Late Tokugawa shogunate

The late Tokugawa shogunate or last shogun (幕末; Bakumatsu) is the period between 1853 and 1867 during which Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy and modernized from a feudal shogunate to the Meiji government. It is at end of Edo period and preceded by Meiji era.

Well-known figures in this time include:

Ohmura Masujiro
Sakamoto Ryoma
Takasugi Shinsaku
Yoshida Shoin
Katsura Kogoro
Nomura Motoni

(alas, below are not so well-known)

Hayashi Daigaku no kami (Lord Rector, Confucianist)
Ido Tsushima no kami (Gov. of Yedo, former Gov. of Nagasaki)
Izawa Mimasaka no kami (Gov. of Uraga, former Gov of Nagasaki)

External links

http://momi.jwu.ac.jp/nichibun/shimizu/gengo1.htm
http://www.webkohbo.com/info3/bakumatu_menu/bakutop.html in Japanese