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, or , was the 122nd Emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from February 3, 1867 until his death on July 30, 1912. He presided over a time of rapid change in the Empire of Japan, as the nation quickly changed from a feudal state to a capitalist and imperial world power, characterized by Japan's industrial revolution. At the time of his birth in 1852, Japan was an isolated, pre-industrial, feudal country dominated by the Tokugawa Shogunate and the daimyo, who ruled over the country's more than 250 decentralized domains. By the time of his death in 1912, Japan had undergone a political, social, and industrial revolution at home (See ''Meiji Restoration'') and emerged as one of the great powers on the world stage. ''The New York Times'' summed up this transformation at his funeral in 1912, with the words: "the contrast between that which preceded the funeral car and that which followed it was striking indeed. Before it went old Japan; after it came new Japan."〔http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D05E3DB1F3CE633A25750C1A9669D946396D6CF "The Funeral Ceremonies of Meiji Tenno" reprinted from the ''Japan Advertiser'' Article 8—No Title], ''New York Times.'' October 13, 1912.〕 In Japan, the reigning emperor is always referred to as "The Emperor"; since the modern era, a deceased emperor is referred to by his particular reigning name. The correct usage is thus "the Meiji Emperor". His personal name, which is not used in any formal or official context, was . ==Background== The Tokugawa Shogunate had established itself in the early 17th century. Under its rule, the shogun governed Japan. About 180 lords, known as ''daimyo'', ruled autonomous realms under the shogun, who occasionally called upon the ''daimyo'' for gifts, but did not tax them. The shogun controlled the ''daimyo'' in other ways; only the shogun could approve their marriages, and the shogun could divest a ''daimyo'' of his lands. In 1615, the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who had officially retired from his position, and his son Tokugawa Hidetada, the titular shogun, issued a code of behavior for the nobility. Under it, the emperor was required to devote his time to scholarship and the arts. The emperors under the shogunate appear to have closely adhered to this code, studying Confucian classics and devoting time to poetry and calligraphy. They were only taught the rudiments of Japanese and Chinese history and geography.〔 The shogun did not seek the consent or advice of the emperor for his actions.〔 Emperors almost never left their palace compound, or ''Gosho'' in Kyoto, except after an emperor retired or to take shelter in a temple if the palace caught on fire. Few emperors lived long enough to retire; of the Meiji Emperor's five predecessors, only his grandfather lived into his forties, dying aged forty-six. The imperial family suffered very high rates of infant mortality; all five of the emperor's brothers and sisters died as infants, and only five of his own fifteen children reached adulthood.〔 Soon after taking control in the early seventeenth century, shogunate officials (known generically as ''bakufu'') ended much Western trade with Japan, and barred missionaries from the islands. In addition to the substantial Chinese trade, only the Dutch continued trade with Japan, maintaining a post on the island of Dejima by Nagasaki. However, by the early 19th century, European and American vessels appeared in the waters around Japan with increasing frequency. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Emperor Meiji」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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