Part Three: Ryoma and the overthrow of the Tokugawa East meets West: Japan

Ryoma Sakamoto: outlaw ronin Born into a rich merchant family Was bullied at school Became a brilliant swordsman and kendo master Naturally gifted His father bought into the lower ranking Samurai class – the Goshi

Think How might Ryoma’s childhood have influenced his views of Japan’s class system?

Ronin without a clan He had no feudal lord This was his strength He even left his own clan (“ronin”) to campaign for all Japanese He brought together anti-Tokugawa factions

The super-patriot His politics were fiercely anti-Western and anti- modernisation "I think there will be a war soon. If it breaks out, I will cut off foreign heads before coming home“ Was fearful and envious of the Black Ships

So why did he hate the Tokugawa system and clan? Write 2 bullet points giving possible reasons

Change of heart – in 1862 He planned to assassinate Katsu Kaishu, a high Tokugawa official Katsu said Japan’s military needed to modernise And Japan must learn from the West

Change of heart continued Katsu was very charismatic Ryoma converted to Katsu’s views So he didn’t assassinate him! Katsu Kaishu

Ryoma helped establish the Japanese navy He helped arm rival clans He’s still a threat to the Tokugawa

But this made him enemies Ryoma was nearly assassinated in Kyoto His attackers were unsuccessful Instead he met his future wife who warned him just in time!

Sat-Cho Alliance 1866 Satsuma and Choshu were rival southern clans Ryoma persuaded the leader of the Satsuma, Saigo, to join the Choshu in an alliance against the Tokugawa Saigo Takamori

Patriot and Moderniser "Opening Japan to western countries was inevitable. The government has no capability to handle it. So I think a major clan alliance should take power."

The Satsuma and Choshu Clans

Ryoma believed civil war could be avoided His (eight point) plan – the clans should surrender power to the Emperor Then modernise using Western models Just one month after the Shogun's acceptance of his plan and official resignation, Ryoma was dead

The alliance succeeded but too late for Ryoma… Ryoma was assassinated in 1867 by Tokugawa supporters

Today Ryoma is a pop culture hero For example, in manga

Why do you think the Japanese hero worship Ryoma?

This is what one Japanese wrote: “The difference between Ryoma and the others is that they choose the majority way. Ryoma thought of equality and freedom and as a leader, hated the class distinctions. He never worked for only his own benefit. He did things his way but he never forced others to. He was not a mentor for other samurai but a big brother and although he was a sword master, it is said that he never killed anyone. “ He was one of few samurai who had a clear vision of the future and kept an open mind which is one reason he is so popular with the youth of Japan. Although not a smart child, his hard training at kendo gave him the self confidence he needed to make friends with many people. We find not only similarity but hope in Ryoma's life.”