Saigō Tsugumichi
| Marshal-Admiral The Marquis Saigō Jūdō | |
|---|---|
Japanese General and Admiral Marquis Saigō Jūdō
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| Born | June 1, 1843 Kagoshima, Satsuma, Japan |
| Died | July 18, 1902 (aged 59) Tokyo, Japan |
| Allegiance |
 Empire of Japan
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| Service/branch | |
| Years of service | 1869–1902 |
| Rank | General and Marshal Admiral |
| Battles/wars | |
Marshal-Admiral The Marquis Saigō Jūdō (西郷 従道?, also read Saigō Tsugumichi) (1 June 1843 – 18 July 1902) was a Japanese politician and admiral in the Meiji period.
Saigō was born in Shimokajiyachō, Kagoshima, the son of the samurai Saigō Kichibe of the Satsuma Domain. His siblings included his famous older brother Saigō Takamori. Saigō changed his name many times throughout his life. Besides the two listed above, he sometimes went by the nickname "Shingō". His real name was "Ryūkō", or "Ryūdō". It is possible that he went by the name "Ryūsuke".
Following the Meiji Restoration, Saigō went to a government office to register his name. He intended to register orally under his given name (Ryūkō or Ryūdō). However, the civil servant misheard his name and he therefore became Jūdō (従道) under the law. He did not particularly mind, so he never bothered to change it back. The name "Tsugumichi" arose as an alternate pronunciation for the characters of his name.
At the recommendation of Arimura Shunsai, he became a tea-serving Buddhist monk for the daimyo of Satsuma, Shimazu Nariakira. After he returned to secular life, he became one of a group of devoted followers of Arimura. As a Satsuma samurai, he participated in the Anglo-Satsuma War. He later joined the movement to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate.
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