I went to Hagi of the capital (at that time) of Choshu、on a junior high school excursion.

Saturday, 6 October 2012

rebel rebel

Well、these two international students were able to return to Japan safely (although the form is illegal entry).

※Immediately after returning to Japan、they stayed at a hotel exclusively for Westerners in Yokohama、but it seems that the Japanese hotel staff told them to their faces (in Japanese of course)、 "They have nice faces、which is rare for Westerners".※

They were also members of the mainstream faction of the Choshu clan at the time.

"We must immediately stop their shelling of Western ships、and at the same time make them aware of the current state of the world."

They may have had a strong sense of mission as comrades to those leading the bombardment of Western ships.

※The core of this group were former students of the private school "Syouka-son-juku" (of course、the academic system is not modern).

It literally translates (in a modern sense) to a village cram school under a pine tree.

The representative of this cram school was a person named "Yoshida Shouin".

When Perry came to Japan、Shōin (actually he and his apprentice) tried and failed to stow away to America and was arrested by the Shogunate.

"Please take us to America."

They actually made it to Perry's warship under cover of darkness、but of course Perry refused as it was illegal.

"For Japanese people、traveling abroad is a serious crime.

If I let these talented people off the ship、they will surely face a grim fate.

But···. "

Perry wrote so in his logbook.

Based on my memory、his apprentice must have died in prison.

Shoin is a samurai、but I think his disciple was a farmer who liked learning.

"We committed the same sin.

Please treat me the same as he is." 

(It seems that his treatment at the time of transfer was also terrible.)

I think that such a petition that Shoin submitted to the Shogunate authorities still exists today.

In the end、Shoin was placed under indefinite house arrest in his hometown of Choshu.

However、the Mori clan's supervision of him was not so strict、and he inherited his uncle's private school and opened his own private school.

However、a few years later、the above-mentioned rare dictator "Ii Naosuke" appeared in the Tokugawa Shogunate.

He captured and executed people one after another who held (in his judgment) dangerous ideas against Tokugawa.

Shoin was also killed.

His farewell verse、"even if my body rots in vain、my spirit of Yamato will forever protect Japan."

It was after this that their thoughts became the core of the Choshu clan.

"Today is Shoin's death anniversary."

I don't know if it happens every month、but the Choshu feudal lord apparently did not eat raw food that day.

By the way、Ii Naosuke was the lord of Hikone (a part of present-day Shiga Prefecture).

After this he was assassinated.※

※By the way, this lord of the Choshu clan would only say "do it like that" no matter which faction proposed a policy.

"Sousei-kou (the literal translation is "marquis of [do it like that]")"、he seems to have been given such a gossiping nickname by his retainers、but at the same time、he seems to have been a charming person who was admired by all his vassals. 2023080315:52(japan time).

※"If I had opposed the war at that time、I would have been killed."

Furthermore、by the way、there must be such a statement of Emperor Showa after World War II. 2023080315:57(japan time).

Well、they may have had a strong sense of mission as comrades.

But what happened in the months after their return？

A unilateral defeat in the battle against the Western Combined Fleet on Choshu mainland.

Choshu's unilateral defeat at the Battle of Kyoto.

Furthermore、the Tokugawa shogunate decided to conquer the Choshu clan.

And above all、their group was decisively ruined within the Choshu clan.

"It makes no sense for us to go back to Japan at this point.

More than that, we have to fulfill our obligations as international students representing the Choshu clan."

In fact、up to this point they were certainly helpless.

※Of course、everyone had their own thoughts.

The newly established government in the Choshu clan began negotiations with the Tokugawa shogunate.

"Severe punishment for anti-Tokugawa faction."

Negotiations were concluded because all Tokugawa conditions were accepted、and all ministers in their group were forced to commit seppuku. (suicide as punishment)

It was the de facto unconditional surrender of the Choshu clan to the Tokugawa shogunate.

After this settlement、the Tokugawa shogunate decided to withdraw the army.

"The current territory was preserved.

This saved the Choshu clan from being destroyed."

The ministers of the new Choshu clan government must have been relieved.

・・・・・・・・・

"Don't say stupid.

Why we must surrender to Tokugawa？　

Rather than that、let's overthrow the current Choshu regime."

At that time、a person who said so appeared.

That is Takasugi Shinsaku、the founder of Kiheitai.

At that time、in Choshu、units of ordinary people、the same as Kiheitai、were established one after another.

※Of course、their were like a potential critic of the current administration.

Takasugi approached them to rise up against the current administration.

※Takasugi was of course a key member of the group, but I think he was imprisoned in a prison within the Choshu clan at the time of the battle in Kyoto.

And I think it was a relatively trivial reason、but the reason for imprisonment is not known at this time.

※Of course、it was the Choshu clan administration at that time that imprisoned him. 2023080317:12 (japan time).