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
- 1863/5/10 Emperor Kômei issues an imperial order that all foreigners be expelled.
- 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 Satsuma submits a formal apology to the British for the Namamugi Incident, and pays 100,000 Mexican silver dollars in reparations.
- 9/13 Niimi Nishiki commits seppuku.
- 9/18 Assassination of Serizawa Kamo.
- 9/26 Assassination of spies from Choshu.
- 1863/12/27 Noguchi Kenji commits seppuku.
Other Events of 1863
- Photographer Felice Beato first arrives in Japan.
- The Nishinomaru, Honmaru, and Ninomaru of Edo castle are destroyed in a series of fires. The Honmaru Palace is never rebuilt.
- King Shô Tai of Ryûkyû orders a national prayer to be held for Satsuma.
- Saitô Hajime joins the Mibu Rôshigumi.
- Shogun Tokugawa Iemochi travels to Kyoto; this is the first time a shogun has visited Kyoto since Tokugawa Iemitsu in 1634.
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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