▁the ▁Nan b oku - ch ō ▁period , ▁Prince ▁Kan ey oshi ▁refused ▁to ▁accept ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁king ▁granted ▁by ▁China , ▁and ▁killed ▁seven ▁Chinese ▁amb ass adors ▁in ▁ret ali ation . ▁The ▁title ▁of ▁King ▁of ▁Japan , ▁however , ▁was ▁subsequently ▁adopted ▁by ▁the ▁sh ō gun ▁of ▁the ▁Ash ik aga ▁sh og un ate . ▁The ▁Hong w u ▁Emperor ▁of ▁the ▁M ing ▁dynast y ▁formally ▁recognized ▁Ash ik aga ▁Y osh im its u ▁as ▁King ▁of ▁Japan , ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁t ac it ▁acknowled g ement ▁of ▁Ash ik aga ' s ▁de ▁fact o ▁rule ▁over ▁Japan . ▁Sub sequ ent ▁few ▁sh ō gun ▁also ▁held ▁the ▁title ▁King ▁of ▁Japan , ▁with ▁the ▁exception ▁of ▁Toy ot omi ▁H ide y oshi . ▁During ▁Japan ' s ▁fe ud al ▁age ▁( K am ak ura ▁period ▁to ▁E do ▁period , ▁ending ▁with ▁the ▁Me iji ▁Rest oration ), ▁the ▁sh ō gun ▁was ▁the ▁de ▁fact o ▁r uler ▁of ▁Japan ▁and ▁the ▁Japanese ▁em peror ▁was ▁a ▁power less ▁figure head ▁who ▁was ▁at ▁the ▁mer cy ▁of ▁the ▁sh ō gun . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁rule ▁of ▁the ▁Tok ug awa ▁sh og un ate , ▁Tok ug awa ▁H id et ada ▁changed ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁king ▁to ▁ta ik un ▁( 大 君 ), ▁as ▁a ▁sign ▁of ▁respect ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁em peror . ▁There after , ▁Tok ug awa ▁I