Iinuma Sadakichi

Iinuma Sadakichi (飯沼 貞吉, April 22, 1854 - February 12, 1931) was a Japanese samurai of the Aizu domain, and lived well into the 20th century. He was the sole survivor of the famous group of young Byakkotai soldiers who committed suicide and seppuku on Iimori Hill during the Battle of Aizu.[1] Iimori Hill overlooked the Aizuwakamatsu Castle and they thought the flames meant their lord and families were deceased.[1][2] Thus they committed seppuku to demonstrate defiance and samurai valor.[2][1] After the war he relocated to Sendai and served in the government and Imperial Japanese Army. It is through him that the events of the Byakkotai suicide at Iimori are known.

In this Japanese name, the surname is Iinuma.
Iinuma Sadakichi
Born22 April 1854
Aizu, Mutsu Province, Japan
Died12 February 1931(1931-02-12) (aged 76)
Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan
OccupationAizu retainer; Imperial Japanese Army officer

After his death, his ashes were spread on Mount Iimori together on the buried graves of his Byakkotai comrades.

References
  1. Yamakawa, Aizu Boshin Senshi, p. 522.
  2. "Byakkotai - Samurai Unit [Samurai History]". YouTube. Seido Co., Ltd. April 22, 2020.
  • Yamakawa Kenjiro. Hoshu Aizu Byakkotai jukyushi-den.
  • Nakamura Akihiko. Byakkotai.
  • Noguchi Shin'ichi (2005). Aizu-han. Tokyo: Gendai shokan.


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