Chapter 4 Tenmei (Heaven's Will) (3)
Takamori return to Kagoshima and establishes a school called Shigakkō or the former samurais who have nowhere to go. However some former samurais rebel against the government in some regions of Western Japan. So ŌKUBO Toshimichi who is naimukyō (Secretary of the Interior), prime minister today intervenes in establishing Shigakkō because it is regarded as training institution of rebel army. And the wearing swords in public is prohibited and the pupils and staff of Shigakkō oppose it. But KIRINO Toshiaki gives up wearing swords first not to make the government intervene in Shigakkō any more. Then ICHIKI Sōsuke, son of Koto and nephew of Takamori and Kikujirō return from the US. Kikujirō thinks his father will rise up but he dose not. It disappoints him. But later he says to Ryūjiro,
"My father was like Mt. Sakurajima".
NAKAHARA Nao-o (Kōkichi Tanoue) is a spy sent by the government
Takamori searches for uncaltivatd land and travels with Kikujirō. When he soaks in a hot spring, he learns that an unbelievable thing happened in Shigakkō. Nao-o Nakahara who is a spy of the government is tortured and some staff and pupils attacked the government's armoury. Takamori returns and scolds them.
"What you did is a rebellion against the government".
Then Toshiaki shows him a letter that Nao-o had and it says,
"Bōzu o shisatsu seyo" (*)
He says to Takamori that there is no place for them in Japan established by Toshimichi. Takamori advises them to go to Tokyo and make a direct appeal to the government. Kikujirō who hears the words understands what kind of person his father is. Takamori calligraphs "Kei-ten, Ai-jin" (Respecting Heaven, Loving People) before his departure.
Takamori (Ryōhei Suzuki) scold KIRINO Toshiaki (Takurō Ōno) but Toshiaki tells him that Nao-o is a spy who plans to kill him
In February 1877, Takamori and his comrades depart for Tokyo. The party has 13.000 at all. But Toshimichi asks SANJŌ Sanetomi and IWAKURA Tomomi to obtain the Imperial sanction to suppress them. Then Takamori's party is regarded as rebel army and they are attacked in Kawashiri. So they are forced to resist the Government army and have a fierce battle against it in Tabaruzaka. During the battle, SHINOHARA Kunimoto is shoto and dies. And Kohei also dies while his platoon retreats. Jūdō (former Shingo) who is an army officer attempts to return to Kagoshima to fight with his brother but is opposed by his wife Kiyo. Ōyama Tsunayoshi is imprisoned in Tokyo because he is thought to take part in the rebellion and it's decides that he will be executed. Toshimichi who visits him says that he should not keep Takamori alive. Tsunayoshi tells him that he and ARIMA Shinshichi who died in the Teradaya Incident will wait for him in the next world.
Takamori dissolves his army in Hyōno, Miyazaki
Kikujirō leaves from the front line to amputate his wounded right leg. And Takamori's army flee to Hyōno, Miyazaki. He then dissolves his army. Ito visits him secretly and speaks honestly that she wishes if her husband were an ordinary man. Kikujirō who is a mayor of Kyoto in 1904 is asked by Ryūjirō how Takamori felt at the point of death.
"He who was a big person with passion. He hugged the samurais who couldn't keep up with the changes and swallowed and took them", says Kichijirō.
Takamori and his followers return to Shiroyama and Takamori finds a stone on which he inscribed "Cangoxina" in his childhood. But Shiroyama is surrounded by the Government army.
Takamori (far right) talks about his army's surrender with Toshiaki (far left), Murata Shinpachi (second from the left) and KATSURA Hisatake (Jun Itoda, second from the right)
Kikujirō returns home with Ito, Jūdō and Kumakichi. Koto tells Jūdō to stop the war but there is nothing for it. On the previous night of the attack by the Government army, MURATA Shinpachi plays "La Marseillaise" on the concertina and all of the army dance to it. On the following morning, the final battle breaks out. In Tokyo, Toshimichi makes a speech at a national industrial fair but he becomes to feel restless and approaches the empty shelves for the exhibits from Kagoshima and removes the sign of "Kagoshima Prefecture" at last. At the headquarter of the army in Kagoshima, Jūdō bows his head to YAMAGATA Aritomo and leaves there.
Saigō Kikujirō (Yūki Fujimoto, left) return home with the help of Kumakichi (Muga Tsukaji)
The battle continues and Toshiaki is shot by KAWAJI Toshiyoshi who joins the Government army and dies. Shinpachi kills himself. And Takamori is shot through the stomach. Toshimichi returns home and is asked about Takamori by his wife Masu. He drops his hat and bag and weeps over the death of his friend. Kikujirō as a mayor of Kyoto says,
"My father respected Heaven and loves people. He loved people with all his might and that's why he was loved by many people so much".
In 1888, Takamori is pardoned and his the ceremony of unveiling his statue is held at Ueno Park. Many guests admire it but Ito says,
"This is not my husband. He is not a man like this. No!"
The voice of Kikujirō overlaps.
"I think you will understand why my mother says like this".
Ito (Haru Kuroki) sees the statue and says this is not her husband
At the end of the omnibus, young Takamori who is casually dressed and hunts an animal with his dog appears.
(*) It means "Kill Saigō" or "Watch Saigō" but Toshiaki takes it as the former.
The images are from the official website of "Segodon".
