Oguri Kōzukenosuke Tadamasa's life is followed here in five periods. For anyone who wants the whole of it on one page first, there is a summary table below.
Dates are given by the Japanese calendar, with the Western date added at the main points. The era name changed from Keiō to Meiji in the ninth month of Keiō 4 (1868), but events of that year are given throughout as Keiō 4.
Forty-two years at a glance
| Year | Age | Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1827 | ― | Born at Surugadai in Edo. Childhood name Gōtarō |
| 1835 | 9 | Enters the school of Asaka Gonsai |
| 1855 | 29 | Succeeds to the house on the sudden death of his father Tadataka |
| 1859 | 33 | Inspector (metsuke). Junior fifth rank, lower grade; Bungo-no-kami |
| 1860 | 34 | Sails for the United States as inspector with the embassy. The first voyage around the world by Japanese. Commissioner of foreign affairs after his return |
| 1861 | 35 | The Tsushima incident. He is sent to deal with the Russian warship in occupation |
| 1862 | 36 | Appointed commissioner of finance (four times in all). Changes his title to Kōzukenosuke |
| 1863 | 37 | Opposes an increase of stipend for Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu and resigns. Returns to office soon after and proposes building a shipyard |
| 1864 | 38 | Builds the Yokohama ironworks. Yokosuka is fixed as the site for the shipyard |
| 1865 | 39 | The ground is broken for the Yokosuka ironworks |
| 1867 | 41 | Proposes and founds the Hyōgo Shōsha. Work begins on the Tsukiji Hotel |
| 1868, first month | 42 | Relieved of office. Submits a petition to settle at the village of Gonda |
| 1868, third month, first day | 42 | Enters Tōzenji at the village of Gonda |
| 1868, intercalary fourth month, sixth day | 42 | Beheaded at the riverbed at Mizunuma, on the Karasu River. No hearing was held |
| 1932 | ― | A stone at the place of execution: “Cut down in this place, though he had done no wrong” |
| 2027 | ― | The NHK taiga drama “Gyakuzoku no Bakushin” (planned) |
The five periods
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Boyhood and marriage — up to becoming a shogunal official
From his birth in 1827 through his studies at a private school and his training in arms, his succession to the house in 1855, and his marriage to Michiko. The twenty-eight years up to his standing as a shogunal official, in ten articles.
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His rise as a shogunal official, and the embassy to the United States
From his promotion to inspector in 1859 to the embassy to the United States in 1860 and the first voyage around the world by Japanese. What they saw at Hawaii, San Francisco, Panama and Washington, in thirteen articles.
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Negotiating with Russia, and reforming the shogunate's government
From the Tsushima incident of 1861 through his reforms as commissioner of finance and commissioner of infantry, the Namamugi incident and the change of his title to Kōzukenosuke, to his resignation in 1863. In nine articles.
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1868 — from dismissal to the riverbed at Mizunuma
From the dismissal on the fifteenth day of the first month to the beheading on the sixth day of the intercalary fourth month. The envoys of the three domains satisfied themselves that there was nothing of the kind the order alleged. He was beheaded all the same.
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Commemoration in later years — the course of his rehabilitation
Minomura Rizaemon repaying a debt, Tōgō Heihachirō's thanks, the first official commemoration in 1915, the memorial stone of 1932, and the Oguri Festival. Getting his name back took more than sixty years.
Principal sources: Oguri Tadamasa, Oguri Nikki (the Oguri diaries), Gunma Prefecture Historical Materials vol. 7; Dōhōkai Hōkoku, the Dōhōkai bulletin; Ninagawa Arata, Ishin Zengo no Seisō to Oguri Kōzuke no Shi (the political struggle around the Restoration and the death of Oguri Kōzuke), 1928; the issues of Tatsunami, the journal of the Oguri Kōzukenosuke memorial society; and the works listed under books and sources. → Books and sources