In May 1904 Burzagli arrived in Tokyo as a military attaché and official foreign observer with the Imperial Japanese Navy. He witnessed the naval bombardment of Port Arthur. He may have observed other engagements, although that wider possibility remains uncertain. Emperor Meiji awarded him the Order of the Rising Sun before he returned to Italy. The posting gave an Italian officer direct exposure to a major modern naval war early in his career.
Chapter · 3:25-3:59
Burzagli as an observer at Port Arthur
Burzagli's posting to Tokyo placed him with the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Russo-Japanese War, where he witnessed the naval bombardment of Port Arthur.