Iinuma Sadakichi
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Iinuma Sadakichi | |
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Born | 22 April 1854 |
Died | 12 February 1931 | (aged 76)
Occupation | Aizu retainer; Imperial Japanese Army officer |
Iinuma Sadakichi (飯沼 貞吉, 22 April 1854 – 12 February 1931) was a Japanese samurai of the Aizu domain, and lived well into the 20th century. He was the sole survivor of the famous group of young Byakkotai soldiers who committed suicide and seppuku on Iimori Hill during the Battle of Aizu.[1] Iimori Hill overlooked the Aizuwakamatsu Castle and they thought the flames meant their lord and families were deceased.[1][2] Thus they committed seppuku to demonstrate defiance and samurai valor.[2][1] After the war he relocated to Sendai and served in the government and Imperial Japanese Army. It is through him that the events of the Byakkotai suicide at Iimori are known.
After his death, his ashes were spread on Mount Iimori together on the buried graves of his Byakkotai comrades.
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Yamakawa, Aizu Boshin Senshi, p. 522.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Byakkotai - Samurai Unit [Samurai History]". YouTube. Seido Co., Ltd. April 22, 2020.
- Yamakawa Kenjiro. Hoshu Aizu Byakkotai jukyushi-den.
- Nakamura Akihiko. Byakkotai.
- Noguchi Shin'ichi (2005). Aizu-han. Tokyo: Gendai shokan.
- 1854 births
- 1931 deaths
- Samurai
- People from Aizu
- Aizu-Matsudaira retainers
- Sole survivors
- Seppuku from Meiji period to present
- Samurai stubs