Tairo - Definition and Overview

Tairō (大老, lit. "great elder") was an official in the bakuhan taisei government of Japan, who would preside over the governing roju in the event of an emergency. The tairo was nominated from among a group of samurai families who had supported Tokugawa Ieyasu. Generally, the position was used to provide Japan with a capable temporary leader in the absence of a shogun, or if the shogun was incapacitated.

List of tairo

See also

• The Five Tairō