General Nogi Day

What Is General Nogi Day?

September 13th commemorates the day in 1912 (Meiji 45 / Taisho 1) when Army General Maresuke Nogi took his own life along with his wife, Shizuko, on the night of Emperor Meiji's state funeral.

A Soldier's Final Act at the Close of the Meiji Era

General Nogi Day marks a moment often remembered as symbolic of the end of the Meiji era.

• The event: On the night of September 13, 1912, during Emperor Meiji's state funeral, General Maresuke Nogi and his wife Shizuko died by ritual suicide at their home
• Who was Nogi Maresuke: An army general who commanded the siege of Port Arthur during the Russo-Japanese War and later served as head of the Gakushuin school
• The meaning of "junshi": Following one's lord in death was an old form of loyalty already rare by this time, and the act shocked the nation
• An annual tradition: Nogi Shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo, which enshrines Nogi Maresuke, holds an annual festival on September 13th to this day

A Moment That Divided Public Opinion

At the time, some praised Nogi's act as a model of loyalty, while others criticized it as an anachronism. Writers such as Ogai Mori and Soseki Natsume both referenced the event in their works and essays.

Ways to Mark the Day

• Learn about the life and character of Nogi Maresuke
• Explore the transition from the Meiji era to the Taisho era
• Visit Nogi Shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo
• Read literary works by Ogai Mori or Soseki Natsume that touch on this event

One Death That Came to Symbolize the End of an Era

General Nogi Day preserves the memory of an event widely seen as symbolizing the close of the Meiji era. On September 13th, take a moment to reflect on the era in which Nogi Maresuke lived.