The end of the Satsuma Rebellion also marked the end of the samurai era in Japan. He was one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration. During the latter years of the Tokugawa shogunate, just prior to the Meiji Restoration, the Satsuma clan began to invest heavily in armaments, building a new shipyard at Kagoshima, two weapons factories, and three ammunition depots. The Meiji Era controlled most of Japan, except for a small area in the southwestern part of Japan, which was the Satsuma. Fighting continued into the night. Saigo was getting accustomed to the second island when he was transferred to a desolate penal island further south, where he spent more than a year on that dreary rock, returning to Satsuma only in February of 1864. The Last Samurai's Katsumoto Moritsugu is based on the iconic Japanese samurai Saig Takamori. However, the Satsuma army was able to cut its way free from encirclement. Modern Asian Studies, Volume 28, Issue 3, Cambridge University Press, July 1994. The imperial government in Tokyo expected Saigo to come to the capital by sea or to dig in and defend Satsuma. The Linked Data Service provides access to commonly found standards and vocabularies promulgated by the Library of Congress. 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 rebellion was very expensive for the government, which forced it to make numerous monetary reforms including leaving the gold standard. The Satsuma Rebellion of 1877: Letters of John Capen Hubbard E. Nock Published 1 August 1948 History The Far Eastern Quarterly 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. 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. ThoughtCo, Sep. 2, 2021, thoughtco.com/figures-and-events-in-asian-history-s2-3896549. Above all these classes were the Mikado, the secluded divinity of Ki6to, still theo- retically the source of all authority; . The eight-month-long Satsuma Rebellion was the last great rebellion of feudal Japan, quite literally the last stand of the disaffected samurai warriors against the new imperial government, put in place by the Meiji Restoration. The conflict of opinions between the conservative internal policy party and the strong foreign policy party resulted in a vehement controversy over the question of an invasion of Korea, and finally led to the great Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. At the same time, the shogun's government in Edo was increasingly tyrannical, trying to keep a hold on power. The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War ( Japanese: , Hepburn: Seinan Sens, lit. Sophia University was established in Tokyo in 1913 by the Society of Jesus. The situation was especially desperate for the defenders as their stores of food and ammunition had been depleted by a warehouse fire shortly before the rebellion began. Like all other times in his life, though, his retirement was short-livedin January of 1869, the Satsuma daimyo made him a counselor of the domain's government. In the 7th century, Japan took a . 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. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions Satsuma Rebellion. 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. A famous bronze statue of Saig in hunting attire with his dog stands in Ueno Park, Tokyo. These cookies track visitors across websites . The Last Samurai's Katsumoto Moritsugu is based on the iconic Japanese samurai Saig Takamori. He was succeeded by his 15-year-old son, Mutsuhito, who would later become known as the Meiji Emperor. However, disgruntled samurai in Satsuma viewed him as a symbol of traditional virtues and wanted him to lead them in opposition to the Meiji state. He initiated a military advance the following month, on February 15, intending to march on Tokyo, because of "questions I intend to press on the government." The Satsuma samurai were initially organized into six battalions of 2,000 men each. Samurai scaled the walls repeatedly, only to be cut down by small arms fire. SAIGO, who was then living in seclusion, had no choice but to rise to action after the private-school faction beseeched him to do so. Format: Paperback. This costly defeat put Saigo on the defensive for the remainder of the rebellion. The modernization of the country meant the abolition of the privileged social status of the samurai class, and had undermined their financial position. Call Number: E315 .H64 2006. 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. When the attack finally came, the Satsuma forces withdrew, leaving small pockets of samurai to hit the larger army in guerrilla-style strikes. The Satsuma samurai fought on with fierce determination; meanwhile, the defenders ran out of artillery shells. Why educator David Tarvin "thinks in Prezi" Feb. 13, 2023. On February 13 and 14, the Satsuma domain's army of 12,900 organized itself into units. [10] Statues in Ueno Park, Tokyo and near the ruins of Kagoshima Castle stand in his memory. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/figures-and-events-in-asian-history-s2-3896549. The samurai were armed with traditional weapons including katanas, naginata and yari polearms, yumi bows, and Sengoku era gunpowder weapons such as tanegashima, baj-zutsu, and wooden cannons. [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. The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War was a revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era.. They were armed with breech-loading Snider rifles and could fire approximately six rounds per minute. Originally, they were a militant sect of Hindu Worshippers. English Wikipedia. Datasets available include LCSH, BIBFRAME, LC Name Authorities, LC Classification, MARC codes, PREMIS vocabularies, ISO language codes, and more. 0 references. Complete Chronicle of the Subjugation of Kagoshima: Illustration of Government Forces Attacking Miyazaki, Illustration of the Rebels Being Suppressed at Kagoshima, October 4, 1877. when did the meiji restoration enddoes keegan allen have a child 26th February 2023 / in west warwick viewpoint / by / in west warwick viewpoint / by His letter indicated that he was not committed to rebellion and sought a peaceful settlement. The Guard infantry was divided into 2 regiments of 2 battalions each. 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. Szczepanski, Kallie. Many of the warrior Samurai during the Seinan war (Satsuma rebellion) used the tosei (modern / post 1540) style samurai armor which consisted of a ni-mai . By . (2021, September 2). The government, however, refused to negotiate. Bibliolife DBA of Bibilio Bazaar II LLC, 2014 - 358 pages. The samurai didn't hesitate to answer this questio. During the siege, many Kumamoto ex-samurai flocked to Saig's banner, swelling his forces to around 20,000 men. 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]. Browsing subject area: Satsuma Rebellion, 1877 (Exclude extended shelves) You can also browse an alphabetical list from this subject or from: . The division of feeling which existed in several of the clans following the Meiji Restoration was most conspicuous in Satsuma, Choshiu and Mito. As with its predecessors, the origins of 1877 lie in the 1873 debate over a proposed invasion of Korea. The men were captured, and under torture, confessed that they were spies who had been sent to assassinate Saig. Monumenta Nipponica. Few would return. The shogunate's troops were well-armed, but their leaders had no consistent strategy, and they failed to cover their own flanks. In 1877, the samurai of the Satsuma Province rose up in the Satsuma Rebellion or Seinan Senso (Southwestern War), challenging the authority of the Restoration Government in Tokyo and testing the new imperial army. 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. Later, they would have said that he committed seppuku to preserve his status as a true samurai.[7]. Faced with 21,000 imperial army troops, the majority of the rebels ended up committing seppuku (surrendering by suicide). Rather than risk desertions or defections, Tani decided to stand on the defensive. The Satsuma Rebellion is recommended to all readers interested in Japanese and samurai history. He is popularly known as "The Last Samurai," and proved so beloved that Emperor Meiji felt compelled to issue him a posthumous pardon in 1889. "Saigo Takamori: The Last Samurai." 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. 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. How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion. Page 1 of 17 - About 161 Essays Improved Essays. Feb. 15, 2023. Next, I stated the cause of the rebellion and the reaction of the Japanese government. https://www.thoughtco.com/figures-and-events-in-asian-history-s2-3896549 (accessed March 1, 2023). In December 1876, the Meiji government sent a police officer named Nakahara Hisao and 57 other men to investigate reports of subversive activities and unrest. The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History (1879) Author: Augustus Henry Mounsey. The first thing about which historians often comment is the period's stability. [11], Modern weapons that were used by the Imperial Army include the Smith and Wesson Model 3, Colt 1851 Navy Revolver, Winchester Model 1873, Enfield Pattern 1853, Mauser Model 1871, as well as the Gatling and Armstrong guns. The Satsuma Rebellion (February 1877 - September 1877) and Its Woodblock Prints In riding through the streets one notices the crowds in front of the picture shops, which are bright in color from the war prints. Corrections? Instead, he went home to Kagoshima. In the meantime, on March 9 Saig, Kirino, and Shinohara were stripped of their court ranks and titles.[3]. Despite Yamagata's efforts over the next several days, Saig and his remaining 500 men reached Kagoshima on September 1 and seized Shiroyama, overlooking the city. The Commandant of Kumamoto Castle Major General Tani Tateki had 3,800 soldiers and 600 policemen at his disposal. Over the next several nights, they raided additional arsenals around Kagoshima, stealing weapons and ammunition, and to make matters worse, they discovered that the national police had sent a number of Satsuma natives to the Shigakko as central government spies. RF HA13E4 - The donjon or central keep of the castle is a reconstruction built in the 1970s of the original sacked and burned during the AD.1877 Satsuma rebellion RM P3P0W0 - Battle of Seinan (1877)from Dainihon Rekishi Nishikie, published between late Edo and early Meiji period, Artist Yoshusai (Toyohara) Chikanobu, Private Collection. 25,000 YEN TOSHIMOTO. OutOfFighters 3 yr. ago. 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. This upbringing instilled a sense of dignity, frugality, and honor in young Saigo. Though in Satsuma the rivalry of individual leaders had stopped short of open hostilities, the division of feeling was not less marked. Saig initially disagreed with the modernization of Japan and the opening of commerce with the West. The Death of the Last Samurai 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. The Satsuma Rebellion. 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. 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. After his retirement, however, Saigo simply wanted to play with his kids, hunt, and go fishing. image. The rebels fought two significant battles against the central government: the Siege of Kumamoto Castle and the Battle of Tabaruzaka. French newsmagazine Le Monde Illustr / Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain. Secretary of the British Legation in Tokyo during the rebellion, Mounsey relied on the 'most authentic sources, oral and documentary'. Most of Saig's remaining forces either surrendered or committed seppuku. [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. Saigo spent a lot of time soaking in hot springs and strenuously avoiding politics. Today, building on this tradition, Sophia has developed The Meiji Restoration of 1868 signaled the beginning of the end for Japan's samurai warriors. During war a company's strength was to be increased to 240 privates. They resisted the Imperial forces until they were destroyed to the last man. Saig Takamori was labelled as a tragic hero by the people, and his actions were considered an honorable example of bushido and Yamato-damashii. Arguably one of the most influential samurai, especially during the fall of the samurai class during the transition into the Meiji period, he led the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, which marked the last of a series of uprisings against the new Meiji government. Sources of the Meiji Restoration. 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. 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. A Long History of Japanese Women Warriors, Biography of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, 16th Century Unifier of Japan, Overview of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, Bushido: The Ancient Code of the Samurai Warrior, Russo-Japanese War: Admiral Togo Heihachiro, J.D., University of Washington School of Law, B.A., History, Western Washington University. [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. Today, he serves the thoroughly modern nation of Japan as a symbol of its samurai traditionstraditions that he reluctantly helped to destroy. 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. 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. 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". Public apprehension found free expression in the Press, which said that the nation was divided into two parties, one being for the Government, the other for Satsuma, and asked what could be done to preserve peace. 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%. . The Satsuma Rebellion book. Japan Currency Museum. First I developed my thesis statement. The formal ceremony took place on April 4, 1868, and the former shogun was even allowed to keep his head! In its central quarters in that town, and in branches elsewhere, the youth of the clan received a military training. Tabaruzaka was one of the most intense campaigns of the war. After receiving reinforcements, the imperial force, now totaling 4,000 men, attacked the rear elements of the Satsuma army and drove them back. The schools resembled paramilitary political organizations more than anything else, and they enjoyed the support of the governor of Satsuma, who appointed disaffected samurai to political offices, where they came to dominate the Kagoshima government. Early on February 22, the Satsuma attack began. List Price: $32.75. The Shigakko students heard that the Meiji ship was coming and emptied the arsenal before it arrived. 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. Illustration of the Navy Landing at Sukuchi Village (battle of Tabaruzaka Hill), Kagoshima Shinbun: Illustration of the Battle of Yamagaguchi, March 1877. Format: Hardcover. Several samurai, upon seeing him in this state, would have severed his head, assisting him in the warrior's suicide that they knew he would have wished. Notwithstanding the great sacrifices it was called upon to make, the Imperial Government was fortunately able to give proof of its ability to maintain the unified rule over the nation, and was left virtually free to proceed on its way toward administrative reforms and general public improvements. 1794 by H.M. Brackenridge. Battle of Tabaruzaka: Imperial troops on the left, rebel samurai troops on the right, Saigo's army clashes with the government's forces. Saig expected both that a war would ultimately be successful for Japan and also that the initial stages of it would offer a means by which the samurai whose cause he championed could find meaningful and beneficial death. 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. 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. The work is generally accurate and has much of . As tensions increased, in January 1877, the central government sent a ship to seize munitions stores from Kagoshima. Saigo, however, had no regard for the conscripted farm boys who made up the imperial army. 8 Practical Tips to Maximize Efficiency in Real Estate Investing Led by Daniel Shays, the rebel "Shaysites" of . Author: Augustus Henry Mounsey. Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Meiji Restoration leader's lessons of sincerity", Names, Romanizations, and Spelling (page 1 of 2), On Saig and the establishment of a railway, "The Apocryphal Suicide of Saig Takamori: Samurai, "Seppuku", and the Politics of Legend", Portraits of Modern Japanese Historical Figures, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saig_Takamori&oldid=1130843774, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking in-text citations from January 2018, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Saig Kichijir (younger brother): Killed in action in the, Saig Kohei (younger brother): Killed in action in the, This page was last edited on 1 January 2023, at 07:05. The Daimyo of Satsuma was one of the most powerful and aggressive of the . 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. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. The major religious activity of this sect is to chant and meditate the true names (Sat-Nam) of God, specially Rama and Krishna. Although Nakahara later repudiated the confession, it was widely believed in Satsuma and was used as justification by the disaffected samurai that a rebellion was necessary in order to "protect Saig". 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. Attempts at Constitutional Government > Satsuma Rebellion. A primary source of its causes and events. By May, Saigo's army had surrounded Edo and threatened to attack, forcing the shogun's government to surrender. Saig Takamori (Takanaga) ( (), January 23, 1828 September 24, 1877) was a Japanese samurai and nobleman. History of the Western Insurrection in Western Pennsylvania, Commonly Called the Whiskey Insurrection. The police, in units ranging from 300 to 600 men, were mostly ex-samurai (ironically, many of whom were from Satsuma) and were armed only with wooden batons and swords (Japanese police did not carry firearms until the rice riots of 1918).