Saigo Takamori portrait from the Japan National Diet Library

Saigo Takamori was born Jan. 23, 1828 in Kagoshima, Satsuma Domain. The son of a samurai tax clerk in the poorest samurai district of Kagoshima, I don’t imagine anyone that day would expect this boy to be one of the men most responsible for leading Japan out of the centuries long Edo-era. Born Saigo Kichinosuke (Japanese at the time often changed their names throughout their lifetimes to reflect changes in station or auspicious personal events); he lived rather humbly but for unknown reasons caught the eye of his daimyo, the forward thinking Shimadzu Nariakira, which would begin his rise to prominence. Leading imperial forces he would win victories in the Boshin War and bloodlessly take Edo Castle. His leadership helped bring about the Meiji Restoration, beginning a new emperor-centered government and ending the centuries long Shogunate.

After the peace was won even briefly was part of the leadership which led the nation, a position that would today be handled by the prime minister. During his time in politics Saigo would help bring about the end of the class system and the old domains to create a modern Japan.

Saigo Takamori Birthplace

After a falling out with the government over what he perceived as corrupt politics, Saigo would resign his political and military positions to return home and lead military academies. At the time Japan was for various reasons experiencing insurrections, especially on Saigo’s home island of Kyushu. Fearing the charismatic Saigo may use his military academies to stage one of his own the government attempted to disarm Kagoshima Prefecture and sent spies into his military academies which created a self-fulfilling prophecy. A captured and tortured spy admitted their true purpose was to assassinate Saigo and this set off an army of angry and well-armed samurai into rebellion with Field Marshal Saigo at their head, intending to travel to Tokyo and “question the government.” Shots were fired at Kumamoto Castle which began an armed conflict that lasted from Feb. 19, 1877 until its defeat at Kagoshima Sept. 24, 1877. On that day Saigo and his remaining 40 men died like samurai charging 20,000 imperial troops on Shiroyama hill, just a few miles from where he had been born.

Saigo Nanshu Cemetery and Nanshu Shrine; Saigo’s grave is front and center

In 1890 Saigo’s name was cleared by Emperor Meiji and in 1898 his statue was erected in Tokyo’s Ueno Park. He is buried at the Saigo Nanshu Cemetery in Kagoshima, surrounded by the followers that fell with him at Shiroyama and many more who died fighting for him during the rebellion. Despite the many leaders who came from it, Saigo is the enduring symbol of Kagoshima.

Ueno Park’s Saigo Statue

Shiroyama’s Saigo Statue; this is how he is honored in his home of Kagoshima