I think that Mark Twain san's "mysterious boy" and "what is human" were texts of my English classes in my college days.

"Do swords in the treasure house get regular maintenance in Japan？"

"No、I don't think so - of course、if I think about it over a long period of time、I'm not sure - but perhaps they intended to give it to a vassal who had performed well as a reward for 'regaining lost territory'."

"However、there are many anonymous swords on this list. The sword that will be given as a reward to a vassal who has achieved great achievements will be a sword made by a famous swordsmith、right？"

"Even though it is unsigned、it is probably a venerable sword. For example、a sword owned by a certain historical figure would be suitable as a reward. This is common."

Regarding the fire that occurred after the main Tokugawa army left Osaka Castle、the new government army investigated after entering Osaka Castle and found that 64 swords、which were normally kept in the treasure room and were scheduled to be sharpened soon、were missing. 

The fire only destroyed two stables and was far away from the treasure house、but I've come to the conclusion that the people who stole the sword from the fallen castle were probably the ones who set it on fire -they don't know if it was intentional or an accident- in an attempt to steal the packhorse as well.

"It is possible that the lost sword was being loaded onto a cart in the stables at the time to be taken outside the castle to be sharpened."

"But such a valuable sword would rarely be taken outside the castle、right？

The fortress is as large as this、so there would likely be private facilities for that purpose.

I'm sure it would be possible to sharpen the sword inside the castle、though."

"That's true. Well、it's not that important to us、and the truth of the matter is 'yabu-no-naka'(lol)."

Seventy-seven burnt bodies、believed to be men and women of all ages、were found in the burnt ruins、but there was no need to tell Ernest about that.

"An imperial edict has been issued to sword dealers and antique dealers in the Osaka area warning them of the possibility of stolen goods being brought in、but it seems unlikely that the lost sword will ever be found. They probably took it for their own use."

"Will they still fight the government army in Edo？"

"Yes、I think so.

We've come this far because we haven't stopped、so there's no reason for them to stop here.

It will go as far as it goes."

・・・・・・・・・

"So where will our talks take place？

Here？"

"No、I don't have the authority to decide that、so I can't say for sure、but considering the current situation、we will probably ask the Kobe Settlement to provide a venue for the event."

'Now is the time to give tenchū to the unscrupulous merchants who have colluded with foreigners to make us suffer.'

'Now is the time to avenge Ōshio Daimyōjin's regrets.'

From the time when the Tokugawa shogunate's withdrawal from Osaka became a reality、whispers of this spread rapidly in Osaka、and even before the withdrawal was complete、riots targeting rice stores had already broken out.

'We will deal with this situation responsibly.

Please continue to head to Edo without changing your plans.'

After Makino of Ōzaka-jō-dai made this declaration、he immediately deployed 800 of his own clan soldiers to strategic points in the city、asked for the cooperation of each neighborhood association、and tried to calm the situation.

And at that time、there was a Western-style building in Osaka that served as a joint office for diplomats from Western countries、and Makino deployed a separate unit of 100 clan soldiers to guard this building、and escorted the 202 expatriates as they evacuated to British merchant ships anchored in Osaka Bay.

'If you are openly armed、which is your right in this situation、but the general public may perceive it as a threat and inadvertently provoke them、so please trust our guards until you have taken refuge on your ships'.

Makino made this request to them、and even after they had left、he did not remove the security at the Western-style mansion until the situation had calmed down.

・・・・・・・・・

"By the way、Ito-san、I can understand that you will be in charge of English interpretation、but is it true that Inoue-san will be in charge of French interpretation？"

"Yes、I think so."

"Does he speak French？"

"He can talk as much as I can."

"Je ne l'ai jamais vu parler français.

Parle-t-il vraiment français ?"

"Huh？Oh、I see I see. Thank you."

"Ito-san(lol) ! I'll probably be attending that meeting as well. This is because、aside from English(lol)、I am the best at Japanese among all of us.

However、my position is that of an attendant to the British envoy、and it is not possible for me to openly issue tasuke-bune to yours."

"But there are official Japanese interpreters at the settlement、right？"

"Yes、there are professional Japanese interpreters in the settlement who are much better at English、French、etc. than we are.

However (they are officials sent by the Tokugawa Shogunate)."

"That said、the reality is that of all the people likely to be able to attend this conference、we are the ones with the most decent language skills(lol).

This Mutsu-kun is better at reading and writing English than I am、but when it comes to saying it out loud、I'm better(lol).

A long time ago、when Shoin-sensei and Miyabe-sensei traveled to Tohoku、they tried to stay in private homes、but had trouble because they couldn't understand the language.

At that time、they wrote sentences in Edo comical language and recited them by heart、using gestures and...

Maybe this is a bit off the point...but we'll try to do it the same way that Inoue and I did when we first boarded a Western ship to sneak out of the country."

"However、that will not work at this important international conference at such an important time.

You must urgently and quickly find a professional interpreter、regardless of whether he or she is Japanese - although of course you will need to carefully examine the individual's ideology、beliefs and identity…."

"Hello、I'm Maezono！I've come to deliver a message from Saigo-sensei.

May I enter the room？"

※☟Original text as of 7:43am, 1/9/2019(japan time). 2024091207:59(japan time).

Monday, 11 February 2013

fell

"White flag has been raised in castle."
Choshu troop had confirmed it then they entered into Osaka castle.

"Tokugawa has passed control of the castle to Owari.
Please therefore you talk with Owari samurai."
The person responsible for the Tokugawa just told so to the command of Choshu troop.

Osaka Castle fell.
　
・・・・・・・・・　

A few days after from Yoshinobu's Edo return、Shinsengumi was aboard the ship heading for Edo.
Their comrades when they were first departure from Edo to Kyoto、many of them were dead already.
　
”Kanto samurai is the best of samurai.”
This was a favorite phrase of Kondo.
　
Kanto is Tokyo (Edo) area.
I think that I have mentioned it several times、but first samurai government was made by Kanto samurai.
　
"I will die as a Kanto Samurai (Bushi)."　
During this voyage、Kondo told to Hijikata.

Tuesday, 12 February 2013

notification

Diplomatic corps in each country had to stay in Osaka at that time.
Because Osaka was the center of politics.
※Foreigners may have been banned from entering Kyoto without a special permission at that time.　

"This time Japanese government will punish the Satsuma.
Therefore may become skirmish.
At that time、please give me a calm response."
Before war、Tokugawa had notified like that to them.

But Tokugawa was succession of defeats.
As a natural consequence、war was coming to Osaka gradually.
　
"Should we evacuate from Osaka?"
Diplomatic corps had started this consultation.
　
”Yoshinobu fled to Edo.”
This surprising information also came there.
Then Tokugawa soldiers also retreated from Osaka.

Thing that was bothering Osaka from before.
The common people's riot.
It occurred of course during this empty period of security (It seems that prices at that time were certainly too expensive).
Legations in each country also received their assault.
　
・・・・・・・・・　

”We will maintained Osaka's security certainly.
Please remain in Osaka.”
There was its notification in a hurry from the Imperial Court.

"Tokugawa was gone from Osaka.
Osaka is anarchy substantially.
But we had negotiated with Tokugawa until now.　
Because they were Japanese government substantially.
If this situation continues it would be so in the future.
The Imperial Court should issue a resolute statement to foreign countries as Japanese government as soon as possible.”
Ernest Satow in the United Kingdom.
He said so to a friend of the new government.　

Wednesday, 13 February 2013

plan

"The Government of Japan has diplomatic rights with other countries of course.
In other words、regime that owns the diplomacy rights.
It is government of Japan.

And now、it is an imperial court of Kyoto.
But can not declaration it from us.
So should be declared it as soon as possible from Japanese to other countries."
Ernest Satow said to Mutsu.

Mutsu was a member of Sakamoto's organization.
(This man later to became Minister of Foreign Affairs.)
However、after the death of Sakamoto、he had been struggling.

※He became a lordless samurai with his intention and acted with Sakamoto and his comrades、but he himself comes from Kishu Samurai.

"Imperial court does dispatch responsible person of diplomacy to Osaka.
And Imperial court also does summons of Yoshinobu to Osaka.
Then Imperial court will conducted consultation with the diplomatic corps.

Abandonment of right to diplomatic of Tokugawa.
Yoshinobu declare it at that place.
The Imperial Court owns the rights of diplomacy as the Government of Japan.
Thereafter Imperial Court declare this."
Mutsu asked Ernest for his opinion on this plan、and Ernest agreed it.

Mutsu was the person close to Tosa.
　
After this、Ernest went to Satsuma clan residence at Osaka.
He also received a question at there about the diplomatic rights.

The possibility of the return of Tokugawa was rapidly disappearing.

※☝Original text as of 7:43am, 1/9/2019(japan time). 2024091208:05(japan time).

"Ah、Ernest-san is also here.

Saigo-sensei is going out now to see Makino-kō off to the Osaka wharf.

If you are able、why not join me in seeing him off to the castle gate？ This is a message from Saigo-sensei."

"Oh？I heard that Makino-kō will return to Edo via Nakasendo."

"No、Ernest-san、his clan soldiers will return to Edo by land、but he will return to Edo on a French warship."

"We haven't heard about that..."

"Well、it was decided in a hurry that he would return to Edo by sea、and there were considerations for his personal protection、so the French minister was probably unable to discuss this with the ministers of other countries.

Even we...of course、I think Kido-san and the other higher-ups knew about it、but it wasn't that long ago that we only found out about this fact; it was only just now."

"This isn't necessarily what I think of、but could this be his consideration for Yoshinobu-kō？"

"No(lol)、he had always wanted to be accompanied by his retainers.

But there was no other way、an imperial command was given to him."

"Imperial command？"

"Yes、this is an imperial order requesting Yoshinobu's personal attendance at the meeting to make an official apology."

"That's... But Mutsu-san、don't they understand that it's impossible for him to attend the meeting、even in terms of time？

(...So that's why they decided it would be better to make the facts of the imperial order public.)"

"However、it is a necessary procedure to move things forward、and it is a role that needs to be carried out by someone."

"Well、Ernest-san、we are going to see Makino-kō off now.

After all、we have all admired his personality and ability.

Why don't you see him off too？

I don't think Saigo-san or Makino-kō would mind something like that."

"That's right...No...I'll refrain from seeing him off this time.

I can't let my personal respect for him cause a stir at this important time(lol)."