Sakamoto Ryōma

Sakamoto Ryōma (1836 – 1867) was a political activist prominent in the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate and the Meiji Restoration in the end of the Edo Period. Ryōma believed in a strong modern independent Japan ruled under democratic principles.

Ryōma came from Kōchi of Tosa han (present day Kōchi prefecture). His family was of the lowest rank samurai (merchant sake brewers). And, even though, his generation was the third samurai ranked generation, it remained at the bottom.

Early Life

Ryōma was an indifferent student and left his private school. At 14, though, he found his first love, sword fencing. He was enrolled in a dojo in Kochi Castle, learning swordsmanship in the Oguri-ryū style, which was for lower ranked samurai. In 1853, his clan allowed him to travel to Edo to enroll in the dojo of Sadakichi Chiba. He achieved a mastery certification.

In 1853, Admiral Matthew C. Perry, USN, with his Black Ships began the process of forcing Japan out of isolation. Throughout Japan there were political tensions – the Tokugawa shogunate had ruled for two hundred and fifty years, but its totalitarian rule stultified Japan’s development and there was country-wide dissent.

When Ryōma returned to Tosa, he learned of the West from Kawada Shoryo. Kawada was a painter from Tosa who had worked on Nijō Castle painting restorations. In 1852, the Tosa government asked him to interview a fisherman who had returned from the United States. From this Kawada learned much about the Western world, though he doubted that the President was elected.

Ryōma, like many others, became politically aware and active; but unlike others, he had foresight and ability. In 1862, a friend began organizing a group of two hundred samurai to overthrow the Tosa government, uniting under the political slogan of sonnō jōi (“Revere the Emperor, Expel the Foreigners”). While Ryōma was involved in the initial planning, he decided not to participate. Instead, he had bigger ideas – he wanted to change all of Japan.

He left his clan without permission, a capital offense. It was so disgraceful, one of his sisters committed suicide.  He became a rōnin, working against the shogun under various aliases, such as Saitani Umetarō.

Bakumatsu, the end days of the Tokugawa regime and the Edo Period

Ryōma intended to assassinate Katsu Kaishū (1823 – 1899), a high-ranking official who supported modernization and westernization, eventually becoming commissioner in the Tokugawa navy. Instead of being his assassin, Ryōma became Katsu’s assistant, after Katsu convinced Ryōma of the advantages of a strong modern military.

Navy

Ryōma is regarded as the father of the Imperial Japanese navy. He worked under Katsu Kaishū’s direction with the aid of Western naval powers and created a modern naval force for Satsuma and Chōshū. He founded a private navy and trading company which became Kaientai or Ocean Support Fleet, considered to be the first corporation in modern Japan.

Ikedaya Incident

Ryōma was considering going to Hokkaido to continue the Sonnō jōi movement when the Ikedaya Incident (also known as the Ikedaya affair or Ikedaya riot) occurred.  The Shinsengumi (a special police force organized by the bakufu in Kyoto) ambushed and attacked the shishi (anti-bakufu, pro sonnō jōi samurai) at the Ikedaya Inn nearby Sanjō-Kawaramachi, Kyoto. The next morning Ryōma’s house was attacked. The Shinsengumi continued hunting surviving shishi.

On August 20, 1864, in retaliation for the Ikedaya Incident, supporters of the bakufu were attacked near the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, known as The Kinmon incident (“Forbidden Gate Incident” or “Imperial Palace Gate Incident.

Since a number of the Navy School trainees fought on the Chōshū side in the Kinmon Incident, the shogunate punished the Navy School and Katsu was removed from his position, leaving Ryōma without protection.

Alliance

The Tokugawa took a hard line against dissidents and Ryōma fled to the protection of the Satsuma Clan. Ryōma sought help from Saigō Takamori (also known as Kichinosuke), who allowed Ryōma to stay in the Satsuma clan’s house in Osaka.  The Satsuma clan believed Ryōma would be of vital use for his naval skills and knowledge.

In 1865, Ryōma moved to the Satsuma clan’s house in Kyoto. There he met Nakaoka Shintaro, a Chōshū samurai who supported the emperor and opposed the Tokugawa and who had been one of the leaders of the Kinmon Incident. Ryōma and Nakaoka began working on a Satsuma-Chōshū alliance. Meanwhile, Ryōma and Tosa compatriots were carrying on a trade of goods and arms.

In January 1866, Ryōma mediated a meeting between leaders of Chōshū and Satsuma in Kyoto. Chōshū and Satsuma provinces were two of the leaders in the anti-Tokugawa movement but had been fierce competitors over the years. Ryōma helped unite them against the Bakufu.

Goals

With the defeat of the Tokugawa forces in 1866, Ryōma returned to Tosa with honors. The Tosa domain was anxious to obtain a negotiated settlement between the Shogun and the Emperor, which would prevent the powerful Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance from overthrowing the Tokugawa by force and thus emerging as a new dominant force. He helped negotiate the resignation of Tokugawa Yoshinobu in 1867, which led to the Meiji Restoration.

Ryōma was an admirer of democratic principles, especially “all men are created equal.” Ryōma began studying democratic governance, particularly the United States Congress and British Parliament as a model for Japan. Ryōma argued that after centuries of having little political power, the Imperial Court lacked the resources and wherewithal to run the country. Ryōma outlined the need for a democratically elected bicameral legislature, a Constitution, a national army and navy, and the regulation of gold and silver exchange rates. While on board a ship in Nagasaki in 1867, he wrote “Eight Proposals While Shipboard,” which is believed to be the basis for Japan’s parliamentary system.

Assassination

Ryōma was a target for assassination, especially by the Shinsengumi. One attempt was made at the Terada Inn. It was foiled by Narasaki Ryō (commonly called Oryō), his future wife, who heard the would-be assassins while taking a bath. She ran out and warned everyone. Ryōma was packing a Smith & Wesson, which was more than a match for his assassin’s spears. He escaped with only minor injuries

Initially the Ōmiya Incident was blamed on members of the Shinsengumi, and their leader Kondō Isami was executed and whose salted head was placed on a pike on Sanjō Ohashi. In 1870, members of another pro-shogun group the Kyoto Mimawarigumi confessed that Sasaki Tadasaburu, its leader, and Imai Nobuo assassinated Ryōma and Nakaoka.

Honors and Popular Culture

The Kōchi airport is named the Kōchi Ryōma Airport in his honor.

There is a Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum south of Kōchi, with a large bronze statue of Ryōma overlooking the sea. In 2009, the Hokkaidō Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum was built in Hakodate, Hokkaido.

Asteroid 2835 Ryōma is named after him. Asteroid 5823 Oryo is named after his wife.

Ryōma’s tomb is in the middle of approach of Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku Shrine in Kyoto City, Higashiyama-ku Ward. Ryōma is enshrined in Yasukuni-jinja Shrine.

Ryōma has been heavily featured and romanticized in popular culture.