150,000 YEN UNSIGNED. Although greatly dismayed by the revolt, Saig was reluctantly persuaded to lead the rebels against the central government. To understand the dynamism of the Meiji years, one must begin with the factors in the Tokugawa era (1600-1868) that made Japan a unique and sophisticated nation. Format: Hardcover. His childhood name was Kokichi and he received the given name Takamori in adulthood. Surely no conscript army of peasants could fight like the samurai! The Last Samurai chronicles the fortuitous rise and tragic fall of Saig. Even before the Restoration the contentions of rival parties had led in Choshiu to grave disorders, which had weakened that clan in its conflict with the Tokugawa Government; while in Mito the struggle of opposing factions, supporting, respectively, the Shogunate, and the Court party represented by the old Prince of Mito, had resulted in prolonged and fierce fighting. Despite the overwhelming odds, the Imperial Army did not attack immediately upon arrival on September 8 but instead spent more than two weeks carefully preparing for its final assault. The rebellion lasted from January 29, 1877, until September of that year, when it was decisively crushed, and its leader, Saig Takamori, was shot and mortally wounded. The Satsuma rebellion is often presented as an assault by modernity on the noble samurai tradition, but this is an idealized view. How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion, Overview of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, A Long History of Japanese Women Warriors, The Four-Tiered Class System of Feudal Japan, J.D., University of Washington School of Law, B.A., History, Western Washington University. The samurai didn't hesitate to answer this questio. It turned out the be the latterthe emperor's government in Tokyo wanted a new, centralized system, not just a collection of more efficient, self-governing domains. The Satsuma rebellion furnishes themes for the illustrators. Szczepanski, Kallie. Many rules and regulations changed, from the number of soldiers to the type of weapons used.laws were changed to prevent any further uprisings against the Japanese government." 2. Saig was initially confident of his ability to take Kumamoto Castle, but he had underestimated the effectiveness of the imperial conscripts defending the castle. [1], Saig Kokichi ( ) was born in Kajiya, Kagoshima, Satsuma Domain, the eldest son of samurai squire (koshkumi) Saig Kichib and his wife Masa. Gordon, Andrew. Multiple legends sprang up concerning Saig, many of which denied his death. He went to the Emperor's court in Kyoto in March and was amazed to meet samurai from other domains who treated him with reverence for his defense of Gessho. #ga-ad {display: none;} Advertisement Advertisement. The Meiji government, with an army numbering 300,000 to 350,000 and was able to cripple the Satsuma rebellion in a matter of months. In April of 1871, Saigo was persuaded to return to Tokyo to organize the new national army. Each entry is based on a primary source we analysed ; We used a website to compile the entries because it's easier to navigate with; HERE is the link to the primary documents/analysis In the about page there will be a video on the Satsuma Rebellion and a brief paragraph describing what was going on in the rebellion Then we have Luke's entry. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. 28, No. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-satsuma-rebellion-195570 (accessed March 1, 2023). The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War (Japanese: , Hepburn: Seinan Sens, lit. The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War ( Japanese: , Hepburn: Seinan Sens, lit. With an army in place, the Meiji government summoned the remaining daimyo to Tokyo in mid-July, 1871 and abruptly announced that the domains were dissolved and the lords' authorities abolished. The Satsuma Rebellion : Illustrated Japanese History - the Last Stand of the Samurai by Wilson, Sean and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at AbeBooks.com. With these deaths, the Satsuma rebellion came to an end. [3], To help support and employ these men, in 1874 Saig established a private academy known as the Shi-gakk in Kagoshima. 8 Practical Tips to Maximize Efficiency in Real Estate Investing Kyushu, Kysh region, Japan. Saig's death brought the Satsuma Rebellion to an end. 1973 Sophia University The leaders of the restoration were mostly young samurai from feudal domains ( han s) historically hostile to Tokugawa authority, notably Chsh, in far western Honshu, and Satsuma, in southern Kyushu. But this war served as a touchstone to test the ability of the new regime and was an indispensable medium for perfecting the modern institutions and unified organization of the state. ThoughtCo. The Satsuma Rebellion proved that a conscript army of commoners could out-fight even a very determined band of samuraiprovided they had overwhelming numbers, at any rate. The influential Satsuma samurai, Saigo Takamori, was away at the time and had no knowledge of these events, but hurried home when he heard the news. Upload media. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/figures-and-events-in-asian-history-s2-3896549. Illustration of the Navy Landing at Sukuchi Village (battle of Tabaruzaka Hill), Kagoshima Shinbun: Illustration of the Battle of Yamagaguchi, March 1877. Their artillery consisted of 28 5-pounders, two 16-pounders, and 30 mortars. Who are Satnamis? The members of his retinue carried in cotton bags the swords they were no longer allowed to wear; and when, at the end of his journey, the gates of the yashiki at Kagoshima closed upon his palanquin, he may have realized that he had passed for ever out of the political life in which he had at one time played so conspicuous a role. By early 1873, Japanese militarists who interpreted this as a grave affront called for an invasion of Korea but in a July meeting that year, Saigo opposed sending warships to Korea. Saigo's own daimyo, Hisamitsu, was the only one who publicly railed against the decision, leaving Saigo tormented by the idea that he had betrayed his domain lord. Not long after the wedding, both of Saigo's parents died, leaving Saigo as the head of a family of twelve with little income to support them. Rather than facing arrest, Gessho and Saigo jumped from a skiff into Kagoshima Bay and were pulled from the water by the boat's crewregrettably, Gessho could not be revived. Satsuma rebeliion.svg 703 965; 1.09 MB. Japan Currency Museum. News article in Le Monde Illustr, 1877. date= January 29, 1877 to September 24, 1877 place= Kysh, Japan result=Imperial Victory combatant1= Empire of Japan combatant2=Satsuma domain On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 0 Reviews. Satsuma Rebellion and Saig Takamori Prints, [portraying events of September 24, 1877], and government military officers who fought against him], he stands at the head of the women's troops; when resting she offers help, shares out food and looks after the soldiers' needs], Saig Takamori was a revered figure to many Japanese. Physically he was imposing, standing six feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. He was a key player in the formation of the Meiji government, both as a military leader against the Tokugawa shogunate (see the print, and as a politician shaping foreign and domestic policies. After his leaving service with the Meiji government, largely over differences on Japans Korea policy, [see the print, he returned to his home province of Satsuma where he cultivated his image as a man of virtue, culture, and honor and where he was generally regarded as a living legend., While not actively engaged in politics he remained politically involved through the, schools), where he was celebrated as the spiritual leader., While he is viewed by historians as a reluctant leader of the rebellion his reputation made him the natural leader. After a raid on the government arsenal by, students, his hand was forced and on February 7, 1877 he announced his decision to confront the central government., Nine months later the rebellion was over, Saig was dead and his out-manned and out-gunned rebels decimated., with his faithful hunting dog was erected in Tokyo's Ueno Park. However, the Satsuma army was able to cut its way free from encirclement. The Commandant of Kumamoto Castle Major General Tani Tateki had 3,800 soldiers and 600 policemen at his disposal. Following the repression of the Satsuma Rebellion, a samurai uprising in 1877, Japan again forged ahead toward political unity, but there was an increasing trend of antigovernment protest from below, which was epitomized by the Movement for Peoples Rights. The Whiskey Rebellion: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Frontier Rebels who Challenged America's Newfound Sovereignty by William Hogeland. Rejecting large numbers of volunteers, he made no attempt to contact any of the other domains for support, and no troops were left at Kagoshima to secure his base against an attack. However, Saig was one of the most vocal and vehement opponents to the negotiated solution, demanding that the Tokugawa be stripped of their lands and special status. During war, the mountain artillery had a nominal strength of 160 men per battery and field artillery had 130 men per battery. into one of Japan's leading private universities, with a student body of nearly 14,000 and a multinational faculty of some 1,500 as of 2019. Satsuma had no reserve of extra weapons and insufficient ammunition for an extended war. Vol. [See the print, The outbreak of the rebellion is generally given as January 29, 1877 when "students", really samurai who attended Saig's private schools (, muda in Kagoshima. Saig resigned from all of his government positions in protest and returned to his hometown of Kagoshima. However, most of the garrison was from Kysh, while a significant number of officers were natives of Kagoshima; their loyalties were open to question. Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 - Sources The division of feeling which existed in several of the clans following the Meiji Restoration was most conspicuous in Satsuma, Choshiu and Mito. Many former samurai from the area joined Saigo's army, increasing his force to 20,000. ode to the vampire mother results; national asset mortgage lawsuit; green tuna paper; mary davis sos band net worth He was succeeded by his 15-year-old son, Mutsuhito, who would later become known as the Meiji Emperor. He argued that Japan should use diplomacy, rather than resorting to force, and offered to head a delegation himself. The five government warships in Kagoshima harbor added their firepower to Yamagata's artillery, and began to systematically reduce the rebel positions. At its head was Saig Takamori, a hero of the restoration who had directed the military campaign against the Tokugawa. On the same day, Saig met with his lieutenants Kirino Toshiaki and Shinohara Kunimoto and announced his intention of marching to Tokyo to ask questions of the government. The artillery consisted of 28 5-pounders, two 16-pounders, and 30 mortars. Publish Date: Jan 02, 2010. In disgust at this latest move of a Government with which he had never from the first been in sympathy, he left Tokio. Read 7 reviews from the world's largest community for readers. He led his samurai straight up the middle of Kyushu, planning to cross the straits and march on Tokyo. Next, I stated the cause of the rebellion and the reaction of the Japanese government. The spy leader confessed under torture that he was supposed to assassinate Saigo. The year 2018 has seen many events in Japan marking 150 years since the Meiji Restoration. At the same time, the shogun's government in Edo was increasingly tyrannical, trying to keep a hold on power. The Satsuma Rebellion. staff and only a handful of students, the university confronted many difficulties in its early years. Saigo's troops marched out confidently, sure that samurai in other provinces would rally to their side, but they faced an imperial army of 45,000 with access to unlimited supplies of ammunition. But in Satsuma the division of feeling remained unaltered, a circumstance which, added to separatist tendencies that stood in the way of combined action, was, in the sequel, of much benefit to the Government. Led by Daniel Shays, the rebel "Shaysites" of . The Satsuma Rebellion (also known as "seinan sens" - the Southwestern War) was a turning point in Japanese history. As tensions increased, in January 1877, the central government sent a ship to seize munitions stores from Kagoshima. The surviving rebels made a stand on the slopes of Mount Enodake, and were soon surrounded. By 6 a.m., only 40 rebels were still alive. On January 3, 1868, the Boshin War began with Saigo's army of 5,000 marching forward to attack the shogun's army, numbering three times as many men. . Down to about 3,000 men, the Satsuma forces made a stand on Mount Enodake. On February 19, the first shots of the war were fired as the defenders of Kumamoto castle opened fire on Satsuma units attempting to force their way into the castle. Living during the late Edo and early Meiji periods, he later led the Satsuma Rebellion against the Meiji government. Today, he serves the thoroughly modern nation of Japan as a symbol of its samurai traditionstraditions that he reluctantly helped to destroy. On his return to Kobe on February 12, Hayashi met with General Yamagata Aritomo and It Hirobumi, and it was decided that the Imperial Japanese Army would need to be sent to Kagoshima to prevent the revolt from spreading to other areas of the country sympathetic to Saig. The Satsuma advance guard, 4,000 strong, set out on February 15, marching north. However, Northeastern domains led by Aizu continued to fight on the shogun's behalf until September., when they surrendered to Saigo, who treated them fairly, furthering his fame as a symbol of samurai virtue. 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