was a Japanese ''

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

'', a '' shishi'' and influential figure of the ''

Bakumatsu were the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate Meiji Restoration, ended. Between 1853 and 1867, under foreign diplomatic and military pressure, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a Feudali ...

,'' and establishment of the

Empire of Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

in the late

Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...

. Sakamoto was a low-ranking ''samurai'' from the

Tosa Domain The was a Han (Japan), feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, controlling all of Tosa Province in what is now Kōchi Prefecture on the island of Shikoku. It was centered around Kōchi Castle, and was ruled throughout its ...

Shikoku is the smallest of the List of islands of Japan#Main islands, four main islands of Japan. It is long and between at its widest. It has a population of 3.8 million, the least populated of Japan's four main islands. It is south of Honshu ...

and became an active opponent of the

Tokugawa Shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

after the end of Japan's ''

sakoku is the most common name for the isolationist foreign policy of the Japanese Tokugawa shogunate under which, during the Edo period (from 1603 to 1868), relations and trade between Japan and other countries were severely limited, and almost all ...

'' isolationist policy. Under the alias , he worked against the

Bakufu , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

, the government of the

Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...

, and was often hunted by their supporters and the ''

Shinsengumi The was a small secret police organization, elite group of swordsmen that was organized by commoners and low rank samurai, commissioned by the (military government) during Japan's Bakumatsu period (late Tokugawa shogunate) in 1863. It was ac ...

''. Sakamoto advocated for

democracy Democracy (from , ''dēmos'' 'people' and ''kratos'' 'rule') is a form of government in which political power is vested in the people or the population of a state. Under a minimalist definition of democracy, rulers are elected through competitiv ...

, Japanese

nationalism Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation, Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Theory, I ...

, return of power to the Imperial Court, abolition of

feudalism Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

, and moderate

modernization Modernization theory or modernisation theory holds that as societies become more economically modernized, wealthier and more educated, their political institutions become increasingly liberal democratic and rationalist. The "classical" theories ...

and

industrialization Industrialisation (British English, UK) American and British English spelling differences, or industrialization (American English, US) is the period of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an i ...

of Japan. Sakamoto successfully negotiated the

Satchō Alliance The , or was a powerful military alliance between the southwestern feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to restore Imperial rule and overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. History The name ''Satc ...

between the powerful rival Chōshū and Satsuma domains and united them against the Bakufu. Sakamoto was assassinated in December 1867 with his companion Nakaoka Shintarō, shortly before the

Boshin War The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a coalition seeking to seize political power in the name of the Impe ...

and the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

Early life

Sakamoto Ryōma was born on 3 January 1836 in Kōchi in the han (domain) of Tosa, located in

Tosa Province was a province of Japan in the area of southern Shikoku. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tosa''" in . Tosa bordered on Awa to the northeast, and Iyo to the northwest. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of the Gokishichidō syst ...

(present-day

Kōchi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Kōchi Prefecture has a population of 669,516 (1 April 2023) and has a geographic area of 7,103 km2 (2,742 sq mi). Kōchi Prefecture borders Ehime Prefecture to the northwest and Tok ...

) on the island of

. By the

Japanese calendar Japanese calendar types have included a range of official and unofficial systems. At present, Japan uses the Gregorian calendar together with year designations stating the Japanese era name, year of the reign of the current Emperor. The written f ...

, Sakamoto was born on the 15th day of the 11th month, of the sixth year of ''

Tenpō was a after '' Bunsei'' and before '' Kōka.'' The period spanned from December 1830 through December 1844. The reigning emperor was . Introduction Change of era * December 10, 1830 () : In the 13th year of ''Bunsei'', the new era name of ...

''. The Sakamoto family held the rank of country ''

'' or ', the lowest rank in the ''samurai'' hierarchy, which previous generations had purchased by acquiring enough wealth as ''

sake Sake, , or saki, also referred to as Japanese rice wine, is an alcoholic beverage of Japanese origin made by fermenting rice that has been polished to remove the bran. Despite the name ''Japanese rice wine'', sake, and indeed any East Asi ...

'' brewers. Unlike other Japanese domains, Tosa had a strictly-enforced separation between the ''joshi'' (high-ranking samurai) and ''kashi'' (low-ranking samurai). The ranks were treated unequally and residential areas were segregated; even in Sakamoto Ryōma's generation (the third in the Sakamoto family), his family's samurai rank remained ''kashi''. At the age of twelve, Sakamoto was enrolled in a

private school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...

, but this was a brief episode in his life as he showed little scholarly inclination. Ryōma's older sister subsequently enrolled him in

fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...

classes of the Oguri-ryū when he was 14 after he was bullied at school. By the time Sakamoto reached adulthood, he was by all accounts a master

swordsman Swordsmanship or sword fighting refers to the skills and techniques used in combat and training with any type of sword. The term is modern, and as such was mainly used to refer to smallsword fencing, but by extension it can also be applied to a ...

. In 1853, Sakamoto was allowed by his clan to travel to

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

, the seat of the ruling

and the '' de facto'' capital of Japan, to train and polish his skills as a swordsman. Sakamoto enrolled as a student at the famous

Hokushin Ittō-ryū is a that was founded in the late Edo period by . He was one of the last masters who was called a . Curriculum and Characteristics The curriculum of this (martial arts style) contains mainly , and , but the main weapons used are the long ...

Hyōhō Chiba-Dōjō, which was led by its first Headmaster Chiba Sadakichi Masamichi at that time. Sakamoto received the scroll from the school that declared his mastery. Sakamoto became a ''

shihan is a Japanese term that is used in many Japanese martial arts as an honorific title for expert or senior instructors. It can be translated as "master instructor". The use of the term is specific to a school or organization, as is the process o ...

'' at the Chiba-Dōjō and taught

Kenjutsu is an umbrella term for all ('' ko-budō'') schools of Japanese swordsmanship, in particular those that predate the Meiji Restoration. Some modern styles of kendo and iaido that were established in the 20th century also included modern forms o ...

to the students together with Chiba Jūtarō Kazutane, in whom he found a close friend. During his time at the Chiba Dojo, Sakamoto met Chiba Sana, Sadakichi's daughter. Within a few years, the two would become very close, with Ryoma requesting permission from Sadakichi to marry Sana. The two would become engaged. In 1858, Ryoma ended his training at the Chiba Dojo, returning to Tosa to further his studies. Despite their engagement, Sana and Ryoma would lose contact for several years.

Politics

Early ''Bakumatsu''

In 1853, the

Perry Expedition ] The Perry Expedition (, , "Arrival of the Black Ships") was a diplomatic and military expedition in two separate voyages (1852–1853 and 1854–1855) to the Tokugawa shogunate () by warships of the United States Navy. The goals of this expedit ...

began while Sakamoto was studying and teaching in Edo, beginning the ''

'' period. Commodore

Matthew C. Perry Matthew Calbraith Perry (April 10, 1794 – March 4, 1858) was a United States Navy officer who commanded ships in several wars, including the War of 1812 and the Mexican–American War. He led the Perry Expedition that Bakumatsu, ended Japan' ...

of the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

arrived in Japan with a fleet of ships to forcibly end the centuries-old ''

'' policy of national

isolationism Isolationism is a term used to refer to a political philosophy advocating a foreign policy that opposes involvement in the political affairs, and especially the wars, of other countries. Thus, isolationism fundamentally advocates neutrality an ...

. In March 1854, Perry pressured the Tokugawa to sign the

Convention of Kanagawa The Convention of Kanagawa, also known as the or the , was a treaty signed between the United States and the Tokugawa Shogunate on March 31, 1854. Unequal treaty#Japan, Signed under threat of force, it effectively meant the end of Japan's 220-ye ...

, officially ending the ''sakoku'' policy but widely perceived in Japan as an "

unequal treaty The unequal treaties were a series of agreements made between Asian countries—most notably Qing dynasty, Qing China, Tokugawa shogunate, Tokugawa Japan and Joseon, Joseon Korea—and Western countries—most notably the United Kingdom of Great ...

" and a sign of weakness. The prestige and legitimacy of the ''

Shōgun , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...

'', a ''de facto'' military ruler with a nominal appointment from the

Emperor of Japan The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

, was severely damaged to the public. The convention was signed by the ''

rōjū The , usually translated as ''Elder (administrative title), Elder'', was one of the highest-ranking government posts under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council of Elders as a wh ...

Abe Masahiro was the chief senior councilor ('' rōjū'') in the Tokugawa shogunate of the Bakumatsu period at the time of the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry on his mission to open Japan to the outside world. Abe was instrumental in the eventual signi ...

, acting as

regent In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...

for the young and sickly ''Shōgun'' Tokugawa Iesada, against the will of the

Imperial Court in Kyoto The Imperial Court in Kyoto was the nominal ruling government of Japan from 794 AD until the Meiji period (1868–1912), after which the court was moved from Kyoto (formerly Heian-kyō) to Tokyo (formerly Edo) and integrated into the Meiji go ...

, the ''

de jure In law and government, ''de jure'' (; ; ) describes practices that are officially recognized by laws or other formal norms, regardless of whether the practice exists in reality. The phrase is often used in contrast with '' de facto'' ('from fa ...

'' ruling authority. Anti-Tokugawa forces considered this evidence that the ''Shōgun'' could no longer fulfil the Emperor's will, and therefore no longer fit to rule for him. Sakamoto and many of the ''samurai'' class supported returning state power directly to the Imperial Court in Kyoto and began agitating for the overthrow of the Tokugawa shogunate. In 1858, Sakamoto returned to Tosa after completing his studies, and became politically active in the local ''

Sonnō jōi was a '' yojijukugo'' (four-character compound) phrase used as the rallying cry and slogan of a political movement in Japan in the 1850s and 1860s, during the Bakumatsu period. Based on Neo-Confucianism and Japanese nativism, the movement sou ...

'', the anti-Tokugawa movement arose in the aftermath of the Convention of Kanagawa. In 1862, Sakamoto's friend Takechi Hanpeita (or Takechi Zuizan) organized the Tosa Loyalist Party "Kinnoto", a ''Sonnō jōi'' organization of about 2000 samurai (mostly from the lower rank) with the political slogan "Revere the

Emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

, Expel the Barbarians" that insisted on the reform of the Tosa government. Yamauchi Toyoshige, the ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...

'' (lord) of the Tosa Domain, refused to recognize the group. In response, Tosa Kinnoto plotted to assassinate Yamauchi's governor, Yoshida Toyo, who was appointed as a

reform Reform refers to the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc. The modern usage of the word emerged in the late 18th century and is believed to have originated from Christopher Wyvill's Association movement, which ...

er and modernizer. Yoshida was later assassinated by Tosa Kinnoto after Sakamoto had left Tosa. Sakamoto participated in the plot but did not advocate: he believed Tosa Kinnoto should do something for all of Japan, while Takechi demanded a revolution for only the Tosa clan. Sakamoto decided to separate from Takechi and leave Tosa without authorization. In those days, no one in Japan was permitted to leave their clan without permission under the penalty of death, known as ''dappan''. One of Sakamoto's sisters committed

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Risk factors for suicide include mental disorders, physical disorders, and substance abuse. Some suicides are impulsive acts driven by stress (such as from financial or ac ...

because she left without permission. Sakamoto later used the alias "Saitani Umetarō" (才谷梅太郎) as he worked against the ''shōgun''. That same year, in 1862, Sakamoto returned to the Chiba Dojo, using it as a safe haven after running away from Tosa. While there, he reunited with Chiba Sana, and it is said that her father Sadakichi encouraged a full show of commitment to Sana from Sakamoto. With nothing else going on, Sakamoto gifted Chiba a sleeve with his family crest on it. Through this gesture, Sakamoto and Chiba were considered a married couple. Chiba would be informed of Sakamoto's death in 1868, when she still held on to the belief that she was his wife, being unaware that Sakamoto had married another woman. Sakamoto is mentioned under this alias in the diary of

Ernest Satow Sir Ernest Mason Satow (30 June 1843 – 26 August 1929), was a British diplomat, scholar and Japanologist. He is better known in Japan, where he was known as , than in Britain or the other countries in which he served as a diplomat. He was ...

for 30 September 1867: "Mr. Saedani had to be sat up for laughing at the questions put by us, evidently with the object of ridiculing us out of our case, but he got a flea in his lug and shut up making the most diabolical faces."

Late ''Bakumatsu''

While a ''

rōnin In feudal Japan to early modern Japan (1185–1868), a ''rōnin'' ( ; , , 'drifter' or 'wandering man', ) was a samurai who had no lord or master and in some cases, had also severed all links with his family or clan. A samurai became a ''rō ...

'', Sakamoto decided to assassinate Katsu Kaishū, a high-ranking official in the Tokugawa shogunate and a supporter of both modernization and

westernization Westernization (or Westernisation, see spelling differences), also Europeanisation or occidentalization (from the ''Occident''), is a process whereby societies come under or adopt what is considered to be Western culture, in areas such as industr ...

. However, Katsu Kaishū persuaded Sakamoto of the necessity of a long-term plan to increase Japan's military strength in the face of Western influence which led to the Convention of Kanagawa. Instead of killing Katsu Kaishū, Sakamoto started working as his assistant and

protégé Mentorship is the patronage, influence, guidance, or direction given by a mentor. A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. In an organizational setting, a mentor influences the perso ...

. In 1864, as the Tokugawa shogunate began taking a hard line against

dissenter A dissenter (from the Latin , 'to disagree') is one who dissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc. Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of ...

s, Sakamoto fled to

Kagoshima , is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 583,966 in 285,992 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Etymology While the ...

Satsuma Domain The , briefly known as the , was a Han system, domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871. The Satsuma Domain was based at Kagoshima Castle in Satsuma Province, the core of the modern city of ...

, which was developing as a major centre for the anti-Tokugawa movement. In 1866, Sakamoto took part in the negotiation process of the secret

between the Satsuma and Chōshū domains, which historically had been irreconcilable enemies. However, contrary to popular misconception, his position as a "neutral outsider" did not play an important role in the negotiations, as the critical role was in fact played by Komatsu Tatewaki. Sakamoto founded the private navy and trading company Kameyama Shachū in Nagasaki City with the help of the Satsuma, which later became ''kaientai'' or Ocean Support Fleet. Chōshū's subsequent victory over the Tokugawa army in 1866 and the impending collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate made Sakamoto a valuable commodity to his former masters in Tosa, and recalled to Kōchi with honours. The Tosa Domain was anxious to obtain a negotiated settlement between the ''Shōgun'' and the Emperor, which would prevent the powerful Satchō Alliance from overthrowing the Tokugawa by force and thus emerging as a new dominant force in ruling Japan. Sakamoto again played a crucial role in the subsequent negotiations that led to the voluntary resignation of the Shogun

Tokugawa Yoshinobu Kazoku, Prince was the 15th and last ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful. He resigned his position as shogun in late 1867, while ai ...

in 1867, thus bringing about the

First assassination attempt

Smith and Wesson Army No2 of Sakamoto Ryoma

In March of 1866, several agents of the shogunate attempted to assassinate Sakamoto Ryōma by ambushing him at the Teradaya

ryokan A is a type of traditional Japanese inn that typically features ''tatami''-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear nemaki and talk with the owner. Ryokan have existed since the eighth century A.D. du ...

in Kyoto. Two aspects of this have become famous. Firstly, he was alerted just in time by his future wife Narasaki Ryō (Oryō), who was surprised in her bath by the attackers and ran across a garden and up to the second floor of the inn to warn Sakamoto. Secondly, he used a Western firearm, a Smith and Wesson revolver, to fight off these attackers.

Assassination

Sakamoto was

assassinated Assassination is the willful killing, by a sudden, secret, or planned attack, of a personespecially if prominent or important. It may be prompted by political, ideological, religious, financial, or military motives. Assassinations are orde ...

at the Ōmiya Inn ( Omiya) in Kyoto on 10 December 1867, not long before the

took place, at the age of 31. At night, assassins gathered at the door of the inn, one approached and knocked, acting as an ordinary caller. The door was answered by Sakamoto's bodyguard and manservant Yamada Tōkichi (山田藤吉), a former sumo wrestler, who told the stranger he would see if Sakamoto was accepting callers at that hour of the evening. When the bodyguard turned his back, the visitor at the door drew his sword and fatally slashed his back. The team of assassins then rushed in past the dying bodyguard and up the stairs to the guests' rooms. Sakamoto and his associate Nakaoka Shintarō were resting and talking in one room. Hearing the scuffle on the first floor, Sakamoto opened the door to yell at his bodyguard, thinking he was wrestling with a friend. The assassins charged the room, some tearing through the paper doors, and a confused melée ensued as lamps were knocked over and the room went dark. By the end of the fight, both Sakamoto and Shintaro lay badly wounded, and the assassins fled. Sakamoto died that night, regretting with his last words that his assassins caught him unprepared. Shintaro succumbed to injuries two days later, never regaining enough consciousness to identify the assassins, but mentioned hearing Iyo dialect among the killers. The night of the assassination was eventually called the (近江屋事件). According to the traditional

lunar calendar A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases ( synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based on the solar year, and lunisolar calendars, whose lunar months are br ...

, Sakamoto was born on the 15th day of the 11th month, and killed on his birthday in 1867. Initial reports of Sakamoto's and Shintarō's deaths accused members of the ''

'', a special police force of swordsmen from the

(Tokugawa military government) based in

Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...

. Shinsengumi leader

Kondō Isami was a Japanese swordsman and samurai of the late Edo period. He was the fourth generation master of Tennen Rishin-ryū and was famed for his role as commander of the Shinsengumi. Background He was born Miyagawa Katsugorō to a farmer Miyagawa ...

was later executed on this charge. However, members of another pro-''shōgun'' group, the '' Mimawarigumi'', confessed to the murder in 1870. Although ''Mimawarigumi'' members Sasaki Tadasaburō (佐々木只三郎) and carry the blame, the identity of the true assassin has never been proven. Okuda Matsugoro, who was known for working since his early adolescence as a spy for Kondō, was rumoured to have taken part in the assassination.

Legacy

Sakamoto was a visionary who dreamt of an independent Japan without

or the

caste A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...

system, inspired by the example of the United States where "

all men are created equal The quotation "all men are created equal" is found in the United States Declaration of Independence and is a phrase that has come to be seen as emblematic of America's founding ideals. The final form of the sentence was stylized by Benjamin Fran ...

". Sakamoto was an admirer of democratic principles and studied democratic governance, particularly the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

and

British Parliament The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of ...

, as a model for the governance of Japan after the Restoration. Sakamoto argued that after centuries of having little-to-no political power, the Imperial Court lacked the resources and wherewithal to run the country. Sakamoto wrote the "Eight Proposals While Shipboard" (『船中八策』) while discussing the future model of the Japanese government with

Gotō Shōjirō Count was a Japanese samurai and politician during the Bakumatsu period, Bakumatsu and early Meiji period of Japanese history.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Gotō Shōjirō" in He was a leader of which would evolve into a political par ...

on board a Tosa ship outside Nagasaki in 1867. Sakamoto outlined the need for a democratically elected

bicameral legislature Bicameralism is a type of legislature that is divided into two separate assemblies, chambers, or houses, known as a bicameral legislature. Bicameralism is distinguished from unicameralism, in which all members deliberate and vote as a single ...

, the writing of a

constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

, the formation of a national

army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and navy, and the regulation of the

exchange rate In finance, an exchange rate is the rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another currency. Currencies are most commonly national currencies, but may be sub-national as in the case of Hong Kong or supra-national as in the case of ...

s of

gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

and

silver Silver is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Ag () and atomic number 47. A soft, whitish-gray, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and reflectivity of any metal. ...

. Sakamoto read about the Western world and realized that for Japan to compete with an industrially and technologically advanced outside world, the Japanese people needed to modernize. Sakamoto's proposals are thought to form the basis for the subsequent

parliamentary system A parliamentary system, or parliamentary democracy, is a form of government where the head of government (chief executive) derives their Election, democratic legitimacy from their ability to command the support ("confidence") of a majority of t ...

implemented in Japan after his death. Sakamoto has also been seen as an intriguing mix of the traditional and modern, symbolized by his preference for samurai dress while favouring Western footwear. Sakamoto has been heavily featured and romanticized in Japanese popular culture.

Honours in modern times

On 15 November 2003, the Kōchi Airport was renamed the Kōchi Ryōma Airport in his honour. There is a Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum (坂本龍馬記念館) south of Kōchi, with a large bronze statue of Sakamoto overlooking the sea. The city of Kōchi has a number of Sakamoto-themed attractions and locations, including the Sakamoto Ryōma Birthplace Memorial, and the Sakamoto Ryōma Hometown Museum, dedicated to showing what downtown Kōchi was like during his childhood, including relevant aspects that may have influenced his views. On 15 November 2009, the Hokkaidō Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum was built in

Hakodate is a Cities of Japan, city and seaports of Japan, port located in Oshima Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan. It is the capital city of Oshima Subprefecture. As of January 31, 2024, the city had an estimated population of 239,813 with 138,807 househol ...

Hokkaido is the list of islands of Japan by area, second-largest island of Japan and comprises the largest and northernmost prefectures of Japan, prefecture, making up its own list of regions of Japan, region. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaidō fr ...

. Asteroid 2835 Ryoma is named after him. Asteroid 5823 Oryo is named after his wife.

Sakamoto Family

Parents * Father Sakamoto Yahei (

Imina in modern times consist of a family name (surname) followed by a given name. Japanese names are usually written in kanji, where the pronunciation follows a special set of rules. Because parents when naming children, and foreigners when adoptin ...

Naotari) * Mother Sakamoto Sachi (née Hachikura) Stepmother * Iyo Brother * Gonbei (the elder) Sisters * Chizu (the eldest) * Ei (the second) * Sakamoto Tome (the third) Wife * Narasaki Ryō (commonly called Oryō) Child * Tarō (adopted child, Chizu's child)

In popular culture

Dramas, film and manga

An April 2010 ''

Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

'' article stated "Ryōma has inspired at least seven television drama series, six novels, seven manga and five films." Actor Masaharu Fukuyama said that Ryoma's appeal stems from being "the kind of person onto whom anyone can project themselves", when describing his role as Ryoma in the

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

Taiga drama is the name NHK gives to the annual year-long historical drama television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white ''Hana no Shōgai'', starring kabuki actor Onoe Shoroku II and Awashima Chikage, the network regul ...

'' Ryōmaden''. Sakamoto Ryōma is a prominent character in the 2009–2011 TV series '' Jin'', portrayed by actor Masaaki Uchino. In the thirteenth episode of the anime series ''

Arakawa Under the Bridge is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hikaru Nakamura (manga artist), Hikaru Nakamura. The manga was first serialized in the Seinen manga, ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Young Gangan'' from December 2004 to July 2015. An anime t ...

'' (2010), the character known as Last Samurai performs an impression of Ryōma. During his impression, he exclaims "my shoulder huuuuurts," to which the main character, Recruit, responds "that was an everyday Ryōma!" Sakamoto Ryōma appears as the main

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

of '' Like a Dragon: Ishin!'', a spin-off of the '' Like a Dragon'' game series. He has the visual likeness and voice of Kazuma Kiryu. He appears as a major supporting character in '' Rise of the Rōnin'' and as a secondary character in ''

Inazuma Eleven is an association football Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football ...

'' Go Chrono Stones. In the 2018

'' Segodon'', Ryoma is portrayed by

Shun Oguri is a Japanese people, Japanese actor and Voice acting in Japan, voice actor, son of stage director Tetsuya Oguri, and the youngest of 3 siblings, including older brother Ryo, who is also an actor. He started in small roles as extra in the works ...

. He is also the inspiration and basis for the character of Sakamoto Tatsuma in the ''

manga are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long history in earlier Japanese art. The term is used in Japan to refer to both comics ...

'' and ''

anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...

'' series ''

Gintama is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hideaki Sorachi. It was serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2003 to September 2018, later in '' Jump Giga'' from December 2018 ...

'' created by ''

Hideaki Sorachi is the pen name of a Japanese manga artist, most well known for his manga ''Gintama,'' which began serialization in 2003 and ended in 2019. He has also written numerous one-shots, including ''Dandelion'', for which he won the Tenkaichi Honourab ...

''. Sakamoto Ryōma is a character in the " Shura no toki" manga. Sakamoto Ryoma appeared in the 2024 drama "With You I Bloom: The Shinsengumi Youth Chronicle" based on the 1963 Shinsengumi manga by

Osamu Tezuka Osamu Tezuka (, born , ''Tezuka Osamu'', – 9 February 1989) was a Japanese manga artist, cartoonist and animator. Considered to be among the greatest and most influential cartoonists of all time, his prolific output, pioneering techniques an ...

. He was portrayed by Ryuji Sato.

Games

Sakamoto Ryōma is a playable character in the "Infiltrator" chapter of '' Live A Live'' (1994). He is held as a political prisoner by the warlord Ode Iou, but is later freed by the shinobi Oboromaru and joins him in stopping Ode's plans. He also appears as a playable character in the mobile game '' Fate/Grand Order'', with additional appearances in other ''Fate'' media, like the manga ''Fate/KOHA-ACE'' and its revised adaptation, '' Fate/type Redline''. Sakamoto is also a playable character in '' Like a Dragon: Ishin!'' and '' Rise of the Rōnin''.

Gallery

File:Sakamoto Ryōma2.jpg, Sakamoto Ryōma in 1867 File:Narasaki_Ryo.jpg, Narasaki Ryō (Oryō), born in Kyoto, Ryōma's wife File:Tomb_of_Sakamoto_Ryoma_torii.jpg, Tomb of Sakamoto Ryōma, in '' Ryōzen Gokoku Jinja'' (京都霊山護国神社),

. File:Tomb_of_Sakamoto_Ryoma_center.jpg, Tomb of Sakamoto Ryōma (detail) File:Kaientai Flag.svg, Flag of Kaientai File:Kikyō mon.svg, Sakamoto family crest, Kikyōmon (Chinese bellflower)

Citations

General references

* Beasley, William G. (1972). ''The Meiji Restoration''. Stanford: Stanford University Press. . . * Jansen, Marius B., and Gilbert Rozman, eds. (1986). ''Japan in Transition: From Tokugawa to Meiji''. Princeton:

Princeton University Press Princeton University Press is an independent publisher with close connections to Princeton University. Its mission is to disseminate scholarship within academia and society at large. The press was founded by Whitney Darrow, with the financial ...

. . . * Jansen, Marius B. (1961). ''Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration''. Princeton: Princeton University Press. .

External links

The Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum in Kochi

Hokkaidō Sakamoto Ryōma Memorial Museum

Nagasaki Kameyamashachū Memorial Museum

*

*

** ttps://web.archive.org/web/20100515175246/http://www.kochi-bunkazaidan.or.jp/~rekimin/exhibit/project2.html Kōchi Prefectural Museum of History 2010 NHK Taiga drama exhibitions "Ryōmaden"*
Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture 2010 NHK Taiga drama exhibitions "Ryōmaden"

Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture "Ryōmaden Kan 2010"

National Diet Library electronic library "Kanketsu senri no koma"

* Japan Mint
Sakamoto Ryōma 2007 Proof Coin Set

Shotentai.com -About Sakamoto Ryoma
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sakamoto, Ryoma 1836 births 1867 deaths Assassinated Japanese politicians Assassinated revolutionaries Politicians assassinated in the 1860s Japanese businesspeople Japanese revolutionaries Japanese swordfighters Meiji Restoration People from Kōchi Prefecture People from Kōchi, Kōchi People from Tosa Domain People murdered in Kyoto Samurai Unsolved murders in Japan