An Illustrated Story
Kagoshima Samurai Living in a Tumultuous Time

The government is being toyed with by foreign powers and there is a rise in discontent.
These Kagoshima samurai are talking about the future of Japan.

For over 200 years, the Tokugawa Shogunate led the samurai era while keeping out foreign diplomacy.

However, in 1854, the USA forced Japan to open its borders.
4 years later, foreign trade began.

The treaty formed at the time was very disadvantageous towards Japan regarding tariffs and criminals.

As people learned about this, they criticized the government.
Japan held the emperor in high regards, and the idea to remove foreign powers from Japan started to spread.

Just around at that time, there was fighting to determine who would be the next shogunate.

The lords of Kagoshima presumed their candidate to be superior, making every effort to get him in power.

From this time of uncertainty, there were often discussions between young people who had the passion to "change Japan from Kagoshima".

Following that, during the revolution of Japan, the young samurai of Kagoshima became very active.

• Tokishirube1:The Battle Between England and Kagoshima
• Tokishirube2:Kabayama and Kuroda in a Great Discussion
• Tokishirube3:The Painter and Sakurajima
• Tokishirube4:A Young Revolutionist on His Honeymoon
• Tokishirube5:Kagoshima’s Roots of Modernization
• Tokishirube6:Samurai and Government Change
• Tokishirube7:Kagoshima Meets Western Medicine