Rikugun-gensui (陸軍元帥, Field marshal), formal rank designations: Gensui-rikugun-taishō (元帥陸軍大将, Marshal-(army corps) general) was the highest title in the pre-war Imperial Japanese military.
While gensui would retain their actual ranks of general or admiral, they were entitled to wear an additional enamelled breast badge, depicting paulownia leaves between crossed army colors and a naval ensign under the Imperial Seal of Japan. They were also entitled to wear a special samurai sword (katana) of a modern design on ceremonial occasions.
In the Meiji period, the title was awarded to five generals and three admirals. In the Taishō period it was awarded to six generals and six admirals, and in the Shōwa period it was awarded to six generals and four admirals. The higher title of dai-gensui was comparable to the title of generalissimo and was held only by the Emperor himself.
List of Rikugun-gensui
Note that several were promoted the same year they died; these were posthumous promotions.
^Jenzen-Jones, N.R. (20 October 2022). "The King George V Gensuitō: An Imperial Japanese rarity in the Royal Collection". Arms & Armour. 19 (2): 185–197. doi:10.1080/17416124.2022.2126100. S2CID 253055340. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
January 28, 2023
gensui, imperial, japanese, army, rikugun, gensui, 陸軍元帥, field, marshal, formal, rank, designations, gensui, rikugun, taishō, 元帥陸軍大将, marshal, army, corps, general, highest, title, imperial, japanese, military, rikugun, gensui, 陸軍元帥gensui, badgecountry, japane. Rikugun gensui 陸軍元帥 Field marshal formal rank designations Gensui rikugun taishō 元帥陸軍大将 Marshal army corps general was the highest title in the pre war Imperial Japanese military Rikugun gensui 陸軍元帥Gensui BadgeCountry Japanese EmpireService branch Imperial Japanese ArmyFormation19 July 1872Abolished1945Next higher rankDai gensuiNext lower rankArmy generalEquivalent ranksGensui Navy The title originated from the Chinese title yuanshuai 元帥 The term gensui which was used for both the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy was at first a rank held by Saigō Takamori as the Commander of the Armies 陸軍元帥 Rikugun gensui in 1872 However in May 1873 Saigō was demoted to general with gensui thereafter no longer a rank as such but a largely honorific title awarded for extremely meritorious service to the Emperor thus similar in concept to the French title of Marshal of France Equivalent to a five star rank OF 10 it is similar to Field Marshal in the British Army and General of the Army in the United States Army While gensui would retain their actual ranks of general or admiral they were entitled to wear an additional enamelled breast badge depicting paulownia leaves between crossed army colors and a naval ensign under the Imperial Seal of Japan They were also entitled to wear a special samurai sword katana of a modern design on ceremonial occasions In the Meiji period the title was awarded to five generals and three admirals In the Taishō period it was awarded to six generals and six admirals and in the Shōwa period it was awarded to six generals and four admirals The higher title of dai gensui was comparable to the title of generalissimo and was held only by the Emperor himself List of Rikugun gensui EditNote that several were promoted the same year they died these were posthumous promotions Portrait Name Japanese name Birth Death Promotion date From Saigō Takamori 西郷 隆盛 1828 1877 July 20 1872 May 8 1873 Kagoshima Prince Komatsu Akihito 小松宮彰仁親王 1846 1903 January 20 1898 Imperial Family Prince Yamagata Aritomo 山県 有朋 1838 1922 January 20 1898 Yamaguchi Prince Ōyama Iwao 大山 厳 1842 1916 January 20 1898 Kagoshima Marquis Nozu Michitsura 野津 道貫 1841 1908 January 31 1906 Kagoshima Count Oku Yasukata 奥 保鞏 1847 1930 October 24 1911 Fukuoka Count Hasegawa Yoshimichi 長谷川 好道 1850 1924 January 9 1913 Yamaguchi Prince Fushimi Sadanaru 伏見宮貞愛親王 1858 1923 January 9 1913 Imperial Family Baron Kawamura Kageaki 川村 景明 1850 1926 January 9 1913 Kagoshima Count Terauchi Masatake 寺内 正毅 1852 1919 June 24 1916 Yamaguchi Prince Kan in Kotohito 閑院宮載仁親王 1865 1945 December 12 1919 Imperial Family Baron Uehara Yusaku 上原 勇作 1856 1933 April 27 1921 Miyazaki Prince Kuniyoshi Kuni 久邇宮邦彦王 1873 1929 January 27 1929 posthumous Imperial Family Prince Nashimoto Morimasa 梨本宮守正王 1874 1951 August 8 1932 Imperial Family Baron Nobuyoshi Mutō 武藤 信義 1868 1933 May 3 1933 Saga Count Hisaichi Terauchi 寺内 寿一 1879 1946 June 21 1943 Tokyo Hajime Sugiyama 杉山 元 1880 1945 June 21 1943 Fukuoka Shunroku Hata 畑 俊六 1879 1962 June 2 1944 FukushimaThe title was also bestowed on King George V of the United Kingdom on October 29 1918 1 See also EditGensui Imperial Japanese Navy Imperial Japanese Army 元帥 Pronounced as yuanshuai in Chinese wonsu in Korean 大元帥 A title higher than gensui pronounced as dai gensui in Japanese da yuanshuai in Chinese taewonsu in Korean List of field marshalsReferences Edit Jenzen Jones N R 20 October 2022 The King George V Gensuitō An Imperial Japanese rarity in the Royal Collection Arms amp Armour 19 2 185 197 doi 10 1080 17416124 2022 2126100 S2CID 253055340 Retrieved 21 October 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gensui Imperial Japanese Army amp oldid 1131438548, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
