These cookies track visitors across websites . The shogunate's troops were well-armed, but their leaders had no consistent strategy, and they failed to cover their own flanks. In its central quarters in that town, and in branches elsewhere, the youth of the clan received a military training. His first signature was Sanesada (). On the third day of battle, the artillery division from Tsu domain defected to Saigo's side and began to shell the shogun's army instead. English Wikipedia. Ever since his retirement from office, and his withdrawal to his native province in 1873, the elder Saigo had remained in Kagoshima, the chief town of Satsuma. By August 17, the Satsuma army had been reduced to 3000 combatants, and had lost most of its modern firearms and all of its artillery. The rebellion also effectively ended the samurai class, as the new Imperial Japanese Army built on heimin conscripts had proven itself in battle. 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. The rebels' momentum soon stalled when they settled into a months-long siege of Kumamoto Castle, just 109 miles north of Kagoshima. Just four days after his return, he had an audience with the daimyo, Hisamitsu, who shocked him by appointing him commander of the Satsuma army in Kyoto. In the 7th century, Japan took a . To aid in the air of legality, Saig wore his army uniform. Yates, Charles L. "Saigo Takamori in the Emergence of Meiji Japan." Datasets available include LCSH, BIBFRAME, LC Name Authorities, LC Classification, MARC codes, PREMIS vocabularies, ISO language codes, and more. Ravina, Mark. The Shigakko students set out with him, bringing rifles, pistols, swords, and artillery. After his failure to take Kumamoto, Saig led his followers on a seven-day march to Hitoyoshi. They retreated once more to Mount Shiroyama, which stands above the city of Kagoshima, where the rebellion began seven months earlier. However, a government garrison at Kumamoto Castle stood in the Satsuma rebels' path, manned by about 3,800 soldiers and 600 police under Major General Tani Tateki. The Satsuma Rebellion which took place in 1877was the most famous, and the final major instance out of a series of shizoku rebellionsled in the late 1870s by former samuraiof southwestern Japan against the prospect of the Meiji governmentabolishing their elite status and the rice stipends which had traditionally been the samurai's chief or sole Already a popular figure, after his death, Saigo Takamori was lionized by the Japanese people. With a smaller force, and unsure about the loyalty of his Kyushu-native troops, Tani decided to stay inside the castle rather than venture out to face Saigo's army. country. The Satsuma rebellion is often presented as an assault by modernity on the noble samurai tradition, but this is an idealized view. 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. Format: Hardcover. A Modern History of Japan from Tokugawa Times to the Present, Second Edition (New York: Oxford University Press, 2009), 84. Paperback, 1 edition, Wiley, February 7, 2005. Those men were motivated by growing domestic problems and by the threat of foreign encroachment. 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. https://www.thoughtco.com/figures-and-events-in-asian-history-s2-3896549 (accessed March 1, 2023). Located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island, more than 800 miles south of Tokyo, the Satsuma domain had existed and governed itself for centuries with very little interference from the central government. The first thing about which historians often comment is the period's stability. 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. Advertisement Advertisement. 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. 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. Small-scale rebellions broke out around Japan, and the shogun's troops proved shockingly unable to put down the uprisings. In February 1877, the Meiji government dispatched Hayashi Tomoyuki, an official with the Home Ministry with Admiral Kawamura Sumiyoshi in the warship Takao to ascertain the situation. Although kubo Toshimichi and others were more active and influential in establishing the new Meiji government, Saig retained a key role, and his cooperation was essential in the abolition of the han system and the establishment of a conscript army. However, Yamagata was determined to leave nothing to chance. This document is the report by OYAMA Iwao, who led the attack on SAIGO's army at Shiroyama. A famous bronze statue of Saig in hunting attire with his dog stands in Ueno Park, Tokyo. Meanwhile, however, a crisis was developing in the government itself. Great Essays. Page 1 of 17 - About 161 Essays Improved Essays. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 signaled the beginning of the end for Japan's samurai warriors. In Kagoshima prefecture (formerly Satsuma domain), the samurai of the 'private-school faction' (referring to graduates of the private school set up by SAIGO Takamori and his disciples), organized by KIRINO Toshiaki, et al., joined forces with the Prefectural Governor OYAMA Tsunayoshi to advance their own policies. . The province of Satsuma is situated in the southernmost portion of the island of Kyushu, and Kagoshima is the capital city. [citation needed]. Saigo Takamori had led the way in Meiji reforms including the creation of a conscript army and the end of daimyo rule. In all, about 12,000 Satsuma men marched north toward Tokyo, starting the Southwest War, or Satsuma Rebellion . SAIGO's forces were crushed on September 24, 1877 (Meiji 10) in the face of a general attack by government forces. Conscription System in Japan Author : Ogawa, Gataro Year- 1921 Type- book "The Satsuma Rebellion led Japan to turn over a new leaf. The imperial troops spent several days constructing an elaborate system of ditches, walls and obstacles to prevent another breakout. Names, Romanizations, and Spelling (page 2 of 2), Satsuma Rebellion: Satsuma Clan Samurai Against the Imperial Japanese Army, Organization of Imperial and Satsuma Forces, Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office, Imperial Rescript to Soldiers and Sailors, Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, German preWorld War II industrial co-operation, International Military Tribunal for the Far East, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Satsuma_Rebellion&oldid=1121217754, Pages with non-numeric formatnum arguments, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Buck, James H. "The Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. Although greatly dismayed by the revolt, Saig was reluctantly persuaded to lead the rebels against the central government. . However, the imperial government gradually sent more than 45,000 reinforcements to relieve Kumamoto, finally driving the Satsuma army away with heavy casualties. With Portrait, Maps, and. Ten years passed after the Restoration, and during that time order was gradually restored within the country. 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. Meanwhile, the Joseon Dynasty in Korea refused to recognize the Mutsuhito as an emperor, because it traditionally recognized only the Chinese emperor as suchall other rulers were mere kings. Next, I stated the cause of the rebellion and the reaction of the Japanese government. The Linked Data Service provides access to commonly found standards and vocabularies promulgated by the Library of Congress. It was believed by some that he had fled to Russia, or ascended to Mars. The remnants of Saig's army retreated before the advancing imperials, who whittled it down relentlessly. Satsuma Rebellion. Saigo Takamori was born on January 23, 1828, in Kagoshima, Satsuma's capital, the oldest of seven children. Saig resigned from all of his government positions in protest and returned to his hometown of Kagoshima. The Rebellion reduced Japan's yearly expenditure from 13,700,000 to 10,250,000, and it raised Japan's national debt from 28,000,000 to 70,000,000. Although the samurai were heavily outnumbered, they made a heroic stand and counterattack against the Japanese Army and showed their legendary skills off to the world in their final fight. 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 artillery consisted of 28 5-pounders, two 16-pounders, and 30 mortars. They were armed with breech-loading Snider rifles and could fire approximately six rounds per minute. A primary source of its causes and events. The samurai didn't hesitate to answer this questio. Rebellions by the samurai, which had broken out sporadically since 1868 (Meiji 1), including the 1869-70 conflict between irregular military units and upper rank samurai commanders in the Choshu domain, gained steam with the collapse of the "conquer Korea debate". The artillery battalion was divided into 2 batteries with 130 men per battery. Instance of. 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 The second crisis, the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, was even . 8 Practical Tips to Maximize Efficiency in Real Estate Investing 0 references. One of the most noteworthy incidents in the history of Japan's transition from a feudal regime to a modern state was the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877. Satsuma Rebellion. He was succeeded by his 15-year-old son, Mutsuhito, who would later become known as the Meiji Emperor. 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. Ravina, Mark. He did not want to rebel, still feeling deep personal loyalty to the Meiji Emperor, but announced on February 7 that he would go to Tokyo to "question" the central government. Satsuma Rebellion: Satsuma Clan Samurai Against the Imperial Japanese Army In 1877, the samurai of Satsuma province and their reluctant leader, Takamori Saigo, hurled a final challenge at Japan's westernizing government. Saig's death brought the Satsuma Rebellion to an end. Made by Takamura Kun, it was unveiled on December 18, 1898. During war a company's strength was to be increased to 240 privates. The major religious activity of this sect is to chant and meditate the true names (Sat-Nam) of God, specially Rama and Krishna. ThoughtCo, Sep. 7, 2021, thoughtco.com/the-satsuma-rebellion-195570. . 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. Mark Ravina, the author of The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori, argued that "Satsuma Rebellion" is not the best name for the war because the English name does not well represent the war and its Japanese name. ISBN-10: 1437338992. This fighter's primary weapon is a percussion rifle, and the only other 'modern' element of his D: THE SATSUMA REBELLION, 1877 appearance is a white crossbelt supporting a cap pouch on D1: Highranking samurai, rebel army his chest and a cartridge pouch behind his right hip. Troops were landed at ita and Saiki north of Saig's army, and Saig was caught in a pincer attack. At its head was Saig Takamori, a hero of the restoration who had directed the military campaign against the Tokugawa. Improved Essays. Over the next three days, more than 1000 students staged raids on the naval yards and other arsenals.[3]. [8] It was even recorded that his image appeared in a comet near the close of the 19th century, an ill omen to his enemies. Economic effects of the Satsuma Rebellion resulted in the passing of the Act of February 4, 1877, which reduced the land tax from 3% to 2.5%. Later woodcut prints depicted the rebel leader kneeling to commit traditional seppuku, but that would not have been possible given his filariasis and shattered leg. Multiple legends sprang up concerning Saig, many of which denied his death. Publication Date: 2006. 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. The government, however, refused to negotiate. Saig and his remaining samurai were pushed back to Kagoshima where, in a final battle, the Battle of Shiroyama, Imperial Army troops under the command of General Yamagata Aritomo and marines under the command of Admiral Kawamura Sumiyoshi outnumbered Saig 60-to-1. Has part or parts. He was settling happily into island life but reluctantly had to leave the island in February of 1862 when he was called back to Satsuma. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Surely no conscript army of peasants could fight like the samurai! They were followed two days later by the rear guard and artillery unit, who left in the midst of a freak snowstorm. After his retirement, however, Saigo simply wanted to play with his kids, hunt, and go fishing. "Southwestern War") was a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. In April of 1871, Saigo was persuaded to return to Tokyo to organize the new national army. This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. He was born on May 26 th in the fourth year of Keian (, 1651). Japan Currency Museum. What the disaffected clans and individuals wanted was a larger share of power. Takamori's parents also had to borrow money to buy farmland in order to have enough food for the growing family. At the start of the Satsuma Rebellion, the Imperial Japanese Army (including the Imperial Guard) numbered approximately 34,000 men. Satsuma Rebellion The first test of the young Meiji government came with the revolt of the powerful Satsuma clan based in the southern region of the island of Kyushu. Early on February 22, the Satsuma attack began. He hoped to raise the samurai of other domains along the way. There were many causes of the Indian Rebellion. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Founded by a saint named "Birbhan" in 1657 in Narnaul in Haryana. Upload media. Sources describe him as dressed in an austere yellow kimono . Saig did insist, however, that Japan should go to war with Korea in the Seikanron debate of 1873 due to Korea's refusal to recognize the legitimacy of the Emperor Meiji as head of state of the Empire of Japan, and insulting treatment meted out to Japanese envoys attempting to establish trade and diplomatic relations. Officially, the Meiji Emperor's government had authority over those facilities after 1871, but Satsuma officials actually retained control of them. However, the shogun began to purge pro-imperial politicians, forcing Gessho to seek Saigo's help in escaping to Kagoshima, where the new Satsuma daimyo, unfortunately, refused to protect the pair from shogun officials. In addition to the army, the central government also used marines and Tokyo policemen in its struggle against Satsuma. It contains an account of the battle, listing the number of cannons used, etc. On September 1, Saigo and his 300 surviving men moved to Shiroyama mountain above Kagoshima, which was occupied by 7,000 imperial troops. Support for Saig was so strong that Satsuma had effectively seceded from the central government by the end of 1876. Armed uprisings erupted successively in the Chugoku Region (western Honshu) and Kyushu, with the protagonists arguing for going through with the conquest of Korea and restoring samurai privileges. "How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion." It is said that he was shot in the femur, then he thrust a sword into his stomach region, then had his head decapitated deliberately by a fellow citizen. 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. Since the OP might be interested, here are the pages from the above reading on the Satsuma Rebellion and its aftermath. The Battle of Shiroyama: The final battle of the Satsuma Rebellion, this battle serves as the basis for the final battle scene in the film. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. Saig initially disagreed with the modernization of Japan and the opening of commerce with the West. Led by Daniel Shays, the rebel "Shaysites" of . The Satsuma samurai fought on with fierce determination; meanwhile, the defenders ran out of artillery shells. Saig Takamori Gunmusho () banknote, issued in 1877 to finance his war effort. The end of the Satsuma Rebellion also marked the end of the samurai era in Japan. . The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History; with Maps - Primary Source Edition. [citation needed], In English, the most common name for the war is the "Satsuma Rebellion". The formal ceremony took place on April 4, 1868, and the former shogun was even allowed to keep his head! Later this would turn out to be a pivotal decision since Choshu was Satsuma's major ally in the Boshin War. This rebellion was led by the restoration hero Saig Takamori and lasted six months. Marching north, his army was hampered by the deepest snowfall Satsuma had seen in more than 50 years, which, because of the similarity to the weather that had greeted those setting out to enact the Meiji Restoration nine years earlier, was interpreted by some as a sign of divine support.[3]. As tensions increased, in January 1877, the central government sent a ship to seize munitions stores from Kagoshima. During the battle of Shiroyama, Saig was badly injured in the hip. The work is generally accurate and has much of . 2 Army, Colt M1861 Navy, and the Russian Model 1857 Six Line muzzleloading rifles that could fire approximately one round per minute. Modern weapons were also used such as the Smith & Wesson Model No. On July 24, the Imperial Army forced Saig out of Miyakonoj, followed by Nobeoka. On February 13 and 14, the Satsuma domain's army of 12,900 organized itself into units. List Price: $31.95. A reproduction of the same statue stands on Okinoerabujima, where Saig had been exiled. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. As none of the eyewitness accounts mention a wound to the abdomen, or any fresh sword wound at all, it is unknown if Saig pierced his stomach with his sword. revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. In reality it was a military college. [6] In debate, some scholars have suggested that neither is the case and that Saig may have gone into shock following his wound, losing his ability to speak. From Kagoshima Through the Siege of Kumamoto Castle." Satsuma Rebellion. Saigo supported a stronger role for the Emperorbut distrusted the others' millennial rhetoric. From humble beginnings in the capital of Satsuma, Saigo followed the path of the samurai through his brief exile and would go on to lead reform in the Meiji government, eventually dying for his causeleaving a lasting impact on the people and culture of 1800s Japan. 150,000 YEN UNSIGNED. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Some children had pestered him into becoming their teacher, and the kind-hearted giant complied. In the end, he was killed by the imperial army he organized. Scene of Satsuma rebellion, triptych. Tabaruzaka was one of the most intense campaigns of the war. A battalion was 672 men strong and was organized as per the line battalions. By ending the samurai class's privileges, the Meiji government had essentially abolished their identity, allowing small-scale rebellions to erupt all over Japan. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. "Saigo Takamori: The Last Samurai." Two describe a bullet wound to the hip or thigh. By 6 a.m., only 40 rebels were still alive. The coming into force in January, 1877, of the edict, issued in the previous year, prohibiting the wearing of swords, was followed by Shimadzu's resignation of the high office he held in the Ministry. Today, he serves the thoroughly modern nation of Japan as a symbol of its samurai traditionstraditions that he reluctantly helped to destroy. Publish Date: Oct 08, 2018. Saigo Takamori likely was killed in the initial barrage, although tradition holds that he was just gravely injured and committed seppuku. In New England, merchants and farmers struggled to maintain their businesses in a new economy without established European trade or credit lines. Its name comes from the Satsuma Domain, which had been influential in the Restoration and became home to unemployed samurai after military reforms rendered their status obsolete. Morale was extremely low, and lacking any strategy, the Satsuma forces dug in to wait for the next Imperial Army offensive. In real life, Saig initially led the Imperial forces and won the four-day Battle of Toba-Fushimi in January 1868. However, the exact manner of his death is unknown. Details; Description; Dr. Kallie Szczepanski is a history teacher specializing in Asian history and culture. Updates? In Satsuma and the rest of Japan, though, it was not clear whether reforms like these were sufficient, or if the entire social and political systems were due for a revolutionary change. ISBN-13: 9781437338997. Rather than risk desertions or defections, Tani decided to stand on the defensive. The Daimyo of Satsuma was one of the most powerful and aggressive of the . Pro-emperor daimyo and radicals called for an end to the shogunate and the expulsion of all foreigners. He argued that Japan should use diplomacy, rather than resorting to force, and offered to head a delegation himself. The Siege of Kumamoto Castle lasted until April 12, 1877. At the height of the battle, Saig wrote a private letter to Prince Arisugawa, restating his reasons for going to Tokyo. [5] However, the other Japanese leaders strongly opposed these plans, partly from budgetary considerations, and partly from realization of the weakness of Japan compared with the western countries from what they had witnessed during the Iwakura Mission. Each battalion consisted of four companies. The Last Samurai's Katsumoto Moritsugu is based on the iconic Japanese samurai Saig Takamori. Faced with 21,000 imperial army troops, the majority of the rebels ended up committing seppuku (surrendering by suicide). Yamagata also landed a detachment with two infantry brigades and 1,200 policemen behind the rebel lines, so as to fall on them from the rear from Yatsushiro Bay. In disgust at this latest move of a Government with which he had never from the first been in sympathy, he left Tokio. Founded in 1938 and published semiannually by Sophia University, Monumenta Nipponica (MN) is one of the oldest English-language academic journals in the field of Asian studies. In peacetime, each company had approximately 160 privates and 32 officers and non-commissioned officers. 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. Though in Satsuma the rivalry of individual leaders had stopped short of open hostilities, the division of feeling was not less marked. Sophia University was established in Tokyo in 1913 by the Society of Jesus. Its name comes from the Satsuma Domain, which had been influential in the Restoration and became home to unemployed samurai after military reforms rendered their status obsolete. The Guard infantry was divided into 2 regiments of 2 battalions each. Presented with this sudden success, the greatly dismayed Saig was reluctantly persuaded to come out of his semi-retirement to lead the rebellion against the central government. Satsuma had no reserve of extra weapons and insufficient ammunition for an extended war. By May, Saigo's army had surrounded Edo and threatened to attack, forcing the shogun's government to surrender. Augustus Henry Mounsey. There are no published reports by eyewitnesses. Instead, he went home to Kagoshima. The accounts of his subordinates claim that he stood up and committed seppuku after his injury or that he requested that his friend Beppu Shinsuke assist his suicide. 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. Samurai scaled the walls repeatedly, only to be cut down by small arms fire. Saig's rebellion was the last and most serious of a series of armed uprisings against the new government of the Empire of Japan, the predecessor state to modern Japan. 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. Few would return. Later, they would have said that he committed seppuku to preserve his status as a true samurai.[7]. Imperial reinforcements eventually forced their way through the rebel lines at the Battle of Tabaruzaka, lifting the siege. The Wealthy Chiefs Inspecting the Decapitated Heads of Enemies, Presentation of the Emperor's Gift Cup for the second time to commanders involved in pacifying Western Japan (Saigoku), 1877, Report: The Whole Nation Living in Perfect Contentment (Empress, Empress Dowager and Court Ladies in Waiting Sewing Pledgets), 1877, Iwai Hanshir VIII, Ichikawa Danjr IX and Ichikawa Sadanji in The Morning East Wind Clearing the Clouds of the Southwest, March 1878, Bronze Statue of Saig in Ueno Park, 1899, The Debate Over Invading Korea (Seikanron), http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090913a6.html, http://www.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/bunko10/b10_8333/index.html. The Battle of Shiroyama ( Shiroyama no tatakai) took place on 24 September 1877, in Kagoshima, Japan. Statements. The spy leader confessed under torture that he was supposed to assassinate Saigo. Some legends say Saig's manservant hid the head, and it was later found by a government soldier.