Hi Jake,
The Satsuma Samurai have long been recognised as the most fearsome and courageous
samurai of Japan.They came from Satsuma and they were the first Japanese people to copy the arquebuses from the Portuguese.They had very good swords and they were excellent fighters.They were used sometimes as shock troops to penetrate the enemy center.After the enemy was demoralised and shocked,the Shimazu would bring the other infantry divisions and destroy the enemy unit.This is what I know.
Edy
jacob gerhard <
madbearscave@...> wrote:
Hi Rob,
I have been able to find some information on the
Satsuma region and the Shimazu clan. Pretty much the
two are very much intertwined and your ancestors were
once retainers to the Shimazu. The Kyushu Samurai was
a very fearsome, brave and honorable warrior. Notable
examples being the Shimazu of Satsuma, the Ryuzoji and
Nabeshima of Hizen.
The Satsuma samurai proved themselves in battles
across Kyushu, Korea and Sekigahara. At Sekigahara the
Satsuma samurai were on the Toyotomi side. Though
defeated their Daimyo, Shimazu Yoshihiro ordered a
charge straight through the enemy center. Breaking
through the Satsuma Samurai were able to retreat and
make it back to Kyushu. Observing this the Tokugawa
generals were dumbfounded. Tokugawa Ieyasu just shook
his head and said "only a Satsuma samurai would
retreat by attacking and that they may have lost the
battle but not their courage". This would later be
known as Shimazu no nokiguchi or Shimazu style
retreat.
There are many examples of their courge and tenacity
in the face of ovewhelming odds. Being defeated only
by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1587 and Tokugawa Ieyasu in
1600. Each time the Satsuma samurai impressed their
enemies greatly with their courage and honor.
Suggested research: Shimazu Takahisa, Shimazu
Yoshihisa, Shimazu Yoshihiro, and Shimazu Iehisa
also notable vassal families: Iriki-in, Togo, Niiro,
Ijuin, Hongo, Kiire, Hirada, Machida, Uwai,
Tamegashima, Kawakami, Kimotsuki, Honda
There is alot more info out there and I have only
scratched the surface. I hope I was of some help.
Good luck in your research and please share anything
you find. I'll be more than happy to share what I
discover.
One day I wouldn't mind sharing my Grandfathers story.
But not today.
Well I've babbled enough.
Jake
--- Rob <
zarathu_stra@...> wrote:
> Actually, I'd like to know a bit about Satsuma
> region as well for personal reasons. My name is
> Robert Omura. My grandfather was Kenji Omura who
> came from the Kagoshima region of Japan and came to
> Canada in the early 20th C. He was the eldest son of
> a samurai family. I never knew my grandfather as he
> died in an internment camp in British Columbia.
> Before WWII my grandfather held title to property
> from Vancouver to Montreal, but these were
> confiscated and sold to Veterans Affairs during the
> war. My father, who was born in Canada, inherited
> his estate years ago, and was contacted in the late
> 1970's by his cousin there and, because he had never
> been to Japan, he transferred title to the lands to
> his cousin. These were in the Kagoshima area. I
> understand that he was adopted to the Watabe family
> as a child, but changed his name back to Omura. I am
> told that my great-grandfather was asked to move to
> the capital to run the Japanese tax system -- late
> Meiji period, but refused. I also
> understand that the records are largely complete in
> Kagoshima, having been largely spared by the war.
> Any hints or suggestions on tracking more
> information would be greatly appreciated.
>
> jacob gerhard <madbearscave@...> wrote:Hi,
>
> My name is Jake. This is my first time with this
> email
> group and I thought I would take a breif momnet to
> say
> hi to all the other members.
>
> Now on to my question. I have a intrest in the
> Shimazu
> Clan of Satsuma province. I was told that Satsuma
> produced some of the most fearsome No-dachi samurai.
> Is there any truth to this.
>
> Also were the Shimazu invovled in putting down the
> Shimabara Reblion of 1637-1638.
>
> Any help on these questions will be greatly
> appreaciated as well as any other information
> regarding the Shimazu.
>
> Note: I have read the article on Shimazu Yoshihisa
> and
> Iriki-In Shigetomo.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Jake
>
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