The Essence of Nagaoka Sightseeing Trip ( C)KASUGA...

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The Essence of Nagaoka Sightseeing Trip ( C)KASUGA

ContentsThe Essence of Nagaoka Sightseeing Trip

Downtown district in Nagaoka

Always on the battlefield and One hundred sacks of rice

Nagaoka feudal domain in 1860's

Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Memorial Museum

Prerequisite for comprehension of way of his thinking

Becoming successor of the honourable family

Caligraphy and phrases

Settaya town

Brewering Industry Town, Settaya

Geographical conditions of brewing industry accumulation

Shopping street and "Gangi"

Folk religion in Settaya

Usual method of praying in Jinja

The Ohta-Gawa River

Kawai Tsuginosuke Memorial Museum

Prerequisite for Kawai Tsuginosuke


Reformation operated by the leadership of Kawau

The following is in preparation.

Othrer topics

Activity of Nagaoka to the peace, in particular with Honolulu

The Nagaoka Festival

Natural parks and mountains around the city

The Terrace paddies and ponds, Nishiki-Goi, Tsunotsuki

and the fire festival ( the highest fire-pole in Japan )

The monk 'Ryoukan'

Stories and history in several Buddhist temples around the city

Japanese Sake

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Introduction 2019/4/17

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The Essence of Nagaoka Sightseeing Trip

List of Guide Essences ( wanting to appeal )

Common topics

(1)　Spirits of "Always on the battle field" and "One hundred sacks of rice" (*A)

(2)　The non-nuclear peace declaration city, having a history restored from two-

times devastation by wars, frequently repeated disasters of floods until

120 years ago, and several heavy earthquakes including recent 2014. (*B)

(3)　Thought applied to the Nagaoka fireworks with memorial, reconstructions,

and appreciation (*C)

(4)　The commerce and industrial city, of which culture rich in artistic flavor,

art, literatur et cetra, along with plentiful nature and food culture

(5)　The benefited history from production of cruid oil between Meiji and Showa era.

(6)　Traces of samura-culture and castle town continuing from Edo period.

Settaya town

(1)　Brewing industry Production of Japanese Sake, Soy sauce, Soy beans,

bakery yeast, suppoted by infrastructure (roads and rivers) , advantageous

business reguration, and excellect plentiful water source since Edo period

(2)　Continuation of business Thought of business continuity put into "Kote-E"

of Kina-saffron brewery and the household article written on the storehouse

door of Hoshino-Honten soy-sauce brewery.

Japanese Kote-E is a decoration method of walls, formed with colored lime

plaster "Japanese Shikkui" put on the covered white lime plaster on walls.

(3)　Folk religion Inari, Jizou, Jyuuni Jinja shrines

(4)　Art in Settaya Kote-E, calliograpies(Sake, water, soy beans), Akiyama

Takashi Poster museum, Shirou Kawakami (Picture drawing for children)

East side of the Nagaoka Sta.

(1)　Two schools inheriting the spirits of "One hundred sacks of rice",

displaying textbooks used at an old school in the feudal domain period

and at the two schools in the early Meiji Era.

(2)　Irrigation channels including the Fukushima-E channel, developed

during the Edo period for increasing new paddy fields.

(3)　Great change in Nagaoka city, involved during the Taisyo Era,

Yukyuzan-Park, Nagaoka Technical college, and accumulation of

the oil-related industries.

(4)　Art treasure in the Komagata-Jyuukichi Memorial Museum,

Sakanoue Elementary school, and Nagaoka High school.

Komagata-Jyuukichi Memorial Museum possesses a lot of excellent

contemporary Japanese art including paintings and ceramicware.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Guide Essentials_new 2019/4/17

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Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto Memorial Museum

(１)　Two decisions to make regarding his private affairs and official business.

The private affair : He must have decided revival of an honourable family,

and continuing the privilege.

The official business : He must have decided escaping war against the US,

because he found the power difference between two countries.

(２)　Calligraphies and phrases he left

・Always on the battle field

・ Walk on a road of the truth at any time you encounterd trouble.

・Even if a country is a powerful nation and always in wars, it becomes destruction.

　Even if the world is peace and the country forgets a fights, it becomes in danger.

・ Show him how to do, tell him what to do, let him do it (by himself),

　 and furthermore you should praise him; if not, anyone won’t work well.

(3)　Reconstructed house that Isoroku born, based on a memory of his family.

Although it looks very small, we should think this construction was great.

It had built in the severe winter when the Yamamotos just returned from esca-

ping trip of more than a few hundred kirometers in the end of the Boshi-War.


(1) One of leaders thinkig and executing innovative changes from the old feudal

domain system to a modern nation system in Nagaoka area, going before the

other feudal domainsystems in the country before the Meiji Restoration.

( Political reformation and military reformation )

(2)　New country drawn by Nagaoka feudal domain (*D)

Sensyu-ga-Hara

(1)　Art Collection in the Museum of contemporary Art (including part of

the Old Taikou collection ) ～Europe paintings in the 19th century,

　　 Japanese modern western paintings　in the 20th century (*E)

(2)　Historic places if the Higashi-yama oil field ( Startup of industry in Nagaoka )

(3)　Figure-bronzes, Monuments and several gardens since the Meiji restration,

stroll in the museums and Institute campus

Others

(1)　Rich natute including Natural parks and mountains around the city

Cherry-blossom, spring ephemeral of plants and insects. Snow-fall region (*F)

(2)　Terrace paddies and ponds, Nishiki-Goi (*G), Tsunotsuki (Japanese bullfight),

and the fire festival ( the highest fire-pole in Japan ), fall and winter season

(3)　The monk 'Ryoukan'

(4)　Stories and history in several Buddhist temples around the city

(5) Several foods (Fresh fishes in Teradomari, Rice-Niigata brand), and others)


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(*A) Spirits of "Always on the battle field" and "One hundred sacks of rice

Prior to the establishment of the Tokugawa Shougunate, more than 400 years

ago, an age of war, named as the Sengoku period, was continued about one

hundred years. In the final stage of the Sengoku period, six or seven large

dominant influential warlords had competed in the central region of the Japan

Islands to become a nationwide domination.

At that time the Makinos, ancester of the feudal load later ruling Nagaoka,

wassurrounded by these dominant influential warlords in all the directions.

The spirit of "Always on the battlefield" was born in such a severe circumstance

around the Makinos.

Later the Makinos became a subordinate of one of the influential warlords,

the Tokugawas. Finally the Tokugawas became a champion of these warloads

and finally established the Tokugawa Shougunate.

During 270 years from the Sengoku period to the end of the Tokugawa

Shougunate, "allways on the battlefield" had been continued to be the spirit of

conduct in the Nagaoka feudal domain, not only for the Makinos family but also

for subordinates of the Makinos.

In the word "Always on the battlefield", both a code of conduct and a posture

are contained. Although people say it should be interpreted in some meanings,

interpretations are different depending on their situations.

I think it is quite simple. It can be summarized that;

When you confront the difficult situation, do your best to seek to survive

with considering for peace and prospeity forever.

I can't help thinking that the same thought exists in the phrase

"One hundred sacks of rice", no matter how hard, invest for the future,

in particular, educating young children.

(*B) Activity of Nagaoka to the peace, in particular with Honolulu

・ In 2010, setting up a peace-education exchange agreement between

　 mayor of Nagaoka and the chairman of Hawaii Japan-America Society.

・ Sister cities since 2012, both municipalities share painful memories

　of the war. Honolulu was the site, of course, of the Japanese attack in

　Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

・ The sister cities cooperates several exchanges since 2012 at the

　civilian level, including intervisitation of their junior high school pupils.


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・Events to mark the seventieth anniversary of the end of World War II

　August 15 2015 (August 14 in Hawaii) including a joint commemoration

　by Honolulu and Nagaoka.

・ U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy offered a wreath for the ceremony

　held in the city House on Aug. 3, 2016, to commemorate victims of the U.S.

　air raids on Nagaoka in the end of World War II.

(C) The Nagaoka Festival held in every year August is a festival famous for

its magnificient fireworks display that spans two evenings.

It was started in 1946 to memorize reconstruction from the tragedy

brought in World War 2.

To the Nagaoka fireworks, wholehearted three wishes/desires are loaded.

If you have a chance to enjoy the Nagaoka fireworks, we hope you

remember such a background the fireworks have.

First The memorial service to the people who died by the war

Secondly Thanks to the foregoing people who made efforts for revival

of the city from the two wars and several desearsters

including the large earthquake in 2004,

Thirdly A wish for lasting peaces all over the world, are loaded with.

(D) New country drawn by Nagaoka feudal domain

Why Nagaoka, such a small local feudal domain, participated in the civil war?

Nagaoka had succeeded in modernization of military and fiscal reform when

no feudal domains at that time inside the country could done these

reformations in such a short period. If these reformations couldn't done in

Nagaoka, the standpoint of armed neutrality and mediating role had not

occurred in this local small feudal domain.

Nagaoka feudal domain had to stand on the side to support the Shogunate.

Because Nagaoka feudal family had been not only one of the prestigious "Fudai

daimyos" (hereditary supporting menbers of the Tokugawa Shogunate) but also

been apointed to foreign-affairs director position as one of chief members in

the Shogunate. Nagaoka decided to become a mediator between new govern-

ment group and the Shougunate group.

In the battle field, Tsuginosuke attended the meeting with a desperative efforts,

however unfortunatrely failed the mediation.

There might have existed a lot of reasons. If one of them wouldn't occurr,

results would have become be something different.

That's all about it.


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(*E) Highlight of the Museum and the peripheral

(1)　One of the most popular masterpieces in the museum is, in my opinion,

The Plain of Colombes, White Frost (1873) by Claude Monet, or

and the fire festival ( the highest fire-pole in Japan )Cariatide entre deux Atlantes (1876) by Auguste Rodin (Marble sculptures)

(2)　Beautiful walking paths around the museum, backyard of the museum,

wide turf area surrounded by wooded area of "Furusato-no-mori", and

backyard of the Nagaoka Instutute of Design.

(3)　Group-sculptures of "The one hundred sacks of rice"

A lot of stories can be told in front of the sculptures. Including history of

Nagaoka and Japan, impotrance of education and importance of peace.

(4)　Several sculptures and monuments

They have all excellent and interesting stories.

(*F) One of the largest cities having heavy snow-fall in Japan

Deeply heavy snow devastation in 1963 has been memorized as one of the most

serious snow-fall disasters for the last several decades. Nagaoka had been iso-

rated thoroughly because of no logistics and human transportaion during one week.

After that time, long underground water piping system to melt snowfall has been

equiped in large area of urban region, and it left the heavy-snow devastation

from the city. After the Shinkansen-railway system and the highway road system

were installed between Niigata prefecture and Tokyo area, no isolated disasters

has been occurrred.

There is a phrase in snow regions, "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?".

In the heavy snow-fall regions like Nagaoka, flowers and trees bloom successively

after snow has melted away. For example, azalea、camellia, Chinese peony and

peony, lilies, rose and so on. They bloom successively within only two months.

I think this spring is the best season in Nagaoka area.

(*G) The best beautiful color in Nagaoka, I suggest is that of Nishiki-Goi.

Yamakoshi district is famous for the birthplace of the Nishiki-Goi, beautifully

colored carps, which can grow quite large, sometimes over 100 cm.

Their bodies are very beautiful beyond description.

Fish bodies of large Nishiki-Goi, putting delightful red on a thick velvet-like

ｗｈｉｔｅ and/or exquisite (superb) lacquer-like black are extremely gorgeous.

Yamakoshi is also known as the largest Nishiki-Goi farming place.

Nishiki-Goi ponds are scattered in the entire area of the district.

Scenery of a lot of the Nishiki-Goi ponds found in morning mist spread within

wide view area is also well known for one of the best beautiful scenery, and

I recommend it the most beautiful camera-spots in Nagaoka in all seasons.


7

Downtown district in Nagaoka

(１)　"Always on the battlefield" and "One hundred sacks of rice"

(２) Aspiration under the Nuclear Free Local Confession: Repeated

devastations by wars and disasters, reconstruction each time.

Now it is got emotionally charging into the Nagaoka festivals

and the fireworks

(３)　Fragrant of culture (art, literature, and so on) in the modern

commerce and industrial city,along with wealth of nature and foods.

During Edo period, Nagaoka was located at the key junction where

Mikuni-Kaidou and Hokkoku-Kaidou intersected and many writers

and artists, who tok delight in such refined pursuits as poetry、

literature、painting and calligraphy, had visited here and stayed

a long time at houses of wealthy merchant, village headmen.

As a result, a lot of distinguished calligraphic works and paintings

has been remained in Nagaoka area.

(４)　Castle town culture continued through the Edo period

Doll Festival Week

Japanese confectionery

Tea ceremony culture

Academic Chinese and Japanese literature in middle ages

Nagaoka castle ruins near the Shinanogawa-river

The samurai group made the transition from military duty to

civil-bureaucratic service, becoming literate, cultured, and

urbanized.

Japanese confectionery, Tea ceremony culture, The art of

incense burning and other sevaral uniqucutures are example

of them, and they are continued until now.

Stress was placed on spiritual trining and the cultivation of

bushidou, or the way of samurai.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Downtown in Nagaoka

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Challenge of unification between "Always on the battlefield" and

"One hundred sacks of rice" ( C ) KASUGA 2017

This report is a challenge of unifying two key phrases for my guide

explanation.

I consider that common thought exists inside these two key phrases.

Modernization of the country began 150 years ago. Before taking

off toward the modernization, the Tokugawa Shougunate period had

lasted during about 270 years with peaceful and prosperous society.

Prior to the establishment of the Tokugawa Shougunate, an age of war,

named as the Sengoku period, was continued about one hundred years.

In the final stage of the Sengoku period, six or seven large dominant

influential warlords had competed in the central region of the Japan

Islands to become a nationwide domination.

At that time the Makinos was surrounded by these dominant influential

warlords in all the directions.

The spirit of "allways on the battlefield" was born in such a severe

circumstance around the Makinos.

Later the Makinos became a subordinate of one of the influential

warlords, the Tokugawas. Finally the Tokugawas became a champion

of these warloads and established the Tokugawa Shougunate.

During 270 years from the Sengoku period to the end of the Tokugawa

Shougunate, "allways on the battlefield" had been continued to be the

spirit of conduct in the Nagaoka feudal domain, not only the Makinos

family but also subordinates of the Makinos.

In the word "allways on the battlefield", not only a code of conduct

but also a posture are contained.

Although people say it should be interpreted in some meanings,

interpretations are different depending on their situations.

I think it is quite simple. It can be summarized that;

When you confront the difficult situation, do your best to seek

to survive with considering for peace and prospeity forever.

I can't help thinking that the same thought exists in the phrase

"One hundred sacks of rice".

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Always on the battlefield

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The story "One hundred sacks of rice" from the Professor Keen's book

( One hundred sacks of rice, Nagaoka city p90 )

The historical episode on which the play is based on the following story.

The Nagaoka domain was a small feudal domain near the Japan Sea coast

in the northern part of theJapanese mainland.

In May 1870, Nagaoka had lost a hard-fought civil war against the new

imperial government: the whole city jad been reduced to a burnt

wasteland, and the populace was eing out a miserable subsistence in

conditions of desperate poverty.

At this point the rulers of the Mineyama domain, who were based thirty

kirometers north of Nagaoka and connected to it by family ties, sent

a gift of a hundred sacks of rice as a gesture of sympathy.

When news of this spread among the samurai they were all delighted

at the prosoect of getting something to eat.

But Kobayashi Torasaburou(1828-1877), a grand councilor of Nagaoka,

decided not to distrubute the rice among the samurai, but to use it

for education.

When the samurai barged into his house and demanded angrily that he

give them the rice, he reasoned with them and wo them over.

He sold the rice and spent all the money to found a National and

Chinese studies school, where not only Japanese and Chinise classics

but also Western studies, medicine, military science and marial arts

were taught.

This school later produced many higly-talented people who ent on to

play leadin roles not only in Nagaoka but in the new Japan which was

being born at that time.

This is a true story which happened 130 years aho.

Some seventy years later, in the midst of World war 2, Yamamoto

Yuzo wrote a play entitled KOME HYAPPYO,

to publicize the life and thoughts of Grand Councilor Kobayashi.

At that time, the Army was enthusiastically pressing for this Triple

Alliance, but a group in theNavy strongly objected to the policy,

arguing that it would only lead the country to destruction.

Vice-Admiral Yamamoto, who later masterrminded the attack on

Pearl Harbor as commander of the Combined Fleet, argued against

the war to the very end."

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Always on the battlefield

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Nagaoka feudal domain in 1860's

Nagaoka-Han decided to outbreak the battle. It was one of the largest battles

in the civil war (the Boshin-no-Eki).

Unfortunately after half-year, the Nagaoka-Han was defeated in the war.

In the first half of the nineteenth-Century, Japan worried about the

events occurred in China and India. (Opium war, Indian Rebellion )

Russia also invaded Hokkaidou iteratedly

And at last, In 1853, Perry came to Japan ｆｒｏm the Us, having a letter

of the president.

During more than 200 years ago, Japan had been keeping

long-year-isolation policy .

At that time, the Europeans were overwhelmingly stronger than Japanese.

Various countremeasures against invasion of the foreign countries group,

were boiled in whole country in Japan. And the increasing conflict had

moved into the large- scale civil war.

Around this time the feudal lord of the Nagaoka-Han for three

successive generations were appointed the Minister of Foreign Affairs

and Defense in the Tokugawa shogunate.

A lot of information about invasions of foreign countries including

Russia, Europe and the US is flown into the Nagaoka-Han.

Therefore the Nagaoka-Han had thought that japan should prepare

against these invasions. And thought that Nagaoka-Han shouldn't

go to civil war inside the country.

Instead, he had insisted armed with war avoidance inside the country.

武装中立 armed neutrality <---> unarmed neutrality

On the other hand, new-government group insisted first on defeat of

the Tokugawa Shogunate system and second on preparation against

invasion of foreign countries.

The Nagaoka-Han had tried to persuade negotiations with the new-govern-

ment group, however at last he failed in pacification with the opponents.

And here, Koufuku-Ji Temple, the Nagaoka-Han had declare war.

After half-year, the Nagaoka-Han was defeated in the war.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Nagaoka in 1860's

Settaya Essence

Brewering Industry Town, Settaya

Settaya town is located at about 3km to the south from the center of

the city. More than six factories of the brewing business for soy sauce

and Japanese Sake have been prosperous during several hundred years.

Famous sake brewery "Yoshinogawa" is here, and other famous old

brand "Kina-Saffrom liqueur" is located on the oblique opposite.

Saffrom liqueur is an alcoholic drinks with medical properties. It is said

that the saffron liquor had halved popularity with being sold for healthy

liqueur, "Yomeishu", keeping still attractive brand in Japan.

Settaya is also an integrated land of say source and soy paste industrty.

Three distinctive fermentation plants exist.

Location conditions for the industry are fulfilled(Details are shown in Geographical conditions of brewing industry accumulation )

First, water suitable for the brewring industry.

Secondly, commerce regulations easy to do business.

Thirdly, rivers and roads for transportation.

Shopping street and "Gangi"

It is characteristic that all storefronts of the shopkeeper-houses

are faced to shopping streets of the town, and common roofs

"Gangi" are built among a lot of houses.

They are devised to live in long winter season with heavy snow fall.

It is about 500 meters from the crossing in front of the station to

the next brock crossing near the Settaya-brewering industry zone.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Settaya

Folk religion in Settaya

(１)　Jizo-Bosatsu Initially this guardian deity of children (in Japanese, Jizo-Bosatsu)

generally took form of ascetic (self-disciplined) prac- tices monks,

but it became an image of a child before long.

Then it finally becomes the guardian deity of children that has been

loved as not only children but also all the peoples bothered with

various suffering. They usually stand on waysides or branch points of

village entrances or mountain paths.

(２)　Takekoma Inari Jinjya Inari Jinjya is said to be a tutelary shrine guarding the local people.

It is admired as the gods of harvest and industry. A pair of foxes,

thought as messengers of the gods, stands at the gate of shrines.

(３)　Jyuuni Jinjya in Magari-Aramachi

　Jyuuni Jinjya is a shrine dedicating mountains god called Jyuuni (twelve).

Number twelve means a lot of number. Jyuuni Jinjya is thought to pray

faith of natural phenomena. There are many Jyuuni Jinjyas in Japan.

Usual method of praying in Jinja① Passing through the sacred arch at the shrine. [seikred]

② Wash our hands to purify ourselves before making a prayer at the shrine

Before making a prayer　（手水舎での手の清め方）

First of all, Wash both of your hands with a ladleful of water, and wash

out your mouth too.　　But please do not put your mouth　to a ladle.

Lastly, wash the handle with remaining water and then put the ladle back.

③Give a small offering（お金を奉納する） Optional

④Ring the bell　

⑤ First bow lightly, and

bow twice, Clap your hands twice, and then put your hands together quietly

and pray in silence sincere heart, and bow lightly again before you leave.

A basic manner of prayer is 'Twice bowing, twice clapping and

one-time bowing.' 拝礼の基本的な作法は「二礼二拍手一礼」

弥彦神社は二礼四拍手一礼。　出雲、八海山も同じ。

They are generally supposed to follow the same steps of bowing twice,

clapping hands twice, and bowing once, but following the instructions

of the Shinto priest is more important.


The Ohta-Gawa River(１)　 ere is a middle basin of a river, called the Ohta-Gawa River. The

river joins to the Shinano-Gawa River about five kirometers to the north.

A channel flows under the Ohta-Gawa River bed with the principle of

siphon like 3D intersection. The channel was developed about four

hundred years ago, and even now, it has been utilizing for main part of

rice fields in Nagaoka area.

(２)　Birds found in riverside of the Ohta-Gawa River　　A couple of pheasant has settled in the riverside.A male of pheasant has beautiful colored body, in particular red in the face and bluish-purple to green in the neck to breast.　　Sometimes large heron is found flying on the river.White body and black wings of wagtail is popular near the river.

(３)　Abandant water by melted sbnow and scenery of the Higashi-Yama Hills A central portion of the Higashi-Yama Hills can be seen from the causeway of the Ohta-Gawa River.The rightmost mountain is called the Kanakura-Yama.Several folded mountains left neighbor the Kanakura-Yama iscalled the Nanban-Yama.

Origin, source of the the Ohta-Gawa River is in Takenokouchi village, the back left of that lower than the ambient V-pattern area between the Kanakura-Yama and the Nanban-Yama.There are several confortable hiking trails in those area. One of them, I recommend, is a route starting from near here to the Takenokouchi via the Nanban-Yama. It take about four orfive hours trails at a slow speed, not so steep way.The other hiking trail in the Kanakura-Yama is excellent too.Yomogihira Hot springs are available after a day hiking trail.Very large rocks are found in the upper strem area. The height of them sometimes overtakes two meters. This is usually a small river,　however after destructive storm, it can wash away such large rocks.As you will find today, in the season of snow melting away, its flow also changes intense. ( intense versus intensive )


Geographical conditions of brewing industry accumulation

Three reason that brewing industry has been accumulated in Settaya area.

First, fundamental conditions for the Japanese Sake brewing are considered

to be the following three elements: water, rice, chief brewers.

Settaya is located approximately 1.5k from the Higashi-Yama Hills and 2 km

from the Shinano-Gawa River, so Settaya is blessed with high quality water.

Secondly, Settaya area was ruled as a territory of the Zao-Shrine, under the

authority of the Edo-Kan-ei-Ji Temple of the Shogunate. So Settaya town

was out of control of Nagaoka feudal Han.

I guess the Settaya's commerce regulations such as tax system, the stock

acquisition were weak, and the town was easy to do business.

Thirdly, regarding raw materials transportation of liquor and soy sauce,

shipment and route by land distribution route were important.

Thinking from this point of view, here was a geographical convenience with

"Mikuni-Kaidou" and the Ohta-Gawa river. Mikuni-Kaidou was one of

the main country-routes to Edo, The Ohta-Gawa river flows to the

Japan Sea, and was functioned as an inside-channel of the Shinano-Gawa

River, therefore the Settaya area was blessed with transportations not only

on land but also on water.

They said that "Mid-winter season is suitable for the Sake-production".

From winter to early spring, the Ohta-Gawa river has much quantity of water

by melting snow, so this area should have been suitable for the shipment of

new Sake in early spring.

Actually, flow quantity of the Ohta-Gawa river in ths area is considered to

be the beat condition, not too high speed, not too slow speed.

This ia the fact occurred in the Edo period.

After Meiji era started, Nagaoka area was floulished by oil production and

mechanical industry associated with the production.

This flourishing of Nagaoka has been further driving forward strongly on the

various industries including the Settaya brewing industry.

( Kimono fabric and marchants, Japanese sake industry, et cetera)


15

Prerequisite for comprehension of way of thinking that Yamamoto Isoroku had.

(１)　The Takanos and the Yamamotos in the feudal domain period ( 1500 -1868)

　　　・The Takanos was a middle-class samurai engaged in scholar of Confucia-

nism and also in expert teacher of the spear in the Nagaoka feudal domain.

The Yamamotos was a senior managing director level samurai, engaged in

political or military responsibility in the Nagaoka feudal domain.

And that it was an honorable family, successive family heads devoted to

the feudal lords for long years since its founding period before 1500.

The Yamamotos was extinct to have a responsibility in the civil war

occurred in 150 years ago. ( one of the two extinct houses after the war)

After several decades, revival of the Yamamotos was allowed.

The honourable family has restarted once again.

Then Isoroku was selected as the successive person of the honourable

family by recommendation of the ex-feudal load et al.

The reason of occurrence-reason of the civil war is mensioned in the

reference note.

(２)　Study hard

・To establish himself in a poverty house, he must study hard and go to

a low-tuition school, for example military school.

He acknowledged natural father and teachers to give him a precious

chance to study succesively.

・After left home town and went to Tokyo, he had successively given

tender love to people lived in gave tender love to people lived in his

home town all his life.

(３)　Understanding non-war, pacifist

Through a lot of experiences during the US resident agent, he strongly

convinced himself of importance of dearmament and peace.

Details are mensioned in the chapter of Exhibition.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua 　 Prerequisite for Isoroku

Admiral_Yamamoto_Museum

He was born and was brought up　in a house of the old subordinatewarrior who served feudal lord of the Makino since its first generation.In the Yamamotos, successive family heads of the former proved their devo-

tion to the feudal lord for a long time as political or military leaders.So former lord regreted the extinct of Yamamotos, and wanted revival of the Yamamotos, prestigious family, once again. Then Isoroku was selected to be successor of the prestigious family.For his inheriting the Yamamoto house which is a prestigious family of old chief retainers since the old days, and people of his home province, Nagaoka put big expectation.There might be the thing that he expects it.He must have decided revival of a prestigious family, too.

He must have made a resolution to revival of a prestigious family.

He selected a primary way of life for the truthi

in order to be a disgrace to his family

Admiral Yamamoto ・Caligraphy and phrases

"Even if a country is a powerful nation and always in wars, it becomes

destruction.

Even if the world is peace and she forget a fight, a country becomes

in danger."

常在戦場

Always on the battlefield ～　This is an excellent translation by

Dr. Donald Keene, Professor Emeritus of Columbia University.

Before Edo period, the Nagaoka-Han was suffered a lot of threats of

enemies. He must always think about fighting on the battle field.

Always on the battlefield became a spiritual principle of the Nagaoka-

han. After that time it continue diring about 250 years till his superior,

the Tokugawa Shougunate, ended. And it was transformed to the other

meaning, "It is important to prepare the future". There may be things to

lead to the anothre well-known Nagaoka spirit, One hundred sacks of rice.

"Walk on a road of the truth at any time you encounterd trouble ."

Introducing his famous wise sayings --- In order to work someone,

" Show him how to do, tell him what to do, let him do it (by himself),

and furthermore you should praise him; if not, anyone won’t work well." 　

" Talk together, listen carefully, then approve and entrust;

if not, anyone won't become a whole man (an accomplished) "

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Yamamoto

17

Prerequisite for Kawai

Someone say he is the hero maintaing the dignity of the samurai, and others

say he is the worst person devastating Nagaoka thoroughoutly.

Regarding the contributiion or the worlk people had done, opinion may be

divided over both the recognition of the facts and their interpretation.

Those for Kawai Tsuginosuke is just the typical example.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Prerequisite for Kawai

Ksawai Tsuginosuke Museum

(１)　Tsuginosuke made three decisions when he was appointed to new reformation

leader of the Nagaoka feudal domain which had been one of the cabinet support

members of the Tokugawa Shougunate.

・ Always in the battle fiels: He asked patience to subordinates and he imposed

"Always conscious of the death" on himself.

・ Variable control of a lot of subordinates: He had acted with a patience for

　 himself and controled a lot of subordinates with calm static confidence.

･ He had made an effort to avoid the war, trying to reconcile shogunate group

with the new government group, As a result he had rushed into financial and

military reformation and preparation for an armed neutrality of Nagaoka.

Rreformations conducted by Kawai are summarized in the last page.

Tsuginisuke learned "ethic in the East, business ability in the West" from

SAKUMA Syouzan, and learned a lot of proven reformation methods

from YAMADA Houkoku. The Nagaoka feudal load appointed him to the

new leader in order to resolve political/ finantial crisis situation.

He executed finantial reformation, domain government reformation, military/

salarty system reformation, elimination of improper tax exemption/ river

ships tax and etc. with his promoinent ability of problem solving and project

achieving. And finally he perfectly had meeted the demands of the load.

Any feudal domains at that time inside the country couldn't done these

reformations in such a short period.

If these reformation couldn't done in Nagaoka, the standpoint of armed

neutrality and mediating role had not occurred in this local small feudal

domain, Nagaoka.

Nagaoka feudal domain had to stand on the side to support the Shogunate

as one of the prestigious Fudai daimyos (hereditary supporting menbers of

the Shogunate).

Nagaoka decided to become a mediator between new government group and

the Shougunate group.

Tsuginosuke attended the meeting in battle field, however unfortunatrely

failed the mediationr. That's all about it.

Curcumstance in Japan and Nagaoka feudal domain at the end of Edo period

is simmarized in the other pages.

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua Ksawai Tsuginosuk

(2) KOBAYASHI Torasaburou(1828-77) and KAWAI Tsuginosuke(1827-68)

One large monumental stone, "sword troops memorial" , in which Tora-saburou wrote a message, stands in the Yuukyuuzan Park, Nagaoka.In the message, Torasaburou harshly blamed Tsuginosuke's reckless deed of rashing to the war, although the namne of Tsuginosukewasn't found in the monumental stone. In a novel "The mountain path", well known novel of Shiba, the auther described them as definite enemies, however, they were not enemies but might be only political opponent by the political thought difference.

There is an opinion that their differences in government and political thoughts owed to the differences in the thoughts of their teachers, SAKUMA Syouzan and YAMADA Houkoku. SAKUMA Syouzan, a teacher of Torasaburou, had a deep thought that was based on spirit of education and school system reformation and he thought that fair political and economic management were able to realize only on these foundation.

On the other hand, YAMADA Houkoku, a teacher of Tsuginosuke,

emphasized financial and practical way of thinking and performed

a radical reform in order to get out of the current crisis.

If the position was of Kawai, Opinion that the war

did not had no choice might be reasonable.

Torasaburou wasn't an intractable militalist, merely stated that the new

government group said to build a new unification of country under the

banner of the imperial court, and we should follow them for avoiding

the war even if it might be a temporary humiliation.

I want to approve on this thinking.

(3) MISHIMA Okujurou(1825-1892) and KAWAI Tsuginosuke

Okujirou was friends of Torasaburou and Tsuginosuke，not only in the

feudal domain school but also in YAMADA private group in Nagaoka..Okujirou also learned in Edo, under SAKUMA Syouzan.Okujirou firstly opposed in the opening of the war, however he was consulted by Tsuginisuke in the next day of the broken off meeting withthe new government group. And finally they fought together.

In the postwar period, Okujirou appointed to Nagaoka domain office-leader


together with Torasaburou.

Okujirou contributed to not only school system but also industrial promotion.

He was one of the most prominent person in the restoration of Nagaoka.

(4) Finantial and miritaly reformations in the Nagaoka feudal domain

The Nagaoka feudal domain executed extensive financial reformations two time

in the end of the Edo period. The first reformation executed in 1850's, and it

was an throughout financial refoprmation cooparated with wealthy merchants.

Tuginiosuke executed the second fonancial reformation.

　　The 19th century was a starting point of weapon technological

age including guns, and it is known that the Civil war in the US.

was the first war using modern weapons.

Both the shougunate and the fudal domains had imported old-style

Geweer guns in high volume from the western countries since the

early years of the end-stage of the Tokugawa Shougunate.

And the western countries, new-style rifled guns had began to be used.

Not only western fudal domains but also the Nagaoka feudal domain had

bought the new-style rifled guns in the last stage of the Tokugawa

Shougunate, however the other east fudal domains had not use these

new-style guns yet.

It was amazing that the Nagaoka had given the rifled guns, one to each

subordinate during the military reformation in the feudal domain.

In February, 1868, Kawai Tsuginisuke procured two powerful guns, named

Gatling, and other armaments on the spot payment in Yokomama.

The Gatling gun is a hand cranke dmachine gun invented by the American

R．J．Gatling in 1862 at the time of the American Civil War． The gun is

said to be capable of firing between 200 to 300 rounds per munute.

The cost of two guns was 6，000ryo and the total was 10，000ryo.

Nagaoka could pay this maney on the spot payment with remit by postal

order from the wealthy merchant, the Imais, in Tsubame. The Thubame-town

was a part of the Nagaoka domain at some time of the Edo period. It was

also amazing that Nagaoka could afford payment on the spot payment.

This was the result of Kawai's finantial reformation.

We should never forgewt that the Nagaoka couldn't join in the Boshin

war without the accomplishment of Kawai's finantial reformation.


KAWAI Tsuginosuke reformed a lot of systems in the Nagaoka feudal domain

at the end of the Tokugawa Shougunate

He executed innovative changes from the feudal domain system to a modern

nation sistem, ahead of the other feudal domain systems in the country before

the Meiji Restoration.

Reformations Reformation Description

Finance of the domainFinance of the

domain

Encourage flugarity to all of the subordinate.Sell furniture of the load.

Miritary system Promote the miritary system with new weapons

New weaponsGive Minie rifles to all of the subordonate. Install two Gatlingguns, only three in the country.

　Saraly systemStandardize the

wages

Standardize the wages around 100 koku. Top wage waschanged from 5000 to 500, from 500 to 200, from 50 to 70 andetc..

Arrange positionWithout relation to wage, appointed samurais in an abilitystandard, and arranged talented person to the suitable rightposition

This politics eliminateed the vertical relationship in samurai-class, promoted the recruitment to new jobs, and as aconsequence, stimuratde the rebirth of Nagaoka from the ashs.

School system School systemEstablished boardinghouse for the domain school　(It wasinherited in the educational system of Nagaoka after the MeijiRestaration.)

Abolition of river

transportaion tax Promoted the transportation with free business emergence

Free business

emergences in the

other business

sectors

Ship, Fish-sellor, Vegitable^sellor, barbra shop and etc.

Town magagement Personnel cutting and wage cutting of town officers

Inhibit bribery Reject bringing things

Annual tributeAveraging and reducing annual tributes from change year byyear by inspection

Prohibition of luxury Not only samurai class but also town peoples

Ref. 　http://www7a.biglobe.ne.jp/~jigenji/kaikaku.htm

Miritary system

Arranged talentedperson to thesuitable right

position

Promotion ofindustry

Town magagement

MfG_E_Overview_and_individua

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