Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Tōgō Heihachirō

Portrait photo of Tōgō Heihachirō. Photo By Born1945 – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Tōgō Heihachirō

Tōgō Heihachirō was born as Tōgō Nakagoro in the Kajiya-cho district of the city of Kagoshima in 1848. He was Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy for half a century and was one of the greatest naval heroes of Japan.

Heihachirō was the third son of Togo Kichizaemon from the descendants of the ancient family of the Taira. His father was district governor and master of the wardrobe of the Shimazu clan.

His mother, Masuko, was a housekeeper and played a crucial role in Togo’s upbringing. She involved her children in military exercises allowing them close to no idle time. Togo spent his afternoon studying, fencing, and wrestling joining the Satsuma Navy as a cadet at 17 years.

His first time in battle was the Bombardment of Kagoshima (1863) when the British blindsided the Japanese territory after the murder of the Englishman Charles Lennox Richardson by the Satsuma retainers.

1. His Descendants Were Given The Surname Togo on Their Asylum In The Territory of Prince of Satsuma

Taira no Shigemori, the last daughter of the Taira Family, sought refuge after being pursued by her arch enemy, the Minamoto Family. She found asylum in the territory of the Prince of Satsuma. Shigemori’s children began serving in the Satsuma Daimyo. Here, they were given the surname Togo.

Legend has it that the Togo family avoided riding white horses as it was assumed to be related to the circumstances of Shigemori’s escape from Minamoto. Before the Kagoshima homestead was destroyed by an inferno, a shrine sacred to the memory of Togo’s first ancestress had been built in the garden.

2. His Place of Birth Was Home to Influential Figures of The Meiji Period

Portrait of Saigo Takamori. Photo By Ishikawa Shizumasa (1848-1925) – Wikimedia Commons

Togo was born in Kagoshima’s samurai housing district, Kajiya-Cho. Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, two of the three great nobles who led the Meiji Restoration, were both born in Kajiya-Cho.

Saigo, the leader of the Satsuma Rebellion, died in battle while Okubo was assassinated due to his involvement with the Satsuma Domain opponents. The two were samurai of the Satcho Alliance and are viewed as the founders of the modern state of Japan.

3. Togo Changed His Name From Nakagoro To Heihachirō After He Became A Warrior

According to the Japanese tradition of Genpuku, the transition from childhood to adulthood was marked by changing previous childhood names to new adult names, adopting adult hairstyles and attire, and taking up adult responsibilities.

At the age of 13, Togo changed his name from Nakagoro to Heihachirō after he completed his education and became a samurai warrior. The name Heihachirō means peaceful son. He shares the name with Oshio Heihachirō, a famous Japanese philosopher and rebellion leader of the 19^th century.

4. Togo Was Sent By His Clan To Britain To Study English For An Year

Togo Heihachiro during his studies in Europe. Photo Source Wikimedia Commons

After the end of the Battle of Hakodate (1869), Togo was sent to study English by the Satsuma clan. He arrived in Yokohama, Japan where he lived with a government official who assisted him in his advancement in the language.

Togo also received assistance from a news correspondent and within a year, he had made significant progress. He was able to secure a spot in the Imperial Japanese Navy Training School where he graduated and was formally appointed cadet.

5. He Escaped Death During The Satsuma Rebellion

1877 Troops For Satsuma (Embarkment). Photo source Wikimedia Commons

The battle of the Satsuma Rebellion took place in Kagoshima, Japan in September 1877. The rebellion set out to defend the samurai traditions and values from being repressed by the Japanese Army. At the time of the rebellion, Heihachiro and eleven Japanese cadets had been selected to further their naval studies in Britain where he stayed for 7 years.

The 30,000 Japanese soldiers outnumbered the 500 Saigo Takamori samurais, clinching the war’s victory and sealing any forthcoming internal revolts. Togo’s 3 brothers were not spared as they all died during the combat.

6. Togo Commanded His Troop Into Warfare Before Authorization Of His Government

Russian battleship exploding under bombardment from Japanese battleships at the Battle of Port Arthur (Lüshun) in the Russo-Japanese War. Photo By Kasai Torajirō – Wikimedia Commons

Togo was responsible for ordering the first Japanese fire in the 1904 Russo-Japanese War at Port Author. Port Author was the Russian naval base in China. The war began after the Russians rejected the Japanese Plan to separate Manchuria and Korea into different spheres of influence.

The attack was launched unexpectedly and Togo unleashed fire against the Russians without any formal declaration of hostilities. The consequent loss of battles against Shenyang China and the Japanese Army (in Tsushima Island) by the Russian Baltic Fleet led to President Roosevelt’s mediation of a peace treaty in 1905.

7. He Was Bullied While Pursuing His Naval Studies In London

On arrival in London in 1871, Togo was amazed at the strange unusual things present in the town. The buildings were massive, butcher displays were unique and the furnishings had a different edge to them. Togo was in culture shock and took several weeks to become accustomed to living.

Togo was admitted to training with Thames Nautical Training College after he was declined at The Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. Here, they nicknamed him Johnny Chinaman because of his Asian appearance and his lack of knowledge of Eastern culture. This displeased Togo, and he would often threaten to beat up his bullies.

8. Heihachirō Sailed For 70 Days Without A Port Call

British School; Sailing Ship. Photo Source Wikimedia Commons

In February 1875, Togo went on a voyage as an ordinary seaman on the British training ship, Hampshire. He traveled for 70 days with no intermediate stop during the journey.

His first stop was Melbourne, the capital of the Australian State of Victoria where he took note of different animal species. He returned to England in September 1875 having traveled 30,000 miles on sea.  

9. He Almost Lost His Eyesight Due To An Unknown Illness

In 1875, Togo became critically ill. His disease almost took his eyesight but luckily, he was able to receive professional treatment. Togo underwent painful procedures and the ophthalmologists from Harley Street, London tackled the challenging ailment successfully.

On recovery, he returned to Portsmouth and proceeded to train becoming an inspector of the construction of warships ordered by the Imperial Japanese Navy.  

10. Heihachiro’s Form of Leadership As Martial-Admiral Was Compared To His Successful Father

Togo and his father were referred to as admirable figures due to their impressive ways of serving the community. Togo served as the admiral of the Japanese army and was often characterized by his diligence and unobtrusive nature. He served as Chief of the Naval General Staff, was a member of the Supreme Council, and was in charge of educating Crown Prince Hirohito.

Kichizaemon, Togo’s father, served as District Magistrate and was known for his integrity and equitableness. His effective and outstanding leadership skills led him to occupy the 3-year term seat for more than a decade after the townsmen requested his extension of service for 13 consecutive years.

Togo succumbed to throat cancer in May 1934. He remains a relevant heroic figure in Japan having buildings, statues, and streets dedicated in his honor.