Were Historical Shoguns During Samurai Era Powerful Enough To Be Able To Do Anything As They Wish?

I wrote about a Samurai princess whose family was ruined during the Japanese Warring States period in my previous post on November 24th. Her name is "Kenshoin", and in her later years she was entrusted a illegitimate child of the second Shogun of Tokugawa Shogunate period. 

"Kenshoin" wasn't a relative of Tokugawa Shogun family at all. Tokugawa family was even one of the enemies who ruined her family at the end of the Japanese Warring States period. Then why she was offered such an important task?

After the Japanese Warring States period ended, a couple of powerful Samurai lord became the top of military power and ruled Japan, yet they could't hand down their position to their sons, so their domination periods ended with one generation. Finally, in 1603, Ieyasu Tokugawa (1542-1616) became the first Shogun and established a stable Shogunate government which continued until 1867. Thus "Shogun" position was technically the most powerful position of the country and the ruler of Japan during Tokugawa Shogunate period. 

However, it seems like even "Shogun" had something they couldn't control. You might think "Shogun" was like an autocrat who had all power to rule the country and many wives as he lived in a huge castle. Partially it was true, "Shogun" was the top of Samurai and lived in magnificent Edo Castle which is now lost and became Emperor's Palace, also they could have many concubines beside their formal wife. However, they weren't absolute rulers since they also had to follow many rules and needed to get permissions to do what they want.

Apparently, the second Shogun loved a lower positioned woman and he wanted to make her his concubine, but it wasn't approved by his formal wife who came from a very powerful family. So he hid the girlfriend even after she had a baby. Although the baby was truly Shogun's son, the second shogun thought it wasn't safe enough to raise him in Edo Castle. Therefore the shogun picked up a lady who didn't have any connection to Shogun's family nor vassals, to entrust his secret baby and the mother. That was the "Kenshoin" whose family had been ruined many years ago. 

Later the shogun secretly gave the son to one of the minor Samurai lord as his hair. The domain of the lord was small area called "Takato-han" in current Nagano prefecture. Surprisingly the son never acted as Shogun's son even though it was a tacit understanding among the upper class. He even refused to use the family name of "Tokugawa" which was Shogun's name and kept his adoptive father's family name. With his modest behavior, he was loved by his half brother who was the third Shogun.

Actually, a popular landmarks in Tokyo, "Shijuku Gyoen National Garden" is a former property of the "Takato-han". It is now one of the biggest green area in the center of Tokyo same as Emperor's Palace which is the former property of his brother, the third Shogun. You can visit both gardens within a day!