Saigo Takamori (1828-1877) was one of the most influential samurai in history; and seen by many as the last true samurai. Saigo lived during the late Edo and early Meiji Period; and had been born as Saigo Kokichi; taking the given name Takamori when he became an adult. He also wrote poetry under the name Saigo Nanshu.

Saigo was from the Satsuma Domain (modern Kagoshima Prefecture; and started life as a low-ranking rural samurai. Saigo slowly rose to power and influence; assuming command over Satsuma and its soldiers; and he was a vocal opponent of the negotiated solution that led to the Meiji Restoration; though he still held a key role in the Meiji government. His opposition to modernisation and commerce with the West; as well as his desire to go to war with Korea; eventually led him to retire from government and begin formulating the Satsuma Rebellion.

Saigo began attracting disaffected samurai to his banner; and eventually rose up in revolt to the government trying to disarm them in 1877. Saigo led the rebels; a mixed force of 40;000 samurai; against the much larger Imperial Army; which numbered around 300;000. The Imperial Army was well equipped and militarily modernised; and the Satsuma Rebellion soon dwindled to barely 400 samurai warriors during their final stand at the Battle of Shiroyama. Saigo committed seppuku rather than surrender; and he would later be pardoned posthumously in 1889. With his death ended the reign of the samurai.