Ryoma Sakamoto is one of the most famous and influential figures in Japanese history. He changed Japan, and led it into democratisation and economic development.
He was born in 1836 in Kochi, located on the southern coast of Shikoku Island – southwest of Japan’s main island.
Ryoma performed poorly at school, but was a brilliant swordsman, and became a great Samurai.
In 1853 the United States fleet arrived in Japan and forced it out of its centuries-old national isolation policy. Japan then entered a period of upheaval. During that time Ryoma met various people and became a wise and influential figure. The Meiji Restoration then finally rose up and Japan was born again. Ryoma Sakamoto played a significant role in the Meiji restoration, he truly had a large hand in getting Japan to where it is today.
His home town Kochi has retained the rich natural beauty Ryoma once enjoyed. You can too by canoeing, rafting, surfing or whale watching. You can also eat some delicious local food, such as Yuzu (citrus fruit), fresh seafood, etc. Kochi was recently voted as the prefecture with the best food in a popular Japanese travel magazine.
For more information on Kochi, please click on the link: http://linked.jp/xXiP