Introduction

In modern summaries, the Meiji restoration is often described as a relatively fast and "bloodless revolution" leading to the sudden modernization of Japan.  However, the actual facts clearly show that the process was both lengthy (a full 7 years), and particularly at the end, quite violent.   Because of Japanese TV drama, most Japanese are familiar with the history of Perry and the opening of Japan to trade with Britain, France and the USA.  That said, most all would be surprised to learn of the critical and pivotal roles played by Britain and France, a the two British lead wars against the Choshu and then the Satsuma, the military confrontation / intimidation with the emperor by 9 western warship that lead to the 1865 capitulation of the emperor who open up Kansai to free trade in the face of superior military force, a details of the internal war the lead to the "coup", and the magnitude of the civil war that brought everything to a closure. 

My simplistic summary is that by 1860, the Tokugawa Shogun had allowed the country to become a "occupied" nation.  There was widespread discontent that lead to a internal struggle for control, then an successful but dramatic war against the "western occupiers", then a relatively boring internal civil conflict that leading to a dramatic and successful "coup de ta", followed by a dramatic and very "thematic" Civil War.

Hence, the name for the period "the Meiji Restoration", a name which from most people means nothing, really fails to capture the essence of the period.  Furthermore, historical accounts of the period gloss over most of the transition, omit most all uses of force by the westerner warships, and focus on only relatively short end game know as the Boshin War.  The conflict.

• Sort of started with the June 1862 military occupation Kyoto and control of the emperor by Satsuma & Chōshū forces,

• gained momentum in March of 1863 when the Emperor in essence repudiated of the Tokugawa Shogun treaties with the west and ordered that all westerner be expelled.   

• heated up in May 1863, the open defiance of the Shogun policies by the Satsuma & Chōshū clans and their attacks on western merchant and warships.  

• really heated up with armed retaliation by "Western Force" against these "rebel" factions, presumably with the permission from the  Shogun.

  1. British "war" against the Satsuma (Kagoshima area)

  2. British "war" against the Chōshū (Shimonoseki Strait area)

• then a major but bloodless confrontation in 1865, by 9 British, French and Dutch Warship, with imperial forces that lead to "fast track" ratification of a treaty opening up Kansai to foreign trade.

• continued with a boring military campaign by the Tokugawa against the Chōshū,

• all leading to a successful January 1868 "coup d'état" by the Satsuma and Chōshū. 

• finally ended with the 18 month "Boshin War" (1868-1889) where the former Tokugawa force tried to retain power and the Northern Island declared independence and tried to succeed. May 1869 it was over. 

1862

June 1862,  Chōshū and Satsuma stationed troops in Kyōto in an attempt to influence the Emperor into supporting their positions.  It is important to note that in Japan, the emperor has a history of being either "kidnapped" or "sequestered" as a means of influencing policy.   In this case it was more of a "hijacking" but in any case, gaining control of the capital, has historical, not been easy.  In this case, there were initially powerful groups involved but political positions and motivations were different.

• Chōshū-han, (modern day Yamaguchi prefecture) was those who supported the complete overthrow of the bakufu and restoration of power to the emperor

• Satsuma-han, (modern day Kagoshima) under the control of Shimazu Hisamitsu supported the policy of uniting the imperial court and the bakufu.  The Satsuma (from South Western Japan where the Dutch trading port Nagasaki and the birthplace of Japan's firearm industry) were extremely powerful and militarily capable as they had had extensive ties with the Dutch and as well as not so well know ties with the British for much of the Edo period..  Shimazu Hisamitsu supported the policy of uniting the imperial court and the bakufu - much like Ando had proposed with his plans to intermarry the two families.

June 1862, Shimazu Hisamitsu, the head of the Satsuma, then the  most powerful and most influential of the daimyō in Kyōto, agrees to go to Edo to "request" that the ruling Shōgun come to Kyōto for consultations.  A ruling Shogun had not gone to Kyoto for over 200 years.  History has shown that nothing good (for the Shogun) ever really results from such visits, but it is said that said that that Shogun agree conceptually to the idea.

That summer, while Shimazu Hisamitsu was off to Edo,  the more radical elements in Kyoto were gaining power and influence.

• The Tosa-han was a power clan that occupied Tosa (Kochi prefecture on Shikoku).

• In the Summer of 1862, Yamanouchi Yodo, the Daimyō of Tosa, was on his way to Edo with his troops to fulfill his responsibilities of providing military support to the Shogun under Sankin Kotai System.  The Sankin Kotai was the system of mandatory armed service to the Shogun (system discussed at length later)

• Takechi Hanpeita (Chōshū) was in control of Kyoto and through imperial cohorts and colleagues, arranged for an imperial decree demanding that Yamanouchi Yodo, the Daimyō of Tosa, stop in Kyōto.

• After Yamanouchi Yodo arrived with his troop, Takechi Hanpeita, arranged for another another imperial decree that demand that the Daimyō remain in Kyōto.

• Difficult to say, but my guess is that Yamanouchi Yodo really didn't want to go to Edo, but did not wish to openly defy the Shougun. These imperial decrees were a convenient pretext for justifying his actions, particular since Yamanouchi Yodo family lived in Edo under close scrutiny of the Shougun.. 

• While the Tosa daimyo and troops were in Kyoto and conceptually aligned with the emperor, the Tosa daimy officially supports the bakufu because Tokugawa Ieyasu (the first Tokugawa Shogun) had made his ancestors the daimyō in the early 1600s. 

Anyway, upon his return to Kyōto in August 1862, Shimazu Hisamitsu found that he has lost his influence with the imperial court to the more radical Chōshū. 

In October, 1862, based on encouragement of the more radical Chōshū leadership and with discontent within the country at time high levels, the Emperor rescinds the Sankin Kotai system.   The Sankin Kotai system was originated under Toyotomi Hideyoshi, refined by Ieyasu Tokugawa, codified in a 1635 law, and continuously refined by the Tokugawa.  While the Sankai Kotai is thought to be the system of required military service to the Shougun, the kanji for the word means "alternating attendance".  While military service was important, conceptually Sankai Kotai required and resulted in much more: 

 

1863:  The Emperor defies the Shogunate - "The Order to expel barbarians"

In early 1863, there was widespread anti-foreign sentiments.  There were also attacks and murders of Shogunate officials by Sumurai.

There is also the C.L. Richardson incident that needs to be discussed.  The previous year, when the Satsuma were returning to Kyoto after meeting with the Tokugawa, there was a incident in which a high ranking British official was killed by the Satsuma.   The British were actually quite "pissed off" about it.  British History has shown that the love having a reason to self righteously position there large war ship near foreign country capital and be demanding.  The did this in China on numerous occasion in the previous few decades and they were now doing it in Japan. 

Probably important to note that by 1863, the British control 90% of the foreign trade with Japan.  A percentage which is quite impressive but makes sense given British's entrench positions in China, Malaysia and India.  Trade with the USA waned significantly given the the USA was in a great civil war of there own. 

Anyway, the C.L Richardson incident was such a great and timely event, I wouldn't be surprised that the British somehow instigated the event.  That said, there is no such record.  C.L Richardson die on Sept 14, 1862 at the hands of the Satsuma and this three companions lived to tell the tale.     

Anyway, in 1863, the three forces then controlling / protecting Kyoto - the Chōshū (modern day Yamaguchi prefecture) , the Satsuma (modern day Kagoshima) and  the Tosa (Kochi prefecture on Shikoku) - had convince the emperor Emperor Kōmei that the situation was "out of control" and that something had to change. 

• The emperor emboldened enough by his supporter to break with 6 centuries of imperial acquiescence to the Shogun, the emperor decided to act.  On March 11th 1863 and again on April 11th 1863,  the Emperor issued an edict know as the  "Order to expel barbarians"  

• While my date seem a bit off, is know that in March 1863, the ruling Shougun, Tokugawa Iemochi (then 17) left for Kyoto with 3,000 retainers as escorts.  This was the first time in 230 years before, that a shogun had visited Kyoto. 

• On April 22, 1863 the young Tokugawa Shogun arrived in Kyoto and agreed to imperial court demands that all foreigners be expelled from the country and all ports would be closed on July 24.  (May 10th, Lunar calendar).  

Richardson Revisited

In April 1863, the British had a clear set of demands in response to the CL Richardson Incident.

• a public apology,

• 100,000 pounds payable by the bakufu to London,

• 25,000 pounds payable by Satsuma to the family of Richardson and the same to each of the other three British attacked at the same time, and

• the arrest and execution of the assassins.

If these demand were not meet, Japan will be attacked by warships.

 

Impossible Situation

As a practical matter, it would impossible for the Shogun to force the west to anything let alone leave.  The Shogun was clearly "outgunned" by western military superiority whom had howitzer cannons, ironclad ships, and gattling guns.  Furthermore, the Shogun had not real reason to ask them to leave as his military advisors at time were the French and other Westerners.  Hence, when the foreign representatives in Edo were informed of the Imperial Edict, the Tokugawa Shogunate representatives gave oral assurances that the Tokugawa edict would not enforce it. 

That said, the edicts immediately inspired

• Attack and murder of Westerners officials by Sumurai. 

• Attack and murder of Shogunate officials by Sumurai.

• Preparation for war for war with the west by factions loyal to Emperor Kōmei

June 12, 1863, French, British and American diplomats worked behind the scene to ease the tension but the  "General opinion is that the government (of Japan) is on the eve of revolution, the principal object of which is the expulsion of foreigners."

In June 1863, the bakufu paid the "100,000 British pound" portion of the C.L. Richardson Demands.  However, the Satsuma had no intention of paying or cooperating with the British. 

Keep in mind that there are two sort of deadlines pending

• The closure of the ports to westerners and

• the British Demand for compensation.

 The Eve of War

There are numerous ways ways to look at what would soon be happening: 

• an undeclared war with the West (emperor against the west),

• a undeclared British Naval war against Japan (very standard British thing to do around this time in world history) 

• a Civil War (Emperor emperor against the Shogun),

• The people in general against the western occupiers and way of life.  

No matter how you look at it, it was be be war. 

 

 Phase 1:  Chōshū War With the West:  June 25, 1863 - September 8, 1864. 

Anyway, Mori Takachika, lord of Chōshū domain, openly defying the shogunate and implemented the imperial edict.  He ordered his forces to fire without warning on all foreign ships traversing the strategic Shimonoseki Strait.  This straight is a very strategic waterway that separates the islands of Honshū and Kyūshū and provides a passage connecting the Inland Sea with the Sea of Japan.  The straight were very hazardous to travel through (while being shelled) as the straights narrowed down to 600 meters wide (he waterway is only 112-meter wide)

Within a short time, the Japanese warlord had managed to fire on the flags of most of the nations with consulates in Japan.  The first attack occurred against the British on June 25, 1863, the next day, June 26, against the French ships, and on July 11, even a Dutch warship. 

• The British, French, Dutch and American were outraged and responded  with joint naval operation against the Chōshū force in and around the Shimonoseki strait.  The first campaign against the rebel occurred between July 16 to August 14, 1863, and include the bombardment the rebel castles and destroy some naval but the rebel Chōshū force were not defeated and the straight remained closed. 

• In the summer of 1863,  Chōshū loyalists attacked and burn down the British legation in Edo. 

• Approx September 30, 1863, because of their extreme position, supporters of the bakufu - including Tokugawa, Aizu, Tosa, and Satsuma troops - drive the Chōshū loyalists from the imperial court.  Chōshū is branded as an Enemy of the Throne.  From the Chōshū perspective, this was a coup d'état by the forces of the other clans.  

• Throughout the first half of 1864, as Shimonoseki Strait remained closed to foreign shipping.  Meanwhile, the Americans, French, British and Dutch feverishly opened diplomatic channels in an effort to negotiate the reopening of the passage to the Inland Sea. Months dragged by with no end in sight to the growing dilemma.

• The Shimonoseki Strait  were basically closed as no one was really that stupid to try to pass.   Remember the straight are need to go back and forth from Shanghai to Kansai.

• Another attack occurred in July, 1864 against a US merchant ship.  On August 17, 1864, a squadron consisting of nine British, five Dutch and three French warships ( together with 2,000 soldiers) steamed out of Yokohama to open Shimonoseki Strait.  The U.S. chartered steamer accompanied the operation in a token show of support. (remember the US was involved in its own civil war at the time)  An invasion and two-day battle that followed on September 5 and 6 and the rebel Chōshū forces finally surrendered two days later on September 8, 1864. 

• The stringent accord drawn up in the wake of the ceasefire included an indemnity of $3,000,000 from the Japanese (an amount equivalent to the purchase of about 30 steamships at that time). 

Phase 2:  Brief British War Against The Satsuma

On August 15-17 1863, after the after the unsuccessful Bombardment of Shimonoseki in July of 1963, the British navy went  to Kagoshima .  

• Remember that the British and the Satsuma had been friendly for centuries, even though Japan was theoretically in a period of "isolation".  

• When the British arrived, they demand that Satsuma pay the required compensation to C.L. Richardson family.

• When Satsuma officials refuse, the British seize several steamers that Satsuma had recently purchased from traders in Nagasaki. 

• Satsuma retaliates and the British attack.  500 homes were burned and 3 Satsuma steamship destroyed. 

• While this was really not much of a war as it was the bombardment with only 16 reported deaths (11 whom were British) but it was know as the Anglo-Satsuma War. 

• It has significant though because, after later negotiations in Edo, Satsuma agrees to pay the indemnities and the two sides become allies. 

Before moving on, imagine how this looks.  Satsuma control the south island with Japan directly across from Shanghai - a British enclave and treaty port in China.  Satsuma control Nagasaki the historic trading port of the Dutch.  Satsuma control the island system to the south and west of Japan (then not Japan).  The Satsuma also have a long history of illegally trading with the British.  To the British, the Satsuma are "perfect strategic" partner to make in roads into Japan.  Furthermore, the Satsuma are the perfect strategic partner to help undermine the power of the French (British historical adversaries) with who the Tokugawa was clearly aligned. 

In as much as the British needed the Satsuma, think about it from the Satsuma perspective.  The British have lots of guns and bug boats.  Kyoto & Kansai was very far away from the Satsuma base in South Western Japan.  The Choshu (who control the emperor) were clearly causing lots of trouble for the Tokugawa.  Conceptually it made sense that the Shogun would lose control of the country, thus allowing the Satsuma to be independent from Edo and Kyoto.  However, this independence would also make them weak - hence the need for a powerful partner - the British.  While not documented anywhere, each of the parties behavior confirm that a British-Satsuma Alliance actually existed. 

Probably also important to note the immediately after this war with Britian, the the Satsuma stopped backing the Choshu and starting backing the Tokugowa to regain control of Kyoto (and the emperor).

 

Phase 3  Shogun Regains Control of Kyoto (and the Emperor)

Chōshū were quite the busy trouble makers.  In the summer of 1863,  Chōshū loyalists had

• Within a short time, the fire cannon on the flags (ships) of most of the western nations with consulates in Japan - the British, the French ships, even the Dutch.

• Successfully close off the Straight of Shimonoseki

• Attacked and burn down the British legation in Edo.

• Continued to control the Imperial Court

Because of their extreme position and lots of complex political maneuvering, supporters of the bakufu - including Tokugawa, Aizu, Tosa, and Satsuma troops - in September 1863 drove Chōshū loyalists out of Kyoto. 

• The polical landscape of Kyoto seem to change almost overnight, from

• With the Tokugawa back in control of the emperor

• Chōshū is branded as an "Enemy of the Throne".

• Except for Shimonoseki Straight (to be avoided) things go back to "same old same old" in most other parts of Japan.

Also in September 1863, given his renew and improved position of power and influence,  the Shogun reinstitutes the Sankin Kotai system, but the orders were widely ignored by all daimyō.

1864

Probably important to note that this was the "Genji Era", an imperial era in Japanese history which started the 20th February 1864 and ended the 7th April 1865.  This Genji has nothing in common with the Chinese Reading of "Minomoto"  Kanji.  Also important to note that the changing of this did not mean there was a new emperor.  We are still during the 20 year reign of Emperor Kōmei. 

Shogun give up some power. 

• Early 1864, the shōgun returns to Kyōto and cedes more power to the emperor

  • From that point onward, the emperor would control the process of daimyōs (and power) succession within the hans, not the Shogun. 

  • Shogun agreed to accept the daimyō of Satsuma, Tosa, Echizen, and Aizu as 'advisors.'

Chōshū Causing Trouble in Kyoto

• In July 1864, Chōshū loyalists as they attempt to retake power in Kyōto.  Tokugawa and bakufu supporters attack and defeat  them but not easily.  Chōshū were planning lots of internal trouble (see July 8, 1864 Ikedaya Jiken or Ikedaya Incident)

Chōshū Having Lots of Trouble

• On September 8, 1984, Chōshū forces finally surrendered to the British on September 8, 1864 (see above)

• Conservative faction within the Chōshū gain control of the Chōshū.

• Chōshū sign a treaty with the british. The stringent accord drawn up in the wake of the ceasefire included an indemnity of $3,000,000 from the Japanese (an amount equivalent to the purchase of about 30 steamships at that time). 

• Nonetheless, in Nov 1864, the Shogun masses over 100,000 troops (financed by the French and led by Saigo Takamori of Satsuma) along the borders of Chōshū.

• Saigo Takamori (Satsuma) successfully convinces Chōshū conservative leaders to accept bakufu demands.

• Shogun forces do not attack. 

• In Jan 1965, Chōshū loyalists (led by Takasugi Shinsaku and Katsura Kogoro) retake control of Chōshū han.

• The Chōshū were preparing for a war with the Tokugawa lead forces by buying weapons, with the assistance of the Satsuma, through foreign traders in Nagasaki.

• It is slightly puzzling at this point in time to understand why the Satsuma were helping the Chōshū acquire weapon,

  • Less than 3 months earlier, Saigo Takamori (Satsuma) was leading the Shogun army against the Chōshū.

  • We know that the weapon were being supplied by the British, (who are still owed a lot of money).

  • Hence, one could say the British were actually arming the Chōshū.

  • The Chōshū were both literally indebted ($3,000,000) and morally indebted (having lost the war) to the British.  Hence they were sort of British allies..

  • The British motivation was probably to undermine the power of the French (aligned with the Shogun), and ultimately to topple the Shuganate itself.  

• Anyway, May 1865, the shōgun goes to Kyōto to organize another military expedition against Chōshū Han.

• The situation was at a standstill but one thing is certain - one year after the end of the Western War against the Chōshū, the westerns had still not been paid there $3,000,000 dollars indemnity for damages caused by their war with the Chōshū

Phase 4:  Western Powers Threaten the Emperor - Sept/Oct 1865

 

The wanted to be paid but what they really wanted was

• Imperial sanction of all previously signed commercial treaties. 

• More treaty ports specifically - Ōsaka and Kobe.

On or about the one year anniversary of the end of the war with the Chōshū, the west decide to move against the emperor. 

* Sept 1865.  Overwhelming Military Force Displayed.  Nine foreign warships (5 British, 3 French, 1 Dutch) steam into Ōsaka harbor (near Kyoto) and demand that the bakufu pay (by the end of 1866) compensation for Chōshū attacks on their warships in Shimonoseki Straits.   The Emperor was forced to ratified a treaty that opening  the port area of Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe

* October 1865.  Imperial ratification is granted for all treaties with foreign powers and for opening the country to foreign trading, in particular the ports of Kobe and Ōsaka.  This basically would open Kansai the heart of Japan to foreigners. (While the emperor ratifies the agreement in public to appease foreign demands, he privately tells the bakufu not to actually open the ports close to Kyōto.)

Phase 5: Shogunate War Against the Chōshū

On Jan 22, 1866, the Shogunate convinces the emperor to issue an edict calling for 1) the retirement and confinement of Chōshū daimyō - Mori Takachika 2) the reduction of domain revenues 3) for lands to be surrendered to the bakufu.  The edict enraged the Chōshū leadership and was blatantly ignored.    

The Chōshū were in trouble.  They had lost their war with the British and were bound by the accord of Sept 1864.  They desperately needed modern weapons but had very limited contacts with the western powers. Satsuma, on the other hand, lost against the British in 1863 and subsequently had developed a substantial arms trade with the British via Thomas Glover, a Scottish merchant affiliated with Jardine Matheson. 

The Satsuma and the Chōshū were historically fierce enemies.  They had a few things in common - they were both "in bed" with the British and the wanted power restore to the emperor.  With the help of  Sakamoto Ryoma of Tosa Domain (Shikoku), the Chōshū and Satsuma agreed to a formal, six-point agreement known as the Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance.  This alliance was a "non-aggression pact" and a "assistance pact".   With regards to the Chōshū current problem with the Sugunate and the Emperor, the Satsuma 1) promised not to participate in the attack on Chōshū that the bakufu was in the process of planning and 2) agree to continue assisting Chōshū in buying weapons through foreign traders in Nagasaki, which had started in the summer of the previous year 1865.  The agreement was negotiated by Okubo Toshimichi and Saigo Takamori on the Satsuma side and Kido Koin on the Chōshū side.  Conceptually they agree to assist one another in the event that either was attacked by a third party, however this was not specifically agreed to.

• In June 1866, the Tokogawa Shogunate organizes a second military expedition against the Chōshū, but the Satsuma did not participate. (remember in 1864, Saigo Takamori (Satsuma) lead the Shougun's army against the Chōshū)

• With more modern arm that the Chōshū had purchased from abroad, the Chōshū easily defeated the Tokugawa forces.

• Sept 28, 1866  The Shogun - Tokugawa Iemochi - dies in Ōsaka. 

• Hitsubashi Keiki changes his name to Tokugawa Yoshinobu, accepts the title of Head of the House of Tokugawa, but refuses to accept the position of Shōgun.

January 10, 1867, succumbing from pressure from the French whom are attempting to reform the bakufu, Tokugawa Yoshinobu becomes the 15th, and last, Shōgun.

 

January 1867- Western Interest Are Fractionated

• French Support the Shogunate

• British Support the Satsuma.

• Satsuma support the Chōshū. 

• Conceptually, the British support the Chōshū even though they have not been paid reparations. 

• Conceptually this pit the French against the English, with the emperor in the middle.

• The Americans are busy with there own civil war, where the British supporting Abraham Lincoln and "the North" and the French supporting Jefferson Davis and "the South"

January 30, 1867  Death of Emperor Kōmei at age 35.  Emperor Kōmei, while not a fan of western interest, was an supporter of the Tokugawa Shogunate as he generally believed that could keep the foreigner from taking overt he county.

Phase 6 - New Emperor

1867 was a critical year characterize mainly by political positioning and included:

February 3, 1867 Enthronement of Mastsuhito (Meiji) at age fifteen.  Matsuhito's guardian, and grandfather, supported the loyalist cause completely - which included the elimination of the Shogunate and a restoration of the power of the Emperor. 

June 1867  Tokugawa Yoshinobu goes to Kyōto and consults with 4 of the top daimyōs - Satsuma (Shimazu),  Echizen (Shungaku), and Uwajima (Date) and Tosa  (Yamanouchi). 

• The daimyō of Tosa (Kochi prefecture on Shikoku) still officially supports the bakufu because Ieyasu (the first Tokugawa Shogun) had made his ancestors the daimyō in Tosa. 

• The Tosa though energetically being pulled into the loyalist camp and  very near to officially and openly joining the Satsuma-Chōshū alliance against the bakufu,

• That said, the meeting immediately falls apart immediately when Tosa  when  suspects that Satsuma and Chōshū are imminently close to declaring war on the bakufu.

September 1867 Satsuma begins amassing troops in and around Kyōto while Chōshū, and other supporting hans, begin the same in their own territories.

November 8, 1867  Satsuma and Chōshū  obtained an imperial decree pardoning Chōshū and calling for the ouster of the Tokugawa bakufu. It is also said that a secret order was issued (maybe On Nov 9, 1867), to the Satsuma and Chōshū "by Emperor Meiji authority" commanding the "slaughtering" of the "traitorous"   Tokugawa Yoshinobu..

November 8, 1867  Realizing that he has no alternative, Yoshinobu, from his offices in Nijō palace in Kyōto, accepts a political compromise (known as the Tosa Memorial), negotiated by the Tosa Daimyo where by shōgun's political authority will be returned to the emperor while the head of the Tokugawa house (Yoshinobu) retains Tokugawa lands and continues to serve as Prime Minister  Based on the advice of the daimyo of Tosa, the Shogun capitulated and pledged allegiance to the Emperor.  This "negotiated settlement" insured that the shogunal government, the Tokugawa family in particular, would remain a prominent force in the evolving political order and would retain many executive powers. 

Although the majority of the imperial consultative assembly was happy with the formal declaration of direct rule by the court and tended to support a continued collaboration with the Tokugawa (under the concept of "just government").  However, this infuriated some advisors.  Saigō Takamori, Satsuma military leader also known as the last true samurai, he was one of the most vocal and vehement opponents to the negotiated solution demanding that the Tokugawa family be stripped of their lands and special status.

 

Forces from Satsuma, Echizen, Owari, Tosa, & Aki do not accept the Tosa Memorial.  These forces wanted the

• Abolishment of the Shogunate,

• Administration of the country is returned to the emperor with a provisional government formed by representatives of Satsuma, Tosa, Aki, Owari, and Echizen - but no Tokugawa. (The Meiji Restoration)

• The provisional government consists of a Supreme Controller and Junior and Senior Councils of State.

Of course, under their plan, the Tokugawa  would also be stripped of all their lands.
 

Phase 7 - War with the Tokugawa
 Shogunate Begins

The Satsuma and Chōshū take control of the Imperial Palace

On January 4, 1868, the Satsuma and Chōshū forces seized the imperial palace in Kyoto.  The following day  the Emperor Meiji with the consent the imperial assembly (i.e. advisors) declared his own restoration to full power,  abolished the title "shogun" and confiscation of the Shogun's lands.  The "emperor" was now in control, and merely 15 years old.  Basically the country was being run by the emperor's handlers whom really had been directing most of the actions for some time. 

The Shogun Attacks Kyoto, is Defeated, escapes by Sea to Edo, but later Surrenders

On January 17, 1868, the Shogun - Yoshinobu, who was in the Kansai area, declared "that he would not be bound by the proclamation of the Restoration and called on the court to rescind it."

Shortly thereafter, back in Tokyo, forces loyal to emperor burned down the the main Tokugawa residence and outworks of Edo Castle. 

On January 24, 1886, the Shogun decided to prepare an attack on Kyoto, occupied by Satsuma and Chōshū forces.   The Battle of Toba-Fushimi (January 27, 1868 to January 31, 1868) decisive defeat of the Tokugawa shogunate forces.  While losing on land, the Shogun did win on the sea - mainly the Naval Battle of Awa (near Osaka). This battle occurred on January 28, 1868 and was a victory for the Shogun, whom soon thereafter escaped back to Edo.