Katsu Kaishū

Count Katsu Kaishū (勝 海舟, March 12, 1823 – January 21, 1899) was a Japanese statesman and naval engineer during the Late Tokugawa shogunate and early Meiji period. Kaishū was a nickname which he took from a piece of calligraphy (Kaishū Shooku 海舟書屋) by Sakuma Shōzan. He went through a series of given names throughout his life; his childhood name was Rintarō (麟太郎) and his real name was Yoshikuni (義邦). He was often called Awa (安房) from his title Awano-kami (安房守) during the late Tokugawa shogunate and changed his name to Yasuyoshi (安芳) after the Meiji Restoration.

Katsu Kaishū eventually rose to occupy the position of commissioner (Gunkan-bugyō) in the Tokugawa navy. He is particularly known for his role in the surrender of Edo.

Early life

Katsu was born in Edo (present day Tokyo) to a low-ranking retainer of the Tokugawa Shogun. His father, Katsu Kokichi, the subject of the autobiography, Musui's Story, was the ill-behaved head of a minor samurai family. As a youth Katsu Kaishu, whose given name was Katsu Rintaro (Kaishu was pseudonym), studied Dutch and European military science, and was eventually appointed translator by the government when European powers attempted to open contact with Japan. Katsu developed the reputation as an expert in western military technology.