During the Edo period, the city of Edo functioned as a vast economic center. Its economy was sustained by a complex system of consumption, supply, trade, rental, and resource circulation, shaped by both high-status samurai and townspeople (chōnin, 町人).
Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun, chose Edo (present-day Tokyo) as Japan’s new capital, and it became one of the largest cities of its time and was the site of a thriving urban culture.
The Edo period refers to the years from 1603 until 1868 when the Tokugawa family ruled Japan. The era is named after the city of Edo, modern-day Tokyo, where the Tokugawa shogunate had its government.
A vibrant urban culture developed in the city of Edo (today’s Tokyo) as well as in Kyoto and elsewhere. Artisans and merchants became important producers and consumers of new forms of visual and material culture.
Before Tokugawa Ieyasu, Edo was a remote fishing village of little significance. But once the Tokugawa bakufu moved in, Edo became the center of political and cultural life — so much so that the duration of Tokugawa rule is also known as the Edo period (1600-1868).
The Edo period, also known as the Tokugawa period, lasted from 1603 to 1868. This era was marked by nearly 260 years of peace and stability under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, which was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after his victory at the Battle of Sekigahara.
For 260 years, Edo Castle was home to the powerful Tokugawa shoguns, making it the center of Japan's politics and much intrigue as well. Now the site houses the Imperial Family's palace and residence, as well as serene gardens and several museums that are open to the public.