About This Print

One of approximately thirty prints by the artist portraying the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877. In this print Saigō Takamori, the rebellion's leader, is seen in the center panel looking out to the Yatsuhiro Sea where government warships are seen.  When this print was issued in May, the rebels have already suffered a major defeat at battle of Tabaruzaka Hill in northern Kagoshima and are in retreat.  (See the print Illustration of the Navy Landing at Sukuchi Village.)  While the government had offered the rebellious samurai several opportunities to "repent their opposition to the Imperial authority and submit themselves to the same" and be pardoned¹, they fought on until their final defeat on September 24 at the Battle of Shiroyama.  (See the print Illustration of the Rebels Being Suppressed at Kagoshima.)

As in many of the prints portraying the Rebellion the white banner carrying the slogan "Shinsei kotoku" (New Government rich in virtue) is prominently featured.  The historian Mark Ravina points out that this slogan never appeared on Saigō's battle pennants, being wholly created by journalists and artists "covering" the rebellion.<sup>2

1</sup> The Satsuma rebellion: An Episode of Modern Japanese History, Augustus Henry Mounsey, John Murray, London, 1879, p. 184.
² The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori, Mark Ravina, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2004, p. 206.

Rebels Identified in Red Cartouches
Left Panel: 池上四郎 Shiro Ikegami*
Center Panel (left to right): 別府新助 Shinsuke Beppu*; 西郷隆盛 Saigō Takamori; 淵辺高照 Takateru Fuchibe;
高城十二  unread
Right Panel (left to right): 永山矢一郎 Nagayama Yachirō; 弟子丸 応助  untranslated;  有馬藤太 Tota Arima;