The Mito Rebellion Part 1: The Tengu Party

Let's trace the origins of some of the events that lead to the end of Tokugawa rule. One of them being the Mito Rebellion or Tengu-tō Rebellion (天狗党の乱). 

In 1829, the Lord of Mito had no official successor. Some members of the clan were pushing to appoint the current Shōgun's 21st son (Nariyo) in the hope of getting financial support from the Shogunate as Mito was facing financial ruin. However, it was Tokugawa Nariaki who became the 9th Lord of Mito with the support of minor members of the domain. Soon raised to important posts in the domain's administration, the Nariaki faction became known as the Tengu party by its opponents. In Japanese mythology, tengu are entities who look like anthropomorphic birds of prey with long beaks or noses. The Tengu party however where not mythical creatures but men who 'despise the general public, are not humble and narrow-minded in their criticism of others, and hold their noses up high and proud.' To which Nariaki responded that if in Edo a haughty person is called a 'tengu', in Mito it was 'a volunteer with a righteous spirit and loyalty to the state' - (but who is the state I wonder).

 

 

 

 

The Tengu party was actively engaged in internal struggles and dispersions, and there were significant differences in its organisation at different times. The Tengu party split into multiple factions. Today, the term Tengu Party is used exclusively for the group that finally went westwards towards Kyoto in 1863. 

Following the arrival of the American Black Ships in 1853, the Shogunate ordered Nariaki to take charge of naval defence which encouraged him to promote changes centred on military reforms. Some members of the clan formed the basis of the early 'Sonno Joi' (revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians) faction, causing Nariaki to be put under house arrest until his death in 1860.

Here are the foundations of what will eventually lead to the Mito Rebellion, but more on this in the next post!   

P.S. Unrelated, but there's a series of books called The Tale of Shikanoko by Lian Hearn that's really good for people interested in myth and epic tales inspired by Japan - and it's got a Tengu!)