Chisaka Takamasa


Chisaka Takamasa was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period who went on to become a soldier, government official, and businessman in the Meiji era. He served as a karō in the Yonezawa Domain's administration.

Biography

Takamasa was born in 1841 to a prominent samurai family in the Yonezawa Domain. His father was Takaaki Chisaka, who was the chief retainer of the Yonezawa clan. He entered official service in 1863 and five years later he was given command of the han military force. He was promoted as a dai-sanji in 1870 and later accompanied the clan lord Shigenori Uesugi on his European tour. When he returned to Japan, he served in the government's Home Ministry.
After his retirement from government service, Takamasa joined the private sector, holding executive positions at companies such as the Ryou Ginko, Ujigawa Hydroelectric Power Station, and Yokohama Soko.
Takamasa's career articulated the transition of the lives of the samurai from service to their lords to civil or government service in modern Japan. This development was underpinned by the relationships between the samurai and their previous lords. In the case of Takamasa, his former liege promoted his employment - as was done for other former samurai of the Kanazawa - by getting his appointment as Nomi County Chief approved. He was later appointed as the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture.