1869

Meiji 2 (明治二年)

Timeline of 1869

1869/1
- 1/5 Assassination of Yokoi Shonan
- 1/20 Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa, Higo petition to return of domain lands to the state.
1869/2
- 2/5 The government encourages to set elementary schools to all regions.
- 2/8 The newspaper regulations ban criticism against the government.
1869/2-3 (April) Charles de Long becomes US minister to Japan.
1869/3/13 The Dajôkan (Council of State) declares the unity of government and rites (saisei icchi).
1869/5/18 Enomoto Takeaki surrenders. (End of the Boshin War)
1869/6
- 6 The Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony in El Dorado County, California, is established. It is the only site outside Japan to be settled by samurai.
- 6/17 The return of domain lands to the state. (Hanseki Hokan)
- 6/24 Russia sends troops to Karafuto.
- 6/29 The government builds a new shrine for soldiers who died in the Boshin War. (Later called Yasukuni Shrine)
1869/8 Ezo is renamed Hokkaidô and is incorporated into the territory of the Meiji state.
1869/8/3 Farmers riot in Takasaki.
1869/9/4 Omura Masujiro assaulted by a former Choshu samurai.
1869/10/12 Farmers riot in Toyama.
1869/12
- 12 - Ueno Keisuke and Miwa Hochi arrive in Hawaii to address the Gannenmono issue.
- 12/14 Farmers riots in Ogaki, Owari.
- 12/25 The first telegraphic communication lines between Tokyo and Yokohama.

The Hokkaido Development Office is established.
Tokushima castle is torn down.
The Imperial capital is moved to Edo, which is renamed Tokyo.
Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, second son of Queen Victoria, is the first British royal to visit Japan.
Y. Tsuchida becomes the first to manufacture cigarettes in Japan, but they do not catch on.

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