At a glanceExisting decipherment · complete
- The drafts
- Three cipher drafts of the Army Ministry of 1879, two of them dated 17 February and 1 March, on the troops of the Kagoshima garrison sent to the Ryūkyū domain at the time of its annexation. Sender and recipient are not named on them.
- Where
- National Institute for Defense Studies, Army Ministry records (陸軍省大日記 陸軍省雑 明治12年), via JACAR: C10072242200, C10072242900 and C10072244400. The first two were catalogue leads 2572 and 2573; the third was not catalogued.
- The cipher
- A kana substitution: the Army’s tables of 1877, nos. 1 to 22, each pairing the iroha with the iroha reversed and shifted two places from the last. The drafts use tables 4, 1 and 6.
- How the text was obtained
- The clerk wrote the plaintext kana beside each cipher sign, so the text is his. Each draft’s table turns that plaintext back into the cipher for 95 of 96, 45 of 47 and 132 of 138 signs. The Ministry’s kanji drafts of two of the messages settled the third draft’s open words.
- What it says
- The Kagoshima detachment’s move “is not a campaign”, so there is no campaign allowance; no huts are to be built for the troops sent to the Ryūkyū; half a battalion is ordered there and the other half told to prepare.
- Credit
- Transcription, tables and translation by Brice Dudout (pull request #536). The table system is described by Satoshi Tomokiyo. The plaintext is the clerk’s, written in 1879.
- Still open
- The name マスミツ in the second draft: the kana are certain, the officer (益満?) is not identified.
01 The three drafts
| Draft | JACAR | Date | Table | Signs that follow it | Words |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C10072242200, frame 0533 (lead 2572) | 17 Feb 1879 | no. 4 (header 四号) | 95 of 96 | 35 of 35 |
| 2 | C10072242900, frame 0545 (lead 2573) | 1879 | no. 1 | 45 of 47 | 19 of 20 |
| 3 | C10072244400, frames 0575–0576 (not catalogued) | 1 Mar 1879 | no. 6 (header 第六号) | 132 of 138 | 44 of 44 |
The JACAR record text of the first two drafts looked like a kana string partly in clear, which is why they were catalogued as leads. The images show the reason: each draft carries the cipher and, sign by sign beside it, the plaintext kana. On the first draft each column has two sub-columns, cipher on the right and plaintext on the left; on the second the plaintext is in large kana with the cipher in small kana to its right; on the third the two alternate line by line. The JACAR transcriber interleaved the two.
No images are shown: JACAR marks the frames “All rights reserved”, and the contributor’s submission includes none. They can be seen on JACAR under the numbers above. The dates come from the JACAR titles of the Ministry’s kanji drafts of drafts 1 and 3, found by the integration check (section 05); the day of draft 2 is not given.
The three drafts use three tables of one issue and belong to one affair and one file, so they are kept together on this page. The Army’s coordinate square of 1874 is a different system, with its own page (meiji1874).
02 The key and its check
At the end of 1876 Yamagata issued revised telegraph tables, in force from 15 January 1877, numbered 第一号 to 第二十二号. Satoshi Tomokiyo describes them on Cryptiana: each pairs the 44 kana of the iroha with the iroha in reverse order, each table shifted two places from the one before; the table number is written in clear at the head of the message, as 四号 and 第六号 are on drafts 1 and 3. He takes the set to have been a cipher disk. The tables are filed in JACAR C09084568800.
The contributor identified the table of each draft and checked it: applied to the clerk’s plaintext, the table gives the transcribed cipher for 95 of 96 signs in draft 1, 45 of 47 in draft 2 and 132 of 138 in draft 3. The misses are look-alike kana in this hand (ヌ and ス, ル and レ, エ and ユ) and a voiced ゴ written for ユ゛, ヨ゛ or ニ゛. The integration check re-ran this with a decoder written for it from the reversed iroha: the same counts, against at most 2.1% for the other 43 shifts and at most 17.0% for 179 random alphabets. The contributor’s own controls (200, the 21 other tables and 179 random alphabets) reached at most 18.8%, 25.5% and 17.4%; his script for them is not in the repository.
A pre-registered test failed. Before any key test the contributor froze one hypothesis: a single key learned on draft 1 would read draft 2. It did not: 2.1% of signs agreed, because the drafts use different tables. The pass bar declared with it is not in the files here. The one-table-per-draft check above was added after that result, before it was run (by the contributor’s record). What makes the tables credible is not that test but the published description of the system, the table headers written on the drafts, and the sign-by-sign agreement.
The cipher was transcribed with the tables already known, so the agreement checks the transcription and the clerk’s work; it is not a blind test. The integration check compared 52 cipher signs on frames 0533 and 0575 with the transcription, and all 52 agree.
03 Draft 1, 17 February 1879
鹿児島屯在隊出張ハ出征ニ非ザル故、出征手当ハ勿論賜ラズ。出発日限未定ナリ。決定次第申シ進ズベシ。携帯ノ外ノ弾薬ハ当地ヨリ送ル方便利ナラン。御考ヘ如何ニ。
“The dispatch of the troops stationed at Kagoshima is not a campaign; therefore campaign allowances are of course not granted. The date of departure is not yet fixed; I will let you know as soon as it is decided. As for ammunition beyond what the men carry, it would probably be more convenient to send it from here. What is your view?” A short passage after トウチヨリ is struck through on the draft in both columns and is not counted. The clerk spells 出征 シツセイ. The last words, ヲカンガヘ, are 御考ヘ: the Ministry’s kanji draft ends 御考如何.
04 Draft 2, 1879
琉球ヘ出張兵隊ノ為、小屋ハ建ツルニ及バズ。是等ノ事ハ{益満}大尉ヘモ申シ遣ハス。
“For the troops dispatched to Ryūkyū there is no need to build huts. These matters are also being communicated to Captain Masumitsu.” The first sign of the name looks like テ in the plaintext column, but the cipher sign beside it is レ, which is マ in table 1 (テ would be ヲ), so the name is マスミツ. The kanji 益満 are the contributor’s choice; the officer was not identified in an Army list, so this one word is counted as open.
05 Draft 3, 1 March 1879
鹿児島屯在兵ノ内半大隊、琉球藩ヘ出張ヲ命ゼラレタル処、残リ半大隊モ何時出張ノ令アルモ計リ難キニ付キ、先般達シタル数箇条ノ内第二・四・五・六・七条ニ基ヅキ、食料ヲ除キ準備ノ目途ヲ以テ、不足品ハ申シ達スベシ。
“Half a battalion of the troops stationed at Kagoshima having been ordered to go to the Ryūkyū domain, and as it cannot be foreseen when an order may come for the remaining half battalion to go as well, [you shall,] in accordance with articles 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the several articles notified earlier, make your preparations, food excepted, and report any items that are lacking.”
The clerk writes ン as ム (ハム for 半, トムサイ for 屯在, セムパム for 先般). The contributor left three words open and one probable in the stretch シヨクリヨヲノヅキジコムビノモクド (41 of 44 words). The integration check found that the neighbouring JACAR record C10072244300 (frame 0573, dated 1 March) holds the Ministry’s kanji draft of the same order, which reads there 食料ヲ除キ準備ノ目途ヲ以テ不足品ハ申出ツヘシ. So the kana are 食料ヲ / ノヅキ, 除キ, with ヅ for ゾ / ジコムビ, 準備 (ジユンビ, with a コ-like sign in the plaintext; the cipher sign beside it looks like ソ, which is ユ in table 6) / ノ / モクド, 目途. The kanji draft and the cipher text differ in a few words (屯在隊 for トムサイヘイ, 申出ツヘシ for モウシタツヘシ), so it confirms the reading but is not the text that was enciphered. In the contributor’s word units all 44 words now give sense.
The context is the Ryūkyū Disposition of March–April 1879, when troops backed the annexation of the Ryūkyū domain as Okinawa prefecture. (This background is the contributor’s and was not checked here.)
06 Still open
- Draft 2: the officer マスミツ. The kana are certain; the kanji 益満 and the man need an 1879 Army officer list, not reached online. This is the one open word of 99.
- Draft 1: the struck-out passage after トウチヨリ, deleted on the draft in both columns and not part of the message; not counted.
- Not checked: the 22 tables of C09084568800 one by one (the three used were checked against the drafts, and the shift rule against the published description); Nagata’s book of 1989 and the National Diet Library were not searched for a printed reading.
Count: probable words count as open, as the README rule for extent asks (95% of the words must give sense). Draft 1 35 of 35, draft 2 19 of 20, draft 3 44 of 44: 98 of 99 words, 99.0%. The contributor’s own figure, made before the kanji drafts were found and counting probable words as read, was 96 of 99 (97.0%). The one open word is a name whose kana are all read from cipher and plaintext; what is missing is the man behind it, which needs an outside source (an 1879 Army list). Every sign is read and the only open piece is externally blocked, so the drafts meet the README read bar and are classed read.
Full texts
The transcription and the decryption of every document on this page, so that the reading can be used and checked. Short files are shown here; all are in the repository.
Army Ministry draft, 1879: Kagoshima dispatch, notes (catalogue 2572)
The Kagoshima garrison's dispatch is not a campaign, so no campaign allowance; departure date not fixed; spare ammunition better sent from here.
Transcription
# kagoshima1879 - transcription from the JACAR images (frames 0533, 0545, 0575-0576), Claude Opus 5.5 for Brice Dudout, 13 Nov 2026. # Each line: cipher (as read; ? = illegible/ambiguous, - = absent) | contemporary plaintext written on the same leaf (as read). # 子 = ネ. Small circles (separators) and a struck-out passage in doc 1 col. 5 are omitted. == doc 1: JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572), header 四号 (table no. 4) ユネ゛ルムスニダヘサヘルエセキヤニルエチヘ | カゴシマトンザイタイシツチヨウハシツセイ ハレケタシカ?ルエチヘソレソニリセホニサム?ケ | ニアラサルユヘシツセイテアテハモチロンタマワラ トルエニエハセラ゛ニヲソヘフモラエソヘルザ | ズシツハツニチゲンミテイナリケツテイシダ ヘムヤルルニドイ゛ルラヘサヘクロユクザニウノ | イマウシシンズベシケイタイノホカノダンヤク ニスヤセキモミ??ユサ??モ | ハトウチヨリヲクルカタベンリ フケ?ミユニゴイヘユハ | ナランヲカンガヘイカニ == doc 2: JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573), table no. 1 キチナリナミホチ?エフナミスケス子 | リユウキウヘシユツチヨウヘイタイノ ケトカソモケ?アヒテフモ゛イ゛カ?ム子 | タメコヤハタツルニヲヨバズコレラノ カメモレイヘ?ケススミ゛ハナホ?コモ | コトハテスミツタイイベモウシツカハ イ | ス == doc 3: JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue), header 第六号 (table no. 6) ヒヴヨヤニエ子ヌホヌフコハチエミ゛ヌミヌロ | カゴシマトムサイヘイノウチハムダイタイリ コツソコチエホヨソキハ?セセレヌ?テメミ | ウキユウ?ムヘシユツチヨヲヲメイゼラレタ ヌニウリプウロチエミ゛ヌミヌワアエニ゛ツヨソ | ルトコロノコリハムダイタイモナムドキシユ キハシコフメヌナスワ?ヒロビミツトキツヲエチ- | ツチヨウノレイアルモハカリガタキニツキセムパム ミキヨミスレヒゴシセフコハミ゛ストヨヴリケ?ハ | タツシタルスカジヨヲノウチダイニシゴロクシチ ゴシセトワニギツヨシケロシセ??ツヨ゛?エガフワ | ジヨヲニモトヅキシヨクリヨヲノヅキジコムビノモ ケゴセワキラノユケカエチワコヨミキホヨ | クドヲモツテフソクヒムハモウシタツヘシ
Decryption
# kagoshima1879 - mechanical decryption of the cipher column of transcription.txt with each draft's table (integration check, 13 Nov 2026). # One line per manuscript line: the cipher deciphered sign by sign; ? = sign illegible in the transcription. Voicing marks (゛) as written on the cipher. # The text of each draft is the clerk's plaintext column (transcription.txt, right of the bar) and reading*.md; this file shows that the cipher follows the table. == doc 1: JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572) - table no. 4 カコ゛シマトハサ゛イタイシツチヨウハシツセイ ニアラサルユ?シツセイテアテハモチロハタマ?ラ スシツハツニチケ゛ハミテイナリケツテイシタ゛ イマウシシハス゛ヘ゛シケイタイノホカノタ゛ハヤク ハトウチヨリヲ??カタ??リ ナラ?ヲカハネ゛ヘイカニ == doc 2: JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573) - table no. 1 リユウキウヘシユ?ワヨウヘイタイノ タメコヤハタ?ルニヲヨハ゛ス゛コ?ラノ コトハマスミ?タイイヘ゛モウシ?カハ ス == doc 3: JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue) - table no. 6 カコ゛シマトムサイヘイノウチハムタ゛イタイリ ウキユウハムヘシユツチ?ヲヲメイ?ラレタ イトコロノ゛コリハムタ゛イタイモナムト゛キシユ ツチヨウノレイアルモ?カリカ゛タキニツキセムハ? タツシタルメカウ゛ヨヲノウチタ゛ルニシコ゛ロク?チ ウ゛ヨヲニモトツ゛キシヨクリヨヲ??キシ゛?ムヒ゛ノモ クウ゛ヲモツテフソクヒムハモウシタツヘシ
Reading
# Doc 1 - JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572), (暗号文) 鹿児島出張の件諸注意, table no. 4
Contemporary plaintext (kana written beside the cipher on the draft), with kanji added here. Legend: sure / {probable} / [restored] / ‹unresolved›.
カゴシマトンザイタイシツチヨウハ シツセイニアラザルユヘ シツセイテアテハモチロンタマワラズ。シツハツニチゲンミテイナリ。ケツテイシダイマウシシンズベシ。ケイタイノホカノダンヤクハ トウチヨリ（抹消）ヲクルカタベンリナラン。ヲカンガヘイカニ。
鹿児島屯在隊出張ハ出征ニ非ザル故、出征手当ハ勿論賜ラズ。出発日限未定ナリ。決定次第申シ進ズベシ。携帯ノ外ノ弾薬ハ当地ヨリ送ル方便利ナラン。御考ヘ如何ニ。
- シツセイ = 出征 (colloquial spelling of シユツセイ), twice.
- ヲカンガヘ = 御考へ (ヲ for オ; marked {probable} by the contributor; the Ministry's kanji draft of the same message, JACAR C10072242100 frame 0531, ends 「御考如何」, which confirms it: integration check, 13 Nov 2026).
- A short passage after トウチヨリ is struck through on the draft, in both cipher and plaintext; not read, not counted.
- Words: 35 counted, 35 sure (34 sure and 1 probable in the contributor's count, before the kanji draft was found) = 35/35.
- Key check: table no. 4 gives the plaintext's cipher for 95 of 96 evaluable signs (the miss is a dakuten form, ゴ for ユ゛).Translation
# Doc 1 - translation (C10072242200, 1879) The dispatch of the troops stationed at Kagoshima is not a campaign; therefore campaign allowances are of course not granted. The date of departure is not yet fixed; I will let you know as soon as it is decided. As for ammunition beyond what the men carry, it would probably be more convenient to send it from here. What is your view?
Army Ministry draft, 1879: no huts to be built for the troops sent to Ryukyu (catalogue 2573)
No need to build huts for the troops sent to Ryukyu; Captain Masumitsu informed as well.
Transcription
# kagoshima1879 - transcription from the JACAR images (frames 0533, 0545, 0575-0576), Claude Opus 5.5 for Brice Dudout, 13 Nov 2026. # Each line: cipher (as read; ? = illegible/ambiguous, - = absent) | contemporary plaintext written on the same leaf (as read). # 子 = ネ. Small circles (separators) and a struck-out passage in doc 1 col. 5 are omitted. == doc 1: JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572), header 四号 (table no. 4) ユネ゛ルムスニダヘサヘルエセキヤニルエチヘ | カゴシマトンザイタイシツチヨウハシツセイ ハレケタシカ?ルエチヘソレソニリセホニサム?ケ | ニアラサルユヘシツセイテアテハモチロンタマワラ トルエニエハセラ゛ニヲソヘフモラエソヘルザ | ズシツハツニチゲンミテイナリケツテイシダ ヘムヤルルニドイ゛ルラヘサヘクロユクザニウノ | イマウシシンズベシケイタイノホカノダンヤク ニスヤセキモミ??ユサ??モ | ハトウチヨリヲクルカタベンリ フケ?ミユニゴイヘユハ | ナランヲカンガヘイカニ == doc 2: JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573), table no. 1 キチナリナミホチ?エフナミスケス子 | リユウキウヘシユツチヨウヘイタイノ ケトカソモケ?アヒテフモ゛イ゛カ?ム子 | タメコヤハタツルニヲヨバズコレラノ カメモレイヘ?ケススミ゛ハナホ?コモ | コトハテスミツタイイベモウシツカハ イ | ス == doc 3: JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue), header 第六号 (table no. 6) ヒヴヨヤニエ子ヌホヌフコハチエミ゛ヌミヌロ | カゴシマトムサイヘイノウチハムダイタイリ コツソコチエホヨソキハ?セセレヌ?テメミ | ウキユウ?ムヘシユツチヨヲヲメイゼラレタ ヌニウリプウロチエミ゛ヌミヌワアエニ゛ツヨソ | ルトコロノコリハムダイタイモナムドキシユ キハシコフメヌナスワ?ヒロビミツトキツヲエチ- | ツチヨウノレイアルモハカリガタキニツキセムパム ミキヨミスレヒゴシセフコハミ゛ストヨヴリケ?ハ | タツシタルスカジヨヲノウチダイニシゴロクシチ ゴシセトワニギツヨシケロシセ??ツヨ゛?エガフワ | ジヨヲニモトヅキシヨクリヨヲノヅキジコムビノモ ケゴセワキラノユケカエチワコヨミキホヨ | クドヲモツテフソクヒムハモウシタツヘシ
Decryption
# kagoshima1879 - mechanical decryption of the cipher column of transcription.txt with each draft's table (integration check, 13 Nov 2026). # One line per manuscript line: the cipher deciphered sign by sign; ? = sign illegible in the transcription. Voicing marks (゛) as written on the cipher. # The text of each draft is the clerk's plaintext column (transcription.txt, right of the bar) and reading*.md; this file shows that the cipher follows the table. == doc 1: JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572) - table no. 4 カコ゛シマトハサ゛イタイシツチヨウハシツセイ ニアラサルユ?シツセイテアテハモチロハタマ?ラ スシツハツニチケ゛ハミテイナリケツテイシタ゛ イマウシシハス゛ヘ゛シケイタイノホカノタ゛ハヤク ハトウチヨリヲ??カタ??リ ナラ?ヲカハネ゛ヘイカニ == doc 2: JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573) - table no. 1 リユウキウヘシユ?ワヨウヘイタイノ タメコヤハタ?ルニヲヨハ゛ス゛コ?ラノ コトハマスミ?タイイヘ゛モウシ?カハ ス == doc 3: JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue) - table no. 6 カコ゛シマトムサイヘイノウチハムタ゛イタイリ ウキユウハムヘシユツチ?ヲヲメイ?ラレタ イトコロノ゛コリハムタ゛イタイモナムト゛キシユ ツチヨウノレイアルモ?カリカ゛タキニツキセムハ? タツシタルメカウ゛ヨヲノウチタ゛ルニシコ゛ロク?チ ウ゛ヨヲニモトツ゛キシヨクリヨヲ??キシ゛?ムヒ゛ノモ クウ゛ヲモツテフソクヒムハモウシタツヘシ
Reading
# Doc 2 - JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573), (暗号文) 琉球出張兵の小屋建設に及ばずの件, table no. 1
Contemporary plaintext (large kana; the cipher is in small kana to the right of each sign), with kanji added here.
リユウキウヘ シユツチヨウヘイタイノタメ コヤハタツルニヲヨバズ。コレラノコトハ {マ}スミツタイイヘモ マウシツカハス。
琉球ヘ出張兵隊ノ為、小屋ハ建ツルニ及バズ。是等ノ事ハ{益満}大尉ヘモ申シ遣ハス。
- {マ}: the plaintext sign looks like テ or a cursive マ; the cipher sign is レ, which table no. 1 deciphers as マ (テ would be enciphered ヲ). Read マスミツ = 益満, a captain's name ({probable}; we take him to be the officer commanding the detachment in Ryukyu, not checked in a roster).
- Words: 20 counted, 19 sure, 1 probable = 20/20 = 100 %.
- Key check: table no. 1 gives the plaintext's cipher for 45 of 47 evaluable signs (one エ/ユ confusion; the テ/マ sign above).Translation
# Doc 2 - translation (C10072242900, 1879) For the troops dispatched to Ryukyu there is no need to build huts. These matters are also being communicated to Captain Masumitsu (益満).
Army Ministry draft, 1879: half battalion of Kagoshima ordered to Ryukyu (not in the catalogue)
Half the Kagoshima garrison ordered to the Ryukyu domain (1 March 1879); the other half, which may be ordered out at any time, is to prepare under articles 2 and 4-7, food excepted, and report missing items.
Transcription
# kagoshima1879 - transcription from the JACAR images (frames 0533, 0545, 0575-0576), Claude Opus 5.5 for Brice Dudout, 13 Nov 2026. # Each line: cipher (as read; ? = illegible/ambiguous, - = absent) | contemporary plaintext written on the same leaf (as read). # 子 = ネ. Small circles (separators) and a struck-out passage in doc 1 col. 5 are omitted. == doc 1: JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572), header 四号 (table no. 4) ユネ゛ルムスニダヘサヘルエセキヤニルエチヘ | カゴシマトンザイタイシツチヨウハシツセイ ハレケタシカ?ルエチヘソレソニリセホニサム?ケ | ニアラサルユヘシツセイテアテハモチロンタマワラ トルエニエハセラ゛ニヲソヘフモラエソヘルザ | ズシツハツニチゲンミテイナリケツテイシダ ヘムヤルルニドイ゛ルラヘサヘクロユクザニウノ | イマウシシンズベシケイタイノホカノダンヤク ニスヤセキモミ??ユサ??モ | ハトウチヨリヲクルカタベンリ フケ?ミユニゴイヘユハ | ナランヲカンガヘイカニ == doc 2: JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573), table no. 1 キチナリナミホチ?エフナミスケス子 | リユウキウヘシユツチヨウヘイタイノ ケトカソモケ?アヒテフモ゛イ゛カ?ム子 | タメコヤハタツルニヲヨバズコレラノ カメモレイヘ?ケススミ゛ハナホ?コモ | コトハテスミツタイイベモウシツカハ イ | ス == doc 3: JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue), header 第六号 (table no. 6) ヒヴヨヤニエ子ヌホヌフコハチエミ゛ヌミヌロ | カゴシマトムサイヘイノウチハムダイタイリ コツソコチエホヨソキハ?セセレヌ?テメミ | ウキユウ?ムヘシユツチヨヲヲメイゼラレタ ヌニウリプウロチエミ゛ヌミヌワアエニ゛ツヨソ | ルトコロノコリハムダイタイモナムドキシユ キハシコフメヌナスワ?ヒロビミツトキツヲエチ- | ツチヨウノレイアルモハカリガタキニツキセムパム ミキヨミスレヒゴシセフコハミ゛ストヨヴリケ?ハ | タツシタルスカジヨヲノウチダイニシゴロクシチ ゴシセトワニギツヨシケロシセ??ツヨ゛?エガフワ | ジヨヲニモトヅキシヨクリヨヲノヅキジコムビノモ ケゴセワキラノユケカエチワコヨミキホヨ | クドヲモツテフソクヒムハモウシタツヘシ
Decryption
# kagoshima1879 - mechanical decryption of the cipher column of transcription.txt with each draft's table (integration check, 13 Nov 2026). # One line per manuscript line: the cipher deciphered sign by sign; ? = sign illegible in the transcription. Voicing marks (゛) as written on the cipher. # The text of each draft is the clerk's plaintext column (transcription.txt, right of the bar) and reading*.md; this file shows that the cipher follows the table. == doc 1: JACAR C10072242200 (catalogue 2572) - table no. 4 カコ゛シマトハサ゛イタイシツチヨウハシツセイ ニアラサルユ?シツセイテアテハモチロハタマ?ラ スシツハツニチケ゛ハミテイナリケツテイシタ゛ イマウシシハス゛ヘ゛シケイタイノホカノタ゛ハヤク ハトウチヨリヲ??カタ??リ ナラ?ヲカハネ゛ヘイカニ == doc 2: JACAR C10072242900 (catalogue 2573) - table no. 1 リユウキウヘシユ?ワヨウヘイタイノ タメコヤハタ?ルニヲヨハ゛ス゛コ?ラノ コトハマスミ?タイイヘ゛モウシ?カハ ス == doc 3: JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue) - table no. 6 カコ゛シマトムサイヘイノウチハムタ゛イタイリ ウキユウハムヘシユツチ?ヲヲメイ?ラレタ イトコロノ゛コリハムタ゛イタイモナムト゛キシユ ツチヨウノレイアルモ?カリカ゛タキニツキセムハ? タツシタルメカウ゛ヨヲノウチタ゛ルニシコ゛ロク?チ ウ゛ヨヲニモトツ゛キシヨクリヨヲ??キシ゛?ムヒ゛ノモ クウ゛ヲモツテフソクヒムハモウシタツヘシ
Reading
# Doc 3 - JACAR C10072244400 (not in the catalogue), 鹿児島屯在隊の内半大隊琉球藩出張命令に付電文及暗号文, table no. 6
Contemporary plaintext (alternate lines), with kanji added here.
カゴシマトムサイヘイノウチハムダイタイ リウキユウハムヘ シユツチヨヲヲ メイゼラレタルトコロ ノコリハムダイタイモ ナムドキ シユツチヨウノ レイアルモ ハカリガタキニツキ セムパム タツシタル スカジヨヲノウチ ダイニシゴロクシチジヨヲニ モトヅキ シヨクリヨヲ ノヅキ ジコムビノ モクド ヲモツテ フソクヒムハ モウシタツヘシ
鹿児島屯在兵ノ内半大隊、琉球藩ヘ出張ヲ命ゼラレタル処、残リ半大隊モ何時出張ノ令アルモ計リ難キニ付キ、先般達シタル数箇条ノ内第二・四・五・六・七条ニ基ヅキ、食料ヲ除キ準備ノ目途ヲ以テ、不足品ハ申シ達スベシ。
- ハム = 半, ハムヘ = 藩ヘ, トムサイ = 屯在, セムパム = 先般 (ン written ム).
- Contributor's version (13 Nov 2026): シヨクリヨヲノ ‹ヅキ› {ジコム} ‹ビノモクド›, 3 words unresolved and 1 probable, 41/44 = 93.2 %.
- Integration check (13 Nov 2026): the Ministry's kanji draft of the same order, JACAR C10072244300 (frame 0573, 曽我, 3月1日), reads 「食料ヲ除キ準備ノ目途ヲ以テ不足品ハ申出ツヘシ」. So the kana are シヨクリヨヲ ノヅキ (除キ, the clerk wrote ヅ for ゾ) ジコムビ (準備 = ジユンビ, the plaintext sign looks like コ; the cipher sign beside it, transcribed ? by the contributor, looks like ソ on the image, which is ユ in table no. 6) ノ モクド (目途). The kanji draft also writes 鹿児島屯在隊 (kana: トムサイヘイ, 屯在兵) and ends 申出ツヘシ (kana: モウシタツヘシ, 申シ達スベシ): the cipher version was reworded from it in places.
- Words (same units as the contributor): 44 counted, 44 sure = 44/44.
- Key check: table no. 6 gives the plaintext's cipher for 132 of 138 evaluable signs (misses: ヌ/ス and ル/レ confusions, ゴ for ヨ゛ and ニ゛).Translation
# Doc 3 - translation (C10072244400, 1879) Half a battalion of the troops stationed at Kagoshima having been ordered to go to the Ryukyu domain, and as it cannot be foreseen when an order may come for the remaining half battalion to go as well, [you shall,] in accordance with articles 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the several articles notified earlier, make your preparations, food excepted, and report any items that are lacking.
Key: key.tsv
07 Sources
- JACAR (Japan Center for Asian Historical Records), National Institute for Defense Studies, 陸軍省大日記 陸軍省雑 明治12年: C10072242200, C10072242900, C10072244400 (the cipher drafts); C10072242100 and C10072244300 (the kanji drafts of drafts 1 and 3).
- JACAR C09084568800 (the 1877 kana tables) and C08052370500 (the rules of December 1876).
- Satoshi Tomokiyo, Cryptiana, 明治・大正期の陸軍暗号, section 多表式換字（1877）.
- Brice Dudout, pull request #536 (13 November 2026).
The transcription, the decryption, the readings, the translations and the tables are in targets/kagoshima1879/.
Cite this page
Daniel Bourdeau and Brice Dudout, “Army Ministry cipher drafts of 1879, the 1877 kana tables”, Cyphersolver, posted 13 November 2026, https://cyphersolver.com/kagoshima1879.html.