Prince Arisugawa Takahito
Encyclopedia
was the 10th head of a cadet branch
of the Japanese imperial family and a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy
.
Prince Takehito was born in Kyoto
as a scion of the house, one of the shinnōke
branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne
in the event that the main line should die out. As he was born when the country was still under rule by the Tokugawa Bakufu, he was sent as a youth into the Buddhist priesthood, and assigned to serve at the monzeki
temple of Myōhō-in in Kyoto. After the Meiji Restoration
, he was recalled to secular life, and relocated to Tokyo in 1871.
. In 1877, despite his youth, he was sent as an observer to Satsuma Rebellion
, and landed in Kagoshima
shortly after it was secured by Imperial forces to observe the devastation first hand.
In 1879, Prince Arisugawa was sent as a military attaché
to Great Britain
and embarked upon the , the flagship
of Britain's
Royal Navy
, for further training. He served in the Channel Squadron for a year before returning to Japan as an ensign
.
In 1880, shortly after his wedding, Prince Arisugawa was sent back to England again as a cadet at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in England
. He returned to Japan in June 1883. Prince and Princess Arisugawa made an extensive tour of Europe and America in 1889.
Prince Arisugawa’s first naval command was that of the corvette
in early 1890, followed by the cruiser
later that year.
He was assigned to the escort of Russian
Crown Prince
Nikolai (later Tsar Nicholas II) during his tour of Japan in 1891. While under Prince Takehito's care, Nikolai was wounded in an assassination attempt (the Otsu Scandal
), which led to a considerable worsening of diplomatic relations between Japan and Russia.
In 1892, Prince Arisugawa was captain of the cruiser . Prince Takehito succeeded to the Arisugawa-no-miya
title upon the death of his half-brother, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito
, on January 15, 1895.
During the First Sino-Japanese War
(1894–95), he commanded the cruiser , and subsequently the cruiser in combat, The Prince attained the rank of rear admiral
on November 11, 1896. In 1896, the prince represented Emperor Meiji at the Diamond Jubilee
celebrations for Queen Victoria
.
Prince Arisugawa advanced to the rank of vice admiral
on September 26, 1899.
Promoted to full admiral
on June 28, 1905, Emperor Meiji awarded the prince the Order of the Golden Kite
(3rd Class) for his service during the Russo-Japanese War
. He visited Europe from March–August 1905.
The prince and his wife returned to Europe once more in 1905 to represent Emperor Meiji at the wedding of the German
Crown Prince
Wilhelm (1882–1951) to Duchess Cecile of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
. He visited Great Britain again on his way back to Japan. During that visit, King Edward VII
granted Prince Arisugawa the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath
.
and went into semi-retirement in 1909. Prince Arisugawa died on July 3, 1913 at his Kobe residence. However, news of his death was not made immediately public, and his body was rushed back to his palace in Kōjimachi
, Tokyo
by a specially chartered train, and his death formally announced on July 10, 1913.
He advanced to the honorary rank of fleet admiral
on July 7, 1913, which was after his actual death, but before his "official death date", so the award was not considered posthumous. However, he was also awarded the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
posthumously.
, the last daimyō
of Kaga Domain
(modern Ishikawa prefecture
), by whom he had three children.
Since the prince died without a male heir (his son Prince Tanehito having died of appendicitis
in 1908 while attending the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima, Hiroshima
), the direct line of descent of the house of Arisugawa-no-miya became extinct.
However, his boyhood friend Prince Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō
, revived the house (which reverted to its original name of Takamatsu-no-miya) in favor of his third son, Prince Takamatsu Nobuhito. Prince Nobuhito subsequently married Kikuko Tokugawa, a granddaughter of Prince Arisugawa Takehito.
Shinnoke
was the collective name for the four cadet branches of the Imperial Household of Japan, which were until 1947 entitled to provide a successor to the Chrysanthemum throne if the main line failed to produce an heir...
of the Japanese imperial family and a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
.
Early life
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
as a scion of the house, one of the shinnōke
Shinnoke
was the collective name for the four cadet branches of the Imperial Household of Japan, which were until 1947 entitled to provide a successor to the Chrysanthemum throne if the main line failed to produce an heir...
branches of the Imperial Family of Japan, which were eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne
Chrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
in the event that the main line should die out. As he was born when the country was still under rule by the Tokugawa Bakufu, he was sent as a youth into the Buddhist priesthood, and assigned to serve at the monzeki
Monzeki
Monzeki were Japanese Buddhist priests of aristocratic or imperial lineage. The term was also applied to the temples in which they lived....
temple of Myōhō-in in Kyoto. After the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, he was recalled to secular life, and relocated to Tokyo in 1871.
Military career
In 1874, on orders from Emperor Meiji, Prince Arisugawa enrolled in the Imperial Japanese Naval AcademyImperial Japanese Naval Academy
The was a school established to train officers for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It originally located in Nagasaki, moved to Yokohama in 1866, and was relocated to Tsukiji, Tokyo in 1869. It moved to Etajima, Hiroshima in 1888...
. In 1877, despite his youth, he was sent as an observer to Satsuma Rebellion
Satsuma Rebellion
The was a revolt of Satsuma ex-samurai against the Meiji government from January 29 to September 24, 1877, 9 years into the Meiji Era. It was the last, and the most serious, of a series of armed uprisings against the new government.-Background:...
, and landed in Kagoshima
Kagoshima, Kagoshima
is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
shortly after it was secured by Imperial forces to observe the devastation first hand.
In 1879, Prince Arisugawa was sent as a military attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
to Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
and embarked upon the , the flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
of Britain's
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, for further training. He served in the Channel Squadron for a year before returning to Japan as an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
.
In 1880, shortly after his wedding, Prince Arisugawa was sent back to England again as a cadet at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He returned to Japan in June 1883. Prince and Princess Arisugawa made an extensive tour of Europe and America in 1889.
Prince Arisugawa’s first naval command was that of the corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
in early 1890, followed by the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
later that year.
He was assigned to the escort of Russian
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Nikolai (later Tsar Nicholas II) during his tour of Japan in 1891. While under Prince Takehito's care, Nikolai was wounded in an assassination attempt (the Otsu Scandal
Otsu Scandal
The was a failed assassination attempt on Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia on 11 May 1891, while Nicholas was visiting Japan during his eastern journey.-Background:...
), which led to a considerable worsening of diplomatic relations between Japan and Russia.
In 1892, Prince Arisugawa was captain of the cruiser . Prince Takehito succeeded to the Arisugawa-no-miya
Arisugawa-no-miya
The ' is one of the shinnōke, branches of the Imperial Family of Japan which were, until 1947, eligible to succeed to the Chrysanthemum Throne in the event that the main line should die out....
title upon the death of his half-brother, Prince Arisugawa Taruhito
Prince Arisugawa Taruhito
became the 9th head of line of shinnōke cadet branches of the Imperial Family of Japan on September 9, 1871. He was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Army.-Early life:...
, on January 15, 1895.
During the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
(1894–95), he commanded the cruiser , and subsequently the cruiser in combat, The Prince attained the rank of rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
on November 11, 1896. In 1896, the prince represented Emperor Meiji at the Diamond Jubilee
Diamond Jubilee
A Diamond Jubilee is a celebration held to mark a 60th anniversary in the case of a person or a 75th anniversary in the case of an event.- Thailand :...
celebrations for Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
.
Prince Arisugawa advanced to the rank of vice admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
on September 26, 1899.
Promoted to full admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
on June 28, 1905, Emperor Meiji awarded the prince the Order of the Golden Kite
Order of the Golden Kite
The ' was an order of the Empire of Japan, established on 12 February 1890 by Emperor Meiji "in commemoration of Jimmu Tennō, the Romulus of Japan."-Background:...
(3rd Class) for his service during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. He visited Europe from March–August 1905.
The prince and his wife returned to Europe once more in 1905 to represent Emperor Meiji at the wedding of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
Wilhelm (1882–1951) to Duchess Cecile of Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin
Mecklenburg-Schwerin was a duchy in northern Germany created in 1348, when Albert II of Mecklenburg and his younger brother John were raised to Dukes of Mecklenburg by King Charles IV...
. He visited Great Britain again on his way back to Japan. During that visit, King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
granted Prince Arisugawa the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
.
Final years
Of weak constitution since childhood, Prince Arisugawa took frequent medical leaves during his naval career. He built a summer home in KobeKobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
and went into semi-retirement in 1909. Prince Arisugawa died on July 3, 1913 at his Kobe residence. However, news of his death was not made immediately public, and his body was rushed back to his palace in Kōjimachi
Kojimachi
is a neighborhood in Chiyoda, Tokyo.Prior to the arrival of Tokugawa Ieyasu, it was known as . The area developed as townspeople settled along the Kōshū Kaidō. In 1878 Kōjimachi became a ward in the city of Tokyo. It was the forerunner of Chiyoda which is now a special ward.The Kōjimachi ward was...
, Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
by a specially chartered train, and his death formally announced on July 10, 1913.
He advanced to the honorary rank of fleet admiral
Admiral of the Fleet (Japan)
' was the highest rank in the prewar Imperial Japanese Navy. The term gensui was used for both the Navy and the Imperial Japanese Army, and was a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor. In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to 5 generals and 3 admirals...
on July 7, 1913, which was after his actual death, but before his "official death date", so the award was not considered posthumous. However, he was also awarded the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum
Order of the Chrysanthemum
is Japan's highest order. The Grand Cordon of the Order was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji of Japan; the collar of the Order was added on January 4, 1888. Although technically the order has only one class, it can either be awarded with collar , or with grand cordon...
posthumously.
Marriage & family
On December 11, 1880, Prince Arisugawa married Maeda Yasuko (March 15, 1864–June 30, 1923), the fourth daughter of Maeda YoshiyasuMaeda Yoshiyasu
' was a Japanese daimyo who was the last ruler of the Kaga Domain. He was the brother and adopted heir of Maeda Nariyasu ....
, the last daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Kaga Domain
Kaga Domain
The was a powerful feudal domain in Kaga, Noto and Etchū Provinces of Japan during the Edo period. The domain was founded by Maeda Toshiie and headed by the Maeda clan. Its income rating, over 1,000,000 koku, was the highest in the nation after the Tokugawa shogunate itself...
(modern Ishikawa prefecture
Ishikawa Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshū island. The capital is Kanazawa.- History :Ishikawa was formed from the merger of Kaga Province and the smaller Noto Province.- Geography :Ishikawa is on the Sea of Japan coast...
), by whom he had three children.
- ; married Prince Tokugawa Yoshihisa.
Since the prince died without a male heir (his son Prince Tanehito having died of appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
in 1908 while attending the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy at Etajima, Hiroshima
Etajima, Hiroshima
is a city located on the island of Etajima in Hiroshima Bay in southwestern Hiroshima, Japan.The city was formed on November 1, 2004 from the merger of the town of Etajima from Aki District with three towns from Saeki District: Nōmi, Ōgaki, and Okimi.As of March 1, 2008 population data, the city...
), the direct line of descent of the house of Arisugawa-no-miya became extinct.
However, his boyhood friend Prince Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō
Emperor Taishō
The was the 123rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 30 July 1912, until his death in 1926.The Emperor’s personal name was . According to Japanese customs, the emperor has no name during his reign and is only called the Emperor...
, revived the house (which reverted to its original name of Takamatsu-no-miya) in favor of his third son, Prince Takamatsu Nobuhito. Prince Nobuhito subsequently married Kikuko Tokugawa, a granddaughter of Prince Arisugawa Takehito.
Memorials
- The site of Prince Arisugawa’s Tokyo palace is now the Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial ParkArisugawa-no-miya Memorial Parkis a park located in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It covers an area of 67,131 square metres.-History:During the Edo period, the park belonged to Minonokami Nambu, a feudal lord from the former Morioka Domain who used it as an urban villa. In 1896, it was acquired by the Arisugawa-no-miya line of the...
. It is located in Minami AzabuAzabuis an area within Minato in Tokyo, Japan, built on a marshy area of foothills south of central Tokyo. Its coverage roughly corresponds to that of the former Azabu Ward, presently consisting of nine official districts: Azabu-Jūban, Azabudai, Azabu-Nagasakachō, Azabu-Mamianachō, Nishi-Azabu,...
, Minato, TokyoMinato, Tokyois one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
and its extensive gardens are open to the public. The site of his seaside summer home in Hayama, Kanagawa PrefectureKanagawa Prefectureis a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
is now the site of the annex of the Kanagawa Prefectural Museum of Modern Art
- A large standing bronze statue of Prince Arisugawa exists outside the site of his former summer residence in Fukushima PrefectureFukushima Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region on the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Fukushima.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Fukushima prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
, north of Tokyo.
Books
- Jansen, Marius B. The Making of Modern Japan. Cambridge: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2000.