Background
Ogyu Watar was born in 1839. He was the eldest son of Noritoshi Matsudaira.
Ogyu Watar was born in 1839. He was the eldest son of Noritoshi Matsudaira.
Ogyu Watar succeeded to his 16,000-koku fief. After the Meiji Restoration (1868), he changed his family name to Ogyii and served in the Imperial Government. After serving as a Senate member and President of the Decoration Bureau, he became a member of the Privy Council (1909).
Most of the types of Japanese decorations were designed by him. After he became president of the Decoration Bureau, he avoided connections with high-ranking persons and even eschewed Court and other parties so that he might be impartial in his duties.