Career
Born in Satsuma Domain to a samurai-class family, Kawakami fought on the Imperial side for the Meiji Restoration against the forces for the Tokugawa Shogunate starting with the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. He distinguished himself by his defense of the besieged Kumamoto Castle in the Boshin War. Afterwards, he came to Tokyo to assist with the founding of the new Imperial Japanese Army.
He rose rapidly through the ranks, and helped quell the Satsuma Rebellion.
In 1884, he accompanied Ōyama Iwao to study military science in various countries of Europe, especially Prussia. After returning home, he became a major general and vice-chief of the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff.
In 1887, he returned to Europe again to study military science further in Germany. In 1890, he became a lieutenant general.
During the First Sino-Japanese War, Kawakami served as senior military staff officer on the Imperial General Headquarters, and was known as a brilliant strategist.
After the successful conclusion of that war, he was awarded with the Order of the Rising Sun (1st class), and elevated to the nobility with the title of shishaku (viscount) under the kazoku peerage system. His grave is at Aoyama Cemetery in Tokyo.
