Battle of Utsunomiya Castle
Encyclopedia
The was a battle between pro-Imperial and Tokugawa shogunate
forces during the Boshin War
in Japan in May 1868. It occurred as the troops of the Tokugawa shogunate
were retreating north towards Nikkō and Aizu
.
and Hijikata Toshizō
had gathered at Kōnodai (国府台), having left the shogun's capital of Edo
en masse. However, there were small numbers of men of Aizu under Akizuki Noborinosuke
and Kuwana
troops under Tatsumi Naofumi
also present, as well as a handful of surviving Shinsengumi
, such as Shimada Kai. While many of their numbers were samurai
, there were also many members of other social classes present, particularly under Ōtori's direct command. Their objective was Utsunomiya, a castle town on the road northward to Nikkō and Aizu, which was a position of vital strategic importance. The daimyō
of Utsunomiya, Toda Tadatomo, was absent, as he had been charged by Tokugawa Yoshinobu
with traveling to Kyoto
and submitting a letter of apology and submission. However, upon his arrival in Ōtsu
, Toda was met by Satsuma-Chōshū forces
, and placed under confinement, as such a message reaching the ears of Emperor Meiji
might have resulted in a premature pardon that would have complicated the alliance's anti-Tokugawa military objectives. This left Utsunomiya in the hands of Tadatomo's retired predecessor, Toda Tadayuki, who also advocated surrender, but was not involved in the efforts of the former Shogunate.
—Shimotsuma
and Shimodate—on May 7 and May 8. However, as these domains were small and their daimyō had fled, they did not have much in terms of money or supplies, and Hijikata was unable to acquire what he had hoped for. Almost simultaneously, a peasant riot broke out in Utsunomiya, giving the former Shogunate forces the perfect opportunity to strike, which they seized without delay. Ōtori's forces launched their attack on the castle on the morning of May 10, 1868, facing off against the combined Imperial force made up of troops from Matsumoto
(Shinano Province
, 60,000 koku
), Kurohane
(Shimotsuke Province
, 18,000 koku
), Mibu
(Shimotsuke Province, 18,000 koku
), Iwamurata (Shinano Province, 18,000 koku
), Susaka
(Shinano Province, 12,000 koku
), Hikone
(Ōmi Province, 350,000 koku
), Ōgaki
(Mino Province
, 100,000 koku
), Utsunomiya (Shimotsuke Province, 77,000 koku
), and Kasama
(Hitachi Province
, 80,000 koku
). The castle fell the same day, with Toda Tadayuki escaping to Tatebayashi
. Ōtori, leading the main element of the army, entered the castle on the 20th, and his forces emptied out the rice stored in the castle, handing it out to the townsfolk, who, as previously noted, had been rioting for the past several days. Efforts were then made to strengthen the position of Ōtori's force. Ōtori's men, now linked up with Hijikata's force, including others such as including former Shinsengumi member Nagakura Shinpachi
's unit Seiheitai, headed north to Mibu, where they intended to hide and lie in wait; however, upon their arrival they discovered that Satsuma forces had already taken the castle. The southerners, shocked at their sudden appearance, entered the castle and mounted a defense; and while the attackers had intended to set fire to the castle town, a torrential rain began, and made that impossible. Despite their best efforts, this combined unit was not able to take Mibu Castle, and withdrew to Utsunomiya after sustaining a total of 60 men killed and wounded, including eight officers. Subsequently, the Imperial army, with Satsuma and Ōgaki forces leading the way, swept up in a northeastward direction over the Mibu-kaidō road on May 14, launching a counterattack which resulted in their taking of the castle on the same day.
Faced with defeat, Ōtori's forces withdrew northward, by way of Nikkō, on to Aizu.
In later years, Ōtori would write an account of the battle, titled Nanka Kikō (南柯紀行), which would appear in Kyū Bakufu (舊幕府), a magazine devoted to documenting Bakumatsu history, which he helped edit.
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
forces during the Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
in Japan in May 1868. It occurred as the troops of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
were retreating north towards Nikkō and Aizu
Aizu
is an area comprising the westernmost third of Fukushima Prefecture in Japan. The principal city of the area is Aizuwakamatsu.During the Edo period, Aizu was a feudal domain known as and part of Mutsu Province.-History:...
.
Background
In early spring 1868, former Tokugawa retainers under Ōtori KeisukeOtori Keisuke
was a Japanese military commander during the last years of the Tokugawa shogunate and the beginning of the Meiji Era.-Early life and education:Ōtori Keisuke was born in Akamatsu Village, in the Akō domain of Harima Province , the son of physician Kobayashi Naosuke...
and Hijikata Toshizō
Hijikata Toshizo
was the vice-commander of Shinsengumi, a great swordsman and a talented Japanese military leader who resisted the Meiji Restoration.-Background:...
had gathered at Kōnodai (国府台), having left the shogun's capital of Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
en masse. However, there were small numbers of men of Aizu under Akizuki Noborinosuke
Akizuki Noborinosuke
was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period, who served as a retainer of the Aizu domain. Also known as , Akizuki fought in the Boshin War, both in the Aizu army as well as the army of the former Shogunate. He is notable for his service as a senior officer under Hijikata Toshizo at the Battle of...
and Kuwana
Kuwana Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Ise Province .-List of Daimyo:*Honda clan #Tadakatsu#Tadamasa*Matsudaira clan...
troops under Tatsumi Naofumi
Tatsumi Naofumi
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army during the Meiji period.-Early life:Also known as ' in his youth, Tatsumi was born in the Kuwana domain's Edo residence, to Kuwana retainer Machida Dendayu, and was later adopted by his uncle, Tatsumi Johei...
also present, as well as a handful of surviving 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...
, such as Shimada Kai. While many of their numbers were samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
, there were also many members of other social classes present, particularly under Ōtori's direct command. Their objective was Utsunomiya, a castle town on the road northward to Nikkō and Aizu, which was a position of vital strategic importance. The daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Utsunomiya, Toda Tadatomo, was absent, as he had been charged by Tokugawa Yoshinobu
Tokugawa Yoshinobu
was the 15th and last shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He was part of a movement which aimed to reform the aging shogunate, but was ultimately unsuccessful...
with traveling to Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
and submitting a letter of apology and submission. However, upon his arrival in Ōtsu
Otsu
Ōtsu, or Otsu, may refer to:* Ōtsu, Shiga, Japan** Ōtsu Station, a railway station on the Tōkaidō Main Line ** Ōtsu incident, an assassination attempt on Tsarevich Nicholas Alexandrovich of Russia...
, Toda was met by Satsuma-Chōshū forces
Satcho Alliance
The ', or Satchō Alliance was a military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan....
, and placed under confinement, as such a message reaching the ears of Emperor Meiji
Emperor Meiji
The or was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 3 February 1867 until his death...
might have resulted in a premature pardon that would have complicated the alliance's anti-Tokugawa military objectives. This left Utsunomiya in the hands of Tadatomo's retired predecessor, Toda Tadayuki, who also advocated surrender, but was not involved in the efforts of the former Shogunate.
Events leading to the battle
In the days prior to the attack, the former Shogunate forces were moving quickly in the area from castle to castle, with Hijikata taking two domains in Hitachi provinceHitachi Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Hitachi Province bordered on Iwashiro, Iwaki, Shimousa, and Shimotsuke Provinces....
—Shimotsuma
Shimotsuma Domain
The was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Hitachi Province . The domain was disestablished in 1871. Its last ruler, Inoue Masaoto, became a viscount in the Meiji era....
and Shimodate—on May 7 and May 8. However, as these domains were small and their daimyō had fled, they did not have much in terms of money or supplies, and Hijikata was unable to acquire what he had hoped for. Almost simultaneously, a peasant riot broke out in Utsunomiya, giving the former Shogunate forces the perfect opportunity to strike, which they seized without delay. Ōtori's forces launched their attack on the castle on the morning of May 10, 1868, facing off against the combined Imperial force made up of troops from Matsumoto
Matsumoto Domain
The ' was a Japanese feudal domain in Shinano Province . Home to a major strategic center in the form of Matsumoto Castle, it was ruled by various families during the course of its history, the Hotta among them.-List of Daimyo:...
(Shinano Province
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...
, 60,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Kurohane
Kurohane Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo Period, located in Shimotsuke Province . It was ruled for the entirety of its history by the Ōseki clan.-List of lords:*Ōseki clan #Sukemasu#Masamasu#Takamasu...
(Shimotsuke Province
Shimotsuke Province
is an old province of Japan in the area of Tochigi Prefecture in the Kanto region. It was sometimes called or .The ancient capital of the province was near the city of Tochigi, but in feudal times the main center of the province was near the modern capital, Utsunomiya.-History:Different parts of...
, 18,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Mibu
Mibu Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shimotsuke Province. It was often rotated between different lordly families. During the Boshin War, it was important in the Battle of Utsunomiya.-List of Daimyo:* Hineno clan...
(Shimotsuke Province, 18,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Iwamurata (Shinano Province, 18,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Susaka
Susaka Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Shinano Province . It was ruled for the entirety of its history by the Hori clan.-List of lords:*Hori clan #Naoshige#Naomasu#Naoteru#Naosuke...
(Shinano Province, 12,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Hikone
Hikone Domain
The was a feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period. It was established in 1600 with Ii Naomasa as the first daimyo. All fifteen daimyo were from the Ii clan.A large fudai domain, Hikone was initially rated at 180,000 koku...
(Ōmi Province, 350,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Ōgaki
Ogaki Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain during the Edo period, located in Mino Province .-History:Historically, the Ōgaki area had been a highly important point of transit from Mino Province to Ōmi Province; it was vital to Saitō Dōsan and later to Oda Nobunaga...
(Mino Province
Mino Province
, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....
, 100,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), Utsunomiya (Shimotsuke Province, 77,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
), and Kasama
Kasama Domain
' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Hitachi Province .-List of lords:*Matsudaira clan#Yasushige*Ogasawara clan #Yoshitsugu*Tenryō...
(Hitachi Province
Hitachi Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Ibaraki Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Hitachi Province bordered on Iwashiro, Iwaki, Shimousa, and Shimotsuke Provinces....
, 80,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
). The castle fell the same day, with Toda Tadayuki escaping to Tatebayashi
Tatebayashi Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Kōzuke Province .-List of lords:*Sakakibara clan #Yasumasa#Yasukatsu#Tadatsugu*Matsudaira clan...
. Ōtori, leading the main element of the army, entered the castle on the 20th, and his forces emptied out the rice stored in the castle, handing it out to the townsfolk, who, as previously noted, had been rioting for the past several days. Efforts were then made to strengthen the position of Ōtori's force. Ōtori's men, now linked up with Hijikata's force, including others such as including former Shinsengumi member Nagakura Shinpachi
Nagakura Shinpachi
was the captain of the 2nd troop of the Shinsengumi.-Background:Nagakura Shinpachi Noriyuki, known as Eikichi or Eiji during his childhood, was born in the Matsumae clan's "kami-yashiki" in Edo on the 11th day of the fourth month of Tenpō 10 His father, Nagakura Kanji, was a retainer of the...
's unit Seiheitai, headed north to Mibu, where they intended to hide and lie in wait; however, upon their arrival they discovered that Satsuma forces had already taken the castle. The southerners, shocked at their sudden appearance, entered the castle and mounted a defense; and while the attackers had intended to set fire to the castle town, a torrential rain began, and made that impossible. Despite their best efforts, this combined unit was not able to take Mibu Castle, and withdrew to Utsunomiya after sustaining a total of 60 men killed and wounded, including eight officers. Subsequently, the Imperial army, with Satsuma and Ōgaki forces leading the way, swept up in a northeastward direction over the Mibu-kaidō road on May 14, launching a counterattack which resulted in their taking of the castle on the same day.
Faced with defeat, Ōtori's forces withdrew northward, by way of Nikkō, on to Aizu.
Aftermath
It is important to note that while the Aizu domain previously advocated surrender and peaceful negotiation first and resistance second, the entrance of massive number of loyalists to the former Shogunate, following their retreat from Utsunomiya, forced its hand firmly into the realm of armed resistance:
"...soldiers of the Shogunate, who supported continued war, began decamping en masse and leaving Edo for Aizu, which necessitated Aizu's stance to be changed to one that was pro-war. Men such as senior councilor Saigō Tanomo and agriculture magistrate Kawahara Zenzaemon continued to push for allegiance and submission, however, they were not heard, and the clouds of war spread over northeastern Japan..."
In later years, Ōtori would write an account of the battle, titled Nanka Kikō (南柯紀行), which would appear in Kyū Bakufu (舊幕府), a magazine devoted to documenting Bakumatsu history, which he helped edit.