Boshin War (Hail The Shogun)

The Boshin War was the first major war to occur on Japanese land since the Mongol Invasion, and was the struggle between the shogunate Tokugawa forces led by Tokugawa Yoshinobu and the Imperial forces led by Meji Emperor.

Meji Emperor wanted to return power to the emperial court after having it taken from them in the 12th century. The Tokugawa forces however wanted to remain in power as his ancestors did since 1603.

The war began when discruntled nobles in the south began supporting the empeor sue to the Tokugawa's handling of foreign powers in the last 4 decades leading up to the war. The southern samurai entered an alliance and drove the shogun from power, replacing him with the empeor Meji. Tokugawa Yoshinobu abdicated knowing to position he was in. By doing this Yoshinobu hopped that the house of Tokugawa would be able to participate in the future imperial government.