Shishi (organization)
Encyclopedia
Shishi was a term used to describe Japanese political activists of the late Edo period
. The term shishi literally translates as "men of high purpose." While it is usually applied to the anti-shogunate, pro-sonnō jōi
(尊王攘夷; "Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarian[s]") samurai primarily from the southwestern clans of Satsuma, Chōshū, and Tosa
, the term shishi is also used by some with reference to supporters of the shogunate who held similar sonnō jōi views.
There were many different varieties of shishi. Some, such as the assassins Kawakami Gensai
, Nakamura Hanjiro, Okada Izo
, and Tanaka Shinbei, opted for a more violent approach in asserting their views. Kawakami Gensai
, in particular, is recalled as the assassin of Sakuma Shozan
, a renowned pro-Western thinker of the time. Other more radical shishi, such as Miyabe Teizō, plotted large-scale attacks with little regard for public safety. Miyabe himself was one of the ringleaders of the plot, foiled by the Shinsengumi
at the Ikedaya Incident, to burn Kyoto at the height of the Gion Festival.
As mentioned above, shishi were not necessarily in support of bringing down the shogunate. Shishi from Mito were responsible for the death of the shogunal grand councilor
Ii Naosuke
, who was a signatory to treaties that favored foreign nations, and who had placed an underaged boy on the shogunal throne. Other Mito men and women arose in the Tengu-tō revolt, over the next several years. While these were definitely actions against the shōgun's government, they did not oppose the shōgun himself—indeed, the Mito shishi, who were retainers of a relative of the shōgun, believed they were only helping him.
Other shishi had more scholastic leanings. A prime example of this was the scholar Yoshida Shōin
of Chōshū. He founded the Shokason-juku school, and educated many of the future government leaders of Meiji era Japan
. Yoshida had connections to many prominent figures of the Bakumatsu era: Kawai Tsugunosuke
, Katsu Kaishu
, the aforementioned Sakuma Shozan
, and others.
The more radical shishi from Chōshū and Satsuma
went on to form the core leadership of the nascent Meiji Government. Some, such as Itō Hirobumi
and Yamagata Aritomo
, remained prominent figures in Japanese politics and society until the early decades of the 20th century.
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
. The term shishi literally translates as "men of high purpose." While it is usually applied to the anti-shogunate, pro-sonnō jōi
Sonno joi
is a Japanese political philosophy and a social movement derived from Neo-Confucianism; it became a political slogan in the 1850s and 1860s in the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa bakufu, during the Bakumatsu period.-Origin:...
(尊王攘夷; "Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarian[s]") samurai primarily from the southwestern clans of Satsuma, Chōshū, and Tosa
Tosa Domain
The was a feudal domain in Tosa Province of Japan during the Edo period. Its official name is . Some from the domain played important roles in events in the late Tokugawa shogunate...
, the term shishi is also used by some with reference to supporters of the shogunate who held similar sonnō jōi views.
There were many different varieties of shishi. Some, such as the assassins Kawakami Gensai
Kawakami Gensai
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. A highly skilled swordsman, he was one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. Gensai's high-speed sword discipline was in the Shiranui-ryū.- Birth and Early Life :...
, Nakamura Hanjiro, Okada Izo
Okada Izo
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, feared as one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. He was born in Tosa to the gōshi Okada Gihei, who had been a peasant but had bought the gōshi rank...
, and Tanaka Shinbei, opted for a more violent approach in asserting their views. Kawakami Gensai
Kawakami Gensai
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period. A highly skilled swordsman, he was one of the four most notable assassins of the Bakumatsu period. Gensai's high-speed sword discipline was in the Shiranui-ryū.- Birth and Early Life :...
, in particular, is recalled as the assassin of Sakuma Shozan
Sakuma Shozan
sometimes called Sakuma Zōzan, was a Japanese politician and scholar of the Edo era. He was the son of a samurai, and a native of Shinshu in today's Nagano-ken.From the age of 23, he went to Edo and for 10 years studied Chinese sciences ....
, a renowned pro-Western thinker of the time. Other more radical shishi, such as Miyabe Teizō, plotted large-scale attacks with little regard for public safety. Miyabe himself was one of the ringleaders of the plot, foiled by the Shinsengumi
Shinsengumi
The were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic...
at the Ikedaya Incident, to burn Kyoto at the height of the Gion Festival.
As mentioned above, shishi were not necessarily in support of bringing down the shogunate. Shishi from Mito were responsible for the death of the shogunal grand councilor
Tairo
Tairō was a high-ranking official position in the bakuhan taisei government of Japan. The tairō would preside over the governing Rōjū council in the event of an emergency. A tairō would be nominated from among a group of samurai families who supported Tokugawa Ieyasu...
Ii Naosuke
Ii Naosuke
was daimyo of Hikone and also Tairō of Tokugawa Shogunate, Japan, a position he held from April 23, 1858 until his death on March 24, 1860. He is most famous for signing the Harris Treaty with the United States, granting access to ports for trade to American merchants and seamen and...
, who was a signatory to treaties that favored foreign nations, and who had placed an underaged boy on the shogunal throne. Other Mito men and women arose in the Tengu-tō revolt, over the next several years. While these were definitely actions against the shōgun's government, they did not oppose the shōgun himself—indeed, the Mito shishi, who were retainers of a relative of the shōgun, believed they were only helping him.
Other shishi had more scholastic leanings. A prime example of this was the scholar Yoshida Shōin
Yoshida Shoin
Yoshida Shōin was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate...
of Chōshū. He founded the Shokason-juku school, and educated many of the future government leaders of Meiji era Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Yoshida had connections to many prominent figures of the Bakumatsu era: Kawai Tsugunosuke
Kawai Tsugunosuke
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, who served the Makino clan of Nagaoka. Kawai was a senior military commander of Nagaoka forces during the Boshin War of 1868-1869. He escaped to nearby Aizu after his domain's fall; however, he contracted gangrene from an untreated leg wound, and died...
, Katsu Kaishu
Katsu Kaishu
was a Japanese statesman, naval engineer during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and early Meiji period. Kaishū was a nickname which he took from a piece of calligraphy by Sakuma Shōzan. He went through a series of given names throughout his life; his childhood name was and his real name was...
, the aforementioned Sakuma Shozan
Sakuma Shozan
sometimes called Sakuma Zōzan, was a Japanese politician and scholar of the Edo era. He was the son of a samurai, and a native of Shinshu in today's Nagano-ken.From the age of 23, he went to Edo and for 10 years studied Chinese sciences ....
, and others.
The more radical shishi from Chōshū and Satsuma
Satsuma Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of Kagoshima Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. Its abbreviation is Sasshū .During the Sengoku Period, Satsuma was a fief of the Shimazu daimyo, who ruled much of southern Kyūshū from their castle at Kagoshima city.In 1871, with the...
went on to form the core leadership of the nascent Meiji Government. Some, such as Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
and Yamagata Aritomo
Yamagata Aritomo
Field Marshal Prince , also known as Yamagata Kyōsuke, was a field marshal in the Imperial Japanese Army and twice Prime Minister of Japan. He is considered one of the architects of the military and political foundations of early modern Japan. Yamagata Aritomo can be seen as the father of Japanese...
, remained prominent figures in Japanese politics and society until the early decades of the 20th century.