XPost: rec.arts.anime.info, rec.arts.anime.misc   
   From: bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com   
      
   Hi posters and lurkers,   
        Followups set to rec.arts.anime.misc   
      
        I am sending this to the anime and manga newsgroups because   
   serious dramatist, novelists, anime and manga take a great deal of this   
   history and present it in more dramatic forms sometimes less accurate   
   forms.   
      
        Samurai Revolution by Romulus Hillborough   
      
   Covers the period of 1858-1868 or the fall of the Shogunate then   
   in the last part of the book covers 1868-1878 or the Rise of the   
   Imperial Government.   
      
      Most of this is from the viewpoint of Katshu Kaishu one of the   
   most forward looking of the Shogun's officials.  The Shogunate   
     had declined considerable from the days and precepts of the   
   founder Tokugawa Ieyasu.  Most of the samurai were time-serving   
   officials.   
      Katsu called for reform and he and others were ignored,   
      So he is the Outsider having come from a lesser background than   
   many officials.  He did his best to prevent warfare between the various   
   Japanese interests.   
      After the Revolution he served the new Imperial Government but   
   they like the Shogunate were not too interested in his ideas.  He had   
   visited the USA and the frontpiece is a photo of him from his time in   
   San Francisco.  He also got some ideas there that were unpopular at home.   
   He knew most of the revolutionaries and taught Sakamoto Ryoma in   
   his naval academy.   
      
      The book could use a few more maps as I am left with no idea as to   
   where in Japan the place (Shizuoka)of the Tokugawa exile was.   
      However a question which I had been concerned with for a long   
   time was answered and that is when the various aristocratic ranks   
   were instituted.  Remember that the social structure of society had   
   been turned on its head?   
        Well in 1884 following the suggestion of Ito Hirabumi (deceased the   
   year before) the Meji 16 the Peerage Act was passed creating the Ranks   
   of Princes, Marquis, Count, Vicount, and Baron.  The higher titles were   
   awarded to the Head of former Daimyo families, and some excellent   
   Samurai were made Counts.   One was Katsu Kaishu.   
      Katsu Kaishu felt that all the Tokugawa's former vassals were vindicated   
   when the Emperor finally granted an audience to the last Shogun Tokugawa   
   Yoshinobu.   
        About 5 years after Katsu had died, in 1903 the same Tokugawa   
   Yoshinobu was elevated to the Rank of Prince.   
      Katsu died before he could do more than outline a two volume history   
   of the Revolution and the rise of the Imperial Government.   
      This may have inspired Hillsborough's book.   
      The Samurai who had supported the revolution rebelled several times   
   as their social rank, privilege to carry swords and role had been   
   eliminated.   Eventually even one of Japan's greatest revolutionary   
   heroes was involved   
   in a rebellion and the great Saigo Takamori, who was aged and ill,   
   trying to   
   lead the rebels committed seppuku.   
      
      Hillsborough writes very well with an engaging style.  All his   
   information   
   comes from   documents left by Katsu and by many others.  The book was   
   published by Tuttle Publishing  and was printed in China.   
      
        One dramatic matter of the day was passed over very lightly as   
     Hillsborough has already written and published a book about the   
     "The Shinsengummi" which is pretty much definitive.   Oh and   
   I got this from the San Francisco Public Library.  If you want to read   
   it you might request that the local library get it.   
         Monday, September 15, 2014   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)