Saigō Takamori: A Short Biography on Japan's Last Samurai

Summary

Saigō Takamori, often dubbed Japan's last samurai, played a crucial role in shaping Japanese history. Born in 1828 in the Satsuma domain, now Kagoshima, he rose from a humble bureaucratic role to become a key figure in the overthrow of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Despite aiding in the establishment of the Meiji government, Saigō later led a rebellion against it, distraught over the modernization and loss of samurai traditions. His life ended during the failed Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, marking the end of an era for samurai rule.

Highlights

• Saigō Takamori was a giant figure, both in stature and influence, hailing from the Satsuma domain. 🗻
• He served as a central force in establishing the Meiji government by overthrowing the Tokugawa Shogunate. 🏯
• The Satsuma Rebellion, led by Saigō, was a dramatic attempt to preserve samurai traditions against modernization. ⚔️
• Despite his revolt, Saigō's impact on Japan's political landscape continues to be revered. 🗾
• Saigō's bravery and tragic end at the Battle of Shiroyama are legendary, emphasizing the end of samurai-era Japan. ⚜️

Key Takeaways

• Saigō Takamori, known as Japan's last samurai, played a monumental role in the fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the rise of the Meiji government. 🎎
• Despite his initial support for the emperor, Saigō was disillusioned by modernization and eventually led the Satsuma Rebellion against the government he helped build. ⚔️
• Saigō's tragic demise in the Battle of Shiroyama marked the definitive end of the samurai's influence in Japan. 🏯

Overview

Saigō Takamori, standing tall both in physicality and significance, was born in the Satsuma domain where he began his journey from a local bureaucrat to a fearsome samurai leader. His early years were marked by loyalty to Shimazu Nariakira, the daimyo he served, and his deep involvement in the political upheaval of the era.

As an instrumental figure in the Meiji Restoration, Saigō dismantled the long-standing Tokugawa Shogunate paving the way for modern Japan. Yet, as the new government progressed, he lamented the erasure of samurai traditions, culminating in the ill-fated Satsuma Rebellion against the very administration he helped establish.

The Battle of Shiroyama stands as a poignant testament to Saigō Takamori's unwavering spirit and the somber end of the samurai age. His life and rebellion illustrate the tensions between tradition and modernization, a narrative that continues to resonate in Japan's cultural memory.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 01:00: Saigo Takamori's Origins and Early Life Saigo Takamori, hailing from the Satsuma domain (now Kagoshima), played a crucial role in toppling the Tokugawa Shogunate. Despite his initial help in establishing the imperial government, he later rebelled against it. Known as Japan's last samurai, he was born in 1828 in Kagoshima.
• 01:00 - 02:30: Rise in Influence and Position The chapter titled 'Rise in Influence and Position' focuses on the early life and career of Saigo, highlighting his impressive physical presence and his character. Despite his imposing size, Saigo was known for his friendly and unassuming demeanor. After completing his education, he embarked on his professional journey, beginning his career in the local bureaucracy as an agricultural advisor. His capabilities and personality soon earned him a promotion to the position of a daimyo's attendant, marking his initial rise in influence and position.
• 02:30 - 04:00: Exile and Return to Political Power Saigo accompanied his lord Shimazu Nariakira to Edo during the sankinkotai, where he took on roles as a gardener, unofficial spy, and confidante. Saigo soon became Nariakira's closest advisor while working in the shogun's capital.
• 04:00 - 05:30: Involvement in the Overthrow of the Shogunate The chapter focuses on the period surrounding the death of Nariakira on July 15, 1858, who likely died of poisoning. The chapter discusses Saigo's internal conflict as he considered committing seppuku to follow his lord in death, but is convinced by a monk named Gessho to live on and continue his political work in honor of Nariakira. The chapter also outlines the shogun's actions to purge pro-imperial politicians aligned with the Sonno-joi ideology.
• 05:30 - 07:00: Transition to Meiji Government The chapter discusses Gessho's attempt to escape to Kagoshima with the help of Saigo due to pursuit by the shogunate. Their escape plan was thwarted when Shimazu Hisamitsu, Nariakira's half-brother, refused to protect them. Faced with arrest, Gessho and Saigo jumped into Kagoshima Bay where Gessho unfortunately lost his life because he could not be revived after being rescued by the boat's crew.
• 07:00 - 09:30: Conflicts Over Conscription and Foreign Policy The chapter titled 'Conflicts Over Conscription and Foreign Policy' follows the story of Saigo, who goes into exile on the small island of Amami Oshima as he is pursued by the shogun's men. Despite being declared dead by the domain government, Saigo's advice continues to be sought after by imperial loyalists, showing that his influence persists even during exile. After three years on Amami Oshima, Saigo is summoned back to Satsuma.
• 09:30 - 13:30: The Satsuma Rebellion and Saigo's Final Stand After returning to Satsuma, Saigo Takamori openly criticized Hisamitsu, whom he suspected of poisoning his lord, Nariakira. This critique angered Hisamitsu, leading to heightened tensions. Consequently, Hisamitsu had Saigo arrested and banished to the remote penal island of Okinoerabujima, where he remained for over a year.

Saigō Takamori: A Short Biography on Japan's Last Samurai Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Saigo Takamori was a samurai from the  Satsuma domain or modern-day Kagoshima.   He was instrumental in the overthrow of the  Tokugawa Shogunate and later rebelled against the imperial government that he had helped to create.  He is often referred to as Japan's last samurai.  Saigo was born in 1828 in Kagoshima, Satsuma's capital.
• 00:30 - 01:00 From boyhood, Saigo was distinguished by his unusual size and physique. A giant among his contemporaries, he appeared frightening at first glance, but he was friendly and unassuming in manner. After finishing school, Saigo began working in the local bureaucracy as an agricultural advisor. Shortly thereafter he was promoted to the post of daimyo's attendant
• 01:00 - 01:30 and accompanied his lord Shimazu Nariakira to Edo on sankinkotai,   or the daimyo's alternate attendance taking a  900-mile long walk to the shogun's capital in Edo   where the young man would work as his lord's  gardener, unofficial spy, and confidante. Soon, Saigo became Nariakira's closest advisor.
• 01:30 - 02:00 But unfortunately, on July 15, 1858, Nariakira suddenly died - likely of poison.   Saigo contemplated committing seppuku  to accompany his lord into death,   but a monk named Gessho convinced him to live  and continue his political work to honor Nariakira's memory instead. The shogun began to purge  pro-imperial politicians who supported Sonno-joi
• 02:00 - 02:30 forcing Gessho to seek Saigo's help in escaping to Kagoshima where Nariakira's half-brother Shimazu Hisamitsu, unfortunately, refused to protect the pair from shogun officials.  Rather than facing arrest, Gessho and Saigo  jumped from a small boat in Kagoshima Bay   and were pulled from the water by the boat's  crew. Regrettably, Gessho could not be revived.
• 02:30 - 03:00 The shogun's men were still hunting him, so Saigo went into exile on a small island on Amami Oshima.   The domain government declared him dead. 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. Three years after arriving at Amami  Oshima, he was called back to Satsuma.
• 03:00 - 03:30 A few months after returning to Satsuma, Saigo  angered Hisamitsu after openly criticizing him.   Saigo always believed that it was  Hisamitsu who poisoned his lord Nariakira.   This tension soon boiled over. Hisamitsu had him arrested and banished to a desolate penal island further south   called Okinoerabujima where he spent more than a year
• 03:30 - 04:00 before being pardoned and returning  to Satsuma in February of 1864.   Just four days after his return, Saigo was appointed commander of the Satsuma army in Kyoto.   In the emperor's capital politics had changed significantly during Saigo's absence. Pro-emperor daimyo and radicals called for an end to the shogunate and the expulsion of all foreigners.
• 04:00 - 04:30 Saigo supported a stronger role for the  emperor, but distrusted the rebels rhetoric.   Small-scale rebellions broke out around Japan and the shogun's troops proved shockingly  unable to put down the uprisings.   The Tokugawa regime was falling apart, but it had not yet occurred to Saigo that a future Japanese government might not include a shogun.   After all, the shogunate had ruled Japan for 800 years.
• 04:30 - 05:00 As commander of satsuma's troops, Saigo led an 1864 punitive expedition against the Choshu domain,   whose army in Kyoto had opened  fire on the emperor's residence.   Saigo's massive army marched on Choshu where he negotiated a peaceful settlement rather than launching an attack. A second punitive expedition was to be led against Choshu by the shogunate, but this time Saigo did not agree with the plans.
• 05:00 - 05:30 Saigo and Satsuma domain agreed to participate in the first punitive expedition to protect the emperor,   but felt a second expedition would be excessive  and was an attempt to enforce its control and power over another domain for its own selfish purposes as a way to re-establish Tokugawa dominance. Through a long and drawn-out process of distrust and negotiations, an agreement was finally brokered by Sakamoto Ryoma
• 05:30 - 06:00 bringing Satsuma and Choshu domains into a military alliance.  This signed the fate of the shogunate and after  its failed attempt of a second punitive expedition   Shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu knew his time had come. In November 1867 Yoshinobu tendered his resignation to the emperor and formally stepped down returning governing power to the emperor.
• 06:00 - 06:30 This led to the Boshin War between  shogunate supporters and the imperial army,   an army supplied mainly by Satsuma and Choshu domains. Saigo, as chief of staff, successfully negotiated with Katsu Kaishu for the peaceful surrender of Edo. He then directed a campaign against supporters of the shogunate in the north that lasted until November 1868.
• 06:30 - 07:00 Instead of participating in the difficult problems of organizing a new administration, Saigo entered into retirement. In 1871, after much persuasion, Saigo finally agreed to join the government   and was given command of the newly created  imperial guard consisting of some 10,000 troops.   The next objective was to abolish the domain  system and replace it with prefectures.
• 07:00 - 07:30 Saigo was appointed to the council of  state and assumed joint responsibility with   Kido Takayoshi for carrying out the new program.   The change went smoothly and was followed  by the disbandment of all domain troops.   By the end of 1871, the government had  eliminated all potential military opposition   and in the summer of 1872, Saigo was  promoted to the new rank of full general.
• 07:30 - 08:00 During this period, however, serious differences were developing over the question of introducing conscription.   Some members of the government insisted that  universal military training was a necessity;   others felt that it was unwise to deprive the samurai class of their ancient monopoly on warfare.   While the debate raged, Saigo, the leading military figure in the nation,
• 08:00 - 08:30 declined to commit himself publicly. It is known that he privately supported the plan and there is a general agreement that   without his encouragement conscription probably  would not have been adopted by the government.   Saigo's inability to take a stand on conscription  was perhaps an indication of a deeper uneasiness. Fearful that Japan was losing the samurai spirit,   he was beginning to regret his part in having  started an apparently irreversible process.
• 08:30 - 09:00 During the summer of 1873, these emotions boiled  over in connection with the problem of Korea. The Joseon Dynasty in Korea refused to recognize  Mutsuhito as an emperor because it traditionally   recognized only the Chinese emperor as  such, all other rulers were mere kings.   The Korean government even went as far  as publicly stating that by adopting
• 09:00 - 09:30 western style customs and clothing  Japan had become a barbarian nation.   Like many others, Saigo felt Korea's attitude  was insulting and that Korea deserved punishment.   A war with Korea would also have the advantage  of reinvigorating the samurai, many of whom were   sulking or rebellious over the trend toward  modernization and universal conscription.
• 09:30 - 10:00 In order to realize these objectives, Saigo  argued in the council of state for a unique plan.   He would go to Korea as a special envoy,  apparently to settle outstanding issues,   while there he would behave in such  a way as to provoke his own murder.   Thus, affording Japan unquestionable  justification for a declaration of war.   In October 1873, the prime minister announced that Saigo would not be allowed to travel to Korea as an emissary and rejected the plan.
• 10:00 - 10:30 Furious at this decision, Saigo resigned as state counselor and commander of the imperial guard and returned once more to his old home in Kagoshima.   Many members of the government followed Saigo's lead and also retired. A few months later Saigo opened his own private school with emphasis on military science and physical training.
• 10:30 - 11:00 Disaffected former samurai from all parts of Japan flocked to study under him. To Saigo, this was a simple private school that trained young men for public service. However, to the government in Tokyo it was a cause for concern. The administration of the prefecture from the governor down was in the hands of Saigo's supporters and graduates of his school were being preferred for new appointments. With samurai rebellions occurring  in other parts of the country during 1876
• 11:00 - 11:30 there was a real fear that Kagoshima might  become the center of a serious insurrection.   In an attempt to assert authority, the  government took some ill-advised steps   that only inflamed the already tense  atmosphere and on January 29, 1877,   a group of Saigo's disciples attacked  the Kagoshima arsenal and navy yard. Saigo, who was in the mountains on a hunting trip, hastily returned.
• 11:30 - 12:00 By the time that he reached Kagoshima, his supporters were operating the arsenal themselves to provide supplies for further military action, and Saigo reluctantly agreed to become the leader of their rebellion. Plans were made to march on Tokyo with the vague  idea of presenting grievances to the government   and on February 15th Saigo's army set their plans in motion.
• 12:00 - 12:30 At this time Saigo had no intentions on war or rebellion with the government.  That was until government forces blocked his advance at Kumamoto, then a full-scale war ensued for the next six months. Saigo's old friend Yamagata Aritomo, now Minister  of War, became the field commander against him.   By May, Saigo was on the defensive. During the summer he suffered a series of disastrous defeats
• 12:30 - 13:00 and by September the situation was hopeless. With a few hundred men he returned to Kagoshima to make his last stand at Shiroyama, a hill overlooking the city. On September 24, 1877,   the government troops launched the final attack at the Battle of Shiroyama.  Saigo was critically wounded and one of his faithful lieutenants took his life by beheading him.
• 13:00 - 13:30 In the end, the conscription  army had defeated the samurai.   Never again would the government fear  local uprisings or samurai threats.   If the great Saigo Takamori could not win,  no one else would be foolhardy enough to try.