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. Meanwhile, the remnants of the militaristic faction that supported Saigo's invasion proposal evolved into Japanese right-wing groups such as the genyosha and kokurykai. The modernization of the country meant the abolition of the privileged social status of the samurai class, and had undermined their financial position. 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. She has taught at the high school and university levels in the U.S. and South Korea. A reproduction of the same statue stands on Okinoerabujima, where Saig had been exiled. All three accounts report that the body was decapitated. However, despite their successes, the Satsuma army failed to take the castle, and began to realize that the conscript army was not as ineffective as first assumed. Saig resigned from all of his government positions in protest and returned to his hometown of Kagoshima. On March 4, Imperial Army General Yamagata ordered a frontal assault against Tabaruzaka, guarding the approaches to Kumamoto, which developed into an eight-day-long battle. 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. Saigo Takamori helped to usher in the modern era in Japan, serving as one of the three most powerful officials in the early Meiji government. Ravina, Mark J. The artillery battalion was divided into 2 batteries with 130 men per battery. Surely no conscript army of peasants could fight like the samurai! Themes In Keeper N Me. 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 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 Each man was armed with a small firearmeither a rifle, a carbine, or a pistolas well as 100 rounds of ammunition and, of course, his katana. Each battalion was divided into ten companies of 200 men. @media only screen and (min-device-width : 320px) and (max-device-width : 480px) { The province of Satsuma is situated in the southernmost portion of the island of Kyushu, and Kagoshima is the capital city. List Price: $31.95. 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. Beginning its educational efforts with a small The Satsuma Rebellion - Free ebook download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read book online for free. Japanese Government Documents, 1867-1889 (special issue of Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan; 1914), by Japan, ed. Each battalion consisted of four companies. Format: Paperback. Shortly thereafter, Saigo was promoted to the post of daimyo's attendant in 1854 and accompanied his lord to Edo on alternate attendance, taking a 900-mile-long walk to the shogun's capital, where the young man would work as his lord's gardener, unofficial spy, and confident. 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. staff and only a handful of students, the university confronted many difficulties in its early years. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). 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. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Main article: Satsuma Rebellion Portrait of Saig Takamori, faithful depiction by the acquaintance Tokonami Masayoshi in 1887 Saig preparing for war Shortly thereafter, a private military academy known as the Shi-gakk was established in Kagoshima for the faithful samurai who had also resigned their posts to follow him from Tokyo. Officially, the Meiji Emperor's government had authority over those facilities after 1871, but Satsuma officials actually retained control of them. 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. 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. Since the OP might be interested, here are the pages from the above reading on the Satsuma Rebellion and its aftermath. Saigo Takamori likely was killed in the initial barrage, although tradition holds that he was just gravely injured and committed seppuku. 25,000 YEN TOSHIMOTO. They also believed that only the samurai had the courage and training to defend Japan from its enemies, internal and external. Shortly thereafter, a private military academy known as the Shi-gakk was established in Kagoshima for the faithful samurai who had also resigned their posts to follow him from Tokyo. 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. 0 Reviews. Saig Takamori was labelled as a tragic hero by the people, and his actions were considered an honorable example of bushido and Yamato-damashii. 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. The Daimyo of Satsuma was one of the most powerful and aggressive of the . His childhood name was Kokichi and he received the given name Takamori in adulthood. Conscription System in Japan Author : Ogawa, Gataro Year- 1921 Type- book "The Satsuma Rebellion led Japan to turn over a new leaf. image. 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". In disgust at this latest move of a Government with which he had never from the first been in sympathy, he left Tokio. Above all these classes were the Mikado, the secluded divinity of Ki6to, still theo- retically the source of all authority; . Warbox|conflict=Satsuma Rebellion caption= Saig Takamori (seated, in Western uniform), surrounded by his officers, in traditional attire. ThoughtCo. The Satsuma Rebellion (also known as "seinan sens" - the Southwestern War) was a turning point in Japanese history. His letter indicated that he was not committed to rebellion and sought a peaceful settlement. [2] He had six siblings and his younger brother was Marshal-Admiral Marquis Saig Jd. 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. Founded by a saint named "Birbhan" in 1657 in Narnaul in Haryana. The government had just dealt with several small but violent samurai revolts in Kysh, and they found the prospect of rebellion by the numerous and fierce Satsuma samurai, led by the famous and popular Saig, an alarming one. Artillery consisted of over 100 pieces, including 5.28 pound mountain guns, Krupp field guns of various calibers, and mortars. His father, Saigo Kichibei, was a low-ranking samurai tax official who only managed to scrape by despite his samurai status. 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. At the height of the battle, Saig wrote a private letter to Prince Arisugawa, restating his reasons for going to Tokyo. Each side had suffered more than 4,000 killed or wounded. In peacetime, each company had approximately 160 privates and 32 officers and non-commissioned officers. revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Determined not to let the rebels escape again, Yamagata sent in a large force which outnumbered the Satsuma army 7:1. The second crisis, the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, was even . 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. Ravina prefers the English name "War of the Southwest."[12]. Details; Description; 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. After his failure to take Kumamoto, Saig led his followers on a seven-day march to Hitoyoshi. Brilliant Essays. In this rebellion, Saigo Takamori, one of the veteran statesmen of the Restoration, who enjoyed a wide popularity and was well versed in military tactics, acted as the head of the insurrection. Szczepanski, Kallie. 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. 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. Fearing a rebellion, the Meiji government sent a warship to Kagoshima to remove the weapons stockpiled at the Kagoshima arsenal on January 30, 1877. During the conflict, the government side expended on average 322,000 rounds of ammunition and 1,000 artillery shells per day. Legend says that one of his followers, Beppu Shinsuke, acted as kaishakunin and aided Saig in committing seppuku before he could be captured. "How the Samurai Ended During the Satsuma Rebellion." Saig was initially confident of his ability to take Kumamoto Castle, but he had underestimated the effectiveness of the imperial conscripts defending the castle. During the Boshin War, Saig led the imperial forces at the Battle of TobaFushimi, and after led the imperial army toward Edo, where he accepted the surrender of Edo Castle from Katsu Kaish. 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. As the siege wore on, the rebels ran low on munitions, prompting them to switch back to their swords. The rebels fought two significant battles against the central government: the Siege of Kumamoto Castle and the Battle of Tabaruzaka. In the hostilities which followed he took no part, being content to show his disapproval of the new regime by withdrawing into a retirement from which he never again emerged. Tabaruzaka was one of the most intense campaigns of the war. Bonded by their distaste for the shogunate, Choshu and Satsuma gradually formed an alliance. Other imperial loyalists wrote to him for advice on politics, so despite his exile and officially dead status, he continued to have an impact in Kyoto. 7. [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. In disgust, Saigo resigned as the army general, imperial councilor, and commander of the imperial guards the next day. 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 imperial government in Tokyo expected Saigo to come to the capital by sea or to dig in and defend Satsuma. By ending the samurai class's privileges, the Meiji government had essentially abolished their identity, allowing small-scale rebellions to erupt all over Japan. The Satsuma Rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History ; With Maps. The formal ceremony took place on April 4, 1868, and the former shogun was even allowed to keep his head! After Oyama departed, a flotilla of small ships filled with armed men attempted to board Takao by force, but were repelled. Statements. Friction among the Cabinet members over the question of Korean conquest, added to the local disturbances, made the already confused state of things worse confounded, and the result was the famous Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. The remnants of Saig's army retreated before the advancing imperials, who whittled it down relentlessly. traffic source, etc. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Superior Essays. With these deaths, the Satsuma rebellion came to an end. Why educator David Tarvin "thinks in Prezi" Feb. 13, 2023. During war, the mountain artillery had a nominal strength of 160 men per battery and field artillery had 130 men per battery. 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 Satsuma advance guard, 4,000 strong, set out on February 15, marching north. The new conscript levies initially struggled to defeat Saig, and the government found it necessary to enlist former. 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. Next, I stated the cause of the rebellion and the reaction of the Japanese government. By this time much uneasiness prevailed. Scene of Satsuma rebellion, triptych. Satsuma rebeliion.svg 703 965; 1.09 MB. In the final battle, the Battle of Shiroyama, 30,000 imperial troops bore down upon Saigo and his few hundreds of surviving rebel samurai. . https://www.thoughtco.com/the-satsuma-rebellion-195570 (accessed March 1, 2023). He also married a local woman namedAigana and fathered a son. The Shigakko students set out with him, bringing rifles, pistols, swords, and artillery. The Satsuma rebellion was a resist from the Meiji government and modern changes that took place in 1877. The Meiji Restoration of 1868 signaled the beginning of the end for Japan's samurai warriors. The Satsuma Rebellion, also known as the Seinan War ( Japanese: , Hepburn: Seinan Sens, lit. The main Imperial Army, under General Kuroda Kiyotaka with the assistance of General Yamakawa Hiroshi arrived in Kumamoto on April 12, putting the now heavily outnumbered Satsuma forces to flight. On September 1, Saigo and his 300 surviving men moved to Shiroyama mountain above Kagoshima, which was occupied by 7,000 imperial troops. Primary Sources 1. The line infantry was divided into 14 regiments of three battalions each. The Satsuma Rebellion was the last civil war in Japan, occurring in the tenth year of the Meiji era (1877), when the Satsuma rebel forces centering on Saig Takamori of Kagoshima collided with the regular army of the new Meiji government not long after it had formed. Though in Satsuma the rivalry of individual leaders had stopped short of open hostilities, the division of feeling was not less marked. Satsuma Rebellion Part of the ShizokuRebellions Map of the campaign Belligerents Empire of Japan Satsuma Domain Commanders and leaders Emperor Meiji Prince Arisugawa Yamagata Aritomo Kuroda Kiyotaka Tani Tateki Saig Takamori Kirino Toshiaki Beppu Shinsuke Strength 227,000 10 warships 25,000-35,000 Casualties and losses The year 2018 has seen many events in Japan marking 150 years since the Meiji Restoration. At one point, he offered to visit Korea in person and to provoke a casus belli by behaving in such an insulting manner that the Koreans would be forced to kill him. For terms and use, please refer to our Terms and Conditions This provoked open conflict, although with the elimination of samurai rice stipends in 1877, tensions were already extremely high. The spy leader confessed under torture that he was supposed to assassinate Saigo. Led by Daniel Shays, the rebel "Shaysites" of . On December 25, 1866, the 35-year-old Emperor Komei suddenly died. It contains an account of the battle, listing the number of cannons used, etc. Takamori Saigo, defeated in his insistent advocacy of the invasion of Korea, resigned his councillorship in the Cabinet and returned to his native place. 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. Then I introduced the leader of the rebellion. Advertisement Advertisement. The very rapid and massive changes to Japanese culture, language, dress and society appeared to many samurai to be a betrayal of the ji ("expel the barbarian") portion of the sonn ji justification used to overthrow the former Tokugawa shogunate. Saig was defeated and killed at the . [1], Saig Kokichi ( ) was born in Kajiya, Kagoshima, Satsuma Domain, the eldest son of samurai squire (koshkumi) Saig Kichib and his wife Masa. Modern Asian Studies, Volume 28, Issue 3, Cambridge University Press, July 1994. shizoku rebellion. Imperial forces landed with few losses, then pushed north seizing the city of Miyanohara on March 19. As tensions increased, in January 1877, the central government sent a ship to seize munitions stores from Kagoshima. Japanese samurai (18281877) who led the Satsuma Rebellion. Bibliolife DBA of Bibilio Bazaar II LLC, 2014 - 358 pages. Satsuma had no reserve of extra weapons and insufficient ammunition for an extended war. Request Permissions. revolt of disaffected samurai against the new imperial government, nine years into the Meiji Era. 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. ISBN-10: 0341798762. 2 Army, Colt M1861 Navy, and the Russian Model 1857 Six Line muzzleloading rifles that could fire approximately one round per minute. 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