However, as recent research shows, in fact Saigo's ear wasn't the ears with big earlobes which earlobe is hanging down, his ears were the hiramimi (normal) ear.
ただし、実際の西郷の耳は耳たぶが垂れたいわゆる福耳ではなく、平耳であったことが近年の研究で明らかにされている。