Tokugawa Tsunayoshi
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Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (徳川 綱吉 Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, February 23, 1646–February 19, 1709) was the fifth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He succeeded his brother Ietsuna (both were sons of the third Tokugawa shogun, Iemitsu).
During his regime (1680–1709), he promoted the Neo-Confucianism of Chu Hsi. Late in his administration, he came to be obsessed with protection of animals, particularly dogs, since he was born in the year of the dog in the Chinese calendar. In 1687, he issued the Shōrui Awaremi no Rei (生類憐みの令), an order prohibiting the killing of animals and establishing an administrator of animal protection; later, he set up kennels for feeding and boarding as many as 100,000 dogs. This resulted in his being known as the "Dog Shogun".
Tsunayoshi appointed Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu to head the administration.
The Genroku era, a time of flowering of Japanese culture, took place during Tsunayoshi's tenure of office. Also during that time, a daimyo, Asano Naganori, attempted to kill Kira Yoshinaka in the shogun's palace. The response of the shogunate was to order Asano to commit seppuku while not punishing Kira. This violated the principle of punishing both parties to disputes, and motivated forty-seven retainers of Asano to avenge his death.
Tsunayoshi's nephew, Ienobu, became shogun following the death of Tsunayoshi. Most versions of the Chushingura will have a part for the shogun.
Tsunayoshi in Fiction
A fictional version of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi figures heavily in books by Laura Joh Rowland based in the same time period.
Various jidaigeki and Taiga drama have featured Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. The 1999 Taiga drama Genroku Ryōran cast Hagiwara Ken'ichi in the role.
| Preceded by: Tokugawa Ietsuna | Tokugawa Shogun 1680-1709 | Succeeded by: Tokugawa Ienobu Template:Japan-bio-stubde:Tokugawa Tsunayoshi fr:Tsunayoshi Tokugawa ko:도쿠가와 쓰나요시 ja:徳川綱吉 |