After the fall of Osaka Castle, the peaceful Edo period started under the rule of the Tokugawa family.
This is the era when the samurai started losing their prestigious social status since there were no wars.
In this period about 300 daimyos were ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate based in Edo (Tokyo).
In most of the Edo period (1639~), Japan was literally an isolated country (Sakoku).
No Japanese could leave the country and no foreigner could enter Japan.
Foreign books, foreign trade and foreign religions were banned. Missionaries were killed.
Only the Dutch were given a privileged status. They could temporarily stop by a a tiny island in Southern Japan.
Ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) and kabuki (Japanese style musicals), bunraku (Japanese puppet theater) were born and became popular in this era.
Kabuki artists were like rock starts, ordinary people had ukiyo-e posters of kabuki performers hung on their walls at home.
The samurai were still needed for personal protection and suppressing revolts.
Many high ranking samurai and daimyos became bureaucrats and government officials towards the end of the Edo period.
Some samurai were given permission to do farming
The light-weight hidden armors became popular. At the same time most armors produced during this period tend to be ceremonial as there were no wars.
During the Edo period Japan was considered to be one of the most advanced nations in the world. About 90% of the population in Tokyo could write and read, the highest rate in the world.
Japanese called the foreigners barbarians since they used their hands while eating and did not take daily showers unlike Japanese.
