Mito Rebellion

The Mito rebellion (水戸幕末争乱, Mito bakumatsu sōran), also called the Kantō Insurrection or the Tengutō Rebellion (天狗党の乱, tengutō no ran), was a civil war that occurred in the area of Mito Domain in Japan from May 2, 1864 to January 14, 1865. It involved an uprising and terrorist actions against the central power of the Shogunate in favour of the sonnō jōi ("Revere the emperor, expel the barbarians") policy.[1]

Mito rebellion
水戸幕末争乱
Part of Bakumatsu conflicts

Shogunate troops moving to quell the Mito rebellion in 1864.

"Takeda Kōunsai at Mt. Tsukuba" by Utagawa Kuniteru III
DateMay 2, 1864 – January 14, 1865
(8 months, 1 week and 5 days)
Location
Eastern Japan
Result Shogunate victory
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
  • Tokugawa shogunate Tokugawa Yoshinobu
  • Ichikawa Sanzaemon
  • Sagara Domain Tanuma Okitaka
  • Suwa Domain Yajima Denzaemon
  • Suwa Domain Shiohara Hikoshichi
Strength
2,000 About 10,000
Casualties and losses
About 1,300 rebels killed, around 353 were executed, and 100 died in captivity Around 6,700 shogunate members killed

Outline

A shogunal pacification force was sent to Mount Tsukuba on 17 June 1864, consisting of 700 Mito soldiers led by Ichikawa, with 3 to 5 cannons and at least 200 firearms, as well as a Tokugawa shogunate force of 3,000 men with over 600 firearms and several cannons.[2]

As the conflict escalated, on 10 October 1864 at Nakaminato, the shogunate force of 6,700 was defeated by 2000 insurgents, and several shogunal defeats followed.[3]

The insurgents were weakening, however, dwindling to about 1,000. By December 1864 they faced a new force under Tokugawa Yoshinobu (himself born in Mito) numbering over 10,000, which ultimately forced them to surrender.[4]

The uprising resulted in 1,300 dead on the rebels' side, which suffered vicious repression, including 353 executions and approximately 100 who died in captivity.[5]

Other

See also

Notes
  1. The Cambridge History of Japan, p.641
  2. Totman, p.112
  3. Totman, p.118
  4. Totman, p.119-120
  5. Totman, p.120

References
  • Totman, Conrad. (1980). The Collapse of the Tokugawa Bakufu, 1862–1868 University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, ISBN 0-8248-0614-X
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