Matsuoka Bankichi
Matsuoka Bankichi (1841–1871) was a Japanese naval officer who served in the Tokugawa Navy during the Boshin War. He captained the warship Banryū at the Battle of Hakodate.
Born in Izu, Shizuoka Prefecture, he was the third son of Matsuoka Shohei, a retainer who supported Western-style defense. He learned Western artillery and naval warfare from Dutch sailors in Nagasaki and studied swordsmanship. In 1856 he began naval training and met Enomoto Takeaki. After graduating, he taught at the Gunkan Training Center in Tsukiji and helped Japan with its first coastal survey in 1859.
In 1860 he sailed to the United States aboard the Kanrin Maru as navigator, accompanying John Manjiro and Yukichi Fukuzawa. Returning home, he helped survey the Ogasawara Islands and drew maps for Hahajima.
When the shogunate clashed with the imperial government, Bankichi fled to Ezo (now Hokkaido) with Enomoto Takeaki and became magistrate of Esashi there. In March 1869, during the Battle of Miyako Bay, his ship could not enter the harbor because of a storm and he retreated. In the Battle of Hakodate in May 1869, Banryū fought bravely; his crew sank the imperial ship Chōyō Maru, one of the first modern ships sunk in Japan. He continued fighting until ammunition ran out, then surrendered near Benten Daiba on May 15, 1869.
Bankichi was imprisoned in Tokyo with Enomoto and other shogunate loyalists. He reportedly studied English in prison and died there on July 5, 1871, at about 30 years old. He was buried in the Matsuoka family grave at Yanaka Cemetery in Ueno. In January 1872 he was posthumously exonerated along with Enomoto and other leaders. His life has been depicted in films and TV dramas, including a 1988 series and a 2022 film.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 13:29 (CET).