Meiji Restoration

Definition

The Meiji Restoration was a political revolution in Japan that ended the Tokugawa shogunate and restored practical imperial rule to Japan under Emperor Meiji in 1868.

Analogy

Think of the Meiji Restoration as a software update on your phone. Just like how an update brings new features and improvements, the Meiji Restoration brought about significant changes in Japan's political, social, and economic systems, modernizing it to compete with Western powers.

Related terms

Edo Period: This is the period between 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Samurai: These were military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan. During the Edo period, they were at the top of social hierarchy.

Industrialization: This refers to a phase of social and economic transformation that alters a group or society from an agrarian society into an industrial one. It happened during Meiji restoration where Japan underwent rapid industrialization.