J340 Harakiri/Seppuku
Do you recall back in Ugetsu how events surrounding the narrative were propelled by the actions of powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582), the first of the Three Great Unifiers of Medieval/Feudal Japan.
There had been a reference in Ugetsu to "Shibata’s spies”; Shibata Katsuie, 1530-1583, was a real historical figure, a samurai trusted General of Oda’s. Also, Genjurô mentions the arrival of Hashiba’s forces, who was another real historical figure, Hashiba Hidekatsu, 1568-1586, Oda’s 4th son, and that his apperance has brought an economic boom to the market town of Nagahama. Finally, it was Oda who was responsible for the down fall of Lady Wakasa's father and this destroyed their clan.
The other two were Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1615) who won the day and established the Shogunal Rule by the Tokugawa House for 267 years from 1600 to 1868 which is known also as the Edo Period after the capitol city.
The key to the Tokugawa system was a network of Vassal Controls. After winning the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, all of the other Daimyo (c.250) became Vassals of the Tokugawa. All the Vassals were classified according to their Size, Rank and degree of proximity/Loyalty to the Tokugawa. The Tokugawa themselves were by far the largest Land Holder among all the other Daimyo. He was, in effect "Super Daimyo." His landholdings were measured at
--4.1 million koku pf Rice (including 5,000 Bannermen or Hatamoto = or "Upper Vassals," aka Direct Retainers of Shogun) so, the Tokugawa are roughly 4 times the size of any other single Daimyo. But to this we must add:
--His Liege Vassals or Gokenin (aka housemen), numbering 22,000 and account for 2.6 million koku (smaller stipends than hatamoto)
--so, in effect, we really have 6.7 million koku on which theTokugawa can draw
--With these two taken together, the Tokugawa control approximately 25% of all Japan's land-based wealth.
Under Tokugawa Rule, society was tightly controlled and all the military Houses were regulated by a set of Military House Codes.
Daimyo were classified into 3 types:
1. The Shimpan or Related Daimyo, only about 21 "Cadet Houses," most created AFTER Sekigahara being enfoeffed with defeated enemies territory that was redistributed by the victors. These houses were related by blood to the Tokugawa Household. Their Land Holding were quite large but poitically they were kept at a distance because they potentially could take over the main line of the Tokugawa House. So they were looked at as possible rivals.
2. The Tozama or Outside Lords, numbering around 108, who were Ieyasu's enemies or rivals before the decisive Battle of Sekigahara. These were the least trusted Daimyo and were kept at arm's length from the Corridors of Power.
3. The Fudai Daimyo, 150 in number, who were the most Loyal Retainers of the Tokugawa House, were known as "Treasures Among Men." Many, like the Ii clan (which is central to the Harakiri narrative), dated back to the days when Ieyasu was a mere 17 or 18 year old; they rode with him and fought with him. So their loyalty was deep and tested. Plus, their Fiefs (han) were not huge making htem more dependent on the Tokugawa and for whatever offices or appointments they could get to enhance their stipends.
The Ii clan (井伊氏 Ii-shi), then, is an historically verifiable Japanese clan with origins in Tōtōmi Province. The first character of their name 井 means well, and see see a shot of the main character with his back to a sliding door emblazoned with this character which stands for the House of Ii.
Originally, they were retainers of the Imagawa family--who had held the young Tokugawa Ieyasu as a hostage while he was a boy--and then switched sides to the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa Province which was Tokugawa Ieyasu's native clan before they adopted the Tokugawa surname.
A famed 16th-century clan member, Ii Naomasa, served as one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's top generals, and received the fief of Hikone in Ōmi Province as a reward for his conduct in battle at Sekigahara.
The Ii and a few sub-branches remained daimyo for the duration of the Edo period. Ii Naosuke, the famed politician of the late Edo period, was another member of this clan. The Ii remained politically important throughout the Edo Period, being named lords of Hikone han in 1601, and retaining control of that domain throughout the period. Members of the clan also held prominent positions in the shogunate government, culminating with Ii Naosuke and his Ansei Purge and assassination in 1860 in front of the Sakuradamon gate of Edo castle.
Why was he assassinated? In no small measure because he acted in a very high-handed manner. He claimed a long vacated title, Tairô or "Great Elder," bossed people around, forced through the Commercial Treaty with the US and put several Daimyo under House Arrest becuase they were vocal in their opposition.
So viewers of this film may have had an impression going in to the film that this clan, closely related to the Tokugawa Rulers, were perceived as prideful, haughty, full of themselves, overbearing at times, and capable of abusing their considerable power.
Director Kobayashi built on this and wanted to expose as much as he could that was wrong with the Tokugawa system of rule and the legacy it created for modern Japan. He attacks the system head on, as you will see. To a certain extent, these abuses of power were seen to carry over from feudal times and employed by the militarists and devotees of the emperor system in the 1930s, so the film can work as a critique of prewar ideology as well.
Note: Because of the Alternate Attendance System, one of the Vassal Control Measures, each Han or Clan was required to appoint one House Elder to be in charge of the Edo Residence of the Daimyo, and one for the castle back home.
In the film, the House Elder of the Ii Clan is called a Karô or 家老 and when Hanshirô addresses him he calls him "Go-Karô" or "Honorable Elder" though his voice drips with irony and sarcasm!!
The film opens in the year 1630. Let's recap what has happened in the years prior.
1600 Battle of Sekigahara
1603 Tokugawa Ieyasu named Shogun by the Emperor
1605 Ieyasu "retires" from this office, ensuring that his son, Tokugawa Hidetada, will succeed him. Part of the Tokugawa control system involved regulating the upkeep and maintenance of his former enemies castles: they were allowed to do upkeep but NOT to expand their fortifications. But who decided where to draw the line?
Because all Daimyo were now vassals of the Shogun, the Tokugawa had to power to effect Transfers and Confiscation/Reduction of lands from Daimyo--some 213 incidents of Daimyo being stripped of all or part of their land, and some 281 transfers ordered in first 50 years of Baku-han system. We witness one of these incidents in the film.
1615, before Ieyase died, he wanted to exterminate the Heir of his former mentor and rival Toyotomi Hideyoshi whose family occupied the Osaka Castle. Just a boy when Hideyoshi died, he formed a Council of Regents supposedly to protect his power and holdings until his son came of age. Of course, Tokugawa Ieyasu was a leading member on this Council but unity was fragile and there was an East v. West rupture setting the stage for the Battle of Sekigahara.
There was a siege, the so-called "Winter" and "Summer Campaigns" of 1614-15 in which Hanshirô Tsugumo, the main character in Harakiri, participated. The campaign ended in the castle being taken and Hideyori, Hideyoshi's son, committed suicide. His son (8 yrs old), in turn, was beheaded by the victorious army. The point made often by Hanshirô in this film is that most of the younger samurai in his day had never actually fought in a battle. He had. Oh yeah!
In order to control the samurai, and institute a country-wide peace, the Shogunate issued a lot of Regulations. We can hear from time to time samurai who did not fare well under the "Great Peace," disdain it. The point we see made ain this film is that too often these rules were arbitrary, overly harsh, and inhumane.
Moreover, when men accustomed to fighting no longer have battles to fight, the transition to peace is not always simple or easy.
Some of the main vassal controls inaugurated by the Tokugawa include:
1. Requiring all Daimyo to pledge an Oath of Loyalty and to accept the laws and regulations issued by the Tokogawa Shogunate.
2. Asserting control over Foreign Relations and placing City Magistrates to govern the cities of Edo, Osaka, Kyoto and Nagasaki.
3. Transfers and confiscation of lands from daimyo--some 213 incidents of Daimyo being stripped of all or part of their land, and some 281 transfers ordered in first 50 years of Baku-han system.
4. Demanding and receiving financial, material and labor contributions for "public" works projects which were usually improving Tokugawa lands, roads and castles. Heaviest burden fell on Tozama Lords.
5. Maintaining a network of inspectors (metsuke) and spies.
6. Issuing laws and decress regulating the behavior of Daimyo, Courtiers, Merchants, Peasants, etc.
7. The Sankin-kotai or "Alternate Attendance" System. 1 (half) Year in Edo, the other in their Home Domain. Two households, double expsnses, split administration. Costly and often weakens the Daimyo.
8. Encouraging Neo-Confucian education for all the samurai so they could become literate, loyal, and urbane administrators. But were there problems with this?
Instructions