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How did Tokugawa Ieyasu build his power while Toyotomi Hideyoshi ruled Japan?
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Tokugawa Ieyasu
Statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Tōshō Shrine in Nikkō, Japan.
After Toyotomi Hideyoshi rose to power, Tokugawa Ieyasu initially offered a vow of fealty to maintain his own domain. While Hideyoshi focused on consolidating control over southwestern Japan, Ieyasu systematically strengthened his position through several strategic actions:1
- Territorial Consolidation: In 1590, Ieyasu accepted a transfer to the Hōjō domain in the east, moving his headquarters to the fishing village of Edo. This location was strategically distant from Hideyoshi’s base near Kyōto.2
- Administrative Reform: Ieyasu conducted detailed land surveys to regularize taxation, placed key lands under direct administration to secure food supplies, and confiscated weapons from villagers to prevent unrest.2
- Military Strategy: He avoided Hideyoshi’s disastrous military expeditions to Korea, allowing him to preserve his resources. He also reorganized his vassal force, stationing his most powerful supporters on the perimeter of his territory to maximize security.2
- Urban Development: He invested in engineering projects to expand his castle and attract skilled artisans and businessmen, fostering the growth of Edo.2
By the time Hideyoshi died in 1598, Ieyasu had developed the most productive, well-organized, and powerful domain in Japan.2