Changes

* ''Died: [[1899]]''

* ''Died: [[1899]]''

* ''Titles: Awa no kami, [[gunkan bugyo|gunkan bugyô]]''

* ''Titles: Awa no kami, [[gunkan bugyo|gunkan bugyô]]''

* ''Other Names'': 勝麟太郎 ''(Katsu Rintarou)''

* ''Other Names'': 勝麟太郎 ''(Katsu Rintarou)'', 勝義邦 ''(Katsu Yoshikuni)''

* ''Japanese'': [[勝]] 海舟 ''(Katsu Kaishuu)''

* ''Japanese'': [[勝]] 海舟 ''(Katsu Kaishuu)''

Katsu Kaishû is considered the "father" of the modern [[Imperial Japanese Navy]].

Katsu Kaishû is considered the "father" of the modern [[Imperial Japanese Navy]].

Kaishû was born in [[Edo]] in [[1823]], the son of low-ranking ''[[hatamoto]]'' [[Katsu Kokichi]], and in his youth attended classes in [[rangaku|Western studies]] and then studied naval science from the Dutch naval detachment in [[Nagasaki]]. Kaishû rose in rank to become commissioner of the Tokugawa navy in [[1860]] and captained [[Kanrin Maru|Japan's first cross-Pacific journey]] to [[San Francisco]]. Kaishû believed that Japan’s future was best served to open itself to the world and this put his life in jeopardy at the hands of Japan’s [[sonno|pro-Imperial]], [[joi|anti-foreign]] radicals. Originally intent on cutting down Kaishû, [[Sakamoto Ryoma|Sakamoto Ryôma]] became hooked on Kaishû's vision for Japan and became his leading disciple. Kaishû protected the outlaw Ryôma and other ronin in a naval academy that Kaishû established in [[Kobe]] and installed Ryôma as its head. Kaishû also contributed to the surrender of [[Edo]] to pro-Imperial forces without resistance in order to avoid catastrophic losses of life and property.  

Kaishû was born in [[Edo]] in [[1823]], the son of low-ranking ''[[hatamoto]]'' [[Katsu Kokichi]], and in his youth attended classes in [[rangaku|Western studies]] and then studied naval science from the Dutch naval detachment in [[Nagasaki]]. As of [[1853]], he was serving the [[Tokugawa shogunate]] as a public works (''kobushin'') official.<ref>Ishin Shiryô Kôyô 維新史料綱要, vol 1 (1937), 456.</ref> Kaishû then rose in rank to become commissioner of the Tokugawa navy in [[1860]] and captained [[Kanrin Maru|Japan's first cross-Pacific journey]] to [[San Francisco]]. Kaishû believed that Japan’s future was best served to open itself to the world and this put his life in jeopardy at the hands of Japan’s [[sonno|pro-Imperial]], [[joi|anti-foreign]] radicals. Originally intent on cutting down Kaishû, [[Sakamoto Ryoma|Sakamoto Ryôma]] became hooked on Kaishû's vision for Japan and became his leading disciple. Kaishû protected the outlaw Ryôma and other ronin in a naval academy that Kaishû established in [[Kobe]] and installed Ryôma as its head. Kaishû also contributed to the surrender of [[Edo]] to pro-Imperial forces without resistance in order to avoid catastrophic losses of life and property.  

Following the [[battle of Toba-Fushimi]], in which Katsu fought for the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], he met with [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] (a leader of the opposing armies) at Saigô's encampment at [[Ikegami Honmonji]]. It is said that it was as a result of this meeting that the peaceful surrender of [[Edo castle]] was arranged. This spared Edo a certain degree of destruction, which might have resulted had the shogunate chosen to hold out further.

Following the [[battle of Toba-Fushimi]], in which Katsu fought for the [[Tokugawa shogunate]], he met with [[Saigo Takamori|Saigô Takamori]] (a leader of the opposing armies) at Saigô's encampment at [[Ikegami Honmonji]]. It is said that it was as a result of this meeting that the peaceful surrender of [[Edo castle]] was arranged. This spared Edo a certain degree of destruction, which might have resulted had the shogunate chosen to hold out further.