The political and diplomatic history in the late Edo era from the perspective of the Osaka bay

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00987
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Tachibana University
• Principal Investigator: Goto Atsushi 京都橘大学, 文学部, 准教授 (60710671)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 大阪湾 / 摂海 / 海防 / 幕末政治 / 幕末外交

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This project aims to reconsider the political and diplomatic history of the late Edo era from the perspective of Osaka Bay. During this era, the coastal defenses of Osaka Bay were one of the most important political issues for the Tokugawa Shogunate. Meanwhile, Western powers expected Osaka and Hyogo to be opened. To accomplish the goal of this project, this research has focused on certain daimyo assigned to defend Osaka Bay and on the US Asiatic Squadron, which played an important role in the opening of Osaka. One of the research achievements of this project is an article on the domestic circumstances relating to Osaka Bay published in 'Journal of Japanese History' (Vol. 714, 2022). Additionally, an article on the diplomatic history relating to the opening of Osaka is to be published in an academic journal at an early date.

Free Research Field

幕末・維新史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題を通じて、従来十分に検討されてこなかった大阪湾防備の意義について、多角的な観点で明らかにすることができた。大阪湾の強化は、幕府の権威の回復策として、また大名にとっては政治的発言力の強化策として、そして朝廷にとっては政治的主導権を発揮する機会として意義があり、様々な政治主体の思惑が交錯していた。大阪や兵庫の開港は、外国側にとっても望ましいもので、外交史の観点からも同湾の歴史的意義は大きかった。大阪湾を軸にした研究によって、幕末政治・外交史の再検討が達成できたと考えられる。