Saigo Takamori, Segodon
Everywhere in Kagoshima, you will see the male character with thick eyebrows, round big eyes, crew-cut hair, and a round face. He is often wearing a yukata. This is Sego-don. He is a historical hero for Kagoshima people. He was the leader of the Satsuma Domain’s military force, which put an end to the samurai government in the mid-19th century. But ironically, with the end of the samurai government, all the samurai were reclassified as commoners. The former Satsuma samurai were dissatisfied and initiated a rebellion. Sego-don was involved and became the leader. But the rebellion failed, and he died. Sego-don was the man who led Satsuma to become the top-ranked region but died for it. He is still a great hero here.

His Statue is at the foothill of Mt. Shiroyama.
More about Meiji-Ishin, Click here.

Seinan War (Rebellion)
Satsuma was one of the main forces to remove the samurai government from power, but the new government abolished all the systems and customs of the samurai. There were many former samurai who complained about the new government, including those from Satsuma. They rebelled against the government, and the Satsuma leader, Saigo, was naturally involved in this rebellion. Unfortunately, Satsuma lost, and Saigo committed suicide. Since then, Saigo has been regarded as a Satsuma superhero.
Other Sightseeing Spots in Shiroyama
Shiroyama Observatory
It is at the top of the 104-meter-high Shiroyama Mountain, offering an excellent view of Kagoshima City, Sakurajima, and Kinko Bay.

Saigo Takamori Cave
This is the cave where Saigo Takamori spent his last six days.

The Ruins of Tsurumaru Castle
You can see bullet holes on the stone walls, reminding you of the severe battle here in the Seinan War.
