Enomoto the true last Samurai No.6

The Times and Life of Takeaki Enomoto

Part 2. The Last Days of the Bakufu

４．How the Bakufu collapses after the First Unequal Treaties
　(1853-1860)

The days before the Bakufu's collapse
December 1867: Saigo* and Okubo* collude with a Kugyo (the most
powerful man attached to the Imperial Court), Tomomi Iwakura*,
and surround the court with their forces. Then they announce
the following things with the Imperial assent.
① Demote the Shogun, Yoshinobu, to a feudal lord.
② Keep out people who support conciliation between the
imperial court and the shogunate from the Imperial Court
(Especially the Tosa domain).
③ Set up a new government with their own party.
Choshu confederates with Owari(Nagoya), Echigo(Niigata), Tosa
(Kochi) and Geishu (Hiroshima)and look forward to the official
announcement of restoration of imperial power on December 8th.
Yoshinobu has heard about the announcement by 6th from
Matsudaira Okura Daisuke* and Goto Shojiro* ,and he decides to
accept it.
Matsudaira Katamori* knows the series of moves and feels strong
resentment toward the party pushing for overthrowing of the
Tokugawa Shogunate. Still, he orders the Shogunate forces not
to take hasty action.
December 8: The Imperial Court forgives Choshu and gives their
official rank to people of 7 kyo (Lords)such as Iwakura* and
the others. Also the Imperial Courts allows
Choshu's forces to enter Kyoto. Iwakura is forgiven as well and
is ordered to join the House of Councilors. Iwakura hands "
Strategy for the restoration of the Imperial power", which he
has prepared before, to the Emperor.
December 9: The Emperor declares the restoration of the
Imperial power. The declaration is based on the strategy
Iwakura suggested.

All prior official ranks of the Imperial Court are abolished
and it is decided that politics would be done by 1 Sosai
(president), 10 Gijyo (high ranked officials) and 20 Sanyo (low
ranked officials). Yoshinobu is not included in those.
These positions are nominated as follows;
・Sosai:Arisugawanomiya Taruhito*(only one person)
・Gijyo: including Ninnajinomiya Yoshiaki*, Matsudaira
Shungaku*, Yamanouchi Youdo*
・Sanyo:including Iwakura Tomomi
On the afternoon of the same day, suddenly, the forces of
Satsuma, Tosa, Owari and Echizen take control of the Imperial
palace's gates. At the same time forces of Aizu and Kuwana are
screened out and domains that support reconciliation between
the Imperial court and the Shogunate are banned to enter the
imperial palace. That means the imperial palace is occupied by
revolutionaries.

Kogosyo-kaigi (a Meeting held at the Imperial Palace):
At night, the officials, the kugyo and the domain heads
(Matsudaira Katamoti, Yamanouchi Yodo and Matsudaira Shungaku
etc.) gather at the imperial palace.
Matsudaira Katamori accuses that the restoration was Satsuma's
conspiracy. However Iwakura refutes that Emperor Meiji is the
ideal Emperor and Katamori had to hold back without being able
to say any words. Furthermore at this meeting, it is required
that Yoshinobu should show his practical accomplishment by
declining the government post and retroceding his territory.
The request spawns a heated discussion. Saigo does not like to
have discussions and says "Tell Iwakura that I have to go with
the last resort."
Iwakura also thinks that he has to kill Katamori even in front
of the Emperor. " Goto senses Saigo and Iwakura's thoughts and
whispers to Yodo "It's better to compromise before you get
killed." Yodo says that he will never compromise. However he
gets exhausted after a while and stops speaking in loud voice.
Around that time, the meeting has over. It is already near
midnight when it finishes after 7 hours of discussion.
A possible reason why Yodo becomes quiet is hat he likes sake
very much and he has been drunk after drinking at the dinner.
As a result, it is agreed that Yoshinobu would decline the
government post and retrocede his territory.
Participants of the meeting: In addition to Sosai, Gijyo and
Sanyo , the representatives of each great domains are as
follows;
The Satsuma domain: including Okubo, Saigo (total 3)
The Tosa domain: including Goto Shojiro*(total 2)
The Echizen domain: Total 2
The Owari domain: Total 3
The Hiroshima domain: Total 2
In total, 43 persons are participating.

December 10: Katamori meets Yoshinobu and tells what they
discussed at the meeting the day before.
Yoshinobu's reaction:
① Yoshinobu accepts the Imperial order to resign as Shogun.
② About declination of the government post and retrocession
of his territory: He will demote himself by one rank. But he
says he cannot return all of his territory, 400 grain screen,
because half of it is his real earnings. So he responds the
Imperial Court that he would discuss retrocession of his
territory with his councilor and respond a few days later.
People around the Shogun and the Emperor feel that they are in
volatile situation.
December 13: Yoshinobu goes down to the Castle of Osaka with
forces of the Aizu and the Kuwana domains, fearing the worst
case.
"The head of the Tosa domain acts as arbitrator and suggests
the Imperial court that they should stop fighting with the
Shogunate and have a meeting with them. Then they should call
off the high alert of the Imperial Court.
"The Imperial Court accepts the suggestion and calls off the
high alert.
"Yoshinobu dedicates 50,000 ryo (unit of Japanese currency
at that time) to help the Imperial Court's financial crisis.
He shows allegiance to the Emperor by the dedication.

Enomoto the true last Samurai CONTENTS

The Times and Life of Takeaki Enomoto

CONTENTS

Chapter I. Introduction　
１．Why Takeaki Enomoto ?
２．The Essay's Perspective

Chapter II. Takeaki Enomoto's Background
A Brief Presentation of Japanese History around the End of the Edo Era

Chapter III. Takeaki Enomoto's Biography
Part 1. Student Days
１．Times at the Nagasaki Naval Training Center
２．Studying in Holland
３． Completing the Kaiyomaru and Retuning to Japan

Part 2. The Last Days of the Bakufu
４．How the Bakufu collapsed after the First Unequal Treaties(1853-1860)
５. The Boshin War and a Comparative Study of activities by
Takeaki Enomoto and Kaishu Katusu　
６. The Escape from Edo

Part 3. The Republic of Ezo and the Battle of Hakodate.
７．The Escape to Ezo and the Rebellion Against the New
Government
８．Establishing the Republic of Ezo
９．The Battle of Hakodate
１０．The Aftermath of the Battle and the Capitivity

Part 4. Activities for the New Japan in the Meiji Era
１１．Developing Hokkaido
１２．Diplomatic Mission in Russia
１３．The Journey back to Japan through Siberia.
１４．Contribution as a member of the Meiji Government Cabinet
１５．Building up a Stronger Diplomacy
１６．The Best Element of the Meiji Government Cabinet
１７．Enomoto's Project in Mexico
１８．The Last Years

Chapter IV. Evaluation of Takeaki Enomoto's Career and Character
Part 1 Summarizing Enomoto's character and his activities
Part 2 Evaluation of the Battle of Hakodate from a historical
point of view
Part 3 Bringing up talented people viewpoints: Evaluation
Part 4 Comparison between Takeaki Enomoto and Kaishu Katsu
Part 5 Questions and their Answers about Enomoto's activities
from the point of view of samurai sprits
Point 1: Why does Enomoto fight against the new Japan and its
government which was heading toward modernization
although he studied abroad to learn the modern western
culture in the Netherlands for three years?
Point 2.: On the other hand, Katsu stays in the USA for only a
few months. Still he can convince the last Shogun,
Yoshinobu Tokugawa, to return the authority to the
Emperor. Why is Enomoto unable to take actions like the
ones by Katsu?
Point 3: Why and how did Enomoto establish the Ezo Republic in
Hakodate?
Point 4: Why and how does Enomoto determine to live?　(Is that
against the samurai spirit (1)?)
Point 5: Why did Enomoto and his parties ,who lost in the
Battle of Hakodate, survive?
Point 6: Why and how did Enomoto's army offer French soldier
Brunet join the Battle of Hakodate?
Point 7: How was he received as an executive of the new Meiji
government?
Point 8: Enomoto's attitude and his comments about criticism
by Fukuzawa


Chapter V　 Feedback to Modern Japanese Education System as the
Conclusion
Part 1 Feedback from Enomoto Takeaki
Part 2 Analyzing Problems on the Japanese education system and
what kinds of people are needed for the future of Japan
Part 3 What are needed and how to be reformed for the
Japanese education system

Enomoto the true last samurai NO.5

Chapter III

Takeaki Enomoto's Biography


In this chapter, I would like to describe Enomoto's entire life,
to be divided into four parts as follows;
However, considering reader's interests, I will start from part
2 (Student's Days).
As for part 1(Early Life), I will describe in Chapter IV as
Analysis of Takeaki Enomoto's Character and his Activities in
Relation with his Early Life (1836 -- 1855).

1:Early life
From Enomoto's birth to his starting studies in Nagasaki naval
training center.
He learns geography in his youth, and is active in helping
create the map of Japan, while doing this work, he visits
northern part of Japan.

2: Student's Days
Learning about navy in Nagasaki naval training center and
studying abroad in Holland. What he learns in his days in
Holland is not only handling ship engines as an engineer but
also how to fight with a navy and international law.

3: The full account of the Battle of Hakodate
　Enomoto's manner of fighting and problems (as the last
samurai) as the leader of the Battle of Hakodate. Also, I will
address the issue of, "If he won, what would have become
different for Hokkaido?".

4: Enomoto's activities as cabinet minister of the new Meiji
government
After the Battle of Hakodate and being released from prison,
Enomoto's activity will be described after the Meiji
Restoration. Also, I will address the issue of "If he had been
sentenced to death, what would have become of the
MeijiRestoration and of Japan?".


Part 1. Student Days

1. His time at the Nagasaki Naval Training Center

In March, 1862, the Tokugawa Bakufu approaches Holland, which
has a good relationship with Japan ,to accept some Japanese to
study there. The Tokugawa Bakufu also asks Holland to sell a
battleship. Both requests are accepted. 14 people, including a
doctor also Hayashi, are designated to study abroad in Holland.
Enomoto is, of course, one of the students.

In June, 1862, Enomoto and other 13 Japanese set off from
Shinagawa for Holland on the Kanrinmaru. However, 4 people
including Enomoto are struck with measles and the vessel has to
stop at Izu Shimoda to wait for their recovery.
They leave there on the 2nd of August and get to Nagasaki on
the 23rd. Ito and Hayashi join them from Nagasaki. In total, 15
Japanese set off from Nagasaki on a Dutch ship called Caripps.
However, the ship only goes to Port Vatavia in India,where they
will have to transfer to another ship. The Carips has plain
sailing part of the way; however, it sails into a storm and is
driven on to a reef at Java. The Carips gets a hole on the
bottom of the ship and is wrecked. When the sea settles down,
the captain and sailors escape from their ship on the life
boats.
After this incident, Enomoto and other 14 Japanese have a tough
time, including being attacked by pirates and landing on
uninhabited island. Enomoto keeps a diary about this tough
voyage and it resembles a tale of adventure.
On the 4th of June, 1863, Enomoto and other Japanese finally
arrive in Holland one year after they left Shinagawa.

2. Studying in Holland

15・April 1863: The Teluna, which was carrying Enomoto and the
other Japanese students, arrives in Rotterdam Holland, 215 days
after they left Nagasaki. Dr. Hoffmann of Leiden University is
waiting for them there and he greets them in Japanese. Many
people gather to see the Japanese, whose dress fascinates and
amuses them. They make it through a crowd and get to the
station. They leave Rotterdam and arrive at Leiden station that
evening. They are also welcomed there and go to a hotel after
the greeting.
From the following day, Enomoto has meetings with
administration officials about the plan of their study and
activities. He also meets Dr. Pompe and Naval Minister of
Holland, Kattendijke, who had trained at Nagasaki Naval
Training Center. Dr. Pompe is ordered to take care of Enomoto
and his party by the Minister Kattendijke.

24 April 1863: Enomoto and his party move to the Hague by an
order of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and they start their
research there. However Tsuda and Nishi specialize in law, so
they remain in Leiden. The total of 7 Japanese including
Enomoto go to the Hague.

They spend a peaceful time there despite the seriously troubled
Japanese political situation.
After May 1863: Below are the contents of the lectures he and
his party take. Mainly Naval Captain Denaux lectures and trains
them.
(1) Operation of ships and vessels, gunnery
(2) Lecture on Steam Engine by Naval Engine Coach Huygens
(3) Science by Frederick and Ek B. Stiltelha
(4) Enomoto, Nishi and Tsuda learn international law from Dr.
Ess Vissering
Enomoto brings back the translated draft of the lecture to
Japan and read it regularly.
(5) Enomoto has a telegraphic instrument fixed in his boarding
house and acquired skills to use it. He uses Morse printing
machine during his stay in Netherlands and he becomes skilled
in its technique.
(6) Enomoto supervises shipbuilding of a battleship, which the
Shogunate had ordered. Also he observes and learns shipbuilding.

(7) Dec. 1863: The Shogunate sends Ikeda to Paris as an envoy
to negotiate with French government on the closing of Port
Yokohama, the stabbing incident and reparations for the
shooting incident by Choshu. Ikeda orders Enomoto to come to
Paris and to negotiate with French navy. It is good opportunity
for Enomoto to observe France.
(8) The most valuable experience for Enomoto in Holland is to
observe Prussia-Denmark War. He serves in the war as an
international witness officer. At that time, Bismarck unifies
Germany and pushes through armaments' reform with his
dictatorship.
　

3.Shipbuilding of the Kaiyomaru.

(Contents below are mainly from the catalogue "Kaiyo-maru"
which was published by the Kaiyomaru-seishonen Center.)

This part will introduce the shipbuilding of the battleship
Kaiyomaru, which the Shogunate ordered. Kaiyomaru was an
excellent battleship for that time and it was the first
battleship which was made in a foreign country by Japanese
order. Enomoto believed that Japan and Japanese naval defenses
would be secure as long as Japan had the battleship.

1863: Dutch trading company makes a contract between Gips
shipyard and the Shogunate.
August 1863: Groundbreaking ceremony:
General characteristics of the battleship are as follows.
" Wooden 3-masted sailboat and propelled by screws
" Displacement: 2590 ton
" Length: 72.8 m, Beam: 13.0 m
" Engine: 400 horsepower, Trunk steam engine. Huygens designs
the engine and boiler.
" Equipment: 26 guns
" Capacity: 400 people
Huygens suggests making an iron ship rather than a wooden one
because they do not have much time for the building and iron
ships are more durable. However the Shogunate prefers the
wooden one. Thinking of the later accident in Hokkaido, this
was a fork in the road showing that the Shogunate does not
understand battleships technically.

Naming ceremony: 20 Oct. 1864: Enomoto, Uchida and Sawa attend
the naming ceremony of Kaiyomaru wearing Japanese formal wear.
Although Japanese students in Holland are told to wear Japanese
clothes, they wear western clothes in daily life in Holland
because Kimono is awkward for training. However they do not cut
their topknot and wear a hat over it in case they are called
back to Japan suddenly.

＊Launching ceremony: 14 Sep. 1864: Naval Minister Kattendijke,
key personalities of Dutch Navy and the Japanese students
attend the ceremony.
＊Completion: 17 July 1866 (Keio 2nd): Kaiyomaru is completed
as the first battleship ordered and made in a foreign country
by Japan. (It takes 3 years to complete Kaiyomaru)
＊ Departure of Kaiyomaru from Holland : 25 Oct. 1866:
Kaiyomaru departs for Japan with following people.
Japanese: 9 students including Enomoto (Akamatsu, Hayashi and
Ito remain in Holland to continue their studies there.)
Dutch: Naval Captain Deaux (Commander). 2 officers, 14 ratings,
160 sailors and 1 doctor

　　　　　　　　　　　　4.　The Return to Japan

Later events of the Kaiyomaru and students who return from
Holland

26 March 1867 (Keio 3rd): Kaiyomaru arrives at Port Yokohama.
157 days after Kaiyomaru left Holland she used the engine.
Followings are the activities of Enomoto after he arrives in
Japan. In the evening, he goes back home and he is welcomed
with great delight.

May: Enomoto is appointed as an officer to receive Kaiyomaru.
22 June: Presentation ceremony is held on the ship in the
presence of the Dutch minister and a 21 gun salute is given.
Naval Bugyo* Oda, Battleship Bugyo* Katsu attend the ceremony.
July: Enomoto marries with Tatsu who was the younger sister of
Kenkai Hayashi. Hayashi also studied abroad in Holland like
Enomoto and his major was medical science. Tatsu is the
daughter of the Shogunate's doctor, Dokai Hayashi and had good
reputation as a good wife. A half-year after their marriage,
the Boshin War breaks out and they are separated. However,
Enomoto is a devoted husband, writing letters to his wife when
they are apart. In that sense, Enomoto is a contrast to Katsu
and he is rare for that time.

Enomoto the true last Samurai No.4

Anti-Bukufu movements in Choshu domain

The Choshu loyalists had been defeated and lost power but the
Bakufu had not rooted them out completely. Surviving remnants
continued to organize militia using western arms and military
techniques. In an unprecedented social innovation, the organizers
of this militia, in particular Shinsaku Takasugi, allowed peasants
to join, although peasants were strictly forbidden from bearing
arms and training as soldiers.
Whether they saw this a chance for individual glory or a grander
cause, these farmer-soldiers and their samurai partners built units
with high morale as well as skill. Takasugi's forces fought a
victorious civil war in Choshu. They retook control of the domain
government. Takasugi was preparing fight the Bakufu.

December 1864: Shinsaku Takasugi* who is a samurai in the Choshu
domain and is one of followers to Shoin Yoshida*, raises an army at
Kozan temple in Chofu and tries to change the clan's policies,
although the government of the Choshu domain are dominated by
Bafuku friendly Samurais. The Rikishi-tai group ,which is a militia
commanded by Shunsuke Ito* ,supports the Takasugi's army.
However,internal strife breaks out and the clan plunges into chaos.
January 1865: Aritomo Yamagata* takes command of the Kiheitai
(Irregular Militia) and conquers the Zokuron-ha (conservatives).
Then, the Seigi-ha (reformists) take control of the Choshu clan.
The Choshu clan divides its territory into four: Geishu side
(Hiroshima), Oshimaguchi side (Suou Oshima), Sekishu-guchi side
(Simane) and Kokura side(Fukuoka Kokura), for protection.

Four allied foreign countries require the Shogunate to do the
following things as compensation for the Shimonoseki attack incident.

＊Payment of reparations within the year of 1870.
＊Open up the ports in Osaka and Kobe. If the treaty is accepted by
the Emperor, the allied countries will allow extension of the dead-
line of the repayment.
Shogun Yoshinobu manages to suppress his councilors and asks the
allied countries to extend the reply dead-line. Then he goes to
Kyoto to see the Emperor and ask for advice directly.
However, the imperial court does not accept the treaty nor allowing
the opening of the port in Kobe. This incident causes the Shogunate
lose some face.

In 1865: Second Seicho war (the second war between the Bakufu and
the Choshu domain), also called the Shikyo war. The war is the
turning point in which the Shogunate starts to follow a course of
decline. On the other hand, Choshu regains power by allying itself
with the Satsuma clan and their movement toward overthrowing the
Shogunate is accelerated.
From that context, the Second Seicho war is a very important
incident,which this paper will explain in more detail.
1866: Takasugi now holds the real power over the Choshu clan.
Takasugi attacks Kokura castle with his irregular militia in the
Shikyou War.
In Choshu, Takasugi and his later subordinate, Yamagata have
gradually built a skilled force through the war, which will become
the Imperial army in the Meiji era.

May 1866: The Shogunate ordered each clan to attack Choshu one year
previously but all of them (Satsuma, Owari, Echizen etc.) deny the
order. The Shogunate is in financial crisis. Also, Japan is hit by
a seriouscountry-wide famine nationally that year and the state of
society becomes chaotic because of peasant riots in Edo, Osaka and
Hyogo. Therefore, the Shogunate cannot resort to attack Choshu
immediately.
Discussion on whether to attack Choshu takes time and one year has
past since the order was made.
On the other hand, as explained before, the Seigi-ha (reformists)
including Takasugi strengthens the foundations of the clan and
Choshu is almost ready to fight against the Shogunate. The Choshu
clan allies itself with Satsuma and buys the newest weapons from
the UK.
May, 1866: The Shogunate masses 100,000 troops to the border of
Choshu. Choshu, on the other hand, has only one tenth of the
Shogunate's troops. The irregular militia,Kieitai which are
commanded by Takasugi and Yamagata are at the Kokura-guchi side.
Yamagata is hawkish and suggests an offensive plan to Kido.
However, Kido reproves Yamagata saying that Choshu needs appeal
"Choshu has no choice but to defend ourselves against the
Shogunate because people will suffer if the Shogunate invades."
June 7th: The war starts with cannonfire from the battleship of
the Shogunate at Oshimaguchi side. In Kokura town, Takasugi and
his party plan to attack the castle of Kokura where 20000 troops
of Kokura clan and Higo clan are gathered.
June 17th: Takasugi and his irregular militia launch attacks
under covering fire from its battleship. Takasugi occupies the
castle by August but the battle lasts till the end of December.
On 28th of December the peace talks are concluded. The battle in
Kokura is the hardest among the four battles because Kokura is
outside of the Choshu clan. The following are the strategies
Takasugi and Yamagata followed in the war.
・Using the alliance between the Choshu clan and the Satsuma
Clan,they dominate the whole of Kyushu.
・To persuade Hiroshima and Okayama domains to cooperate with
Satsuma and Choshu.
・Moreover, to persuade Tosa, Tottori and Matsuyama domains
which have great power support Satsuma and Choshu.
The above strategies were submitted to the clan heads.
However they were not accepted and the Toba-Fusimi war breaks
out one year later.
In the other three battles, Choshu wins without any difficulty.
The reasons why the Shogunate loses are:
＊The Shogunate's forces use old fashioned weapons such as bows,
arrows and lances. Choshu, on the other hand, arm themselves
with the latest weapons.
＊Choshu forces' morale is boosted to protect their country.
＊Choshu occupies advantageous positions.
France supports the Shogunate. As a result, the war takes on the
aspect of a proxy war which Katsu fears the most.
On July 20th, Iemochi dies of an illness at the age of 21.
Yoshinobu ends up taking over the main branch of the Tokugawa
family.　After Iemochi dies, Yoshinobu reluctantly takes over
as the shogun.
In December: However, Yoshinobu becomes the 15th Shogun after
receiving the request from the Imperial Court. Then Yoshinobu
calls Katsu over and dispatches him to Choshu for negotiations
to stop the war. Katsu heads to Choshu and waits in the town of
Miyajima. He negotiates with Choshu to stop the war, due to
the death of Iemochi.
Practically, they stop the war because of the loss of the
Bakufu. This incident causes the clans to lose trust in
Yoshinobu.
December, 1866: Demise of the Emperor Koumei. As a result,
Reconciliation between the imperial court and the Shogunate fails.

In 1867 January : The Emperor Meiji ascends the throne.
April: Takasugi dies from a disease while he fights in Shikyo war.
October : By Yoshinobu's desperate efforts, the treaty is accepted
by the Imperial Court but the pening up of the port of Kobe and
punishment of Choshu were left as issues to be dealt with in the
future. At this point, the Shogunate looses its authority
completely.

Enomoto the true last Samurai no.3

Chapter II

Takeaki Enomoto’s Background

A Brief Presentation of Japanese History

around the end of the Edo Era

The main flow of overthrowing the Tokugawa Bakufu is

described briefly from Perry’s arrival in Japan till 1867,

when the Tokugawa Bakufu is destroyed.

The opening of Japan’s door by the Western Powers and

the Unequal Treaties

Since 1603 when the Tokugawa Bakufu started, the Tokugawa Bakufu

had closed its doors to the West ,except China and Holland. Although

in the first half of seventeenth century, Japan stood abreast with the

Occident technologically, rapid scientific and technological progress

during the Industrial Revolution had made the Western countries

incomparably stronger in military and economic power by the

nineteenth century.
The Industrial revolution needed oil as an energy resource and had

caused western Countries to encourage the whaling industry. All the

western countries were interested and concerned about the

treatment of sailors shipwrecked on Japan’s shores since their

whaling vessels were active off its coasts.

The American government eventually decided to try to force the

doors open. For this purpose, Commodore Matthew C. Perry came to

Japan with steam vessels and left Japan with the promise that he

would return early the next year to receive a reply.
The Japanese were appalled by the size and the number of guns of

the American black ships. The government split into two factions:

conservatives who advocated resistance to the foreigners and

realists who saw that Japan could do nothing but bow to the

American demands.

Under the threatening guns of the American ships, the Bakufu had no

choice but to sign a treaty with the USA under the strong leadership

of the chief daimyo, Naosuke Ii* who was the chief minister of the

Bakufu.

Ii attempted to crush opposition by forcing the Imperial court to

give its assent and placing the leading opposition daimyo under

house arrest. Another group ,largely from Mito, although they were

one of the major related Tokugawa domains, assassinated Ii. After his

death, the Bakufu’s control over the country rapidly disintegrated.
In some domains, extremist Samurai gained control over the local
administrations and attempted to use the power of their domains to

influence national policies.
Gradually their movements became openly revolutionary against the
Tokugawa. Two leading but rival domains in these efforts were

Choshu and Satsuma. Through the efforts of Ryoma Sakamoto,* who

was a samurai freed from the Tosa domain, Choshu and Satsuma

were allied as in opposition to the Bakufu.

Here is an account of the last years of the Bakufu:
1853:Commodore Matthew Perry arrives at Uraga to deliver US

president Millard Fillmore’s message and to request that Japan be

opened to trade. The next year, he revisits Japan to conclude a

peace treaty.
1858: Naosuke Ii becomes chief minister(Tairo),and he signs a

Treaty of Amity and Commerce between Japan and U.S.A.

Then he also signs similar treaties with Holland, Russia, England and

France without permission by the Emperor. At the same time,

in order to sign these treaties, he carries out the mass execution of

Ansei, killing opposition people such as Shoin Yoshida*, Sanai

Hashimoto* and another samurai in the Mito domain who supports

Nariaki Tokugawa* and Yoshinobu*. In total 7 people killed and

70 people imprisoned, sowing the seeds for anti-Bakufu movements

in the future.
1860,January:Katsu Kaishu and his staff cross the Pacific on board

the Kanrin-maru, Yukichi Fukuzawa accompanies the Japanese

mission to U.S.A.: 100 people including Katsu and Fukuzawa go to

America on an American battle ship and the Kanrinnmaru, one of the

warships the Bakufu possesses.
They come back to Japan in May after meeting the American

president and observing America closely. They use the Kanrinmaru

to go to America because Katsu from Nagasaki Naval Training

Center strongly insists that a Japanese battle ship should be

dispatched. It is significant that Japanese can cross the Pacific on

their own although it is said that Katsu gets terrible motion sickness
on the ship. However, Takeaki Enomoto is not on the ship.

March: Naosuke Ii is assassinated by Mito samurais in protest

against the mass execution outside of Sakurada Gate while Katsu

and others are in America. Following this incident, Japan’s feudal

government moves into a period of confusion. Kouzuke Oguri*,

who is the chief executive of the Bakufu government, employs

innovative policy instruments such as strengthening Army and

Naval forces, construction of a modern shipyard and

encouragement of modernization by capitalism and industry

after he gets back from America. However, his policies are not

successful because of radical opposition movements led by

anti-foreigner factions.
1861,15 January: Senior Councilor(Rojyu) Nobumasa Ando is

attacked. Following this incident, he steps down from his post as

the chief councilor.
In February, Russian battle ships take over Tsushima. Japan’s

feudal government manages to drive them out with help from

the British. Due to this event, anti-foreigners factions are

mobilized and trust towards the Tokugawa government worsens.

November: the Shogunate decides to send some people with

three steam engine battleships to study foreign affairs. However,

the same year, the Civil War breaks out in America.

Therefore America is not be able to accept them and refuses the

request from Japan.

1862, August: the Namamugi incident occurs in Kanagawa,

where some samurai in the daimyo line of the Satsuma domain

kill some British who offend the daimyo by riding on their horses

crossing the street in front of the Daimyo.
The Namamugi incident escalates into a major international

incident and it is the starting point of downfall of the Shogunate

authority.

The Edo Shogunate reforms its administration and selects

talented people for national defense. Katsu is one of them and

he becomes a commissioner of battleships. He makes

suggestions about Naval proceedings at the Shogunate

conference. The details are as follows.
＊The first priority should be getting talented human resources

rather than the maintenance of battleships. Katsu believes that

true national defense can be done by people who are intelligent

enough to be able to negotiate on an equal level with foreigners,

even though Japan has only a few battleships.
＊It is important for the nation to unite and work on national

defense. Katsu basically supported the opinion to open up Japan.

October: The Saneomi Sanjyo*, Anegakouji Kintomo* and some

others come down to Edo. They press the Shogun to carry on

the Jyoi (a policy to exclude foreigners) and hand in an imperial

prescript to create a new military unit.

December: The Shogun decides to go to Kyoto. Katsu sails to

Osaka as an advance guard of the Shogun and works hard to

guard the Shogun. Around the same time, Kyoto anti-foreigner

factions make disturbances against the Shogun’s plan to open

the country. At the same time, the British Navy holds a

demonstration in Kanagawa to protest the Namamugi incident.
Sakamoto Ryoma meets and talks with Katsu. Sakamoto intends

to kill Katsu at first, but he is dissuaded by Katsu and becomes

his disciple. As those incidents show, both the Shogunate and the

Imperial court consider Katsu as an important person.

In 1863: Shogun Iemochi* goes to Kyoto and gets a imperial

prescript directly from the Emperor Komei. The prescript is

“Strive to authorize Barbarian Subduing Generalissimo and

exclude foreigners”. Shogun Iemochi pledges the Imperial

court to work to exclude foreigners. However he gets into a

difficult situation between excluding foreigners and accepting

requests from France and Britain, which had asked to be paid

compensation for the Namamugi incident.
September 1863: Katsu has an interview with Saigo and after

that he meets with Saigo often. From then on, Katsu’s

movements become anti-shogunate.
Naturally, the Bakufu are disquieted by him.
October 10th: He gets fired. At the same time Kobe military

training center dismisses him. Katsu himself becomes

increasingly anti-shogunate.


Confrontation between French and U.K. desires, and

the battle between the Bakufu and the powerful clans:

The relationship between the Bakufu and France gets closer

due to the first war between Edo-Bakufu and the Choshu

domain.
In 1865, the Bakufu asks Roche, the French ambassador to

open a new ironworks in Yokohama and an arsenal in Yokosuka.
・Opened a new French language school in Yokohama

(by Roche’s request).
・Opened a new business firm with the French in Brussels.
The relationship between Satsuma and the England:
To buy guns and battleship from English merchants.
To send Tomoatsu Godai*, Terashima*, and Arinori Mori*

to England to study.
Choshu domain: to get close to England, and to buy weapons

and machines. Choshu clan makes three chief retainers commit

seppuku. This incident is called Kinmon-no-hen. After the

incident, the clan is led by Zokuron-ha (conservatives) who

display allegiance to the Shogunate.

(p. 4)

The statue of Enomoto is located in Umewaka park in Sumida ward

2. The Essay's Perspective

As can be seen from the Battle of Hakodate, Enomoto seems to have gone against the trend of the time, when the new government is established and starts modernizing.

However, at the same time, he has modern aspects; for example, what he attempts to do through the battle of Hakodate is to establish ”the Ezo Republic* ”,to provide a presidential election system similar to the American system, to conduct diplomatic negotiations with France and Britain for neutrality between the Ezo Republic and the new Meiji government to fight under International Law, while also using guerrilla war methods.
Throughout his life, he has mindset of an engineer but at the same time he is a tough negotiator who skillfully uses five languages*. For example, the Russian Czar of that time, Alexander the Second respected him greatly. Then, despite having better negotiation skills than Hirobumi Ito*,Enomoto does not do well in politics. Perhaps because he feels indebted to the Choshu or Satsuma clan leaders and the Meiji government after he decided to team up with the Bakufu side.

I would like to focus on the view from the side of Enomoto and of Tokugawa Bakufu, because modern Japanese history in school’s textbooks has been written unfairly, only from the point view of the Satsuma-Choshu side. I would like to introduce him as a character that could be living among us in the 21st century, as someone who isn’t a common Japanese.
Also, I would like to use this as reference to think about how we should educate schoolchildren today.
At the same time, I will compare him with Kaishu Katsu, who studied in the Nagasaki naval training center and is one year senior to Enomoto, and try to find out why the two differ sonmuch in their activities at the end of the Bakufu.
Although a biography is normally written chronologically, here, in order to focus on the comparison with Katsu, I would like to start with Enomot’s days at the naval training center.

Enomoto’s activities after the Meiji Restoration will be described later in detail.
In addition, considering his works during Meiji era, I would like to think about the topic
“If he had been sentenced to death, what would have become of the Meiji Restoration and of Japan?”

( p.3 )

The Times and Life of Takeaki Enomoto

Chapter I Introduction　


For about a year, I have been researching Takeaki Enomoto from various perspectives. Through this study, I would like to introduce him to non-Japanese as the relatively unknown last true Samurai, who embodied the true Samurai spirit with an international outlook and by doing so, help to change the image of the real Samurai spirit and the Japanese people.

Several years ago, a film called “The Last Samurai” was released, and
received a wide audience. One of the most memorable scenes in the movie is of the last Samurai as a tragic hero thrusting forward through the bullets,holding his sword. I believe that this depiction was hardly rational and was overly simplified, making the Samurai seem reckless rather than brave. I was disappointed because of the above reasons.

While it may be true that there were in fact some Samurai that fought in that manner, I would like to highlight some of the true Samurai, such as Enomoto and Kaishu Katsu*. This might help to change the readers’ views of the Samurai and the people associated with the last of the Samurai culture. Katsu was Enomoto’s superior of the Bakufu* around the end of Tokugawa Bakufu*.

In these chapters, I would like to describe not only Enomoto but make a comparison between Enomoto and Katsu in order to stimulate thought about what a true Samurai is.

( p.1)

1. Why Takeaki Enomoto?

First, I would like to introduce Takeaki Enomoto briefly since he has also been largely forgotten by the Japanese themselves, and give a very quick overview of his life:
*He was born into a Samurai family and studied abroad.
*He fought against the new government and lost.
*He turned to the new government and served as minister of foreign affairs and became an accomplished statesman.

When he is 18 years old, Enomoto becomes the assistant of Toshihiro Hori* who is working for the Bakufu in charge of Ezo(Hokkaido) and Sakhalin. Later, Hori becomes a negotiator to the Prussians who are asking the Bakufu to open the country up to trade because he speaks good Dutch and possesses impressive knowledge of European affairs. Later, in 1860 he commits suicide due to differences over thoughts and opinions between him and Nobumasa Ando*,the Bakufu’s chief councilor. Alongside Hori, Enomoto goes to places such as Ezo (in Hokkaido) and Sakhalin. Through this exploration, Enomoto recognizes the importance of homeland security especially the protection of Japan from Russia.

In order to contribute to strengthen the Japanese navy, Enomoto enters the Nagasaki naval training center and subsequently goes to Holland for further study.

After his return from Holland, despite bringing back his knowledge of foreign cultures, he joins the old Bakufu regime, helping to fight the new Meiji government. This fight is called the Boshin War and then following the Battle of Hakodate. Enomoto and his troops are defeated and he and his five commanders are imprisoned, but with the help of Kiyotaka Kuroda*, his wartime enemy, and Yukichi Fukuzawa*, the founder of Keio university, Enomoto and his five commanders manage to survive.

After his release, Enomoto turns over a new leaf and takes part in the pioneering of Hokkaido on Kuroda’s proposition. Later on, when Kuroda established a new government cabinet, Enomoto is welcomed into the Cabinet, where he works as Minister of Education, a general diplomat and also as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Enomoto is entrusted with all of the negotiations with Russia due to his language ability and his personality. After making agreements with Russia, he returns to Japan from Saint Petersburg through Siberia by horse-drawn carriage. (This seemingly relates to his activity and interest in surveying the North in his early years.)

Probably the period needed a modernized person like Enomoto’s another character but Samurai, after the new Meiji government was established. I would like to look further into Enomoto’s traits and flaws, by introducing some of his works, talents, his achievements as a technician and battle leader, and his impressive diplomatic skills. After doing so, I would like to explain his decision to support the old regime (as opposed to Kaishu Katsu) and also to give some suggestions about education inspired by Enomoto’s example.

( p.2 )