The , also known as the , was a
domain
Domain may refer to:
Mathematics
*Domain of a function, the set of input values for which the (total) function is defined
**Domain of definition of a partial function
**Natural domain of a partial function
**Domain of holomorphy of a function
* Do ...
(''han'') of the
Tokugawa Shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
of
Japan during the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characte ...
from 1600 to 1871.
[Deal, William E. (2005)]
''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81
The Chōshū Domain was based at
Hagi Castle in
Nagato Province
, often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces.
History
Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimono ...
, in the modern city of
Hagi, located in the
Chūgoku region
The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In 2010, it had a population of 7,563,428.
History
''C ...
of the island of
Honshu
, historically called , is the largest and most populous island of Japan. It is located south of Hokkaidō across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyūshū across the Kanmon Straits. The island se ...
. The Chōshū Domain was ruled for its existence by the ''
tozama'' ''
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominal ...
'' of the
Mōri, whose branches also ruled the neighboring
Chōfu
is a city in the western side of Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 238,087, and a population density of 11,000 per km². the total area of the city is .
Geography
Chōfu is approximately in the south-center of ...
and
Kiyosue domains, and was assessed under the ''
Kokudaka'' system with peak value of 369,000 ''
koku''. The Chōshū Domain was the most prominent anti-Tokugawa domain and formed the
Satchō Alliance
The , or was a powerful military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to restore Imperial rule and overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
History
The name ''Satchō'' () is ...
with the rival
Satsuma Domain during the
Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
, becoming instrumental in the establishment of the
Empire of Japan
The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II Constitution of Japan, 1947 constitu ...
and the
Meiji oligarchy
The Meiji oligarchy was the new ruling class of Meiji period Japan. In Japanese, the Meiji oligarchy is called the .
The members of this class were adherents of ''kokugaku'' and believed they were the creators of a new order as grand as that est ...
. The Chōshū Domain was dissolved in the
abolition of the han system in 1871 by the
Meiji government
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji o ...
and its territory was absorbed into
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 km2 (2,359 sq mi). Yamaguchi Prefecture borders Shimane Prefecture t ...
.
History
The rulers of Chōshū were the descendants of the great
Sengoku
The was a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga shogunate. Various ...
warlord
Mōri Motonari. Motonari was able to extend his power over all of the
Chūgoku region
The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In 2010, it had a population of 7,563,428.
History
''C ...
of Japan and occupied a territory worth 1,200,000 koku. After he died, his grandson and heir
Mōri Terumoto
Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overco ...
became ''
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominal ...
'' and implemented a strategy of alliance with
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
. This would later prove to be a great mistake. After Hideyoshi's death, the ''daimyō''
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fello ...
challenged the Toyotomi power and battled with Hideyoshi's trusted advisor
Ishida Mitsunari at the
Battle of Sekigahara. Mōri Terumoto was the most powerful ally of the Toyotomi and was elected by a council of Toyotomi loyalists to be the titulary head of the Toyotomi force. However the Toyotomi forces lost the battle due to several factors tied to Mōri Terumoto:
* His cousin
Kikkawa Hiroie
(December 7, 1561 – October 22, 1626) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period.
Hiroie's father was Kikkawa Motoharu and his mother was a daughter of Kumagai Nobunao.
Biography
He initially w ...
secretly made a deal with Tokugawa Ieyasu resulting in the inactivity of 15,000 Mōri soldiers during the battle.
* His adopted cousin
Kobayakawa Hideaki and his 15,600 soldiers betrayed Ishida and joined the Tokugawa side.
* After assurances from Tokugawa Ieyasu, Terumoto gave up the formidable Osaka castle without a fight.
Despite its inactivity, the
Mōri clan
The Mōri clan (毛利氏 ''Mōri-shi'') was a Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's pow ...
was removed from its ancestral home in
Aki to
Nagato Province
, often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces.
History
Although the ancient capital of the province was Shimono ...
(also known as Chōshū), and its holdings were drastically reduced from 1,200,000 to 369,000
koku.
This was seen as a great act of betrayal to the Mōri clan, and Chōshū later became a hotbed of anti-Tokugawa activities. The origins of this were evident in the tradition of the clan's New Year's meeting. Every year during the meeting, the elders and the administrators would ask the daimyo whether the time to overthrow the shogunate had come, to which the daimyo would reply: "Not yet, the shogunate is still too powerful."
This dream would eventually be realized some 260 years later, when the domain joined forces with the
Satsuma Domain and sympathetic
court nobles to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate.
In 1865, the domain bought a war-ship ''Union'' (
ja) from
Glover and Co., an agency of
Jardine Matheson
Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (also known as Jardines) is a Hong Kong-based Bermuda-domiciled British multinational conglomerate. It has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listings on the Singapore Exchange and ...
established in
Nagasaki
is the capital and the largest Cities of Japan, city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.
It became the sole Nanban trade, port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries. The Hi ...
, in the name of
Satsuma Domain.
They led the fight against the armies of the former shōgun, which included the
Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei
The was a Japanese military-political coalition established and disestablished over the course of several months in early to mid-1868 during the Boshin War. Its flag was either a white interwoven five-pointed star on a black field, or a black i ...
,
Aizu, and the
Ezo Republic
The was a short-lived separatist state established in 1869 on the island of Ezo, now Hokkaido, by a part of the former military of the Tokugawa shogunate at the end of the ''Bakumatsu'' period in Japan. It was the first government to attempt t ...
, during the
Boshin War. The domains' military forces of 1867 through 1869 also formed the foundation for the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
. Thanks to this alliance, Chōshū and Satsuma natives enjoyed political and societal prominence well into the
Meiji and even
Taishō eras.
Economics
![Keiheitai](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Keiheitai.jpg)
The initial reduction of 1.2 million to 369,000 ''
koku'' resulted in a large shortfall in terms of military upkeep and infrastructure maintenance, despite which the domain remained the seventh-largest in Japan outside the shogunate-controlled domains. In order to bring the domain's finances out of debt, strict policies were enforced on the retainers:
* All retainers' fiefs were drastically reduced.
* Some retainers who were paid in land began to be paid in rice.
* Some retainers were laid off and encouraged to engage in agriculture.
Previously, as a result of high taxation, farmers secretly developed farms far inside the mountains as a private food source. A new land survey was conducted within the domain in which many hidden farms were discovered and taxed. The domain also began a strict policy with regard to trade.
Laws were also passed through which the profitable trade of the "four whites" was controlled by the domain: paper, rice, salt, and wax. Some of the profits, and a large amount of the tax revenue from this trade, went into the domain coffers.
These policies greatly strengthened the domain's finances and allowed the daimyo more effective control over his territory. However, these policies angered peasants and displaced samurai alike, resulting in frequent revolts.
Politics
![Mouri Takachika](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Mouri_Takachika.jpg)
The capital of the domain was the castle town of
Hagi, which was the source of Chōshū's alternate name of Hagi han (萩藩).
The domain remained under the rule of the Mōri family for the duration of the
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characte ...
. Because the shogunate frequently confiscated domains whose daimyo were unable to produce heirs, the Mōri daimyo created four subordinate han ruled by branches of the family:
*
Iwakuni han: 60,000 ''koku'', ruled by descendants of
Kikkawa Hiroie
(December 7, 1561 – October 22, 1626) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period.
Hiroie's father was Kikkawa Motoharu and his mother was a daughter of Kumagai Nobunao.
Biography
He initially w ...
.
*
Chōfū han: 50,000 ''koku'', ruled by descendants of
Mōri Hidemoto
was a senior retainer of the Toyotomi clan throughout the latter Sengoku period of feudal Japan.
Hidemoto was the eldest son of Mōri Motokiyo and initially began service under the Toyotomi as a military commander under his cousin Terumoto, ...
.
*
Tokuyama han: 40,000 ''koku'', ruled by descendants of
Mōri Naritaka.
*
Kiyosue han: 10,000 ''koku'', ruled by descendants of
Mōri Mototomo.
During the Edo period, the main branch died out in 1707, after which heirs were adopted from the Chōfu branch, which also became extinct in 1751. The family then continued through the Kiyosue branch.
The Mōri daimyo, as with many of his counterparts throughout Japan, was assisted in the government of his domain by a group of
karō
were top-ranking samurai officials and advisors in service to the ''daimyōs'' of feudal Japan.
Overview
In the Edo period, the policy of ''sankin-kōtai'' (alternate attendance) required each ''daimyō'' to place a ''karō'' in Edo and anothe ...
, or domain elders. There were two kinds of karō in Chōshū: hereditary ''karō'' (whose families retained the rank
in perpetuity) and the "lifetime ''karō''", whose rank was granted to an individual but could not be inherited by his son.
The hereditary karō were either members of minor branches of the Mōri family, or members of related families such as the Shishido and the Fukuhara, or descendants of Mōri Motonari's most trusted generals and advisors such as the Mazuda, the Kuchiba and the Kunishi.
The lifetime ''karō'' were middle or lower samurai who displayed great talent in economics or politics and were promoted to ''karō'' by the ''daimyō''. One such person was the great reformer Murata Seifu.
List of ''daimyōs''
*
Mōri clan
The Mōri clan (毛利氏 ''Mōri-shi'') was a Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's pow ...
(''
Tozama'', 369,000 ''
koku''), 1600–1871
Simplified family tree of the main Mōri line (Lords of Chōshū)
*Mōri Motonari (1497–1571)
**Takamoto (1523–1563)
*** I. Terumoto, 1st Lord of Chōshū (cr. 1600) (1553–1625; r. 1600–1623)
**** II. Hidenari, 2nd Lord of Chōshū (1595–1651; r. 1623–1651)
***** III. Tsunahiro, 3rd Lord of Chōshū (1639–1689; r. 1651–1682)
****** IV. Yoshinari, 4th Lord of Chōshū (1668–1694; r. 1682–1694).
****** V. Yoshihiro, 5th Lord of Chōshū (1673–1707; r. 1694–1707)
****Naritaka, 1st Lord of Tokuyama (1602–1679)
*****Mototsugu, 3rd Lord of Tokuyama (1667–1719)
******Hirotoyo, 5th Lord of Tokuyama (1705–1773)
*******Nariyoshi, 7th Lord of Tokuyama (1750–1828)
********Hiroshige, 8th Lord of Tokuyama (1777–1866)
********* XV. Motonori, 15th Lord of Chōshū, 1st Prince (1839–1896; r. 1869, Governor of Hagi 1869–1871, family head 1871–1896, created 1st Prince 1884)
**********Motoaki, 29th family head, 2nd Prince (1865–1938; 29th family head and 2nd Prince 1896–1938)
***********Motomichi, 30th family head, 3rd Prince (1903–1976; 30th family head 1938–1976, 3rd Prince to 1947)
************Motoyoshi, 31st family head (1930– ; 31st family head 1976–)
************* Motoei (born 1967)
**
Motokiyo (1551–1597)
***Hidemoto, 1st Lord of Chōfū (1579–1650)
****Mitsuhiro, 2nd Lord of Chōfū (1616–1653)
*****Tsunamoto, 3rd Lord of Chōfū (1650–1709)
****** VI. Yoshimoto, 6th Lord of Chōshū (1677–1731; r. 1707–1731)
******* VII. Munehiro, 7th Lord of Chōshū (1715–1751; r. 1731–1751)
****Mototomo, 1st Lord of Kiyosue (1631–1683)
*****Masahiro, 6th Lord of Chōfū, 2nd Lord of Kiyosue (1675–1729)
****** VIII. Shigetaka, 8th Lord of Chōshū (1725–1789; r. 1751–1782)
******* IX. Haruchika, 9th Lord of Chōshū (1754–1791; r. 1782–1791)
******** X. Narifusa, 10th Lord of Chōshū (1779–1809; r. 1791–1809)
******** XI. Narihiro, 11th Lord of Chōshū (1784–1836; r. 1809–1824)
********* XIII. Naritō, 13th Lord of Chōshū (1815–1836; r. 1836).
*******Chikaaki (1766–1800)
******** XII. Narimoto, 12th Lord of Chōshū (1794–1836; r. 1824–1836)
********* XIV. Takachika, 14th Lord of Chōshū (1819–1871; r. 1836–1869)
Genealogy
/ref>
Famous people
; Middle Edo period
* Murata Seifū
was a Japanese samurai who served as ''karō'' of Chōshū Domain in the late Edo period. Known as a prominent economic reformer, his policies greatly strengthened the domain and enabled it to carry out many of its military reforms which led to ...
(1783–1855), conducted the Tempō reforms in Chōshū
; Bakumatsu period
* Yoshida Shōin
, commonly named , was one of Japan's most distinguished intellectuals in the late years of the Tokugawa shogunate. He devoted himself to nurturing many ''ishin shishi'' who in turn made major contributions to the Meiji Restoration.
Early life ...
(1830–1859), educator and teacher of many reformers
* Takasugi Shinsaku
was a samurai from the Chōshū Domain of Japan who contributed significantly to the Meiji Restoration. He used several aliases to hide his activities from the Tokugawa shogunate.
Early life
Takasugi Shinsaku was born in the castle town Hag ...
(1839–1867), significant contributor to Meiji Restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
, founder of the Kiheitai
The was a volunteer militia raised by Takasugi Shinsaku of the Chōshū domain during the Bakumatsu period of Japan.
Background
Formed in 1863 by Takasugi Shinsaku in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, the Kiheitai militia consisted of 300 men ...
* Kijima Matabei
, also known as Masahisa (政久), was a Japanese samurai who served as a retainer to Lord Mōri of Chōshū. Though his name was Masahisa, he is known by his "common" name of Matabei. While his income (a stipend of 59 koku) may not have been p ...
(1817–1864), swordsman, took part in the Kinmon Incident
The , also known as the , was a rebellion against the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan that took place on August 20 unar calendar: 19th day, 7th month 1864, near the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.
History
Starting with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1 ...
* Kunishi Shinano
was a Japanese samurai in the service of the ''daimyō'' Mōri Takachika of Chōshū Domain, Chōshū as a senior retainer. Also known as Tomosuke (朝相), Chikasuke (親相), and Kumanosuke (熊之助). Second son of Chōshū retainer Takasu Mot ...
(1842–1864), committed seppuku to take responsibility for the Kinmon Incident
The , also known as the , was a rebellion against the Tokugawa shogunate in Japan that took place on August 20 unar calendar: 19th day, 7th month 1864, near the Imperial Palace in Kyoto.
History
Starting with the Convention of Kanagawa in 1 ...
* Kido Takayoshi (Kido Kōin) (1833–1877), Bakumatsu reformer, one of Three Great Nobles of the Restoration
The is a term used in Japan for three figures that played an important role in the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and are regarded as the founders of the modern state of Japan.『維新元勲十傑論』、16頁
The Three Great Nobles were:
* Ōkubo ...
; Meiji statesmen
* Chōshū Five
** Itō Shunsuke, later Itō Hirobumi
was a Japanese politician and statesman who served as the first Prime Minister of Japan. He was also a leading member of the ''genrō'', a group of senior statesmen that dictated Japanese policy during the Meiji era.
A London-educated samu ...
(1841–1909), first Prime Minister of Japan
** Inoue Monta, later Inoue Kaoru
Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上 馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen ('' Genrō'') in J ...
(1836–1915), Meiji statesman
** Yamao Yōzō
Viscount was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period who became an influential member of the Meiji era government of Japan.
Early life
Yamao was born in Aio-Futajima, a village in Chōshū domain (present day Yamaguchi prefecture), and rece ...
(1837–1917), later studied engineering at the Andersonian Institute
The University of Strathclyde ( gd, Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh) is a public research university located in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded in 1796 as the Andersonian Institute, it is Glasgow's second-oldest university, having received its royal chart ...
, Glasgow, 1866–68, Meiji statesman
** Endō Kinsuke
was a Japanese statesman in the early Meiji period.
Endō was born to a ''samurai'' family in Hagi, Chōshū Domain (present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture. He was selected by the domain to be a member of the Chōshū Five who were smuggled out of J ...
(1836–1893), Meiji statesman
** Nomura Yakichi, later Inoue Masaru (1843–1910), "father of the Japanese railways"
* Yamagata Aritomo
'' Gensui'' Prince , also known as Prince Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a senior-ranking Japanese military commander, twice-elected Prime Minister of Japan, and a leading member of the '' genrō'', an élite group of senior statesmen who dominated J ...
(1838–1922), prime minister and field marshal of the Imperial Japanese Army
* Yamagata Isaburō (1858–1927), nephew of Yamagata Aritomo, Minister of Communications, and first Japanese Inspector-General of Korea.
* Katsura Tarō
Prince was a Japanese politician and general of the Imperial Japanese Army who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1901 to 1906, from 1908 to 1911, and from 1912 to 1913.
Katsura was a distinguished general of the First Sino-Japanese W ...
(1848–1913), general in the Imperial Japanese Army and three-time prime minister of Japan
* Terauchi Masatake
Gensui Count Terauchi Masatake ( ja, 寺内 正毅), GCB (5 February 1852 – 3 November 1919), was a Japanese military officer, proconsul and politician. He was a '' Gensui'' (or Marshal) in the Imperial Japanese Army and the Prime Minister o ...
(1852–1919), Field Marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and 18th prime minister of Japan
* Tanaka Giichi
Baron was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, politician, cabinet minister, and the Prime Minister of Japan from 1927 to 1929.
Early life and military career
Tanaka was born as the third son of a low-ranking ''samurai'' family in the se ...
(1864–1929), general in the Imperial Japanese Army and 26th prime minister of Japan
* Aoki Shūzō
Viscount was a diplomat and Foreign Minister in Meiji period Japan.
Biography
Viscount Aoki was born to a '' samurai'' family as son of the Chōshū domain's physician in what is now part of Sanyō Onoda in Yamaguchi Prefecture). He studi ...
(1844–1914), diplomat and Foreign Minister in Meiji Japan
* Shinagawa Yajirō (1843–1900), Home Minister
The Minister of Home Affairs (or simply, the Home Minister, short-form HM) is the head of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Government of India. One of the senior-most officers in the Union Cabinet, the chief responsibility of the Home Minist ...
in early Meiji Japan
* Sone Arasuke
Viscount was a Japanese politician, diplomat, cabinet minister, and second Japanese Resident-General of Korea.
Biography
Sone was born in Nagato Province in Chōshū Domain (present-day Yamaguchi prefecture, his adopted father was a ''samurai ...
(1849–1910), politician, diplomat, cabinet minister, and second Japanese Resident-General of Korea
The Japanese resident-general of Korea ( ja, 韓国統監, Kankokutōkan; ko, 일본의 대 한국통감, Ilbon-ui dae hangugtong-gam) was the leader of Korea under Japanese rule from 1905 to 1910. This post was highly hated among native Kore ...
.
; Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
personnel
* Ōmura Masujirō
was a Japanese military leader and theorist in Bakumatsu period Japan. He was the "Father" of the Imperial Japanese Army, launching a modern military force closely patterned after the French system of the day.
Early life and education
Ōmura ...
(1824–1869), "Father of the modern Japanese Army"
* Ōshima Yoshimasa
Viscount was a general in the early Imperial Japanese Army during the First Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War. His great-great-grandson, Shinzō Abe was Prime Minister of Japan.
Biography
Ōshima was born as the eldest son to a samur ...
(1850–1926), general in the Imperial Japanese Army during the First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the ...
* Nogi Maresuke
Count , also known as Kiten, Count Nogi (December 25, 1849September 13, 1912), was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army and a governor-general of Taiwan. He was one of the commanders during the 1894 capture of Port Arthur from Chin ...
(1849–1912), general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and a prominent figure in the Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...
* Miura Gorō
Viscount was a lieutenant general in the early Imperial Japanese Army.
Biography
Miura was born in Hagi in Chōshū Domain (modern Yamaguchi Prefecture), to a ''samurai'' family with the name of Andō, but was adopted by the Miura that was ...
(1847–1926), lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army
* Sakuma Samata
General Count was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and 5th Governor-General of Taiwan from 11 April 1906 to May 1915.
Biography
Sakuma was born in Abu District, Nagato Province (present day Hagi, Yamaguchi), as the younger son of O ...
(1844–1915), general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and 5th Governor-General of Taiwan
The governor-general of Taiwan ( ja, 臺灣總督, Taiwan Sōtoku) was the head of the Government-General of Taiwan in the Japanese era (including Formosa and the Pescadores) when they were part of the Empire of Japan, from 1895 to 1945.
The ...
(1906–1915)
* Kodama Gentarō
Viscount was a Japanese general in the Imperial Japanese Army and a government minister during the Meiji period. He was instrumental in establishing the modern Imperial Japanese military.
Early life
Kodama was born on March 16, 1852, in Toku ...
(1852–1906), general in the Imperial Japanese Army and government minister in Meiji Japan
* Oka Ichinosuke
Baron was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Minister of War during World War I.
Biography
Oka was born in Hagi in Chōshū domain (present day Yamaguchi Prefecture as the second son of a samurai retainer of the Mori cla ...
(1860–1916), general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Minister of War during World War I
* Arisaka Nariakira (1852–1915), lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army, inventor of the Arisaka
The Arisaka rifle ( ja, 有坂銃, Arisaka-jū) is a family of Japanese military bolt-action service rifles, which were produced and used since approximately 1897, when it replaced the Murata rifle (, ) family, until the end of World War II in ...
Rifle
; Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, when it was dissolved following Japan's surrend ...
personnel
* Tsuboi Kōzō
Baron was an admiral of the early modern Imperial Japanese Navy, known primarily for his role in the First Sino-Japanese War.
Biography
Tsuboi Kōzō was born as Hara Kōzō, the second son of a doctor in what is now part of Hōfu, Yamaguchi, ...
(1843–1898), admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy
* Nashiba Tokioki
Baron was an admiral in the early Imperial Japanese Navy, noted for his role in the battleship naval disaster of 1904.
Biography
Nashiba was born in Chōshū domain (now Yamaguchi prefecture, as the 4th son to a 1000 ''koku'' ''samurai'' reta ...
(1850–1924), admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy
* Arichi Shinanojō
Baron was an admiral in the early Imperial Japanese Navy, and served as Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff in the late 19th century.
Biography
Arichi was born in Chōshū Domain (now Yamaguchi Prefecture. His younger brother wa ...
(1843–1919), admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy, Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff
The was the highest organ within the Imperial Japanese Navy. In charge of planning and operations, it was headed by an Admiral headquartered in Tokyo.
History
Created in 1893, the Navy General Staff took over operational (as opposed to adminis ...
; Writers
* Inoue Koichi (pen-name: Inoue Kenkabō) (1870–1934), journalist and writer of ''senryū
is a Japanese form of short poetry similar to haiku in construction: three lines with 17 (or , often translated as syllables, but see the article on for distinctions). tend to be about human foibles while haiku tend to be about nature, and a ...
'' (short, humorous verse)
; Historians
* Inoue Mitsusada
Inoue (kanji: , historical kana orthography: ''Winouhe'') is the 16th most common Japanese surname. Historically, it was also romanized as Inouye, and many Japanese-descended people outside of Japan still retain this spelling. A less common vari ...
(1917–1983), Historian of Ancient Japan, Professor of The University of Tokyo
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
, first director of National Museum of Japanese History
The , commonly known in Japanese as Rekihaku, is a history museum in Sakura, Chiba, Japan. The museum was founded in 1981 as an inter-university research consortium, and opened in 1983. The collections of museum focus on the history, archaeology, ...
, Grandson of Inoue Kaoru
Marquess Inoue Kaoru (井上 馨, January 16, 1836 – September 1, 1915) was a Japanese politician and a prominent member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period of the Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesmen ('' Genrō'') in J ...
and Katsura Taro Katsura or Katsuura may refer to:
Architecture
*The Katsura imperial villa, one of Japan's most important architectural treasures, and a World Heritage Site
Botany
*Katsura, the common name for Cercidiphyllum, a genus of two species of trees nativ ...
; Entrepreneurs
* Aikawa Yoshisuke (1880–1967) Japanese entrepreneur, businessman, and politician, founder and first president of the Nissan ''zaibatsu'' (1931–1945)
See also
* First Chōshū expedition
The First Chōshū expedition ( ja, 第一次長州征討) was a punitive military expedition by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Chōshū Domain in September–November 1864. The expedition was in retaliation for Chōshū's role in the attack ...
* Satchō Alliance
The , or was a powerful military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to restore Imperial rule and overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
History
The name ''Satchō'' () is ...
* Second Chōshū expedition
The Second Chōshū expedition (Japanese: 第二次長州征討), also called the Summer War, was a punitive expedition led by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Chōshū Domain. It followed the First Chōshū expedition of 1864.
Background
Th ...
* Boshin War
* List of Han
Notes
References
Further reading
* ''Bakufu seichō kiroku'' 幕府征長記錄 (1973). Edited by Nihon Shiseki Kyōkai 日本史籍協會. Tokyo: Tokyo Daigaku Shuppankai.
* Craig, Albert M. (1961). ''Chōshū in the Meiji restoration''. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
* Huber, Thomas M. (1981). ''The Revolutionary Origins of Modern Japan''. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
* Ogawa Ayako 小川亜弥子 (1998). ''Bakumatsuki Chōshū-han yōgakushi no kenkyū'' 幕末期長州藩洋学史の研究. Tokyo: Shibunkaku Shuppan.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Choshu Domain
Mōri clan
Choshu Han
Choshu Han
Chūgoku region