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The Last Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu
In Ryotaro Shiba's account of the life of Japan's last shogun, Perry's arrival off the coast of Japan was merely the spark that ignited the cataclysm in store for the Japanese people and their governments. It came to its real climax with the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate in 1868, the event which forms the centerpiece of this book. The Meiji Restoration—as history calls it—toppled the shogunate, and brought a seventeen-year-old boy emperor back from the secluded Imperial Palace in Kyoto to preside over what amounted to a political and cultural revolution. With this, Japan's extraordinary self-modernization began in earnest. Coming to power just as the Tokugawa regime was suffering the worst military defeat in its history, Yoshinobu strongly suspected that the rule of the Tokugawas—the third and longest lived of Japan's three warrior governments - was swiftly becoming an anachronism. During a year of frenetic activity, he overhauled the military systems, reorganized the civil administration, promoted industrial development, and expanded foreign intercourse, with the farsighted aim of creating a unified Japan. Alarmed by these reforms, pro-imperial interests moved against him, precipitating the Boshin Civil War and the final defeat of the shogunal armies. To the surprise of his enemies, Yoshinobu capitulated. It was this surrender of authority at a crucial point that made the transfer of sovereignty relatively peaceful. He then retired to Mito and lived quietly for the rest of his life, studying the new art of photography. Ennobled a prince in the new European-style nobility of the Meiji era, he died in 1913.
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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About the author
Ryōtarō Shiba
581 books69 followersRyōtarō Shiba (司馬 遼太郎) born Teiichi Fukuda (福田 定一 Fukuda Teiichi, August 7, 1923 – February 12, 1996) in Osaka, Japan, was a Japanese author best known for his novels about historical events in Japan and on the Northeast Asian sub-continent, as well as his historical and cultural essays pertaining to Japan and its relationship to the rest of the world.
Shiba studied Mongolian at the Osaka School of Foreign Languages (now the School of Foreign Studies at Osaka University) and began his career as a journalist with the Sankei Shimbun, one of Japan's major newspapers. After World War II Shiba began writing historical novels. The magazine Shukan Asahi printed Shiba's articles about his travels within Japan in a series that ran for 1,146 installments. Shiba received the Naoki Prize for the 1959 novel Fukuro no Shiro ("The Castle of an Owl"). In 1993 Shiba received the Government's Order of Cultural Merit. Shiba was a prolific author who frequently wrote about the dramatic change Japan went through during the late Edo and early Meiji periods. His most monumental works include Kunitori Monogatari (国盗り物語), Ryoma ga Yuku (竜馬がゆく; see below), Moeyo Ken, and Saka no ue no kumo (坂の上の雲), all of which have spawned dramatizations, most notably Taiga dramas aired in hour-long segments over a full year on NHK television. He also wrote numerous essays that were published in collections, one of which—Kaidō wo Yuku—is a multi-volume journal-like work covering his travels across Japan and around the world. Shiba is widely appreciated for the originality of his analyses of historical events, and many people in Japan have read at least one of his works.
Several of Shiba's works have been translated into English, including his fictionalized biographies of Kukai (Kukai the Universal: Scenes from His Life, 2003) and Tokugawa Yoshinobu (The Last Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, 2004), as well as The Tatar Whirlwind: A Novel of Seventeenth-Century East Asia (2007).
(from Wikipedia)
Alternative Names:
Fukuda, Teiichi
Ryotaro, Shiba
Shiba, Ryoutarou
Ryoutarou, Shiba
Sima, Liaotailang
司馬遼太郎
司马辽太郎
Shiba, Rëotaro
Шиба, Рёотаро
司马辽太郎
司馬, 遼太郎
司馬遼太郎
司場遼太郎
Shiba studied Mongolian at the Osaka School of Foreign Languages (now the School of Foreign Studies at Osaka University) and began his career as a journalist with the Sankei Shimbun, one of Japan's major newspapers. After World War II Shiba began writing historical novels. The magazine Shukan Asahi printed Shiba's articles about his travels within Japan in a series that ran for 1,146 installments. Shiba received the Naoki Prize for the 1959 novel Fukuro no Shiro ("The Castle of an Owl"). In 1993 Shiba received the Government's Order of Cultural Merit. Shiba was a prolific author who frequently wrote about the dramatic change Japan went through during the late Edo and early Meiji periods. His most monumental works include Kunitori Monogatari (国盗り物語), Ryoma ga Yuku (竜馬がゆく; see below), Moeyo Ken, and Saka no ue no kumo (坂の上の雲), all of which have spawned dramatizations, most notably Taiga dramas aired in hour-long segments over a full year on NHK television. He also wrote numerous essays that were published in collections, one of which—Kaidō wo Yuku—is a multi-volume journal-like work covering his travels across Japan and around the world. Shiba is widely appreciated for the originality of his analyses of historical events, and many people in Japan have read at least one of his works.
Several of Shiba's works have been translated into English, including his fictionalized biographies of Kukai (Kukai the Universal: Scenes from His Life, 2003) and Tokugawa Yoshinobu (The Last Shogun: The Life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, 2004), as well as The Tatar Whirlwind: A Novel of Seventeenth-Century East Asia (2007).
(from Wikipedia)
Alternative Names:
Fukuda, Teiichi
Ryotaro, Shiba
Shiba, Ryoutarou
Ryoutarou, Shiba
Sima, Liaotailang
司馬遼太郎
司马辽太郎
Shiba, Rëotaro
Шиба, Рёотаро
司马辽太郎
司馬, 遼太郎
司馬遼太郎
司場遼太郎
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May 20, 2014Shiba Ryotaro (1923 – 1996) was primarily a writer of historical fiction for which he painstakingly carried out vast amounts of research, not unlike William T. Vollmann. Historical fiction does not have a very high standing in the West, though some of our finest writers have turned their hand to it. But Shiba was an enormous success in Japan with his series of sometimes extremely lengthy novels treating significant persons and events in recent Japanese history. Donald Keene, who knew Shiba well and wrote about him (along with Tanizaki Jun'ichiro, Kawabata Yasunari, Mishima Yukio and Abe Kobo) in his Five Modern Japanese Novelists
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ,
reports that there were special Shiba corners in Japanese bookstores because of the constant demand for his books. Keene and others have suggested that Shiba's prestige grew to the point that for many Japanese, Shiba was the voice of Japan, that he had a finger on that which makes Japan Japan.
Needless to say, I had to read some of Shiba's texts, and I started with the books dealing with the termination of two and a half centuries of Japan's isolation from the outside world and the end of the Tokugawa rule.
Drunk as a Lord is a collection of four texts, three of which focus on the life and activities of important players in the turmoil leading up to the Meiji restoration at the end of the Tokugawa Bakufu. What emerges quite clearly is that the Bakufu was already tottering on its last legs - the appearance of Perry's fleet in 1858 just put a last stick in an already riled wasp's nest. But the story I really enjoyed was "Date's Black Ship," about an outcast at the very bottom of Japanese society who, because of his special genius for engineering and ability to cobble together his own parts, became the heart and mind of a daimyo's dream of manufacturing the first Japanese steam ship. What a fascinating story! Despite the amateur's brilliance, the hurdles set up by the arrogant and ignorant samurai "running" the project doomed it. The abuse he had to endure from all of his superiors - which were everybody else - and the stoic patience with which he did endure it (result of a lifetime's training) really emphasize for me the distance between Tokugawa Japan and the world in which I live.
The Last Shogun (1967) gives us the life of the last ruler of the Tokugawa Bakufu, in fact the man who personally ended it by abdicating and retiring to his domain (though there were yet some battles fought by the new imperial army with a few of the supporters of the Bakufu who refused to accept Tokugawa Yoshinobu's fait accompli). Although in three of the pieces in The Drunken Lord the reader is shown aspects of the developments leading up to the collapse of the Bakufu, it is in The Last Shogun that one finds a full picture. And a fascinating sight it is, too, to see the major players hemming and hawing, hedging their bets, changing sides in a shifting, multi-sided struggle in contrast to the fanatics on every side who take their swords and slice some more or less randomly chosen official to pieces, usually ending up in the same state. Oh, the greedy, cowardly and opportunistic officials in the imperial court are truly a sight to behold! And the nefarious machinations of the Ming dynasty eunuchs have met their match in those of the Ooku (the "great interior"), the women in the shogun's castle.
Keene was careful to make clear that his admiration of Shiba was as a person and as an intellectual, not as a great writer on the level of a Kawabata or a Mishima. He also suggested that Shiba may not translate well.(*) On the evidence of these two translations, Keene had a point, but the generally workmanlike prose is clear and obviously guided by intelligence and a deep understanding of Japanese history and the nature of our poor species.
(*) When Keene wrote Five Modern Japanese Novelists, Shiba had yet to be translated into English, and Keene made no effort to translate Shiba himself.
Rating
http://leopard.booklikes.com/post/885...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ,
reports that there were special Shiba corners in Japanese bookstores because of the constant demand for his books. Keene and others have suggested that Shiba's prestige grew to the point that for many Japanese, Shiba was the voice of Japan, that he had a finger on that which makes Japan Japan.
Needless to say, I had to read some of Shiba's texts, and I started with the books dealing with the termination of two and a half centuries of Japan's isolation from the outside world and the end of the Tokugawa rule.
Drunk as a Lord is a collection of four texts, three of which focus on the life and activities of important players in the turmoil leading up to the Meiji restoration at the end of the Tokugawa Bakufu. What emerges quite clearly is that the Bakufu was already tottering on its last legs - the appearance of Perry's fleet in 1858 just put a last stick in an already riled wasp's nest. But the story I really enjoyed was "Date's Black Ship," about an outcast at the very bottom of Japanese society who, because of his special genius for engineering and ability to cobble together his own parts, became the heart and mind of a daimyo's dream of manufacturing the first Japanese steam ship. What a fascinating story! Despite the amateur's brilliance, the hurdles set up by the arrogant and ignorant samurai "running" the project doomed it. The abuse he had to endure from all of his superiors - which were everybody else - and the stoic patience with which he did endure it (result of a lifetime's training) really emphasize for me the distance between Tokugawa Japan and the world in which I live.
The Last Shogun (1967) gives us the life of the last ruler of the Tokugawa Bakufu, in fact the man who personally ended it by abdicating and retiring to his domain (though there were yet some battles fought by the new imperial army with a few of the supporters of the Bakufu who refused to accept Tokugawa Yoshinobu's fait accompli). Although in three of the pieces in The Drunken Lord the reader is shown aspects of the developments leading up to the collapse of the Bakufu, it is in The Last Shogun that one finds a full picture. And a fascinating sight it is, too, to see the major players hemming and hawing, hedging their bets, changing sides in a shifting, multi-sided struggle in contrast to the fanatics on every side who take their swords and slice some more or less randomly chosen official to pieces, usually ending up in the same state. Oh, the greedy, cowardly and opportunistic officials in the imperial court are truly a sight to behold! And the nefarious machinations of the Ming dynasty eunuchs have met their match in those of the Ooku (the "great interior"), the women in the shogun's castle.
Keene was careful to make clear that his admiration of Shiba was as a person and as an intellectual, not as a great writer on the level of a Kawabata or a Mishima. He also suggested that Shiba may not translate well.(*) On the evidence of these two translations, Keene had a point, but the generally workmanlike prose is clear and obviously guided by intelligence and a deep understanding of Japanese history and the nature of our poor species.
(*) When Keene wrote Five Modern Japanese Novelists, Shiba had yet to be translated into English, and Keene made no effort to translate Shiba himself.
Rating
http://leopard.booklikes.com/post/885...
January 16, 2010
KENALI MUSUHMU DAN DIRIMU SENDIRI, DAN KAU TAK TERKALAHKAN DALAM RATUSAN PERTEMPURAN
Hitotsubashi Keiki atau lebih Tokugawa Yoshinobu, adalah tokoh sejarah yang dikenal sepanjang masa, bukan hanya karena dia adalah shogun terakhir dari klan Tokugawa, tetapi juga karena pribadinya yang unik sebelum dan setelah ia menjabat menjadi shogun.
Buku ini menceritakan secara mendetail tentang kehidupan Tokugawa Yoshinobu sampai akhir hayatnya, dari mulai ia dilahirkan di keluarga Mito, dibesarkan sebagai Hitotsubashi, menjadi pengawal keshogunan, sampai pada akhirnya menjadi seorang shogun. Yoshinobu sangat mengagumi gaya barat; dari mulai teknologi foto, senjata, hingga armada pasukannya dibentuk mengikuti gaya barat, padahal pada waktu itu Jepang masih dalam perdebatan antara menutup atau membuka diri pada bangsa asing.
Sebagai aktor handal Yoshinobu adalah orang yang pandai menyembunyikan suasana hatinya, tapi ia bisa menangis diam-diam ketika orang yang setia pada dirinya meninggalkannya. Pada akhirnya, setelah Yoshinobu kehilangan segalanya; harga diri maupun kekuasaan, yang ia inginkan hanyalah keadilan.
**** Alwi Hasni
Hitotsubashi Keiki atau lebih Tokugawa Yoshinobu, adalah tokoh sejarah yang dikenal sepanjang masa, bukan hanya karena dia adalah shogun terakhir dari klan Tokugawa, tetapi juga karena pribadinya yang unik sebelum dan setelah ia menjabat menjadi shogun.
Buku ini menceritakan secara mendetail tentang kehidupan Tokugawa Yoshinobu sampai akhir hayatnya, dari mulai ia dilahirkan di keluarga Mito, dibesarkan sebagai Hitotsubashi, menjadi pengawal keshogunan, sampai pada akhirnya menjadi seorang shogun. Yoshinobu sangat mengagumi gaya barat; dari mulai teknologi foto, senjata, hingga armada pasukannya dibentuk mengikuti gaya barat, padahal pada waktu itu Jepang masih dalam perdebatan antara menutup atau membuka diri pada bangsa asing.
Sebagai aktor handal Yoshinobu adalah orang yang pandai menyembunyikan suasana hatinya, tapi ia bisa menangis diam-diam ketika orang yang setia pada dirinya meninggalkannya. Pada akhirnya, setelah Yoshinobu kehilangan segalanya; harga diri maupun kekuasaan, yang ia inginkan hanyalah keadilan.
**** Alwi Hasni
November 23, 2013
Japan's last Shogun's biography, the life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu is fascinating to read about. There are many biographies about great people who did great things, but books about great people born on the wrong side of history are much more rare. Had Yoshinobu been born into some other position, he could have been one of the most influential people of his generation. He certainly had the ability. But his birth placed him into an institution that was already obsolote and being crushed under the tides of modernity. Even Yoshinobu's skill couldn't prevent things from following their natural course, but his position allowed him one freedom critical to countless ordinary people: the possibility to surrender and to make the transition as bloodless as possible.
January 6, 2018
This book's style, somewhere between verified biography and historical fiction, is consistently awkward, and that is its main problem. I wished the author had chosen to go either fully novelistic or fully nonfiction. It even feels like Shiba, while writing, was unsure of which direction to take, and a line was drawn between two styles while attempting to incorporate both into the finished product. But it's not a bad book, and I learned a lot and it did not bore me. While confusing at times, one must consider it was a very confusing time for Japan.
January 16, 2010
DILEMA SANG REFORMIS
Tokugawa Yoshinobu, yang dilahirkan di Edo pada tahun 1837, adalah putra Tokugawa Nariaki, pemimpin sekolah anti-bangsa asing. Serangan bangsa asing yang semakin intensif setelah kedatangan Perry menyebabkan para daimyo mengimpor senjata dan infrastrukturnya secara mandiri dari Barat.
Pada era 1860-an, kekuatan Tokugawa sudah sedemikian lemah karena ditambah adanya perselisihan internal di ibukota. Hingga pada tahun 1867, pasukan dari domain-domain feodal telah berhamburan memasuki Kyoto dengan dalih untuk menjaga kaisar. Kelompok ini dipimpin oleh para samurai-birokrat muda, yang telah mempelajari teknologi Barat dan berharap dapat memodernisasikan negeri tersebut. Pada saat itu muncul dua pilihan: membentuk penyatuan pemerintahan keshogunan dan kekaisaran, atau pemerintahan kekaisaran secara langsung.
Pada saat inilah muncul Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Seorang laki-laki muda, bersemangat, dan progresif, yang didesak oleh dewan keshogunan untuk merebut kembali tanah tumpah darahnya, dan kemudian ia diminta untuk menjabat sebagai shogun berikutnya.
Ini bukanlah prospek yang menarik. Pada era 1860-an, susunan pemerintahan otoriter yang dibangun oleh Ieyasu telah hancur berkeping-keping. Di seluruh Jepang, masyarakat merasa gelisah dan menginginkan suatu perubahan. Berbagai pemimpin klan, khususnya yang berasal dari Satsuma dan Choshu, bermaksud untuk menghancurkan keshogunan dan mengembalikan tampuk pemerintahan ke tangan kaisar. Yoshinobu sendiri menghadapi dilema. Di satu sisi ia berharap dapat mempertahankan dinasti keluarga, di sisi lain ia seseorang yang mendukung modernisasi. Secara pribadi, ia tidak menolak keinginan untuk merestorasi kekaisaran.
Sebagai aktor handal dan tokoh sejarah yang dikenang sepanjang masa, Yoshinobu tidak hanya dikenal sebagai Shogun terakhir dari klan Tokugawa, ia juga terkenal sebagai Shogun yang pandai menyembunyikan suasana hatinya. Ia bisa menangis diam-diam ketika orang yang setia meninggalkan dirinya.
Sejarah mengukir nama Yoshinobu sebagai seorang reformis pada zamannya. Tidak hanya sebagai reformis, tetapi juga seorang pahlawan. Meskipun ia telah kehilangan segalanya; harga diri maupun kekuasaan, yang ia inginkan hanyalah keadilan.
The Last Shogun (Shogun Terakhir) merupakan sebuah karya dari Ryotaro Shiba, peraih anugerah Naoki ditahun 1959 dan anugerah Order of Culture tahun 1993. Buku ini merupakan sebuah penuturan cerita penulis based on penelitian dan pencarian data historic nyata tentang Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Tetapi dituturkan dengan gaya penulisan novel. Sebuah novel fiksi-sejarah yang sangat sarat akan kisah-kisah motivasional dan kepemimpinan. Satu hal yang sangat menarik yang saya ambil dari buku ini, Jepang saat ini dikenal dengan negara super adidaya, dengan rasa nasionalisme dan kebanggaan terhadap bangsa & negaranya membumi di jiwa setiap masyarakatnya. Hal tersebut jelas tidak dapat tercipta dalam sehari semalam, dan buku ini menceritakan salahsatu proses dari pembetukan rasa & semangat tersebut. Sangat berbeda dengan bangsa kita yang sangat mudah tergiur dengan pernak-pernik dari bangsa luar, yang notabene "katanya" sudah terlepas dari penjajahan bangsa asing sekian puluh tahun. Ketika "Keinginan, Prinsip, Kerja-Keras, Keteguhan, Semangat, dan Kejujuran" terakumulasi, saya yakin bangsa kita bisa sejajar dengan Jepang, seperti yang dilakukan oleh para reformis Jepang, Tokuga Yoshinobu salahsatunya. "Kenali dirimu dan lawanmu, dan kau tak terkalahkan dalam ratusan pertempuran," kalimat ini dapat diimplementasikan secara universal, tidak hanya dalam medan pertempuran antar tentara atau bangsa, tetapi juga dalam hal lain, seperti persaingan pendidikan, perdagangan, politik, ekonomi, dsb.
Shiba, adalah salah satu penulis yang paling dihormati di Jepang, lahir di Osaka pada tahun 1923. Ia lulusan Universitas Osaka jurusan studi luar negeri, tempatnya mempelajari bangsa Mongolia, dan bergabung dalam Tentara Imperialis Jepang selama Perang Dunia II. Pada masa akhir peperangan, keterkejutannya atas arah Jepang menjadi begitu terfokus, dengan adanya perubahan pada perintah komandannya yang tidak memedulikan pada nyawa penduduk sipil Jepang. Setelah perang, ia mulai melakukan eksplorasi panjang akan orang-orang dan kejadian-kejadian dalam sejarah Jepang, mencoba untuk memahami bagaimana rangkaian sebuah bangsa itu tertata. Bekerja sebagai seorang reporter surat kabar, ia mulai menulis novel-novel sejarah, dan pada tahun 1959, ia menerima Anugerah Naoki untuk bukunya yang berjudul Fukuro no shiro (Kastil Burung Hantu).
Banyak karyanya, yang seringkali memberikan interpretasi baru akan masa-masa yang penuh naik dan turun seperti Restorasi Meiji, telah meraih sukses di kalangan pembaca Jepang. Ia menjadi anggota Akademi Kesenian Jepang pada tahun 1981, diakui sebagai orang yang berjasa dalam bidang kebudayaan pada tahun 1991, dan menerima anugerah Order of Culture pada tahun 1993. Shiba meninggal dunia pada bulan Februari 1996. Ia tinggal bersama isterinya, Midori.
Saya memberikan bintang **** untuk novel fiksi-sejarah ini. Bagi pencinta budaya & sejarah Jepang, buku ini kudu kalian baca.
salam;
Alwi Hasni
Bandung, 15 Januari, 2010.
Penikmat Kopi & 234 (ngikutin tag-line-nya mas Iqbal Dawami nih :))
Tokugawa Yoshinobu, yang dilahirkan di Edo pada tahun 1837, adalah putra Tokugawa Nariaki, pemimpin sekolah anti-bangsa asing. Serangan bangsa asing yang semakin intensif setelah kedatangan Perry menyebabkan para daimyo mengimpor senjata dan infrastrukturnya secara mandiri dari Barat.
Pada era 1860-an, kekuatan Tokugawa sudah sedemikian lemah karena ditambah adanya perselisihan internal di ibukota. Hingga pada tahun 1867, pasukan dari domain-domain feodal telah berhamburan memasuki Kyoto dengan dalih untuk menjaga kaisar. Kelompok ini dipimpin oleh para samurai-birokrat muda, yang telah mempelajari teknologi Barat dan berharap dapat memodernisasikan negeri tersebut. Pada saat itu muncul dua pilihan: membentuk penyatuan pemerintahan keshogunan dan kekaisaran, atau pemerintahan kekaisaran secara langsung.
Pada saat inilah muncul Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Seorang laki-laki muda, bersemangat, dan progresif, yang didesak oleh dewan keshogunan untuk merebut kembali tanah tumpah darahnya, dan kemudian ia diminta untuk menjabat sebagai shogun berikutnya.
Ini bukanlah prospek yang menarik. Pada era 1860-an, susunan pemerintahan otoriter yang dibangun oleh Ieyasu telah hancur berkeping-keping. Di seluruh Jepang, masyarakat merasa gelisah dan menginginkan suatu perubahan. Berbagai pemimpin klan, khususnya yang berasal dari Satsuma dan Choshu, bermaksud untuk menghancurkan keshogunan dan mengembalikan tampuk pemerintahan ke tangan kaisar. Yoshinobu sendiri menghadapi dilema. Di satu sisi ia berharap dapat mempertahankan dinasti keluarga, di sisi lain ia seseorang yang mendukung modernisasi. Secara pribadi, ia tidak menolak keinginan untuk merestorasi kekaisaran.
Sebagai aktor handal dan tokoh sejarah yang dikenang sepanjang masa, Yoshinobu tidak hanya dikenal sebagai Shogun terakhir dari klan Tokugawa, ia juga terkenal sebagai Shogun yang pandai menyembunyikan suasana hatinya. Ia bisa menangis diam-diam ketika orang yang setia meninggalkan dirinya.
Sejarah mengukir nama Yoshinobu sebagai seorang reformis pada zamannya. Tidak hanya sebagai reformis, tetapi juga seorang pahlawan. Meskipun ia telah kehilangan segalanya; harga diri maupun kekuasaan, yang ia inginkan hanyalah keadilan.
The Last Shogun (Shogun Terakhir) merupakan sebuah karya dari Ryotaro Shiba, peraih anugerah Naoki ditahun 1959 dan anugerah Order of Culture tahun 1993. Buku ini merupakan sebuah penuturan cerita penulis based on penelitian dan pencarian data historic nyata tentang Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Tetapi dituturkan dengan gaya penulisan novel. Sebuah novel fiksi-sejarah yang sangat sarat akan kisah-kisah motivasional dan kepemimpinan. Satu hal yang sangat menarik yang saya ambil dari buku ini, Jepang saat ini dikenal dengan negara super adidaya, dengan rasa nasionalisme dan kebanggaan terhadap bangsa & negaranya membumi di jiwa setiap masyarakatnya. Hal tersebut jelas tidak dapat tercipta dalam sehari semalam, dan buku ini menceritakan salahsatu proses dari pembetukan rasa & semangat tersebut. Sangat berbeda dengan bangsa kita yang sangat mudah tergiur dengan pernak-pernik dari bangsa luar, yang notabene "katanya" sudah terlepas dari penjajahan bangsa asing sekian puluh tahun. Ketika "Keinginan, Prinsip, Kerja-Keras, Keteguhan, Semangat, dan Kejujuran" terakumulasi, saya yakin bangsa kita bisa sejajar dengan Jepang, seperti yang dilakukan oleh para reformis Jepang, Tokuga Yoshinobu salahsatunya. "Kenali dirimu dan lawanmu, dan kau tak terkalahkan dalam ratusan pertempuran," kalimat ini dapat diimplementasikan secara universal, tidak hanya dalam medan pertempuran antar tentara atau bangsa, tetapi juga dalam hal lain, seperti persaingan pendidikan, perdagangan, politik, ekonomi, dsb.
Shiba, adalah salah satu penulis yang paling dihormati di Jepang, lahir di Osaka pada tahun 1923. Ia lulusan Universitas Osaka jurusan studi luar negeri, tempatnya mempelajari bangsa Mongolia, dan bergabung dalam Tentara Imperialis Jepang selama Perang Dunia II. Pada masa akhir peperangan, keterkejutannya atas arah Jepang menjadi begitu terfokus, dengan adanya perubahan pada perintah komandannya yang tidak memedulikan pada nyawa penduduk sipil Jepang. Setelah perang, ia mulai melakukan eksplorasi panjang akan orang-orang dan kejadian-kejadian dalam sejarah Jepang, mencoba untuk memahami bagaimana rangkaian sebuah bangsa itu tertata. Bekerja sebagai seorang reporter surat kabar, ia mulai menulis novel-novel sejarah, dan pada tahun 1959, ia menerima Anugerah Naoki untuk bukunya yang berjudul Fukuro no shiro (Kastil Burung Hantu).
Banyak karyanya, yang seringkali memberikan interpretasi baru akan masa-masa yang penuh naik dan turun seperti Restorasi Meiji, telah meraih sukses di kalangan pembaca Jepang. Ia menjadi anggota Akademi Kesenian Jepang pada tahun 1981, diakui sebagai orang yang berjasa dalam bidang kebudayaan pada tahun 1991, dan menerima anugerah Order of Culture pada tahun 1993. Shiba meninggal dunia pada bulan Februari 1996. Ia tinggal bersama isterinya, Midori.
Saya memberikan bintang **** untuk novel fiksi-sejarah ini. Bagi pencinta budaya & sejarah Jepang, buku ini kudu kalian baca.
salam;
Alwi Hasni
Bandung, 15 Januari, 2010.
Penikmat Kopi & 234 (ngikutin tag-line-nya mas Iqbal Dawami nih :))
December 29, 2015
Cuốn sách là câu chuyện kể lại cuộc đời của tướng quân đời thứ 15 của Mạc Phủ - Tokugawa Yoshinobu. Câu chuyện chú trọng vào giai đoạn niên thiếu của Yoshinobu và thời gian cầm quyền của ông. Đây là một tiểu thuyết lịch sử đáng đọc dành cho những ai muốn tìm hiểu thêm về Nhật Bản trong thời kỳ Mạc Mạt và tiền Duy Tân Minh Trị.
Năm 1853, Mạc Phủ Tokugawa rối loạn khi lực lượng hải quân của Hoa Kỳ do Matthew Perry đến vịnh Edo đòi mở cửa. Nhật Bản lúc này bị đưa vào tình thế dầu sôi lửa bỏng, phải đối phó với thù trong giặc ngoài. Hai tư tưởng lớn là Tôn Hoàng Nhương Di và Phò Mạc cùng với áp lực đối ngoại đã dồn bộ ngoại giao của Nhật vào tình cảnh tiến thoái lưỡng nan. Bất cứ động thái không khôn ngoan nào cũng có thể đẩy đất nước đến diệt vong. Những cuộc bạo loạn, thanh trừng xảy ra liên tục. Các chính khách lần lượt bị ám sát. Âm mưu chính trị nhen nhóm khắp nơi. Nhật Bản phải lựa chọn, hoặc mở cửa hoặc tuyên chiến với đế quốc. Lúc này Tokugawa Yoshinobu xuất hiện như một nhân vật duy nhất có thể giải quyết tinh tế được mối quan hệ gi���a Triều Đình, Mạc Phủ Tokugawa và thế lực ngoại quốc.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu được sinh ra và lớn lên trong thời gian quyền lực của Mạc Phủ dần dần bị xoáy mòn. Ông cầm quyền trong thời kỳ Mạt Mạc. Shiba Ryotaro đã phác họa lại từ lúc Yoshinobu lớn lên, đến lúc ông cầm quyền, rồi trao trả chính quyền lại cho triều đình Minh Trị. Yoshinobu trong tiểu thuyết là người tinh thông bách nghệ và được giáo dục kỹ lưỡng, nên có nhiều tư tưởng tân kỳ, có tầm nhìn xa, tư tưởng sâu sắc. Ông là một trong những người ủng hộ cho việc mở cửa thông thương với các nước láng giềng. Mục đích của cả đời ông là củng cố lại chế độ Mạc Phủ và phát triển đế quốc, nhưng tiếc thay điều đó lại không thành hiện thực.
Thời niên thiếu của Yoshinobu được miêu tả với các mối quan hệ chính trị trong xã hội, ảnh hưởng của các tư tưởng như Mito học, Thần học. Lớn lên trong kỳ vọng của thế gian và đặc biệt là chính Tokugawa Nariaki, Yoshinobu đã được trui rèn cực kỳ nghiêm túc, thậm chí là khổ hạnh. Điều đó góp phần tạo nên một Yoshinobu sắc sảo, hùng biện xuất chúng và thấu suốt tương lai. Thời kỳ kế tiếp, Yoshinobu bắt đầu bước vào cuộc chiến hòng thay đổi và phát triển Mạc Phủ. Ông đã phải oằn mình chống chọi các phe thù địch, âm mưu chính trị để bảo vệ và thực hiện lý tưởng của mình. Tuy giai đoạn làm Tướng Quân chính thức của Yoshinobu rất ngắn ngủi (8/1866 – 11/1867), ông đã chèo chống tuyệt vời để vừa có thể giữ vững danh dự của Mạc Phủ, vừa ủng hộ các chính sách cải cách của Triều Đình. Sau khi trao trả chính quyền lại cho Thiên Hoàng Minh Trị, ông lui về ở ẩn, tránh con mắt của thế gian cho đến cuối đời.
Cuộc đời của Yoshinobu không phải chỉ toàn vinh hoa phú quý, mà đầy ắp những thăng trầm, hi sinh mất mát. Xuất hiện trong hình tượng là một trong những cái đầu lạnh của Nhật Bản lúc bấy giờ, nhưng Yoshinobu là một người không kém lãng mạn, tài hoa. Ông tinh thông các môn nghệ thuật như chạm khắc, thơ ca. Ông khóc khi những thụ hạ của mình bị ám sát. Ông quặn đau và vùng vẫy khi nhìn thấy Nhật Bản bị giằng xé. Shiba Ryotaro đã miêu tả cuộc đời đầy biến cố của Tokugawa Yoshinobu không thể nào hoàn hảo hơn. Tuy Yoshinobu đã không thể thực hiện được ước muốn của mình, nhưng nếu ông không là người khôn khéo trao trả lại chính quyền từ Mạc Phủ cho triều đình, mà cố ôm giữ quyền lực, thì liệu Nhật Bản có được thời kỳ Duy Tân Minh Trị, để phát triển thành một cường quốc như ngày nay?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 19, 2016
A remarkable story of Japan's last Generalissimo Keiki Tokugawa, a man of extreme intellect and a clear vision at a time when nationalist fervour was at its apex. Ryotaro Shiba brings back to life events of mid 19th century Japan teetering on the brink of change, illustrating the story of a true leader, who in full acknowledgement of the shifting sands of time stepped down from his 260 year ancestry post, saving his country the turmoil of a brutal civil war and annexation by foreign powers.
A must read for all those who marvel at Japan's spectacular leap that hurled it from a mere feudal backwater to a major industrial power within a few decades.
A must read for all those who marvel at Japan's spectacular leap that hurled it from a mere feudal backwater to a major industrial power within a few decades.
March 21, 2019
Great book
Full Review:
https://ianjoshyateswriting.blogspot....
Full Review:
https://ianjoshyateswriting.blogspot....
March 4, 2010
This was a decidedly weird history book, mostly because Shiba made the decision to treat history more as a narrative complete with character povs. So when a major decision was being reached, you were treated to the pov of that person plus whatever Shiba thought their thought processes were. In some ways this worked since I'm certain that in some cases he was taking directly from those person(s) personal writings... in others it was a much more doubtful form of guesswork. And since there was no annotation you pretty much had to assume it was all made up which negates much of the impact of the work.
All in all, it was a very romanticized story in which Shiba's love for Yoshinobu really shines through. It's all the more touching when you realize that Yoshinobu was a bit of a bastard. There is one point in the book where Shiba explains that Yoshinobu never made the connection between his political actions having consequences for his retainers (ie, whenever he did an about face, and he did many of them, his loyal men wouldn't blame him but his retainers for their influence and then one of them would be assassinated or would name another man to be assassinated etc.). And while this may be true (though it seems doubtful of a man who we're supposed to think was intelligent and logical), it's not a very nice portrayal of a man who is so oblivious that his men are being murdered left and right for his policy changes.
Shiba makes a serious effort to explain coherently the events of Yoshinobu's life and why he and the people around him made the decisions they did. I think he might have succeeded if he'd been willing to criticize a little. The fact that Yoshinobu had a reputation for being a liar and wasn't trusted by many others because he'd change sides at an apparent whim is rather telling in a society like Japan's (where an outright statement of intent is usually considered crude). He may have had some great plan behind all his actions and read the changes in the wind better than everyone else, but to be honest, it seemed like he was smart, and lucky but not as good at what he was doing as he could have been. In fact, I think the best decision Yoshinobu ever made in his life was refusing the post of Shogun. (I do believe Shiba was right in saying that Yoshinobu's driving motive in life was not to be labelled a traitor, and hence why he was torn in so many directions at once.) He was also a great orator, though personal charisma only carried him so far.
There are moments in the book that are utterly astonishing. The account of the scene at Osaka castle during the last days of the bakufu in which Yoshinobu's men were committing suicide because they weren't allowed to go fight had an air of melancholy, crazy pathos. While much of it read like any other political drama, you then had scenes you just don't get outside of Japan. The one that really stuck in my mind was when Yoshinobu needed the cooperation of the imperial court nobles about something, and so he went to meet with them. When they weren't convinced, he threatened to commit suicide!, telling the nobles his retainers would blame them for his suicide and kill them all. (How messed up is that?)
There's very little sense of the character of anyone else in the book besides Yoshinobu (his father was a right bastard) and the Choshu come out smelling like roses while Satsuma get the long end of the stick. Be that as it may, it's a pretty decent account of the events of that time period and definitely not the usual dry narrative you'll encounter. I read a book once about the consequences of foreign contacts with Japan in this time period, but it never went into detail about why the Japanese were acting as they did, so it was fascinating to finally understand why some of the policy decisions that so confused the foreign ambassadors when handed down.
All in all, it was a very romanticized story in which Shiba's love for Yoshinobu really shines through. It's all the more touching when you realize that Yoshinobu was a bit of a bastard. There is one point in the book where Shiba explains that Yoshinobu never made the connection between his political actions having consequences for his retainers (ie, whenever he did an about face, and he did many of them, his loyal men wouldn't blame him but his retainers for their influence and then one of them would be assassinated or would name another man to be assassinated etc.). And while this may be true (though it seems doubtful of a man who we're supposed to think was intelligent and logical), it's not a very nice portrayal of a man who is so oblivious that his men are being murdered left and right for his policy changes.
Shiba makes a serious effort to explain coherently the events of Yoshinobu's life and why he and the people around him made the decisions they did. I think he might have succeeded if he'd been willing to criticize a little. The fact that Yoshinobu had a reputation for being a liar and wasn't trusted by many others because he'd change sides at an apparent whim is rather telling in a society like Japan's (where an outright statement of intent is usually considered crude). He may have had some great plan behind all his actions and read the changes in the wind better than everyone else, but to be honest, it seemed like he was smart, and lucky but not as good at what he was doing as he could have been. In fact, I think the best decision Yoshinobu ever made in his life was refusing the post of Shogun. (I do believe Shiba was right in saying that Yoshinobu's driving motive in life was not to be labelled a traitor, and hence why he was torn in so many directions at once.) He was also a great orator, though personal charisma only carried him so far.
There are moments in the book that are utterly astonishing. The account of the scene at Osaka castle during the last days of the bakufu in which Yoshinobu's men were committing suicide because they weren't allowed to go fight had an air of melancholy, crazy pathos. While much of it read like any other political drama, you then had scenes you just don't get outside of Japan. The one that really stuck in my mind was when Yoshinobu needed the cooperation of the imperial court nobles about something, and so he went to meet with them. When they weren't convinced, he threatened to commit suicide!, telling the nobles his retainers would blame them for his suicide and kill them all. (How messed up is that?)
There's very little sense of the character of anyone else in the book besides Yoshinobu (his father was a right bastard) and the Choshu come out smelling like roses while Satsuma get the long end of the stick. Be that as it may, it's a pretty decent account of the events of that time period and definitely not the usual dry narrative you'll encounter. I read a book once about the consequences of foreign contacts with Japan in this time period, but it never went into detail about why the Japanese were acting as they did, so it was fascinating to finally understand why some of the policy decisions that so confused the foreign ambassadors when handed down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 3, 2010An impressively told story about one of Japan's greatest politicians.: Tokugawa Yoshinobu, or Hitotsubashi Keiki as he was known for most of his life, usually languishes in most histories of Japan as an afterthought: "The Tokugawa Shogunate was overthrown in 1868, and then..." Fortunately, Shiba Ryotaro saw fit to write a book about this fascinating last Tokugawa shogun.
The introduction to the book laments the loss of the historical narrative in the Western world, and it's easy to see why. Shiba's well-researched account of Yoshinobu's career becomes a gripping page-turner (and this really *is* a history book!). The intro positions Yoshinobu as a figure standing at a critical crossroads in world history (one of many in the history of Japan) , and laments him as a man who came too late to power to influence the future of Japan for the next century. Because Shiba presents Yoshinobu as a wily and far-seeing (if self-serving) genius, the narrative quickly becomes an engaging read; you really want to see how a man as intelligent as Yoshinobu could lose to the anti-shogunate forces. Shiba goes to great lengths to emphasize that Yoshinobu foresaw the demise of the shogunate and wanted nothing more than to avoid becoming its leader, yet he finally shouldered the burden. Yoshinobu, of course, knows he cannot defeat the surge of Imperial loyalists, and resolves to prevent a bloody civil war by dissolving the shogunate and abdicating. In spite of what is acknowledged by history as a brilliant move, Yoshinobu was wracked with angst for the rest of his life over perceived disloyalty to the Emperor and anger over the betrayal of Satsuma, the powerful Kyushu domain led by men like the famous Takamori Saigo.
Contrast this excellent book with the entertaining "The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori" by Mark Ravina, which shows the Satsuma perspective: Saigo and his allies in the Shimazu clan were infuriated by being constantly outmaneuvered by the clever Yoshinobu!
I think the primary reason for this book's success in English is the translation by Juliette Winters Carpenter. Though my Japanese is poor, the translation preserves the style of Shiba while still conveying his wit and intelligence. It really seems to me like reading a Japanese book in English, instead of reading an English book based upon a Japanese one. It's easy to understand Shiba's deep appreciation for Yoshinobu throughout the book, and I honestly think the translation alone is worth five stars.
If you wish to know more about Japanese history - or history in general! - why not pick up Shiba Ryotaro's outstanding story of the life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu? It is an immensely satisfying read that will have you scrutinizing every account of the Meiji Restoration as you wonder, "What if Yoshinobu had....?"
The introduction to the book laments the loss of the historical narrative in the Western world, and it's easy to see why. Shiba's well-researched account of Yoshinobu's career becomes a gripping page-turner (and this really *is* a history book!). The intro positions Yoshinobu as a figure standing at a critical crossroads in world history (one of many in the history of Japan) , and laments him as a man who came too late to power to influence the future of Japan for the next century. Because Shiba presents Yoshinobu as a wily and far-seeing (if self-serving) genius, the narrative quickly becomes an engaging read; you really want to see how a man as intelligent as Yoshinobu could lose to the anti-shogunate forces. Shiba goes to great lengths to emphasize that Yoshinobu foresaw the demise of the shogunate and wanted nothing more than to avoid becoming its leader, yet he finally shouldered the burden. Yoshinobu, of course, knows he cannot defeat the surge of Imperial loyalists, and resolves to prevent a bloody civil war by dissolving the shogunate and abdicating. In spite of what is acknowledged by history as a brilliant move, Yoshinobu was wracked with angst for the rest of his life over perceived disloyalty to the Emperor and anger over the betrayal of Satsuma, the powerful Kyushu domain led by men like the famous Takamori Saigo.
Contrast this excellent book with the entertaining "The Last Samurai: The Life and Battles of Saigo Takamori" by Mark Ravina, which shows the Satsuma perspective: Saigo and his allies in the Shimazu clan were infuriated by being constantly outmaneuvered by the clever Yoshinobu!
I think the primary reason for this book's success in English is the translation by Juliette Winters Carpenter. Though my Japanese is poor, the translation preserves the style of Shiba while still conveying his wit and intelligence. It really seems to me like reading a Japanese book in English, instead of reading an English book based upon a Japanese one. It's easy to understand Shiba's deep appreciation for Yoshinobu throughout the book, and I honestly think the translation alone is worth five stars.
If you wish to know more about Japanese history - or history in general! - why not pick up Shiba Ryotaro's outstanding story of the life of Tokugawa Yoshinobu? It is an immensely satisfying read that will have you scrutinizing every account of the Meiji Restoration as you wonder, "What if Yoshinobu had....?"
January 16, 2010
Ryotaro Shiba menyampaikan kehidupan shogun terakhir dengan begitu bagus.
Keiki, nama aslinya, merupakan karakter yang menarik - keras kepala, bijaksana, dan fasih. Dari lahir ke Klan Mito sampai menjadi shogun, ia dibantu atau terhambat oleh berbagai hal. Ayahnya, Nariaki, sejak awal percaya kalau Keiki muda kelak akan menjadi shogun.
Keiki untuk bekerja dengan rajin agar dapat mencapai tujuan itu. Banyak yang meninggal dalam membantu dirinya, dan banyak yang meninggal dalam menghambat dirinya. Begitu sampai di kursi kekuasaan tertinggi pada masa pemerintahan Tokugawa, Yoshinobo menunjukkan kearifannya yang besar dengan menyerahkan kekuasaan pemerintahan Jepang kembali ke Kaisar.
Ryotaro Shiba menceritakannya dengan begitu baik hingga saya terlibat dalam kehidupan Keiki. Sejarah yang mirip fiksi, ini adalah buku yang sempurna.
Keiki, nama aslinya, merupakan karakter yang menarik - keras kepala, bijaksana, dan fasih. Dari lahir ke Klan Mito sampai menjadi shogun, ia dibantu atau terhambat oleh berbagai hal. Ayahnya, Nariaki, sejak awal percaya kalau Keiki muda kelak akan menjadi shogun.
Keiki untuk bekerja dengan rajin agar dapat mencapai tujuan itu. Banyak yang meninggal dalam membantu dirinya, dan banyak yang meninggal dalam menghambat dirinya. Begitu sampai di kursi kekuasaan tertinggi pada masa pemerintahan Tokugawa, Yoshinobo menunjukkan kearifannya yang besar dengan menyerahkan kekuasaan pemerintahan Jepang kembali ke Kaisar.
Ryotaro Shiba menceritakannya dengan begitu baik hingga saya terlibat dalam kehidupan Keiki. Sejarah yang mirip fiksi, ini adalah buku yang sempurna.
March 28, 2008
An excellent historical novel by Shiba Ryotaro on a man who reluctantly became the last Tokugawa Shogun, because he could see the end of the Tokugawa grip on power. His actions and their timing had a major impact on the modernisation of Japan. Julie Winters Carpenter's translation is so smooth that I forgot I was reading a translation. I was moved at times by the difficult choices Yoshinobu had to make. It is excellent in looking into the mind of Yoshinobu and the difficulties he had in making his decision to resign as shogun. Highly recommended to anyone interested in this period of Japanese history.
January 3, 2018
Again, I read the original Japanese version of this book. Yoshinobu Tokugawa was my favorite figure in the Japanese history. The book reminded me why I liked him - his determination, intelligence and graciousness - although it was a little disappointing to find out the fact that he abandoned his people in the end for self protection. Overall, a good book to learn small part of the Japanese history.
November 5, 2018
Intenta mezclar los hechos históricos con momentos novelados, si decidirse nunca entre la novela o el ensayo biográfico, resultando en una lectura impersonal y aburrida. Esperaba otra cosa.
March 14, 2019
Sebagian orang mungkin bertanya-tanya siapa sih Tokugawa Yoshinobu, samurai kah? Panglima perang kah?
Tokugawa Yoshinobu atau pada masanya lebih dikenal dengan nama Hitotsubashi Keiki adalah putra ke-7 daimyo Mito yang bernama Tokugawa Nariaki. Mito adalah salah satu dari 3 cabang keluarga klan Tokugawa yang dapat dipilih menjadi shogun (jenderal tertinggi kemiliteran di Jepang)
Sejak kecil Nariaki sudah menaruh harapan besar terhadap Keiki, bahwa kelak ia akan membawa perubahan bagi negara Jepang bahkan dalam hati berharap Keiki dapat menjadi reinkarnasi Leyasu, pendiri dinasti Tokugawa yang hebat. Karna itulah dibandingkan dengan saudara-saudaranya yang lain ia menjalani pelatihan dan didikan yang jauh lebih keras, ketat dan spartan.
Keiki tumbuh menjadi pemuda yang bersemangat, penuh rasa ingin tahu dan cerdas, ia mendapat dukungan dari banyak orang, bahkan shogun ke-duabelas pun sangat menyayanginya dan berniat menjadikan Keiki sebagai ahli warisnya, tapi takdir Keiki berubah sejak Tokugawa Leyoshi (shogun ke-12) meninggal dunia. Sedikit demi sedikit orang-orang yang melihat kemampuan dan kecerdasan Keiki dalam berdiplomasi merasa takjub sekaligus takut bahwa Keiki yang berdarah Mito memiliki ambisi untuk menguasai keshogunan dan memiliki kekuasaan dalam kekaisaran.
Keiki hidup di zaman Jepang dalam masa penuh Pro dan Kontra antara tetap mengasingkan diri atau mulai terbuka terhadap bangsa asing, dan sebagai orang yang cerdas serta berpikiran jauh kedepan Keiki menjadi sosok yang tidak dapat dipahami oleh kawan maupun lawannya, seringkali keputusan dan pilihan-pilihan yang ia buat demi kebaikan kekaisaran ataupun Jepang hanya membuat reputasinya semakin memburuk, hari demi hari yang dilaluinya hanya dipenuhi dengan penolakan dan kebencian yang ditujukan kepadanya.
Puncak kehidupannya yang terberat - dalam arti ditentang oleh hampir sebagian besar anggota bakufu dan para dewan di kekaisaran - adalah saat takdir memaksanya untuk menjadi shogun ke-15. Kecerdasannya membuatnya dapat melihat bahwa tawaran menjadi shogun hanya akan membuat segalanya menjadi lebih buruk.
Hitotsubashi Keiki / Tokugawa Yoshinobu - Shogun ke-15, memimpin keshogunan (bakufu) hanya selama kurang dari 2 tahun, ditengah kerasnya desakan dari pihak domain Satsuma dan Choshu untuk menggulingkan keshogunan, Tokugawa Yoshinobu memutuskan untuk menyerahkan kekuasaan bakufu kembali kepada kaisar sebagai pimpinan tertinggi, dengan harapan ini akan mengurangi gejolak perpecahan yang terjadi di Kyoto. Sayangnya, lagi-lagi.. rasa segan sekaligus takut yang dirasakan para lawan-lawan politik Keiki, merasa penyerahan kekuasaan saja tidaklah cukup; dengan kekayaaan sejumlah 4jt koku dan kekuatan pasukan sebesar 80rb orang, keiki tentulah bisa menggalang kekuatan untuk menguasai kekaisaran.
Zaman ini disebut zaman edo atau juga era Tokugawa, dimulai sejak shogun pertama Tokugawa Ieyasu hingga shogun terakhir Tokugawa Yoshinobu sekaligus mengakhiri kekuasan Keshogunan Tokugawa yang berlangsung selama 264 tahun.
Tokugawa Yoshinobu atau pada masanya lebih dikenal dengan nama Hitotsubashi Keiki adalah putra ke-7 daimyo Mito yang bernama Tokugawa Nariaki. Mito adalah salah satu dari 3 cabang keluarga klan Tokugawa yang dapat dipilih menjadi shogun (jenderal tertinggi kemiliteran di Jepang)
Sejak kecil Nariaki sudah menaruh harapan besar terhadap Keiki, bahwa kelak ia akan membawa perubahan bagi negara Jepang bahkan dalam hati berharap Keiki dapat menjadi reinkarnasi Leyasu, pendiri dinasti Tokugawa yang hebat. Karna itulah dibandingkan dengan saudara-saudaranya yang lain ia menjalani pelatihan dan didikan yang jauh lebih keras, ketat dan spartan.
Keiki tumbuh menjadi pemuda yang bersemangat, penuh rasa ingin tahu dan cerdas, ia mendapat dukungan dari banyak orang, bahkan shogun ke-duabelas pun sangat menyayanginya dan berniat menjadikan Keiki sebagai ahli warisnya, tapi takdir Keiki berubah sejak Tokugawa Leyoshi (shogun ke-12) meninggal dunia. Sedikit demi sedikit orang-orang yang melihat kemampuan dan kecerdasan Keiki dalam berdiplomasi merasa takjub sekaligus takut bahwa Keiki yang berdarah Mito memiliki ambisi untuk menguasai keshogunan dan memiliki kekuasaan dalam kekaisaran.
Keiki hidup di zaman Jepang dalam masa penuh Pro dan Kontra antara tetap mengasingkan diri atau mulai terbuka terhadap bangsa asing, dan sebagai orang yang cerdas serta berpikiran jauh kedepan Keiki menjadi sosok yang tidak dapat dipahami oleh kawan maupun lawannya, seringkali keputusan dan pilihan-pilihan yang ia buat demi kebaikan kekaisaran ataupun Jepang hanya membuat reputasinya semakin memburuk, hari demi hari yang dilaluinya hanya dipenuhi dengan penolakan dan kebencian yang ditujukan kepadanya.
Puncak kehidupannya yang terberat - dalam arti ditentang oleh hampir sebagian besar anggota bakufu dan para dewan di kekaisaran - adalah saat takdir memaksanya untuk menjadi shogun ke-15. Kecerdasannya membuatnya dapat melihat bahwa tawaran menjadi shogun hanya akan membuat segalanya menjadi lebih buruk.
Hitotsubashi Keiki / Tokugawa Yoshinobu - Shogun ke-15, memimpin keshogunan (bakufu) hanya selama kurang dari 2 tahun, ditengah kerasnya desakan dari pihak domain Satsuma dan Choshu untuk menggulingkan keshogunan, Tokugawa Yoshinobu memutuskan untuk menyerahkan kekuasaan bakufu kembali kepada kaisar sebagai pimpinan tertinggi, dengan harapan ini akan mengurangi gejolak perpecahan yang terjadi di Kyoto. Sayangnya, lagi-lagi.. rasa segan sekaligus takut yang dirasakan para lawan-lawan politik Keiki, merasa penyerahan kekuasaan saja tidaklah cukup; dengan kekayaaan sejumlah 4jt koku dan kekuatan pasukan sebesar 80rb orang, keiki tentulah bisa menggalang kekuatan untuk menguasai kekaisaran.
Zaman ini disebut zaman edo atau juga era Tokugawa, dimulai sejak shogun pertama Tokugawa Ieyasu hingga shogun terakhir Tokugawa Yoshinobu sekaligus mengakhiri kekuasan Keshogunan Tokugawa yang berlangsung selama 264 tahun.
January 20, 2023
Hitotsubashi Keiki, more commonly known as Tokugawa Yoshinobu, was the last shogun of the Tokugawa Bakufu or Shogunate, which presided over Japan as de facto ruler of it (while technically serving under the powerless emperor) for more than 2 centuries. Hailing from the Mito branch of Tokugawa Clan, who were among the most rabid emperor loyalists, calling for political power to be returned from the bakufu directly to emperor, Keiki was expected by many to do so, earning the ire of the preceding shogun (and his mom, apparently), especially for a man endowed with eloquence, political sharpness, and other qualities which elevated him among his peers.
Yoshinobu’s rise coincided with one of the most tumultuous times in Japan’s history, the Bakumatsu era, in which Japan struggled with the demands from western powers to open up, ending the infamous sakoku or isolation. Japan’s elites were divided into two camps, one advocated for cooperation with the foreigners while the others pushed for driving the foreigners back onto the sea. For many people, dealing with foreigners was a delicate issue, for taking a wrong step could cost you life. Yoshinobu was able to maneuver with cleverness that even his own retainers fail to understand.
Yet, despite his own personal political savviness, he was not a stupid man. He knew that Tokugawa Bakufu was swimming against the tide of time, and he, in principle, prefer to swim with it. While constantly outmaneuvered by men from Satsuma and Choshu, his arch-nemeses, his position was not helped by his trusted retainers being assassinated, depriving him of people who could understand his way of thinking. In the end, he did his utmost to avoid being called a traitor to the Emperor, a label he unfortunately unable to avoid due to his action being misread by people around him (although later pardoned) and able to live a calm and reproductively productive life, siring 20 children.
While I have read numerous biographies, this book stands amongst others due to its novel-like writing. We were presented with Yoshinobu as a character in the story of his life, along with the dialogues and monologues delivered by him, a master orator. The sore point of mine is only that I felt that the turbulence between the imperial court and bakufu was not depicted in more details, with many important figures and events merely mentioned passing by. However I understand that Yoshinobu only served as shogun for two years, yet so many important event flashed through. In my opinion, this book is still the most authoritative biography of the last shogun of the Tokugawa Bakufu.
Yoshinobu’s rise coincided with one of the most tumultuous times in Japan’s history, the Bakumatsu era, in which Japan struggled with the demands from western powers to open up, ending the infamous sakoku or isolation. Japan’s elites were divided into two camps, one advocated for cooperation with the foreigners while the others pushed for driving the foreigners back onto the sea. For many people, dealing with foreigners was a delicate issue, for taking a wrong step could cost you life. Yoshinobu was able to maneuver with cleverness that even his own retainers fail to understand.
Yet, despite his own personal political savviness, he was not a stupid man. He knew that Tokugawa Bakufu was swimming against the tide of time, and he, in principle, prefer to swim with it. While constantly outmaneuvered by men from Satsuma and Choshu, his arch-nemeses, his position was not helped by his trusted retainers being assassinated, depriving him of people who could understand his way of thinking. In the end, he did his utmost to avoid being called a traitor to the Emperor, a label he unfortunately unable to avoid due to his action being misread by people around him (although later pardoned) and able to live a calm and reproductively productive life, siring 20 children.
While I have read numerous biographies, this book stands amongst others due to its novel-like writing. We were presented with Yoshinobu as a character in the story of his life, along with the dialogues and monologues delivered by him, a master orator. The sore point of mine is only that I felt that the turbulence between the imperial court and bakufu was not depicted in more details, with many important figures and events merely mentioned passing by. However I understand that Yoshinobu only served as shogun for two years, yet so many important event flashed through. In my opinion, this book is still the most authoritative biography of the last shogun of the Tokugawa Bakufu.
April 5, 2020
Ryotaro Shiba has penned one of the best works of historical fiction I have read.It really brings to life the historical figure of Tokugawa Yoshinobu,the 15th and last Shogun of Japan.It traces his life from early boyhood till his last days spent as an old man living a reclusive and retired life in Tokyo.A man who was earmarked at a very young age by the nobility as the chosen one (The Shogun),destined to lead Japan to a glorious future.Yet no Shogun had to face the kind of stern challenges that Yoshinobu did.Every action of his was fraught with danger as it would antagonize some group or the other.It was a crucial period in Japanese history.Western powers were forcing Japan to open up its ports (post the 'black ships' of Commodore Perry's expedition),while the more traditional xenophobic feudal houses like the daimyos of Choshu and Satsuma were forcing the Emperor (in Kyoto) to resist the 'barbarians' and were held bent on preserving the isolation of Japan.What could the Shogun do in these trying circumstances?
Yoshinobu was a well read man who loved French philosophy,the Enlightenment and he was someone who admired the parliamentary traditions of the west.He really wanted to modernize Japan by opening up the country to western ideas and trade.However he had formidable rivals who virtually forced him to enter into a civil war (The Boshin War).Shiba captures the psychological make up of the Shogun really well,his moments of confidence when his eloquence would leave even his rivals speechless and mightily impressed as well as his self doubts and indecisiveness that often confused his officers and vassal lords.He was a tragic figure of sorts.One of those figures who stood at the cusp of history yet failed to fulfill their promise,very similar to Alexander Kerensky during the Russian revolution and Lafayette during the French revolution.Yet in all fairness it must be said that he knew that the Shogunate would not survive very long.He had the wisdom to relinquish power and disband the 'bafuku' (the Shogunate) rather than fight a long drawn out bloody civil war which would have destroyed the social fabric of Japan.That act of renunciation and the mature farsighted thinking behind that enabled the Meiji restoration,was undoubtedly his finest hour.
Yoshinobu was a well read man who loved French philosophy,the Enlightenment and he was someone who admired the parliamentary traditions of the west.He really wanted to modernize Japan by opening up the country to western ideas and trade.However he had formidable rivals who virtually forced him to enter into a civil war (The Boshin War).Shiba captures the psychological make up of the Shogun really well,his moments of confidence when his eloquence would leave even his rivals speechless and mightily impressed as well as his self doubts and indecisiveness that often confused his officers and vassal lords.He was a tragic figure of sorts.One of those figures who stood at the cusp of history yet failed to fulfill their promise,very similar to Alexander Kerensky during the Russian revolution and Lafayette during the French revolution.Yet in all fairness it must be said that he knew that the Shogunate would not survive very long.He had the wisdom to relinquish power and disband the 'bafuku' (the Shogunate) rather than fight a long drawn out bloody civil war which would have destroyed the social fabric of Japan.That act of renunciation and the mature farsighted thinking behind that enabled the Meiji restoration,was undoubtedly his finest hour.
January 31, 2025
Many of you here in 2025 have probably found this book because you've watched the show, Shogun.
I think you've reached a right book. This one is one of several books that I recommend to people who are new to Japan and willing to learn its history.
The greatness of this book is that this is short. The author, Shiba Ryotaro, has been known for his insanely long, meandering storytelling. Mercifully The Last Shogun, with its conciseness, is perfect for people who want easy access.
Yoshinobu, the protagonist, was the last Tokugawa shogun. He survived the transition from the feudal Edo to modern Meiji. He was the one who gave up power and prevented the potential bloodbath between samurais and the modernized military. The narration is grounded, factual, and almost minimalist. How it describes his final years, however, is evocative and poignant.
I've noticed that this transition is as appealing to non-Japanese people as it is to Japanese. This is probably the best entry into that era written by a Japanese novelist. Things you learn from this book are accurate, in comparison to its Hollywood counterparts.
There is a reason that The Last Samurai hasn't been warmly received by Japanese audiences, you know.
I think you've reached a right book. This one is one of several books that I recommend to people who are new to Japan and willing to learn its history.
The greatness of this book is that this is short. The author, Shiba Ryotaro, has been known for his insanely long, meandering storytelling. Mercifully The Last Shogun, with its conciseness, is perfect for people who want easy access.
Yoshinobu, the protagonist, was the last Tokugawa shogun. He survived the transition from the feudal Edo to modern Meiji. He was the one who gave up power and prevented the potential bloodbath between samurais and the modernized military. The narration is grounded, factual, and almost minimalist. How it describes his final years, however, is evocative and poignant.
I've noticed that this transition is as appealing to non-Japanese people as it is to Japanese. This is probably the best entry into that era written by a Japanese novelist. Things you learn from this book are accurate, in comparison to its Hollywood counterparts.
There is a reason that The Last Samurai hasn't been warmly received by Japanese audiences, you know.
January 8, 2024
Un libro repleto de intrigas políticas, muy emocionante, sobre todo al final. La brevedad del libro y la escritura de Ryōtarō Shiba precisa y fluida son ideales para mantener el interés todo el tiempo. La historia de Yoshinobu es bastante sorprendente, un gran estratega, aunque un tanto errático que, de manera pacífica, logra resolver los muchos conflictos políticos de un Japón que se encontraba en crisis, evitando así una guerra civil. No sé si las cosas resultaron como él hubiera esperado, pero por lo menos logró, a costa de su carrera política, ser una pieza clave de la historia de Japón.
Un libro muy recomendado si te gustan los temas históricos y tienes una cierta familiaridad con la historia de Japón. Creo que puede resultar muy denso, y sobre todo confuso, para alguien que carezca de conocimientos básicos sobre Japón.
Un libro muy recomendado si te gustan los temas históricos y tienes una cierta familiaridad con la historia de Japón. Creo que puede resultar muy denso, y sobre todo confuso, para alguien que carezca de conocimientos básicos sobre Japón.
April 15, 2025
4.50 stars.
This is not your average book about Japan. This took you more through the politics and allowing internationals to have open trade in the country along with harbors. I thought at first it was slow but it took off.
It was very intriguing the amount of deals and back deals that were made between certain daimyos. Many were snuffed out and played for fools while others had puppets to do their bidding. In the end it really makes you look at a scope of how japans politics during this time turn the tide for the country. They did not want western life to overtake the lively hood of Japan. 🇯🇵
I recommend people to read this just for a better understanding of the minds of many high politicians during this time. This also gave me some insight on Tokugawa Yoshinobu in a different light.
This is not your average book about Japan. This took you more through the politics and allowing internationals to have open trade in the country along with harbors. I thought at first it was slow but it took off.
It was very intriguing the amount of deals and back deals that were made between certain daimyos. Many were snuffed out and played for fools while others had puppets to do their bidding. In the end it really makes you look at a scope of how japans politics during this time turn the tide for the country. They did not want western life to overtake the lively hood of Japan. 🇯🇵
I recommend people to read this just for a better understanding of the minds of many high politicians during this time. This also gave me some insight on Tokugawa Yoshinobu in a different light.
June 28, 2017
have a big interest in the Meiji restoration, the period when Japan was forced to open up to the world, so Ryotaro Shiba's novel about this period, The Last Shogun (1967) was of great interest to me. However, the novel was very much historically based and therefore something of a slog since there were so many characters and historical references there were not as familiar to me as I would have liked to have enjoyed the novel to the fullest, but an interesting portrait of Yoshinobu Tokugawa, the last Shogun to serve as Japan's leader.
January 27, 2024
Tidak selamanya cerita kepahlawanan adalah soal kejayaan dan kemenangan dari banyak pertempuran. Begitu pun dengan cerita akan kebesaran hati dari Tokugawa Yoshinobu yang disajikan di buku ini. Kebesaran nama Tokugawa Ieyasu, posisinya sebagai Shogun, dan desakan dari orang-orang sekitarnya tak membuat Yoshinobu menutup mata akan kondisi Keshogunan ataupun Jepang saat itu, dan ia pun mengakhiri sejarah Keshogunan Tokugawa dengan cara yang berbanding terbalik dengan cara berdirinya yaitu Restorasi Meiji 1868.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2022
Very good book with vast historical charge and sources. Very well written to be a historical book with some sense of narrative, however, I personally would have gone with a little bit more narrative and create a historical fiction book as it would perhaps, have attracted more readers and fans. Anyway, it is a must read if you like Japanese history.
July 31, 2019
Though considered historical fiction because of how it was published in Japan, it reads more as an informational or non-fiction text (minus citations). However, the topic and politics were interesting and I feel like I learned a lot.
September 5, 2022
Entertaining. Tons of politics.
The book does a pretty good job of setting up keki to be this humble, smart savior in a world of dumb ambitious men. Being historical fiction, he still has to fail (he is the LAST shogun after all).
And yet the ending was very anticlimactic.
The book does a pretty good job of setting up keki to be this humble, smart savior in a world of dumb ambitious men. Being historical fiction, he still has to fail (he is the LAST shogun after all).
And yet the ending was very anticlimactic.
January 4, 2020
Extremely competent and brilliant man who could not become the national leader his country desperately needed, especially at such a critical and turbulent time in Japan's history.
April 15, 2020
Slightly hard to follow. Over all worth it.
August 1, 2022
Biography of Yoshinobu, told via a style that merges factual history and not so factual tales. Enlightening, but not a book that will satisfy a those seeking a more narrative biography.
December 8, 2023
Impossible to read as a fiction book. The telegraphic style in reproducing a deluge of micro detailed facts is as exhausting as it is boring.
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