rebellion
Shortly after he left his post, several other samurais abandoned their posts to follow him and Takamori built a private academy in Kagoshima for the samurai. These samurais began to hold powerful positions in the Kagoshima local government and fearing an insurgence by the samurais, the government sent warships to confiscate weapons from the Kagoshima Arsenal. However, when they came to do so, it caused open conflict between the two sides and began the war. Takamori having no other job than to watch the academy, reluctantly agreed to lead the rebels against the imperial forces.
War
Takamori with his 40,000 rebels fought the 300,000 army of the Imperial Forces. Unfortunately, the Imperial Forces were modern in every way, they used howitzers and observation balloons. The rebels had no chance against the Imperial Forces and ironically, although they were fighting to preserve the way of the samurai, they too used modern weapons to engage. At the final battle, the rebels were down to only 400 men. At the last battle, Saigo was badly injured during it. What happened next ended in the death of Saigo Takamori. Historians have no idea in how he actually died from but most conclude that Saigo Takamori like all his ancestors before, chose to commit seppuku, the honorable way to die.