Life Expectancy of the Tokugawa Shogun Family Estimated from Edo Period Historical Records.

IF 3.2 Q3 GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY

Annals of Geriatric Medicine and Research Pub Date : 2025-09-01 Epub Date: 2025-04-21 DOI:10.4235/agmr.25.0008

Hisashi Fujita, Shinya Matsukawa, Hiroomi Tsumura, Dong Hoon Shin

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Abstract

Background: This study aims to estimate the average life expectancy of the Tokugawa Shogun family by analyzing historical documents. The data is also compared to modern Japanese life expectancy figures.

Methods: The lifespan of members of the Tokugawa Shogun family is estimated based on data from Edo-period documents. We assess survival rates by age, sex, and other factors. Lunar calendar dates are converted into solar calendar dates, and birth years are counted as age 0 to ensure that the estimated life expectancy is comparable to modern Japanese estimates, free from bias.

Results: The mean life expectancy at birth for males in the Tokugawa Shogun family is 20.93±25.03 years, and for females, it is 20.53±25.16 years. The pooled result for both sexes is 20.75±25.00 years.

Conclusions: The life expectancy of the Tokugawa Shogun family is lower than that of modern Japanese, despite their status as the supreme elite class in Edo-period Japan. This reduced life expectancy is primarily attributed to high infant mortality rates, though survival rates for individuals aged 10 and above remained relatively consistent.

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从江户时代的历史记录估计德川幕府家族的预期寿命。

背景：本研究旨在通过分析历史文献，估计德川幕府家族的平均预期寿命。该数据还与现代日本的预期寿命数据进行了比较。方法：根据江户时期文献资料对德川幕府家族成员的寿命进行估算。我们根据年龄、性别和其他因素评估生存率。阴历日期被转换为阳历日期，出生年份被计算为0岁，以确保估计的LE与现代日本的估计相当，没有偏差。结果：德川幕府家族男性平均出生预期寿命（LEB）为20.93±25.03岁，女性平均出生预期寿命（LEB）为20.53±25.16岁。男女合计结果为20.75±25.00岁。结论：德川幕府家族是江户时代日本的最高精英阶层，但其预期寿命低于现代日本人。预期寿命缩短的主要原因是婴儿死亡率高，尽管10岁及以上个人的存活率保持相对稳定。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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