Holy virtue

Saturday, 3 November 2012

his majesty

"The Tokugawa Shogun is not the true King of Japan who rules Japan."

The first person to make this point was Ernest Satow、a staff member at the British Embassy in Japan.

He may be unknown in England (and may not be that well known in Japan).

However、his presence is extremely important to Japanese history.

From the beginning of establishing diplomatic relations with Japan、Britain translated "Tokugawa Shogun (Tai-Kun 大君)" as "His Majesty" in diplomatic documents.

However、in Japan、above the Tokugawa shoguns、there was an existence called ”Mikado 帝・御門・神門”.

"In this case、this means that Her Majesty the Queen is on the same level as the Mikado's subjects.

This is a serious matter in a relationship between countries that should be equal."

He noticed it first.

※"Tai-Kun" is how to read by the Chinese characters of Chinese style in Japan、when read in Japanese style (at least currently)、it becomes O(o)kimi.

"Ōkimi・O(h)okimi 大君・大王" is also a word that represents the emperor of Japan by ancient style.

If you are interested、please check it yoursel(lol).

I think that there are many excellent Japanese culture studies written in English and others.

Currently I can only think of Donald Keene・キーン ドナルド・鬼怒鳴門 san (After the Tohoku earthquake、he acquired Japanese nationality.)、Edward George Seidensticker san and Edwin Oldfather Reischauer san.

However、I have only read texts written by them in Japanese.

Because I can't read English now(lol).※

"The Tokugawa may have the largest territory in Japan、but it is just one of Japan's many feudal lords.

Therefore、even if Britain concluded a treaty with the Tokugawa shogun、it might not have the legal force to force other Japanese feudal lords to follow it.

It is with Japan that the Britain has established diplomatic relations、so naturally the treaty it concludes must be with Japan.

There is no way that Britain could conclude a treaty between nations with one of the many feudal lords of Japan.

It is true that we negotiated with the Tokugawa shogunate when diplomatic relations were established (during this time、the Tokugawa was secretly seeking instructions from the Mikado in Kyoto).

In this case、to avoid diplomatic confusion、the Tokugawa shogun should clearly declare his position publiclyas soon as possible、saying、'The Tokugawa shogunate is nothing more than a branch office of the Mikado in Kyoto' and 'The Tokugawa shogun is just one of the Mikado's vassals'.''

(In the same text、Ernest mentioned that "Wouldn't it be better for Japan in the future to move to a government system like a federation of lords (council of lords) with the Mikado as its head of state？''.)

He anonymously wrote such an article for the Japan Times.

This article was quickly translated into Japanese and quickly spread throughout Japan.

Afterwards、this text became one of the important guiding principles in Japan.

By the way、the Japanese knew that he wrote this article.

That's why everyone wanted to meet him.

As a result、he met many important people of the time (he was a linguistic genius and apparently learned Japanese fairly quickly).

They remain today as important testimonies.

For example.

"Katsura had the courage and determination of the maximum for Military and Political.

However his demeanor was only gentle."

Of course I read many more testimonies (I think it was in Osaragi Jiro san's book)、but this was probably the limit of my patience and ability against English at the time(lol). 2023121715:38(japan time).

I'm currently rewriting it based on my memory、so naturally the current English text is full of my own made-up stories(lol). 2023121715:42(japan time).

I thought about adding this sentence to the main text early last wee、but(lol) "I am currently rewriting the text so that it is consistent、relying only on my memory、so of course the current English sentence is full of my made-up stories (lol) ". 2023122412:50(japan time).

Sunday, 4 November 2012

will

During a fierce battle between the Tokugawa shogunate and the Choshu clan、a serious situation occurs in Osaka、the headquarters of the Tokugawa shogunate army.

Tokugawa shogun、the supreme commander of the shogunate army、died of illness at the age of 21.

Since he was originally in poor health、he had an assistant from among the Tokugawa clan.

This assistant was "Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu,'' who became the next Tokugawa Shogun "Tokugawa Yoshinobu".'

And this Yoshinobu became the last Tokugawa shogun.

(Of course、he had no way of knowing that at this point.)

By the way、he was not originally in a position to become the Tokugawa Shogun.

He became a Tokugawa shogun through an unusual career path.

※If you are interested(lol).

※Having said that、he had a history of competing for the position of shogun with the Tokugawa shogun who died of this disease. 2023121716:44(japan time).

"If someone without the appropriate ability becomes the top person、it will be difficult for the Tokugawa shogunate to survive."

Such a recognition already existed at the heart of the Tokugawa shogunate.

※The name of this Tokugawa shogun who died at a young age was "Tokugawa Iemochi".

In later years、Katsu paid him the utmost praise.※

"I will go to the front lines of the fight against Choshu.

And I'll head straight to Choshu's headquarters with everyone."

After becoming Tokugawa Shogun、Yoshinobu declared so and fixed the date of his departure to the front line.

However、unexpected news reached him.

The day before his departure to the front、news of the fall of Kokura Castle reached him.

Afterwards、detailed information about the war situation gradually became known at the headquarters in Osaka、but the Tokugawa shogunate regional army commander virtually fled alone、and as a result、the Tokugawa shogunate army in Kyushu was definitively divided.

In short、it had actually become impossible to continue the war in Kyushu (organizing front lines and reorganizing corps was inevitable on other fronts as well).

Yoshinobu stumbled at his starting point.

・・・・・・・・・

At that time、a similarly serious situation occurred in Shimonoseki、Choshu.

Takasugi fell ill (I think it was tuberculosis) and his condition rapidly worsened.

"We have brought the reality of the world to this state.

All that remains is for you guys to work hard and complete our ideals."

Takasugi said these words to his subordinates who came to visit him、and those were his last words.

"There is nothing fun in this world.

That's why I want to have fun in this world."

Takasugi dead.

He was 29 years old.