Hijikata Hisamoto | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

Hijikata Hisamoto in court official's ceremonial dress with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (1899)

Count Hijikata Hisamoto (土方久元_{Hijikata Hisamoto}^Japanese, November 23, 1833 - November 4, 1918) was a prominent Japanese politician and cabinet minister during the Meiji period. Born into a samurai family in the Tosa Domain, he became a key figure in the turbulent years leading up to the Meiji Restoration, initially aligning with the `sonnō jōi` (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians) movement. After the Restoration, Hijikata served extensively in the new Meiji government, holding significant positions within the Imperial Household Ministry and eventually becoming the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce and later the influential Minister of the Imperial Household for over a decade. He was a staunch advocate for strengthening imperial authority, playing a crucial role in shaping imperial policy and court affairs. His career also included involvement in the drafting of the Meiji Constitution as a Privy Councilor, where he debated with figures like Itō Hirobumi on the balance of power. In his later years, he dedicated himself to educational activities, serving as president of Kokugakuin University and overseeing the compilation of the Meiji Tennō Ki (Annals of Emperor Meiji), leaving a lasting impact on Japan's governance structures and the Imperial institution.

2. Life

Hijikata Hisamoto's life spanned the dramatic transition from the feudal Tokugawa shogunate to the modern Meiji state, marked by his deep involvement in both the revolutionary movements and the subsequent establishment of the new government.

2.1. Early Life and Background

Hijikata Hisamoto was born on November 23, 1833, in Qinshōji Village, Tosa District, Tosa Province (modern-day Kōchi Prefecture). His childhood name was Ōichirō (大一郎^Japanese), and he was commonly known as Nanzaemon (楠左衛門^Japanese). He later adopted the pen name Shinzan (秦山^Japanese). He was the eldest son of Hijikata Hisayō (土方久用^Japanese, 1809-1890), a local samurai (郷士, `gōshi`) of the Tosa Domain with a stipend of 200 koku. His father was a retainer of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, the founder of the Tosa Domain.

2.2. Activities in the Late Shogunate Period

Hijikata's early life was deeply intertwined with the political unrest and intellectual currents that defined the final years of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

2.2.1. Edo Studies and Ideological Formation

In 1857, Hijikata traveled to Edo (modern-day Tokyo) to pursue his studies. He became a disciple of Ōhashi Totsuan (大橋訥庵^Japanese), a prominent Confucian scholar. Under Ōhashi's influence, Hijikata became deeply committed to the `sonnō jōi` (Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarians) ideology, which advocated for the restoration of imperial power and the expulsion of foreign influences. He also studied Yamaga-ryū military science (山鹿流軍学_{Yamaga-ryū Gungaku}^Japanese) under Wakayama Botsudō (若山勿堂^Japanese), a senior student of Kubota Kiyoaki (窪田清音^Japanese), a renowned military strategist.

2.2.2. Participation in Tosa Kinnōtō and Kyoto Activities

Upon his return to Tosa, Hijikata joined the Tosa Kinnōtō (Tosa Imperial Loyalist Party), a political and paramilitary organization formed by Takechi Zuizan (武市瑞山^Japanese). From 1863 onwards, by order of his domain, Hijikata moved to Kyoto, the imperial capital. There, he actively engaged with imperial loyalists from various domains, particularly those from the Chōshū Domain, who were at the forefront of the anti-Tokugawa shogunate movement. During this period, he gained the acquaintance of radical court nobles (`kuge`), most notably Sanjō Sanetomi (三条実美^Japanese). He was appointed to serve at the Gakushūin (Peers' School) as a government official.

2.2.3. Exile and Connections with Key Figures

Hijikata's activities in Kyoto were abruptly interrupted by the August 18 Coup (八月十八日の政変_{Hachigatsu Jūhachi Nichi no Seihen}^Japanese) in 1863, which led to the ousting of the Chōshū Domain and radical court nobles from Kyoto. Hijikata followed Sanjō Sanetomi and other exiled nobles, including Sawa Nobuyoshi (澤宣嘉^Japanese), to Chōshū, an event known as the "Seven Nobles' Exile" (七卿落ち_{Shichikyō-ochi}^Japanese).
During the First Chōshū expedition by the Shogunate, Hijikata, along with Sanjō and others, fled across the sea to Kyushu, taking refuge in Dazaifu within the Fukuoka Domain. Here, he reconnected with fellow Tosa loyalists such as Nakaoka Shintarō (中岡慎太郎^Japanese), Tanaka Mitsuaki (田中光顕^Japanese), and Sakamoto Ryōma (坂本龍馬^Japanese). He played a crucial role in facilitating communication and securing Sanjō's support for the Satchō Alliance between the Satsuma and Chōshū domains, although a planned meeting between Kido Takayoshi and Saigō Takamori in Shimonoseki failed due to a miscommunication. Hijikata's activities from the Seven Nobles' Exile until the Meiji Restoration in 1868 are extensively documented in his personal diary, Kaiten Jikki.

2.3. Meiji Government Service

Following the Meiji Restoration, Hijikata Hisamoto transitioned from a loyalist activist to a key administrator within the new Meiji government, dedicating his career to public service and the strengthening of the imperial system.

2.3.1. Early Government Roles

In 1868, after the Meiji Restoration, Hijikata joined the new government. He was initially appointed as a Tokyo Prefectural Judge (東京府判事_{Tōkyō-fu Hanji}^Japanese) and subsequently as a Chinshōfu Benji (鎮将府弁事^Japanese), an official in the newly established military and administrative office. His career progressed rapidly, leading to appointments within the Imperial Household Ministry as Junior Vice Minister of Imperial Household (宮内少輔, `Kunai-shōyū`) from 1878 to 1881, and the Home Ministry as Senior Vice Minister of Home Affairs (内務大輔, `Naimu-taifu`) from 1881 to 1884. He also served as the Cabinet Secretary of the Daijō-kan (Grand Council of State) from 1884 to 1885. Later, he became an Imperial Attendant (侍補, `Jibu`) and an Imperial Court Councilor (宮中顧問官, `Kyūchū Komonkan`), and a Senator of the Genrōin (元老院議官, `Genrōin Gikan`).

2.3.2. Imperial Household and Privy Council Service

Hijikata accumulated extensive experience in court-related positions, earning the deep trust of Emperor Meiji. He was regarded as a leading figure among the "court conservatives" (宮中保守派, `Kyūchū Hoshuha`), alongside figures such as Motoda Nagazane, Sasaki Takayuki, and Yoshii Tomozane. This group strongly advocated for the expansion of imperial authority (皇権伸張, `Kōken Shinshō`), promoting the concept of direct imperial rule. Although the movement for direct imperial rule ultimately concluded in 1881, Hijikata's influence within the Imperial Household remained significant. In 1884, he was elevated to the peerage with the title of Viscount (子爵, `shishaku`).
In 1888, with the establishment of the Privy Council to deliberate on the Meiji Constitution, Hijikata was appointed a Privy Councilor. He played an active role in the constitutional debates, advocating for the strengthening of imperial prerogatives. He engaged in notable discussions with Itō Hirobumi, who sought to establish a constitutional monarchy with limitations on imperial power.

2.4. Ministerial Appointments

Hijikata's career reached its zenith with his appointments to key ministerial portfolios, where he exercised significant administrative and political influence.

2.4.1. Minister of Agriculture and Commerce

With the establishment of the cabinet system in 1885, Hijikata was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture and Commerce (農商務大臣, `Nōshōmu Daijin`) in the 1st Itō Hirobumi administration. He held this position from July 26, 1887, to September 17, 1887. During this brief tenure, he was responsible for overseeing the development of Japan's agricultural and commercial sectors during a period of rapid modernization.

2.4.2. Minister of the Imperial Household

On September 6, 1887, Hijikata was appointed the Minister of the Imperial Household (宮内大臣, `Kunai Daijin`), a position he held for an extensive period of over 11 years until February 9, 1898. In this crucial role, he was responsible for managing all affairs related to the Imperial Family, including ceremonies, finances, and the Emperor's personal administration. He provided steadfast support to Emperor Meiji during significant national events, such as the investiture of Prince Yoshihito (later Emperor Taishō) as Crown Prince in 1889, the establishment of the Imperial Diet in 1890, and the First Sino-Japanese War from 1894. In recognition of his distinguished service, he was elevated to the title of Count (伯爵, `hakushaku`) in 1895. He resigned from the Imperial Household Ministry in 1898, yielding the position to Tanaka Mitsuaki.

2.5. Political Philosophy and Constitutional Debates

Hijikata Hisamoto's political philosophy was centered on the belief in a strong imperial authority. As a key figure among the "court conservatives," he consistently advocated for the expansion of the Emperor's power and direct imperial rule, a stance that often put him at odds with proponents of a more limited constitutional monarchy.

2.5.1. Role in Constitutional Drafting

As a Privy Councilor, Hijikata was deeply involved in the deliberations surrounding the drafting of the Meiji Constitution. During these discussions, he engaged in significant debates with leading statesmen like Itō Hirobumi. While Itō and his allies sought to establish a constitutional monarchy that would define and, to some extent, limit the Emperor's powers, Hijikata argued for a framework that would maximize imperial prerogatives, reflecting his commitment to strengthening the Emperor's position within the new political system. His contributions aimed to ensure that the constitution upheld the Emperor's supreme authority, influencing the final shape of the imperial institution in modern Japan.

3. Peerage and Honors

Hijikata Hisamoto received numerous titles and honors throughout his distinguished career, reflecting his high standing within the Japanese imperial court and government, as well as recognition from foreign nations.

He was conferred the following peerage titles:

July 17, 1884: Viscount (子爵, `shishaku`)
October 7, 1895: Count (伯爵, `hakushaku`)

His Japanese court ranks and honors included:

October 1, 1885: Junior Fourth Rank (正四位, `shō-shii`)
October 20, 1886: Junior Third Rank (従三位, `ju-sanmi`)
October 10, 1896: Senior Second Rank (正二位, `shō-nii`)
November 4, 1918: Junior First Rank (従一位, `ju-ichii`)
October 25, 1887: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (勲一等旭日大綬章, `Kun'ittō Kyokujitsu Daijushō`)
November 25, 1889: Commemorative Medal for the Promulgation of the Constitution of the Empire of Japan
January 21, 1890: Silver Yellow Ribbon Medal (銀製黄綬褒章, `Ginsei Ōju Hōshō`)
July 16, 1903: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers (旭日桐花大綬章, `Kyokujitsu Tōka Daijushō`)
November 10, 1915: Taishō Enthronement Commemorative Medal (大礼記念章, `Tairei Kinen Shō`)

He was also granted permission to wear several foreign orders:

October 18, 1886:
- Kingdom of Italy: Grand Officer of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus
- Austria-Hungary: Commander's Cross with Star of the Order of Franz Joseph
- United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway: Order of the Polar Star, 1st Class
- Kingdom of Denmark: Commander 1st Class of the Order of the Dannebrog
May 7, 1891: Kingdom of Siam (Thailand): Order of the Crown of Siam, 1st Class
June 1, 1891: Ottoman Empire: Order of Medjidie, 1st Class
July 26, 1892: Kingdom of Hawaii: Royal Order of Kalākaua, 1st Class
October 14, 1895: Kingdom of Serbia: Order of the Cross of Takovo, 1st Class

4. Later Years and Educational Activities

After his retirement from the Imperial Household Ministry in 1898, Hijikata Hisamoto remained active in public life, particularly in educational and imperial-related institutions. He served as Vice President (and later President) of the Imperial Household System Investigation Bureau (帝室制度調査局, `Teishitsu Seido Chōsakyoku`) from 1899 to 1903. He also held the position of Head of the Kōten Kōkyūjo (皇典講究所, `Kōten Kōkyūjo`), an institution dedicated to the study of Japanese classical literature and Shinto.

Hijikata dedicated significant effort to educational work and the moral instruction of the populace. He gave `Seitoku Kōwa` (聖徳講話), lectures on imperial virtues, and served as President of Kokugakuin University in 1918. He was also the head of Tokyo Jogakkan (東京女学館), a prominent girls' school, from 1899 to 1918.
Following the death of Emperor Meiji and the beginning of the Taishō period, Hijikata took on the crucial role of Chief Editor of the Provisional Imperial Household Compilation Bureau (臨時帝室編修局総裁, `Rinji Teishitsu Henshūkyoku Sōsai`) from 1916 to 1918. In this capacity, he played a central role in the compilation of the Meiji Tennō Ki (Annals of Emperor Meiji), a monumental historical record of the Emperor's reign.

5. Writings and Works

Hijikata Hisamoto was also a prolific writer, leaving behind several works that offer insights into his thoughts and experiences during a transformative period in Japanese history. His most notable contribution is his personal diary, Kaiten Jikki, which meticulously records his activities from the "Seven Nobles' Exile" until the Meiji Restoration.

His other notable works include:

Ōbei Yūsō (欧米游草, "Travels in Europe and America"), 1888
Kaiten Jikki (回天実記, "Records of the Restoration"), two volumes, 1900
Tennō Oyobi Ijin o Matsureru Jinja (天皇及偉人を祀れる神社, "Shrines Dedicated to Emperors and Great Figures"), edited with Yasuhara Seisuke and Saeki Tsunemaro, 1912
Meiji Tennō Seitokuroku (明治天皇聖徳録, "Record of Emperor Meiji's Virtues"), 1913
Meiji no Mikado (明治のみかど, "Emperor Meiji"), co-authored with Tamura Torazō and Masuyama Kengo, 1913
Nihon Kokumin Kun (日本国民訓, "Instructions for the Japanese People"), co-authored with Itō Sukeyuki, 1913
Shinzan Ikō (秦山遺稿, "Posthumous Works of Shinzan"), two volumes, edited by Matano Taku, Kataoka Tetsu, Satō Hiroshi, and Kita Sada, 1919
Hijikata Hisamoto Nikki Meiji Jūyonen (土方久元日記明治十四年, "Hijikata Hisamoto's Diary: Meiji 14"), edited by Saitō Noburō, 2017

6. Family Relationships

Hijikata Hisamoto's family life was marked by notable connections and some personal complexities within the aristocratic circles of Meiji Japan.

His father was Hijikata Hisayō (1809-1890). His sister, Tamako, married Michitoshi, the second son of Count Higashikuze Michitoshi. However, she later divorced him due to an affair with a university student who was employed as a tutor for their children, and also due to financial debts.

His eldest son, Hijikata Hisaaki (1862-1898), was a military officer. In his teens, Hisaaki had a daughter named Ayako (1882-1959) with a maid named Yano, who was the daughter of a sake merchant, Tanaka Bunshichirō. Yano died shortly after Ayako's birth. Hisaaki later studied at a military academy in Germany, becoming a lieutenant in the German Army. He returned to Japan at the age of 28 at the request of the Japanese Army, where he became an Army Captain. He remarried Aiko, the daughter of Viscount Katō Yasuaki and niece of Prince Saionji Kinmochi. Three months after the birth of his eldest son (with Aiko), Hisaaki committed suicide at the age of 36 by shooting himself. According to his family, this was triggered by a humiliating incident at an imperial review for a visiting foreign crown prince, where Hisaaki's unit was dressed in plain clothes while all other units were in ceremonial attire, leading to their exclusion from the review.

His granddaughter, Ayako (1882-1959), was the daughter of Hisaaki and Yano. At 17, she married Tanaka Ginnosuke, but their marriage was troubled by his mistress and illegitimate children. Ayako herself was rumored to have had an affair with Matsumoto Kōshirō VII, a kabuki actor, leading to her divorce at 26. After returning to the Hijikata family, she was disowned. She was then adopted by Yano Sadayuki and later remarried Ōishi Shigemi.

His grandson, Hijikata Hisataka (born to Hisaaki and Aiko), also known as Hijikata Yoshi, inherited the family's peerage. However, he pursued a career as a theater director, becoming deeply involved in the Shingeki (new theater) movement and eventually leaning towards socialism. As a consequence, he was stripped of his peerage in 1934. His wife, Umeko, was the second daughter of Viscount Mishima Yatarō and a granddaughter of Viscount Mishima Tsunehiro and Marquis Shijō Takauta.

Hijikata also had an adopted daughter named Haruko (1856-1908), who was the daughter of Nakai Kōma, a medicine merchant. Haruko was a former geisha from Gion, Kyoto. To facilitate her marriage into a noble family, she was formally adopted by Hijikata. She became the second wife of Marquis Shijō Takauta, who divorced his previous wife to marry her. Haruko and Takauta had a son, Shijō Takaai (四条隆愛^Japanese), and a daughter, Kaneko. Kaneko later married Mishima Yatarō, whose daughter Umeko, in turn, married Hijikata Hisamoto's grandson, Hijikata Yoshi, creating a complex intermarriage between the families.

His nephew, Hijikata Hisakatsu (土方久功^Japanese), the son of his younger brother, became a notable sculptor and folklorist.

7. Residence

Main gate of Hijikata Hisamoto's residence

Hijikata Hisamoto's birthplace is located at 692 Kita-Qinshōji, Kōchi City, Kōchi Prefecture.

In Tokyo, Hijikata maintained a significant residence in Hayashi-chō, Koishikawa-ku (present-day Sengoku 2-chome, Bunkyō-ku). This estate comprised both a Western-style mansion and a traditional Japanese-style house. The Western-style building, constructed during his tenure as Imperial Household Minister, was a notable structure of its time, featuring a basement and two above-ground floors. It is considered one of Japan's earliest Western-style houses. The basement, originally a storage area, was later converted into a model stage research institute by his grandson, Yoshi, who was involved in theater. This space became a clandestine social hub for theater professionals.

Drawing room of Count Hijikata's residence

Today, a monument stands on the former site of his Tokyo residence, commemorating Emperor Meiji's visit to Hijikata's home in 1893. This monument is known as the "Meiji Tennō Gyōkō Kinenhi Kyū Hijikata Hisamoto Tei" (明治天皇行幸記念碑旧土方久元邸^Japanese, Monument to Emperor Meiji's Visit, Former Hijikata Hisamoto Residence).

8. Death and Legacy

Hijikata Hisamoto's passing marked the end of a long and influential career dedicated to the service of the Japanese state and the Imperial institution.

8.1. Death

Hijikata Hisamoto died on November 4, 1918, at the age of 84 (86 by traditional Japanese reckoning), due to pneumonia. His grave is located at Somei Cemetery (染井墓地, `Somei Bochi`), now known as Somei Reien, in Tokyo.

8.2. Evaluation and Legacy

Hijikata Hisamoto is remembered as a pivotal figure in the Meiji government, particularly for his unwavering commitment to strengthening the Imperial institution. His extensive service within the Imperial Household Ministry, including over a decade as its minister, allowed him to profoundly influence imperial policy and court affairs during a critical period of Japan's modernization. He was a staunch advocate for a powerful Emperor, actively participating in constitutional debates to ensure the Emperor's authority was upheld. While his conservative stance on imperial power contrasted with more liberal constitutionalists, his dedication ensured the stability and continuity of the imperial system, which remained a central pillar of the Japanese state for decades. His efforts in compiling the Meiji Tennō Ki also underscore his lasting contribution to preserving the historical record and legacy of Emperor Meiji's reign.