1863

Bunkyû 3 (文久三年)

Timeline of 1863

• 1863/2 The British legation in Yokohama demands reparations, and a formal apology from the shogunate and Satsuma han for the Namamugi Incident of the previous year, in which a British man was killed by Satsuma samurai, as well as demanding that those guilty be punished.
• 1863/2/8 The Rôshigumi is organized.
• 1863/3
  • 3/12 The Rôshigumi is renamed the Mibu Rôshigumi
  • 3/25 Assassination of Tonouchi Yoshio
• 1863/5 The shogunate submits a formal apology, and pays 100,000 pounds sterling in reparations for the Namamugi Incident.
• 1863/6/3 Fighting with Sumo wrestlers in Osaka.
• 1863/7 Bombardment of Kagoshima - Kagoshima, capital of Satsuma han, is bombarded by ships of the British Royal Navy, in retaliation for the Namamugi Incident, and Satsuma's refusal to pay reparations.
• 1863/8
  • 8/12 Serizawa Kamo burns down Yamatoya.
  • 8/18 Political change on August 18. The Mibu Rôshigumi is renamed the Shinsengumi.
• 1863/9
  • 9/13 Niimi Nishiki commits seppuku.
  • 9/18 Assassination of Serizawa Kamo.
  • 9/26 Assassination of spies from Choshu.
  • 12/27 Noguchi Kenji commits seppuku.

Other Events of 1863

• Photographer Felice Beato first arrives in Japan.
• The Nishinomaru of Edo castle burns down.
• King Shô Tai of Ryûkyû orders a national prayer to be held for Satsuma.
• Saitô Hajime joins the Mibu Rôshigumi.

Births and Deaths of 1863

• Abiru Eisaburô dies of illness in Kyoto.
• Aizawa Seishisai dies (b. 1782).
• British diplomat James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin dies (b. 1811).
• Painter Harada Naojirô is born (d. 1899).
• Kiyokawa Hachirô is assassinated in Edo.
• Artist Migita Toshihide is born (d. 1925).
• Niimi Nishiki commits seppuku.
• Serizawa Kamo is assassinated.
• Geographer Shiga Shigetaka is born (d. 1927).
• Historian Tokutomi Sohô is born (d. 1957).
• Tonouchi Yoshio is assassinated.

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1863

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