Changes

Like Ryûkyû, China, and other parts of the outside world beyond Japan, Ezo was the subject of numerous popular publications in the Edo period, which emerged out of and contributed to popular conceptions about the region and its peoples. Scholars such as [[Arai Hakuseki]] also wrote more formal studies which remained unpublished, bringing together information from a variety of Chinese, Matsumae, shogunate, and other sources.

Like Ryûkyû, China, and other parts of the outside world beyond Japan, Ezo was the subject of numerous popular publications in the Edo period, which emerged out of and contributed to popular conceptions about the region and its peoples. Scholars such as [[Arai Hakuseki]] also wrote more formal studies which remained unpublished, bringing together information from a variety of Chinese, Matsumae, shogunate, and other sources.

The shogunate dispatched a mission to Ezo in [[1785]] to investigate the defenses, trade activities, and commercial potential of Matsumae domain, and to assess the Russian presence and the potential threat posed by it. This mission represents an important expansion of shogunate awareness of, or familiarity with, circumstances in Ezo. In [[1799]], the shogunate then officially incorporated portions of eastern Hokkaidô and the Kuril Islands into shogunate territory, in response to Russian encroachment. At this time, the shogunate also ordered that Ainu adopt Japanese customs, seeking to strengthen the Japanese character of the territory and combat Russian influence. These assimilation policies were relaxed, and portions of the territories were returned to Matsumae domain's oversight in [[1821]] when the threat from Russia seemed to have lessened.

The shogunate dispatched a mission to Ezo in [[1785]] to investigate the defenses, trade activities, and commercial potential of Matsumae domain, and to assess the Russian presence and the potential threat posed by it. This mission represents an important expansion of shogunate awareness of, or familiarity with, circumstances in Ezo. In [[1799]], the shogunate then officially incorporated portions of eastern Hokkaidô and the Kuril Islands into shogunate territory, in response to Russian encroachment. The shogunate then extended its authority over much of western Hokkaidô and southern Sakhalin, similarly, in [[1807]]. Around this time, the shogunate also ordered that Ainu adopt Japanese customs, seeking to strengthen the Japanese character of the territory and combat Russian influence. These assimilation policies were relaxed, and portions of the territories were returned to Matsumae domain's oversight in [[1821]] when the threat from Russia seemed to have lessened.

In [[1855]]/2, the shogunate reassigned jurisdiction and responsibility for Ezochi, dividing among [[Sendai han|Sendai]], [[Kubota han|Kubota]], [[Hirosaki han|Hirosaki]], [[Morioka han|Morioka]] and Matsumae domains what had previously been overseen by Matsumae alone.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, pp19, 36.</ref> Later that same year, in 1855/10, the shogunate permitted shogunal vassals, retainers of the various domains, and commoners to relocate to Ezo, and granted loans to those who engaged in developing (''kaitaku'', 開拓) the land.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, p133.</ref>

In [[1855]]/2, the shogunate reassigned jurisdiction and responsibility for Ezochi, dividing among [[Sendai han|Sendai]], [[Kubota han|Kubota]], [[Hirosaki han|Hirosaki]], [[Morioka han|Morioka]] and Matsumae domains what had previously been overseen by Matsumae alone.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, pp19, 36.</ref> Later that same year, in 1855/10, the shogunate permitted shogunal vassals, retainers of the various domains, and commoners to relocate to Ezo, and granted loans to those who engaged in developing (''kaitaku'', 開拓) the land.<ref>''Ishin Shiryo'', vol 2, p133.</ref>