New American Mishima Epic Released!

Our long awaited Historical epic has finally been published!

Story Synopsis:
When the Elite Corps of Samurai known as the Shinsengumi were driven from their base in Kyoto, they were branded Imperial Rebels. Of their 300 members, few survived. Of its three famous surviving Captains, no one knows for certain what became of 10th Unit Captain Harada Sanosuke. Based on a real life 1965 rumor that surfaced in Japanese newspapers, The Soldier and the Samurai is a tale of gratitude and redemption that tells the story of a mysterious old man who claimed to be the famous lost Samurai who surfaced in 1895 Manchuria saving the lives of three Japanese Soldiers during the first Sino-Japan War before disappearing again. It will be up to Nishida Keisuke who must return to Manchuria during the Japan-Russo War to solve the mystery of the elderly Japanese man’s identity who saved him and that of a mysterious inscription written on the back of a Tanto knife that will alter the course of his life and that of the Nishida family for generations to come!

Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 14, 2014)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1500183059
• ISBN-13: 978-1500183059
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Kindle Format Available

Click Here to Order Your Copy of The Soldier and the Samurai

Remembering the Fall of Edo Castle

One hundred forty five years ago saw the Surrender of Edo Castle and thus ending two hundred sixty six years of Tokugawa rule. The decision to surrender was made by Katsu Kaishu in an effort to avoid any pointless bloodshed. With Shogun Yohinobu's abdication and the threat of annihilation by the encroaching forces of the newly minted Imperial Army under Satsuma's Saigo Takamori, it was Kaishu who sought a meeting with Saigo Takamori to negotiate a peaceful settlement. It's often overlooked yet not entirely forgotten credit for both the bloodless surrender and the survival of the Tokugawa family is the role of Lady Tenshoin, the widow of the 13^th Shogun Iesada. It is said that she contributed to the negotiations to appeal to Takamori's heart so that the Tokugawa's could survive. Her contribution was widely depicted in the 47^th NHK Taiga Drama Atsuhime. 

Upon receipt of a written letter from Kaishu, Imperial Commander Saigo Takamori agreed to meet with Kaishu one day before the planned attack on Edo Castle. They met on March 14^th 1868 and reached a peaceful settlement paving the way for Japan to enter the Meiji Era and the modern world. The Boshin War as it was known dragged on for another year by die hard loyalists who retreated to the north forming the short lived Republic of Ezo until their defeat at Hakodate in 1869, the year the Samurai World had come to an End. 

  So what of the players of this real life drama?

For Lady Tenshoin better known to modern audiences as Princess Atsu or Atsuhime, her life would continue nurturing the Tokugawa heir Iesato until her quiet death from Parkinson's disease at the relatively young age of 49 in 1883. Had she not played her part, Edo Castle would have been turned into a blood bath and a certain heir to the Tokugawa family who in another life would be today's Shogun would not be alive today teaching as a professor in present day Chicago. She is entombed next to Shogun Iesada. As much as she was at the time of her death, she had thousands line the streets for her funeral procession. After the airing of the 47th NHK Taiga drama, the cemetery housing her tomb was temporarily opened to the public for three days in a most unprecedented move by Japanese standards as grave viewings are not part of Japanese Culture as they are in the West. Over ten thousand people came to visit, many of them weeping.

Katsu Kaishu continued to live on and became part of the New Meiji Government continuing his work developing a modern Navy. His was a most fascinating life starting with his famous voyage to America in 1860 aboard the Kanrin Maru as it's captain, to the forming of the first Shogunate Naval Academies, to the mentor ship of legendary reformer and father of modern Japan Sakamoto Ryoma of Tosa. His role in Japan's entry into the modern world could not be any more understated nor should it be overlooked by any means. Before his death, he had been elevated to the Imperial Court as Hakushaku or Count. His memoirs are contained in the book Hikawa Seiwa. He died an Elder Statesman 1899 but not forgotten by history or in our hearts. On our own cruise of San Francisco Bay on the 150th Anniversary of the Kanrin Maru's voyage to San Francisco, we followed the actual footsteps of Katsu Kaishu and for a moment we were sure his spirit was there with us.

As for Imperial Commander Saigo Takamori of the Satsuma Domain, Irony was not without it's fate. The very man who played a principle role in that end would rise up eight years later and stage the Satsuma Rebellion which ended any notion that Samurai privilege could be restored in modern Japan. Saigo Takamori was killed in the final battle of the Satsuma Rebellion in 1877, a futile struggle that became the inspiration for the fictional Samurai tale from Hollywood 2003's The Last Samurai. In an unrelated Irony, the name The Last Samurai was given to the first film made in 1974 depicting the Satsuma Rebellion. Why Hollywood chose to recycle the title is beyond reason. A more recent depiction of Saigo's tragic Rebellion and bloody end can be seen depicted in the more recent film Hanjiro. 

It's estimated that during the two year war some six thousand men died fighting for Japan many of them enshrined at the Yasukuni Shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo.  To find out more or to visit this privately funded Shinto Shrine please visit Yasukuni Shrine.

サムライ映画, A Real Officer and a Movie Part III - Hanjiro

In continuing with our series inspired by The Military Channel's “An Officer and a Movie,” we would like to introduce to you another Real Officer and a Movie. While many of the great Samurai films we have featured take place during the Sengoku Jidai – The Warring States Period or the Boshin War, little has been made of The Satsuma Rebellion which was the basis for the Tom Cruise movie “The Last Samurai.” Some will say there is Hollywood and then there is History. When it comes to Japanese History, we at American Mishima could not argue more.So let us introduce you to our featured Officer Kirino Toshiaki aka Nakamura Hanjiro who is the subject of our feature 2010's Hanjiro starring Tataaki Enkoki as who recently appeared as Takeda in the Sakuradamon Incident but for Samurai fans best remembered as Kagetora in 1990's Samurai Epic Heaven & Earth. 

 

Kirino who was born in Kagoshima December 1838, was a low ranking Samurai from Satsuma whose lethal Ko-Ji-Gen-Ryu sword style distinguished him as one of the four Bakumatsu Shidai Hitokiri or man slayers who were considered to be undetectable during the Boshin War. His most famous action was against the retreating Shinsengumi during the Battle Toba-Fushimi in 1868. Near the end of the Boshin War he rose to become a senior commander of the Satsuma forces battling the remaining Tokugawa Loyalists and it is Kirino who accepted the Lord of Aizu Matsudaira Katamori's surrender at Wakamatsu Castle. At the conclusion of the Boshin War Kirino became an officer in the newly formed Japanese Imperial Army and rose to the rank of Brigadier General. But life wasn't so happy in the New Meiji Era for those who fought for Satsuma. The loss of stipends and Samurai Privilege led former Satsuma Commander and then current commander of the Army Saigo Takamori to resign his commission and return to Satsuma. Feeling this sense of dissatisfaction with the New Meiji Government and their policies governed by former Satsuma Samurai Okubo Toshimichi, Kirino joined with other officers to follow Saigo Takamori back to Satsuma where they would form private military academies teaching the Chinese Classics such as Confucius but also military hardware and tactics. This of course did not sit well with Okubo Toshimichi who dispatched government troops to Kagoshima which had all but declared itself a free state. From the outset, the valiant Satsuma Samurai fought with antiquated rifles and cannon against the better armed professional army of the New Meiji Government. Unlike in the last Samurai there were no Americans present. This was strictly a Japanese affair only with western uniforms and deadly Gatling Guns. On September 24^th, 1877 Kirino was killed along with Saigo Takamori in the last battle ending the Satsuma Rebellion. He was left with a wife Hisa who lived on well until the Taisho Era in 1920.

And now to 2010's Hanjiro. The film is set in the Satsuma Domain 1862 present day Kagoshima, Japan. A lone upstart sweet potato farmer named Nakamura Hanjiro (brilliantly played by Tataaki Enoki) seeks an audience with the Satsuma Domain military Commander Saigo Takamori (played by Tanaka Seiji) to present him with the gift of sweet potatoes. With Saigo seated, Nakamura becomes intimidated as Okubo Toshimichi joins Takamori to see his skills he had obviously came to demonstrate to curry favor. Before Saigo can say anything a subordinate laughs at the notion of sweet potatoes which not only embarrasses the gracious host but offends Saigo to force him to apologize to Nakamura pointing out that sweet potatoes are hard to grow so best show some appreciation for this humble gesture. Humble or not, Nakamura's ulterior motive was indeed to be given the opportunity to demonstrate his sword skills in hopes that he could be made a Samurai. Impressed by both his skill and utter audacity, Saigo grants his wish and sends him to Kyoto to join other Satsuma Samurai in their quest to overthrow the Tokugawa Shogunate. 

Nakamura quickly distinguishes himself with his lethal sword skills defeating scores of pro-Shogunate Shinsengumi forces and quickly rises to become a senior commander for the Satsuma forces ultimately rising to the rank of general in the new Japanese Imperial Army. But years following the end of the Boshin War that toppled the Tokugawa Shogunate, Saigo Takamori is unhappy with the policies of New Meiji Government and at odds with his fellow Satsuma Samurai turned politician friend Okubo Toshimichi. Saigo quietly resigns his post as military commander and returns to Satsuma. Philosophically united, Nakamura Hanjiro joins with other officers and resigns from the army to go join Saigo Takamori in Satsuma where they formed private military academies. The fever to rise up runs ramped among the young Satsuma Samurai who seize weapons and munitions from the New Meiji Government. Despite warnings from his friend, Kirino takes command as the passive Saigo Takamori gives little support to what becomes a doomed rebellion. This does not go unnoticed by Okubo Toshimichi who dispatches the army to restore order in what would become The Satsuma Rebellion. 

As any student of Japanese History knows, this does not go well for Satsuma. In each battle they are overwhelmed by government forces in their failed attempt to revolt against a government for the second time in the span of a decade. 

Directed by Igarashi Sho and also featuring J-pop idol Akira, 2010's Hanjiro is the first real film to cover the tragic events that led up to and ultimately became the Satsuma Rebellion at length since Kenji Misumi's 1974's remastered classic The Last Samurai which featured legendary actor Ken Ogata as Hanjiro the Slayer. This is the real story of Nakamura Hanjiro and the real Last Samurai of Japan. Please Enjoy!

 

 Please Enjoy!

To get your copy of Hanjiro or any other great Samurai Films with English Subtitles please visit our man Eddie at Japanese Samurai DVD