The Pre-Tokugawa period is depicted as one of chaos. The emperor, nominally the largest figure in the panel, is nevertheless attacked from all sides, from pirates and samurai and armed Buddhist monks, suggesting that he holds very little real power. The Jesuits arrive ready to convert, while a samurai helps himself to western weapons. The villages below are aflame, and seem disconnected from the actions swirling above. While a static image, the entire scene appears active and in motion, swirling with chaos.

The Tokugawa period is one of order and calm. The actions of the figures in the first panel are replaced by figures whose poses are relatively still. The emperor, although seated in a dignified pose, is severely reduced in size and is faded, emphasizing his diminished status. The samurai are well-heeled, standing erect and dignified, as if adhering to the bushido ethical code. Note the decorum of these figures as opposed to the greedy samurai in the previous panel. This revived warrior ethic is balanced by an artistic culture that flourishes in the towns, as symbolized by the pottery maker and the geisha performing the tea ceremony. The villages appear more tranquil and, unlike the previous panel, are now linked to the towns, presumable through trade. The villages are also linked to the samurai through something like a security arrangement.

The shogun is the largest figure, emphasizing his position of authority, very much like the figure of the Czar in the illustration "Russia Under Peter the Great." He “balances” the samurai with the urban centers; both are clearly under his authority. He banishes the Jesuits, the gesture of his outstretched hand denying entry to any more foreigners, their weapons or their religion.