»Tani Tateki« was born in 1837 into a samurai family in the province of Tosa (Kochi Prefecture). He first gained recognition in the "Boshin War" and was promoted to Major in 1872. The next year, he served as commander of the Kumamoto Army and was instrumental in fighting the "Shinpuren Rebellion." During the "Civil War of Seinan" (1877), he fought brilliantly for 52 days against an attack by the "Satsuma Army" on Kumamoto Castle.
Because of his bravery and good reputation, he became a member of the House of Lords, where he served until his death in 1911. For the 60th anniversary of the Civil War of Seinan (1937) a statue of Tani was built, but it was remelted during the Second World War. The present statue of "Asakura Fumio" was made for the centennial commemoration of the Meiji Restoration (1969).
- inscription plaque -