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This article analyzes security management at Edo Castle, the residence of the Tokugawa shoguns, and examines the role of the fudai daimyo (territorial lords) under the bakuhan taisei (feudal political system). After the death of Roju Sakai Tadayo in 1636, Edo Castle had no "Orusui" (chief caretaker) appointed for 21 years. Despite this, the castle remained secure with the contribution of the fudai daimyo, who, after Shogun Hidetada's death in 1632, guarded the castle's Ninomaru (children's) and Nishinomaru (former Shogun's) wings; that responsibility was later expanded to the entire castle in the shogun's absence. Evidence found in the shogun's "Kokuin-jo" (business documents) shows that the fudai daimyo maintained significant military capability. In the late Edo period the fudai daimyo's military role was diminished.

This article examines "Myohonji-bon", a copy of "Rissho Ankoku-ron shikenmon" by Nichiga, owned by the e. Nichiga was a chief priest at the temple, and the original manuscript was dated March 10, 1545. Since then a few copies have been authorized for Nichiga's disciples. Although the Myohonji-bon's postscript does not specify its origin, the article suggests the Myohonji-bon descends from a July 25, 1740 copy by Hakugen of Koizumi Kuonji temple. Detailed research to determine its origin is needed. The book's postscript describes Nichiga's besiegement in Kanaya Castle, Futtsu, Chiba in 1545 and his illness that would later elicit the writing of "Rissho Ankoku-ron shikenmon". Those two events highlight Nichiga's devotion to the preservation and creation of sacred books.

This article discusses how petitions from the Ryukyu kingdom to the Chinese Qing dynasty led to the withdrawal of the French presence in Ryukyu. A French missionary, Father Forcade, had been in Ryukyu since 1844. Ryukyu petitioned its suzerain for assistance in removing the French. Chinese emperor Daoguang ordered his senior official, Qiying, to negotiate with the French ambassador to China, Marie Melchior Joseph Theodore de Lagrene. Lagrene agreed to France's withdrawal from Ryukyu for fear of worsening Sino-French relations. In 1846, a French fleet under the command of Admiral Jean-Baptiste Cecille and including the ship "Sabine" assembled off Ryukyu. Cecille demanded Ryukyu enter into a treaty of commerce with France, only to receive communication from Lagrene that there was no support from the French homeland. The French had no choice but to leave Ryukyu.

The list of documents housed in the Kaedeyama Library--also known as the Momijiyama Library, an archive created by the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period), in Tokyo, Japan, has been protected by several governmental departments under the Imperial Household Agency since 1869. One hand-copied version left in the former Ministry of State is an exact copy of the list; however, both that copy and one held by the Imperial Household Agency are clearly “copied” and not originals. One list and a copy of it created in 1805 and dedicated to the shogun and the Hayashi family that hereditary took the master’s position in the educational institution under Shogun is similar to the Kaedeyama list, and it is very likely that one revised in 1864 is the original, which was forgotten during the turbulent time of Meiji Restoration.