150 years from Meiji Restoration (6) 2019/10/08
At the end of Edo period there was a civil war in 1868-1869 between Tokugawa Shogunate side and anti-Shogunate army composed of Satsuma, Choushu and many other clans. It was a memorial war to have new regime of Meiji government. However casualities in the war were limited with around 8420.
There was another civil war in Meiji 10th (1877). It was called Seinann war (West South war) with casualities around 13 thousands. It was a battle between Meiji new government and rebel army composed with mainly Satsuma soldiers.
Rebel army was led by Saigo Takamori who was a national hero and one of most active leaders to build Meiji new government.
It was a mystery of Japanese modern history why Saigo was cornered to lead a rebel against the new government which Saigo himself contributed lots to be built.
There is a presumption that Saigo who highly appreciated Japanese culture and history would not agree with the government policies to follow western style society and civilization by destroying or leaving Japanese traditional values.
During Edo period, Japanese people fully enjoyed peaceful life and cultivated most advanced culture and discipline. However, during the period Tokugawa government prohibited to develop new military technology which later resulted in the defeat against modern advanced western army.
Therefore we had to do something to keep Japan as independent nation. We successfully modernized the nation in short period in western style, however we abandoned lots of Japanese traditional values during the process.
It was probably extremely narrow path for the new government to adopt western modern civilization together with maintaining Japanese old values.
