Katsu Kaishu

• Born: 1823
• Died: 1899
• Titles:Awa no kami, Gunkan bugyo"
• Other Name: Katsu Rintaro
• Japanese: 勝 海舟 (Katsu Kaishuu)

Katsu Kaishu in Edo period

Photograph of Katsu Kaishu.

Born into a Tokugawa hatamoto family, young Kaishu attended classes in Western studies and then studied naval science from the Dutch naval detachment in Nagasaki. Kaishu rose in rank to become commissioner of the Tokugawa navy and captained Japan's first cross-Pacific journey to San Francisco. Kaishu 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 pro-Imperial, anti-foreign radicals. Originally intent on cutting down Kaishu, Sakamoto Ryoma became hooked on Kaishu's vision for Japan and became his leading disciple. Kaishu protected the outlaw Ryoma and other ronin in a naval academy that Kaishu established in Kobe and installed Ryoma as its head. Kaishu also surrendered Edo to pro-Imperial forces without resistance in order to avoid catastrophic losses of life and property. Kaishu went on to serve as naval commissioner in the Meiji period until his retirement from public life.

Katsu Kaishu in Fiction

Television

• Katsu Kaishu (勝海舟) 12th NHK Taiga Drama 1974

Books

• Oyakodaka (父子鷹) Shimozawa Kan
• Katsu Kaishu (勝海舟) Shimozawa Kan
• Katsu Kaishu (勝海舟) Katsube Masanaga
• Shin Bakumatsu Fuun Roku Kanketsuhen (新幕末風雲録完結編) Mine Ryuichiro
• Katsu Kaishu (勝海舟) Murakami Genzo

Research Books

• Katsu Kaishu and Meiji Restoration (勝海舟と明治維新) Itakura Kiyonori
• Katsu Kaishu & Sakamoto Ryoma (勝海舟と坂本龍馬) Kaku Kozo
• Katsu Kaishu no Jinseikun (勝海舟の人生訓) Domon Fuyuji
• Katsu Kaishu no Subete (勝海舟のすべて) Shin Jinbutsu Oraisha

References

• Hillsborough, Romulus. RYOMA- Life of a Renaissance Samurai. Ridgeback Press, 1999
• Jansen, Marius B. Sakamoto Ryoma and the Meiji Restoration. Columbia University Press, 1994.
• Rekishi Dokuhon 2007/1 issue