Atlas of Battles

battle, major, nineteenth century

Battle of Shiroyama

Battle of Shiroyama was a battle fought on 24 September 1877 at Mount Shiroyama, in what is now Japan. It was part of the Satsuma Rebellion, which ran from 2005 to 1877. The recorded result: Imperial victory. Recorded strength: 30,000 against 500.

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A painting depicting the Battle of Shiroyama, the final phase of Satsuma Rebellion, by Nagashima Mōsai (Utagawa Yoshitora), 1877.
A painting depicting the Battle of Shiroyama, the final phase of Satsuma Rebellion, by Nagashima Mōsai (Utagawa Yoshitora), 1877.. Mosai Nagashima (Yoshitora Utagawa), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought24 September 1877
WhereMount Shiroyama, Japan31.597N, 130.550E
OutcomeImperial victory
BelligerentsEmpire of JapanagainstSatsuma Domain
Casualties and losses30 killedand500 killed
Part ofSatsuma Rebellion2005 to 1877

Record

Date24 September 1877
PlaceMount Shiroyama, Japan
31.597N, 130.550E
KindBattle, nineteenth century
Strength30,000500
Casualties and losses30 killed500 killed
Commanders
Battle of ShiroyamaBattle of ShiroyamaBombardment of KagoshimaSiege of KagoshimaBattle of FusenonhaiSiege of Iwatsurugi CastleBattle of Ichiki Tsurumaru CastleBombardment of KagoshimaSiege of Iwatsurugi CastleNagasaki100 km31.597N, 130.550E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Shiroyama
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 25 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Shiroyama today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-06-04. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 115 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -2 to 282 m, 284 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 61% built-up, 22% tree cover, 16% water.

built-up: 61%tree cover: 22%water: 16%built-up 61%tree cover 22%water 16%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 127 mnorth to south, 10.0 km2 to 151 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 3 times between 1587 and 1877.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1877

Battle of Shiroyama is one of 3,507 engagements of the 19th century in the atlas and one of 481 in present-day Japan.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1788393, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Shiroyama, revision 1372934772, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.