Key Cities

Osaka

= The the old capital of Japan and the home of the imperial palace where the emperor lived.

This city was built around a very developed and protected harbour.
China and Ryukyu ships could dock there with ease.
Goods and products were moved to inland cities (such as Kyoto) from the waterfront which contained hundres of warehouses.
The centre of the Japanese economy was Osaka, this city was also known for its Buddhist temple which was a castle.
It`s 150 bridges that crosses the rivers of Osaka were also something that this city was known for.
Even before the Edo era Osaka was called the "kitchen of Japan" because of it`s various markets.
Good farmland surrounded the city and the daimyo sold lots of rice in Osaka which made it the rice market of Japan.
Soon the normal price of rice was set in Osaka for the whole country.

= The large commercial centre.

Before central government moved to Edo, Kyoto was the capital of Japan.
The city was chosen to be located there because it provided easy access to the sea and it had routes that leads through mountain passes.
Defense in the city was great because it was surrounded by mountains.
Summers in Kyoto were very hot and humid which made the slopes of mountains perfect for growing good tea and leaves to feed silk worms.
The city was known for its purity and its production of luxurious goods (silk, fine metal, etc).
There were almost no rules on how much you could buy or sell so merchants became very rich and there was less emphasis on social classes.
Kyoto, the centre of publishing, became known for its woodblock printing and vivid decorated maps of cities and places in Japan.

= The large government and city centre.

This site was chosen by shogun Ieyasu so he could trade with Kyoto and Osaka to buy high quality goods.
Edo, which is present-day Tokyo, was also chosen because it is very easy to defend against enemies.
The urban plan of Edo was a grid that roughly followed the contour of the land. The rough terrain affected the layout of the neighbourhoods.
Water filled the city as canals and channels were dug to help transportation around the city and also to connect to the harbour.
Edo was the centre of the military government and at times there were more than 250 daimyo with their families and servants in Edo at once.
The land behind the castle was reserved for higher classes in society and the areas close to the sea were for working classes.
To meet the shoguns needs and the needs of themselves, artisans and merchants would come from all over Japan.
Over 1 000 000 people were in the city by the 18th century therefore making it one of the largest cities in the world.
The Bakufu passed new laws that would increase trade and merchants were highly encouraged to make big businesses.
For an increasing population the Bakufu had to learn how meet their needs and provide things they needed like fire prevention, police protection and utilities that help the growing citizens of Edo.