Tokugawa Ienari’s Sloppy Seconds

The Scandalous Shogun

Okay, now that I’ve basically scared off all my female readers with a title like that, let’s get down to the dirty business. I don’t think I need a disclaimer if you’ve gotten this far so just know the following article is probably not safe for work. Today we are going to be taking a look at one of my favorite historical figures. Known as Tokugawa Ienari, this stud was the 11th shogun to rule during the Edo period (1603–1868). Out of all of the Tokugawas, Ienari was the longest serving shogun to come from the dynasty and his reign lasted from 1787–1837. I was originally introduced to this character by fellow blogger and historian Japan This! Since then, I’ve been an avid member of #TeamIenari. If you’re interested in joining in on the fun, just look up the hashtag on Twitter (again, this is NOT safe for work).

One of Ienari’s biggest claims to fame is that he gave the order to move many of the capital’s temples from the city center to the outskirts. As you can imagine, halls of worship that continually burn incense are a real danger in a urban setting made entirely of wood. Up until Ienari stepped in, many of these perpetual fire hazards resided adjacent to where Tokyo’s Imperial Palace sits today. At Ienari’s behest, the temples were disassembled and moved to present day Nippori. Though quite urban now, the Nippori area was…