View of Shinbashi

Here the followers of a daimyō - regional
lord - enter the capital city Edo (Tokyo) over
Shinbashi Bridge. Four of them carry their
master in a palanquin, a special box hung
from poles on their shoulders. The Shōgun,
Japan’s military dictator, insisted that the
country’s 300 or so daimyō spent part of
their time in the capital with their followers.
The regional lords had to spend a lot
of money to supply their followers for
journeys to and from Edo. This, and the
fact that they had to leave their families
in Edo as hostage for their loyal behaviour
meant that there were few military
challenges to the the Shōgun.