food options
• Social diversity: Samurai, merchants, artisans, and laborers coexisting

The city's layout reflected its social hierarchy:

• Center: Edo Castle, home to the shogun
• Surrounding areas: Samurai districts
• Outer regions: Commoner neighborhoods, markets, and entertainment districts

For rural migrants like Tsuneno, Edo represented opportunity and excitement. However, it also posed challenges:

• Navigating complex social networks
• Finding employment and housing
• Adjusting to urban customs and etiquette

Tsuneno's experiences in Edo highlight both the allure and the difficulties of urban life for newcomers, offering a vivid portrait of the city's social and cultural landscape.

4. The Tenpō Reforms disrupted Edo's economy and social fabric

"A heavy punishment for trifling people. All cotton—down to their linings—and not a hint of silk."

Economic turmoil characterized the Tenpō era (1830-1844), culminating in the Tenpō Reforms of 1841-1843. These reforms, implemented by senior councilor Mizuno Tadakuni, aimed to address economic problems and reinforce traditional social values. However, they had far-reaching and often unintended consequences:

Key aspects of the reforms:

• Sumptuary laws restricting luxury goods and entertainment
• Relocation of the theater district
• Dissolution of merchant guilds and wholesaler associations
• Attempts to expel recent migrants from the city

The reforms disrupted Edo's economy and social life:

• Many businesses struggled or closed
• Unemployment rose, particularly among artisans and entertainers
• The vibrant culture of the city was suppressed

Tsuneno's life was directly impacted by these changes, as she struggled to find stable employment and navigate the shifting economic landscape. The reforms ultimately failed to achieve their goals and were largely abandoned by 1845, but their effects lingered in the city's collective memory.

5. Samurai faced financial struggles despite their high social status

"Even if we economize by patching and mending our old clothes, we still have to pay for our five servants. We live on a fixed salary of rice bales, so when we finish paying for all the expenses of our daily life, even if we don't eat anything at all there are only 100 or 200 small silver coins left over."

Chronic indebtedness plagued many samurai households in Edo. Despite their elevated social status, many samurai struggled financially due to several factors:

• Fixed stipends that didn't keep pace with inflation
• Obligations to maintain a certain lifestyle and number of retainers
• Limited opportunities for supplementary income

The financial pressures on samurai led to various coping strategies:

• Pawning possessions
• Taking on debt from merchants
• Engaging in side businesses (often covertly)
• Marrying into wealthy merchant families

Tsuneno's experiences working in samurai households provide insight into the daily realities of these struggles. Her observations reveal the gap between the idealized image of the samurai and the often-precarious economic situation many faced. This financial strain contributed to growing dissatisfaction among the samurai class, which would play a role in the eventual downfall of the Tokugawa shogunate.

6. Commodore Perry's arrival in 1853 marked a turning point for Japan

"If that double-bolted land, Japan, is ever to become hospitable, it is to the whale-ship alone to whom the credit will be due."

International pressure culminated in Commodore Matthew Perry's arrival in Edo Bay on July 8, 1853. This event marked a pivotal moment in Japanese history, forcing the country to confront its policy of isolation and sparking a chain of events that would lead to dramatic changes:

Key aspects of Perry's mission:

• Demand for Japan to open ports for trade and resupply
• Display of advanced military technology (steam-powered ships, cannons)
• Delivery of a letter from the U.S. President to the Japanese Emperor

Immediate impacts:

• Shock and fear among Japanese officials and populace
• Debate within the shogunate about how to respond
• Increased awareness of Japan's technological and military vulnerabilities

Long-term consequences:

• Signing of trade treaties with Western powers
• Weakening of the Tokugawa shogunate's authority
• Acceleration of internal reforms and modernization efforts

While Tsuneno died shortly before Perry's arrival, her life story provides context for understanding the societal changes that were already underway in Japan, setting the stage for the dramatic transformations that would follow in the coming decades.

7. Tsuneno's story illuminates the complexities of individual agency in historical change

"Nothing has gone the way I've planned. I never intended to struggle so much."

Personal choices intersect with larger historical forces in Tsuneno's story, revealing the complexities of individual agency in times of social change. Her life demonstrates how ordinary people both shaped and were shaped by the transformations occurring in late Tokugawa Japan:

Tsuneno's acts of agency:

• Refusing arranged marriages
• Running away to Edo
• Seeking employment and navigating urban life
• Maintaining connections with her family through letters

Constraints and challenges:

• Limited options for women in a patriarchal society
• Economic hardships and unstable employment
• Social expectations and family obligations

Tsuneno's experiences highlight how individuals can make choices that push against societal norms, even as they remain constrained by larger structures and expectations. Her story offers a nuanced view of historical change, showing how it unfolds not just through the actions of powerful figures, but through the cumulative choices and struggles of ordinary people.

By examining Tsuneno's life in detail, we gain insight into:

• The lived experience of social and economic transformations
• The gaps between official policies and everyday realities
• The ways in which individuals internalize, resist, or negotiate societal expectations

Ultimately, Tsuneno's story reminds us that history is made up of countless individual lives, each grappling with personal desires, social pressures, and the uncertainties of a changing world.

Last updated: January 25, 2025