Who is Saigo?

Saigō Takamori (Takanaga) (西鄕 隆盛 (隆永), January 23, 1828 – September 24, 1877) was a Japanese samurai and nobleman. He was one of the most influential samurai in Japanese history and one of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration.

When was Saigo Takamori born?

January 23, 1828
Saigō Takamori/Date of birth

Where was Takamori Saigo born?

Kajiyacho, Kagoshima, Japan
Saigō Takamori/Place of birth

What is Saigo Takamori famous for?

Saigō Takamori (1828–1877) is remembered both for his leading role in the Meiji Restoration that overthrew the shogunate in 1868 and for his unsuccessful rebellion against the new government less than a decade later. Although he died a renegade, a government pardon rehabilitated his reputation.

What is Saigo in Japanese?

Learn Japanese vocabulary: 最後 【さいご】(saigo). Meaning: end; conclusion. last; final; latest; most recent.

Why did Saigō Takamori commit suicide?

Saigo, Takamori (1828 – 1877) Born in Kagoshima. Holding high office under the Kagoshima Clan lord Nariakira Shimazu, he tried to commit suicide by drowning on the occasion of the Ansei Purge and the death of Nariakira.

When was Saigo Takamori born and when did he die?

Saigō Takamori, original name Kichibē, or Kichinosuke, literary name Nanshū, (born Jan. 23, 1828, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan—died Sept. 24, 1877, Kagoshima), a leader in the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate who later rebelled against the weaknesses he saw in the Imperial government that he had helped to restore.

How tall was Saigo in his early life?

Early life. Saigō was born in 1828 at Kagoshima. His family were samurai of a low but honourable rank whose traditional responsibility was that of serving in the feudal lord’s bodyguard. From boyhood Saigō was distinguished by his unusual size and physique; as an adult he was almost six feet tall, weighing some 200 pounds.

When did Saigo Takamori seize control of the palace?

Before dawn on Jan. 3, 1868, troops under Saigō’s command seized control of the palace gates. A council of notables was summoned to which the young emperor read the Imperial rescript that was to inaugurate a new era for Japan.

How did Saigo die in the Satsuma Rebellion?

Saigo’s death brought the Satsuma Rebellion to an end. During the battle of Shiroyama, Saigō was badly injured in the hip. However, the exact manner of his death is unknown. There are no published reports by eyewitnesses.