This afternoon, @UMBCHistory’s Robert K. Webb Lecture is all about Edo. @astanley711 from @NorthwesternU explores the social history of early nineteenth-century Edo (now Tokyo) in the context of global history, focusing on gender, violence, and consumption. #umbchumforum 
In 1800 — the era of Napoleon and revolution and declarations of independence — Edo boasted a population of 1.2 million. In comparison, London had a population of one million, Paris had 550,000, and New York was a tiny outpost of 60,000. Yet Edo is invisible in global history.
Edo is typically referred to as a “culture” in world history textbooks. Kabuki theatre, geisha, and shinto are what typically comes to mind. A culture without a society.
Why would such a famous city that exists to the current day (Tokyo) completely disappear from global history?
The problem is how we categorize cities. Cities are viewed as either a metropole or contain a centralized hub of global trade.
Edo was run by a Shōgun, a military dictator that ran a decentralized territory.
Edo was run by a Shōgun, a military dictator that ran a decentralized territory.
Trade in Edo was focused on the edges of Japan instead of at the center.
While Edo was a city, it could not be considered cosmopolitan. While the citizens of Edo enjoyed imported goods, Japanese was the only language spoken among the population.
Even though Edo was one of the most well-documented cities during this time period, the history of Edo was misinterpreted which perpetuates a misrepresentation of this global city. Edo was a city that was neither imperial or colonial; neither metropole or global hub.
The commoner population in Edo began to reach parity in terms of gender around 1722-1867. Women were highly visible on the streets; they lived alone, with siblings, or with families of their own.
As commoner women on the streets became more visible, their clothing represented their growing status in society. Women often wore Santome stripes or silk crepe, which was previously worn by wealthy women or samurai.
It is important to note that artists during this time might have taken liberties in their portrayal of beautiful women in beautiful clothes, but the depiction of the clothing is pretty consistence. The display of clothing could be considered a sign of social status.
Clothes were also a source of capital to be sold or pawned. This image depicts used clothing markets by the Kanda River.
Those who were not able to purchase such clothing sometimes made clothing out of rags or paper.
In 1842, the Tenpō Reforms brought about a series of forms, some of which targeted “conspicuous consumption.” Clothing and hairstyles that were deemed extravagant and luxurious were targeted by inspectors. Women in public (commoners) were typically arrested or fined.
The public harassment instilled fear in women who were confused by the inconsistencies in the edicts; cotton clothing became the target of inspectors, in addition to silk crepe.
It became clear the conspicuous consumption was not the target; rather any form of consumption was deemed conspicuous.
The reforms were a product of a period of time known as “The Troubles,” a period during which reforms were set forth as a reaction to foreign difficulties which had an impact of domestic policies. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakumatsu…
At the beginning of the Edo period, silk clothing was reserved for wealthy women while commoner women wore hemp. By the 1840s, finer clothing became a way to purchase respectability and bridge the gap between the countryside and the city.
The stylishness of commoners stoked anxieties amongst the inspectors who believed that these women saw themselves as better than their economic superiors.
The reforms were clearly misogynist. Misogyny can viewed as the enforcement arm of the patriarchy, targeting commoner women more specifically.
In early modern global history, we still ignore women and the poor. We only pay attention to the urban poor when they start a revolution, which doesn’t happen as frequently as one thinks.
It’s not nearly enough to splash woodblocks on the cover of textbooks and think it is sufficient. Edo had a culture, but it also had a society full of real people. So lets explore all of these things.
Watch this space for a link to a recording of the talk.
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