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I've finally finished looking up Ichinose Denpachi's footprint, transcribing the work of Tetsuya Ito. For those of you wondering what happened to Saitou Hajime immediately after the Boshin War and how he ended up in Tonami with Yaso, this might interest you.
Aizu clan surrendered on Sept 23, 1868. The New Government Army gathered 1700 soldiers of the Aizu clan who fought outside the castle besides the women young and old in the castle, ordering Shiokawa into penitence. Yamaguchi Jirou (Saitou Hajime) who had led the Shinsengumi in the Aizu war was included in that. After losing the fight at Buddha Hall (Temple), he was not able to enter the Aizu-Wakumatsu castle but submitted in defeat after fighting outside the castle. The new fight of Jirou begins here. Jirou’s footprint from Takada penitence to Tonami has been a mystery until now. (Note: His footprint in Tonami I had already posted, it is actually his days with Shinoda Yaso his wife located here part 1 and part 2 ).
After the surrender and opening of the castle of Aizu feudal clan, the Bureau of Social Welfare of the New Government Troops decided that the feudal soldiers who fought inside the castle were to go to Matsudai clan in Shinshu to undergo “penitence” (to atone for wrong doing). However the Sanada house of the Matsudai clan refused and favored penitence in Tokyo, the feudal soldiers who fought outside the castle was decided to do penitence in Echigo, Takada han and the Sakakibara family. The Takada clan was not able to refuse the request of the Meiji government because it was indebted for it’s assistance on the Eastern Army. Yamaguchi Jirou is the same Shinsengumi Taishi (feudal soldier). The sick who were to undergo penitence were left at Aizu Wakamatsu and was to follow to Tokyo after their recovery. Jirou however even though he fought outside the castle did not sustain any injury. Jirou and the others who were assigned to the Takada han penitence group goes to the castle town which is known today as Joetsu-shi (Joetsu City) Niigata.
The Takada penitence group of Jirou and others prays at Amida-ji Temple on January 4, 1869 to be able to migrate to Takada safely. The Bureau of National Welfare of the New Government gave each person one gold ryo. A lot of old documents record this migration, on January 5 one group were divided into six groups (pairs?) and migrated to Takada after several days. There was an advance force that originated from Aizu Wakamatsu on January 3 that went to Takada too. It is necessary to pay attention to the arrivals and departure times and movements of day of the Takada penitence group between the old documents and books published in recent years.
An old Aizu feudal soldier Aida Kakuzaemon in "Kaihan Hokuetsu Takada Kinshin Jinmei" records on January 5 in the Takada confinement, there at Sueki Ganji (sp?) there was the same Jirou who was in kishin (penitence), who originated from Aizu Wakamatsu. Saitou whose name was in Kaihan Hokuetsu Takada Kinshin Jinmei was at present in Higashi-honganji temple in Takada (Joetsu City) in those same days too. In the old documents there are records that the departure dates from Aizu of the Takada penitence group to Takada was from January 3 to the 15, which was wide ranging. When Jirou Yamaguchi departed from Aizu he changed his name to Ichinose Denpachi. The name Ichinose in the Aizu han was a family name of many distinguished families but it was suitable to use to escape the eye of the New Government Army. Echizen feudal soldiers guarded Denpachi and a lot of other Aizu feudal soldiers, they stayed at various posting stations until they arrived to Teramachi (Temple Town) of Echigo Takada (Niigata Prefecture). Many old Aizu Taishi broke down from this process because of malnutration and died. However it is understable how Denpachi's body was strong to withstand this. 1,745 people from the Takada penitence group of Denpachi were divided into six groups and arrived at Takeda via Aizu Wakamatsu from Shiokawa. The date when the Takada penitence group left Shiokawa is January 5 according to the "Sakakibara Bunsho (Sakakibara document)" of the Takada clan. The days are recorded as the 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th and 15th day. The party is divided into the Sanroku (36? unsure if number or place!) Buddhist Temple in Teramachi near Takada Jouka (near the Castle), it then became the Takada penitence group from Aizu. In Higashimoto Temple, Denpachi is held in penitence with Shimizu Ukichi who also fought in the Shinsengumi back in Kyoto. Shimizu Ukichi was a Shinsengumi regimental soldier. As for Higashi-honganji temple, it was the largest Buddhist temple in Takada Teramachi and the old Aizu clan leadership was also penitent there. This is the situation which makes to inquire about the status of Denpachi's penitence group being on top (higher status). The possesion of this conviction will be described in the latter half.
Old Aizu fedual soldier, Aida wrote in "Kaihan Hokuetsu Takada Kinshin Jinmei" that by January 5 they went to Takda Echigo from Aizu Wakamatsu. The above mentioned list of names whose author is Aida who was penitent with Denpachi et. al in Higashi-honganji, it is probably an assignment of the number of men in penitence done in advance. First of all, Aida was penitent in Higashi-honganji temple and it had recorded Denpachi and Shimizu as
"Shimizu Ukichi
(note that Saitou was in the Phoenix troop; Suzaku translates to red bird, the Japanese Phoenix). It mentions the present Takada temple branch Higashi-honganji. Aida who writes the record, also writes thus about Ichinose Denpachi, was not a Kyoto Sakidzume (sp? I believe Sakidzume is "comrade") but was an old Aizu feudal soldier. However Saitou Hajime's false name is Ichinose Denpachi.
Saitou Hajime's footprint will remain as recorded sentences by these list of names in future generations contrary to his intention of trying to hide his history from the Meiji government. Denpachi, with the exception of old acquaintances/friends had kept concealing his identity Saitou and Yamaguchi including to his relatives etc. It need not be described that it is correct to have used the false name Ichinose Denpachi not Ichinohe Denpachi. The Meiji government gave Denpachi the ration of two person's stipend to start his penitence life. A lot of old Aizu feudal soldiers died of sickness in Takada Echigo and there were a lot of escapers too. Those who were arrested for escaping were decapitated by the Meiji government and there were a lot. However Denpachi who had attained a certain endurance did not drop out of penitence and held his own to the New Government.
Denpachi's meals were recorded as follows.
Menu of Penitence place
Simple meal in the morning
pickles, one person - miso paste with weight of 20 momme (3.75g) divided in half.
One greens in daytime
3 pickled vegetables
One greens in the evening.
If there was time Denpachi was said to hold conference meetings for old Aizu feudal soldiers despite of poor life. Denpachi and others buried a lot of old Aizu feudal soldiers who died in sickness in Takada in an Aizu grave yard called "Ookami-dani (Wolf valley)". On September 2, the Meiji government permitted the old Aizu feudal soldier's Hokkaido migration and permitted the right to bear a surname and wear a sword, it was pardoned. The continuation of the Matsudaira family of Aizu was permitted.
On September 28 the Aizu daimyo Matsudaira Katamori, parent and child, his councillor who served the Aizu clan was excluded from the pardon. Although this will get across to the Takada penitence group, Denpachi did not forget that he is the person whom received benefits from Katamori during the age of the Shinsengumi in Kyoto. The villagers from the Wakamatsu Prefecture went to Tokyo to appeal for the commutation of Katamori's sentence. The Meiji government on November 3 gave Katamori's only child (biologically speaking), Matsudaira Kataharu 30,000 Koku and the 4th district of Hokkaido. The next day Kataharu of the noble line received 30,000 Koku from the Meiji as a gift and the following year in July would move to what will be called the Tonami han (domain). It was the start that aimed for a new land for Denpachi and the others.
Recently Denpachi has been recorded to have stayed in other buddhist temples, the one "Takada Hyougi Azukarike Hitobito Betsu" in "Takada Kinshin Chuu Zakki" exists. The original which Saitou was recorded to be in penitence in Takada is lost, only a 1916 manuscript exists.
Sagashuu Tera Yoriai Sonau (Sonae?)
Dou Jichuu Joutokuji Kikaihou
ommission
Ukichi Shimizu
Souji Tera Suzaku Yoriaitai (Sooji temple)
ommission
Ichinose Denpachi
(Takada Kinshin Chuu Zakki)
This says that Denpachi was penitent not in Higashi-hongaji temple but Souji-ji (Teramachi). It is possible that at that occasion Denpachi have changed residence to the Souji temple. Moreover in Iouji in the same Teramachi, Tomiyama Yahee, one of those who tried to ambush Kondou Isami was buried there but it's not thought that Denpachi would've visited. However near the same Iouji temple the possibility that Denpachi stopped at the nearby temple where a lot of Aizu feudal soldiers were in penitence near Higashi Honganji at Teramachi cannot be denied. Returning back to the subject... In the Meiji 2, on the fifth day of January the government had exempted the old Aizu feudal soldiers, pardoned them with Katamori's son Kataharu and gave them 45,000 Koku. Denpachi remains in Takada at this time although a lot will migrate to Hokkaido the next month. Moreover in April 8, 1870 when the penitence was called off in "Echigo Takada Tsumemeisai Yuujin Chou", it was not about what temple they were held in penitence, but it was a table according to the force that fought in the Boshin war from a certain "Onogi", an old Aizu feudal soldier's writing which was transferred (conveyed) to Fujisawa Kuranojou a former Aizu feudal soldier. In this document by "Onogi", Denpachi and Shimizu who were of the Shinsengumi is recorded as follows;
"Jissouhou Janin" (sp?)
Shimizu Ukichi
-abbreviation-
Suzaku Rokuban Yoriai-kumi
Saitou Hajime Koto
The list of names and the records of war were done while most was in penitence. The "Echigo Takada Tsumemeisai Yuujin" which classifies the penitence group according to the roster, is where we see Denpachi's name along with the Suzaku Yoriai corps. There are a lot of historical records which concludes that Denpachi fought outside the castle during the Aizu war. Takeshi Kato from Echigo Fukazawa recorded the "Aizu-han Takada Yuushuu Meibo". Denpachi is recorded as follows although the date of the record by Kato is unclear. Denpachi was
Hongaji Kakesho (Hongaji place)
Samurai-bun
Ichinose Denpachi
"Aizu-han Takada Yuushuu Meibo"
Denpachi was penitent with the same force in the current four list of names and is confirmed.
When the migration started on the 19th of the same month, 300 Tonami fedual retainers went as a group from Edo going by sea route to Hachinohe, after that the Tonami migration started one after another. Those who were confined in Takada were divided into 4 sets, the group who were Takada resident, the group returning to Aizu Wakamatsu, the group that migrates to Tonami from Niigata and the group which goes to Tokyo. Kurasawa Heijuemon to whom Denpachi was indebted to went to Takada from Tokyo and commanded the migration. Kurasawa was said to be engrossed to act like an older person during the Boshin war, he was known as Uhyoe at that time. Denpachi who was liberated from penitence decides to join the migration to live by way of a Tonami feudal soldiers life. However there is a theory that says Denpachi goes to Tokyo in a hurry before the Tonami migration via Wakamatsu, it returns to Takada and is said to have gone to Niigata and boarded. His Shinsengumi comrade Shimizu Ukichi goes somewhere but his whereabouts is unclear.
On May 2 the Meiji government also released the family members of the Aizu feudal soldiers and allowed migration to Tonami. On the 14th of the same month Kataharu was appointed the Tonan-han Prefectural Governor. The ship with the initial 300 group of people embarked on the land of Tonami (Tonan), do not forget that a lot of old Aizu feudal soldier left Tokyo and Niigata towards the migration destination. It is possible that Denpachi leaves with these Tonami feudal soldiers. And in this migration Ichinose Denpachi uses the false name Fujita Goro. The theory is that he entered the Fujita house, an old Aizu feudal soldier's family, as an adopted son since there were a lot of Fujita family names in Tonan and it was for precaution, although the reason is obscure it is clear that Matsudaira Katamori did not appoint the name.
(Kizu's note: Suzaku is translated in Japanese a red bird and I think in Chinese it's more specific to the Phoenix. Remember Saitou was in the Phoenix troop during the Boshin war. LOL... Anyway, at least we do know that he stayed with the Suzaku group while in Kinshin (or penitence). Tetsuya Ito tried to retrace the steps of Saitou Hajime while he was a POW and I so love him for this time in Saitou's life is one that I've had many questions with before. It's great to see a little bit of what he did while in "Kinshin" and who he was with. I've made an edit on "Suzaku" since after looking it up, Suzaku and Phoenix represent the same thing and while going more into this transcription, it was basically pointing out that Saitou's record in the Boshin war and the group he stayed with while in penitence coincided with Suzaku or rather the Phoenix troop. Anyway it was interesting (although not surprising) how he tried to conceal his identity and how he failed and succeded. The retracing itself was very confusing to me at first especially since the places mentioned are now different and territorial boundaries have changed and the temples too. For those a little confused on why Saitou would be allowed to go around, if you pick up the book "Remembering Aizu" there is some description there that the POWs were allowed to go out and that they only needed to observe curfew. Of course those who broke the rules got punished by the Meiji(as described above). Make no mistake though life in "Kinshin" (penitence - to atone for your sins etc. etc.) was no cake walk either. According to the Fujita Family history (only read about in other japanese fansites), they say that the name Fujita Goro was a gift from Matsudaira Katamori). It looks like Tetsuya Ito disagrees, taking a look at the dates I tend to agree. It wouldn't be the first time a family record would turn out differently in research, I can name a few other cases but that's beyond the scope of this. Well anyway, another interesting thing is Kataharu, the new prefectural governor of Tonami... He was born 1869, so... The governor was only a child, heh -barely- a child. Meiji politics at work if you ask me. Of course this is just transcription, usual disclaimers apply. Hope you found it useful or at least interesting. Very Happy
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There is an account that Okita Souji womanized according to the diary of Inoue Genzaburou's elder brother on April 22, 1863. Something about a forward woman who had liked him back in the Shieikan who was Kondou's adopted daughter... However aside from this, there is no other record of Okita womanizing and Kondou and Hijikata throws "considerable" opposition (confusion?)
According to Kondou Yuugorou, *Okita was in love with a certain doctor's daughter in Kyoto. Isamu however opposed this heartily, telling Okita to sever his connections with the daughter because of their circumstances. Yuugorou goes on to surmise that it was probably because of the idea that they could meet their end anytime soon.*
During the Ikedaya raid Okita expectorated blood and had to be carried outside. According to Matsumoto Ryojun who examined the members of the Shinsengumi in Nishihonga-ji Temple, there was one person with tuberculosis. This was probably Okita.
Okita might have met this doctor's daughter while he was going for treatment. Yuugorou said that Okita did speak to him about this doctor's daughter too.
There is a theory that there was a child born out of this relationship. It comes from a "Capital Newspaper" dated July 22, 1937 owned by the Kojima Resource center in Machida City. Apparently during a house cleaning (it mentions Tachikawa (remember that Tachikawa is also a Shinsengumi who decided to settle in Tama in his old days), I'm not sure if it's his house that they were cleaning or Okita's) they found a lot of documents and letters. It talked about a popular young fencer who fell in love with a doctor and had a child. However most consider this article written out of "curiosity" and is highly inaccurate that it was hard to believe.
Another story about Okita's love life is that he is related to a woman whose death register was found and contained "Okita's relation". When they examined the Kaimyo (Buddhist name given at death), it is concluded as an "elder sister" and that she was a "samurai's woman". Okita was cited to be the chief mourner and it was guessed that it was either the doctor's daughter or Akesato (Yamanami's lover).
However recently it turned out that the person was the wife of a Shinjo clan Gokajishi head, Zaemon of Sakai (unsure if the name is Zaemon or Sakai) according to Kawanishi Masataka in Shinsengumi Clarification". This person was born a year before Okita and had lived in Mibu and most probably Okita's "woman", it is cited (and noted as boldly reasoning) that this woman divorced most probably of because of Okita, the woman is described as having a child or children (from what I gather, these are children/child in the previous marriage). The death register's additional letter mentions a son-in-law taken into the family afterwards.
Not to be taken seriously..
Kizu playing devil's advocate...
There is an account by Kondou Yuujurou about Okita mentioning a doctor's daughter... What if Okita Souji actually disguised the older woman, who has his name on her death register, as a doctor's daughter to be safe and not garner disapproval from other members especially the officers of the Shinsengumi? Remember that the older woman, had a husband and it seems with children... What if Kondou and Hijikata found out about this, I believe both would make Okita break off the relationship, but to safeguard Okita's reputation they will go along with the doctor's daughter story for the same reasons Okita disguised the wife of Zaemon (Sakai?) to Yuujurou. Ah... But either way... What a mysterious and highly interesting story ne?
I've seen Okita's love life described from him being "clean" or a virgin, an innocent love with a doctor's daughter... And now a mysterious (and sounds like passionate) love with a married woman. Wow... And I thought only Saitou loved older women (reference to Yaso). *snicker*
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For anyone who’s been looking up Saitou Hajime, we all know that he’s had quite a few names. His real/birth name was Yamaguchi Hajime then changed to Saitou Hajime, which was used in his Shinsengumi (Kyoto) years until he once again changed it to Jirou Yamaguchi, some say it was used to gain entrance back into the Shinsengumi (a technicality use I guess, but still kind of dis. There’s a name he used while in confinement (sort of like a penitence prison) Ichinouhe Denpachi and of course the one supposedly given to him by Matsudaira Katamori, Fujita Goro.
Well my favorite name will always be Yamaguchi Hajime (for personal reasons. LOL), but let’s discuss the last two names, Ichinouhe Denpachi and Fujita Goro.
It was said before that Jirou Yamaguchi stayed in Aizu to fight to the bitter end. Not surprising really. He was with the “Phoenix” troop, I think the Japanese is Suzaku (spelling?) and fought mainly outside the castle. Actually it’s said that the fighting outside continued for a while as they didn’t know that Aizu surrendered already. Feel free to strike that out as I’ve not confirmed it by a better source, I think I got it somewhere along the web, messageboards and what not. It’s probably true though since in one of the books I read (painstakingly LOL), it did say he submitted himself and was not able to triumphantly enter the castle. The POWs were then led to the Takada clan (at least those who weren’t badly injured) in several migrations from January 3 to January 15. During this time in order not to be noticed by the new government army he used the name Ichinose Depanchi –not- Ichinohe Denpachi. I’m not sure how the name Ichinohe came down, I do know that Akama had used the name in her novel and others followed, just look around and you’ll see a lot of references to Ichinohe Denpachi, even I’ve used it before and in this site too. But definitely the name is not Ichinohe as proven by the transcript “Takada Kinshin Chou Zakki” (see pic below, name is with red marking) where Ichinose is recorded along with another Shinsengumi, Shimizu Ukichi. It’s said that he took a lot of precaution not to be exposed conceiling from relative and even Shinsengumi comrade, makes sense of course. But why did he pick the name? Apparently the surname Ichinose was used by a lot of distinguished families from the Aizu clan. I’ll not describe the conditions in the penitence camp we’re just talking names here after all and I’m sleepy. LOL…. But many POWs though died there because of sickness and lack of sustenance (well aside from some of them escaping and being caught and decapitated).
Now Ichinose-san uses the name Fujita Goro when he migrates to Tonami, we know he used it for sure during 1871 because his family register when he married Shinoda Yaso in August 25 1871 is already Fujita. I’ll not go into Yaso either (for now) as that’s going to take me forever. LOL. It is theorized that he used the surname Fujita as many there were a lot of “Fujita” surnames in the southern part of the clan territory, which does coincide with what Akama mentioned before in Nazo. As for why he’d change his name again, we can all just guess or maybe it’s for the same reason. It seems that our wolfie really is a very cautious man. It goes on to say that Matsudaira did not appoint the name which is surprising (maybe my transcription is wrong but I doubt it since the paragraph structure is made to support that it was not an “officially” bestowed name by Matsudaira). Depending on when specifically he used the name, it cites that shortly at the time of migration he will use the name Fujita Goro. If this is before September 1870, the time when Matsudaira came to Tonami then they are probably right. We do know that on May 2 an advance party was sent to Tonami, Kurasawa was a councilor who helped the POW migrate and that the migration for many people was completed in June… I think it’s been said time and time again that Matsudaira bestowed the name to Saitou because of his service to the Aizu han and even goes on to say that Saitou treasured it and so forth. I would venture to say that the origin of the name is in question as it’s only recently that we have a better footprint of what happened to POW Saitou (which again isn’t discussed in detail here. Gomen…), but Matsudaira’s appreciation of Saitou is seen also in other ways like that haori and it’s said that he met with Saitou many times while he was in Tonami. Saitou even goes out to accompany him (be his guard) when Matsudaira had to go to Tokyo to facilitate the abolition of the Aizu clan, but take note it wasn’t just Saitou who went with him, it was also many other clan retainers who also received “gifts” from Matsudaira.
Ah well just letting you guys know what I stumble upon. As usual Kizu make no claims. Heh. I mean if they can’t decide… I can’t either. LOL… This is just to stir your mind. Oh most of this comes from Saitou no Nazo and Subete.
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Part I - Early life in Gonohe Tonami
IMO Shinoda Yaso is probably one of the most elusive figures in Fujita Goro’s life. As we all know Fujita Goro is Saitou Hajime. Not many people have heard of Shinoda Yaso until recently and some may not have heard of her at all. A long time ago I found her name in a –favorite- site of mine 3-hajime.com now known as hajime3.hp.infoseek.co.jp/ . Nowadays I don't heavily rely on websites but I still do like that one. The problem was usually I'd only find very short blurbs on Yaso. Anyway, not much is known about her still but let me tell you about her as I’ve finally deciphered some info from Rekishi Doukohon, Saitou Hajime Subete and Saitou Hajime no Nazo.
Shinoda Yaso was of samurai lineage, if we recall only samurai lineage had the right to keep a surname but her evidence of being of samurai ancestry is evidenced by her father Shinoda Naizo who was an Aizu Honshizoku (warrior group). Before the fall of Aizu and the displacement of the Aizu han, her father was receiving a stipend of 400 Koku and their residence was at Yoneshiro Ni Choume (2nd district I think). Her father died of illness while her eldest brother "Iwagirou" died in the Kinmon incident. Many people including Saitou moved to Tonami – Aomori (northern Japan – Shimokita peninsula) as refugees, she was one such person who moved along with her brothers to the house of Shichiro Ueda in Gonohe village.
Saitou after his release from the Takada clan - Echigo, proceeded to Tonami under the name Fujita Goro in the year 1870. It is recorded that most of the immigration was completed by June, although I’m not sure when Saitou actually reached Tonami, all we know is the year. Kurasawa Hieimon (sometimes I got “Heijiuemon”) was an advisor/councilor and directed the immigration of the POWs. He and Saitou were acquaintances from Kyoto, which probably explains why Goro came to stay at Kurasawa’s household. It’s important to note that not only Saitou stayed there but many other people, aside from Tokio whom Kurasawa had adopted prior to going to Tonami. Yaso met Saitou around February 1871, most probably because of Kurasawa since Kurasawa was the one who arranged/sponsored their marriage. Saitou married Yaso on August 25, 1871 the very day that he was scheduled to go to Tokyo to guard Matsudaira Katamori. Many other Aizu soldiers accompanied Matsudaira, they left to start the abolition of the Tonami clan. To be honest I found this to be quite funny as it’s like a soldier marrying his sweatheart just before he goes away. But as to why he couldn’t wait till he got back, I have no idea. LOL. It’s probably just me.
So after their marriage, they setup house in Gonohe-son 132 residence. The address of Kurasawa as Saitou was already living there. They were married by self-declaration under the term “Shizoku”, meaning of samurai antecedents but really their life was more like “merchants”. It is during this time that the life in Gonohe was very hard, it was hard to harvest and develop any type of industry as Tonami is described as a barren land. The settlement most probably according to Subete did not face the sea and thus fishery was not an option. Saitou according to Akama “peddled” (yes the work of a merchant) but I’m unsure as to what. Saitou and Yaso’s life were seriously poor and there was a lot of death from malnutrition and the harsh elements. It’s said that during the time 10% of the immigrants were sick and it got so bad that the Meiji government was forced to send them some “relief” money.
The truth of Yaso’s existence is when Akama was looking over the Kansoku register (scholars agree that there are many mistakes in this register. I think it was also called “Jitsuru”)... In January 1872 a population census(Kansoku register) was required by the Meiji government and her name and Fujita Goro’s came up. In Fujita Goro’s family registry, it is recorded “Fujita Goro 27 wife Yaso 31. 132 residence”. There is a mistake here in that Yaso is said to be born in 1842 this means that Goro should’ve been born 1846 but we all know he was born 1844 January 2, via his record in the Police Department Bureau (later known as the TMPD) Akama had written that there was a woman who was able to enter a girl’s school with Yaso’s help. She mentions that this woman is still alive albeit –very- old. She is a master in calligraphy. The name is not mentioned from what I see (If I just missed it please let me know). Our last record of Yaso is that she moved to 269 residence Gonohe-son on July 20,1876. This was the address of Kurasawa Jikan 78 yrs old, who at the time was living with his son (Hieimon 47 yrs old –mentioned earlier) and Jikan’s wife 71 yrs old. What she did afterwards is not yet known.
According to Shizuko Akama there is the possibility that Fujita Goro (Saitou) was already working for the Police Bureau as early as 1871. It is commonly thought of that Kawaji Toshiyoshi from Satsuma was probably connected to Goro’s entry into the police because during the time he was recruiting former Samurai to hold public positions, but the definite record we have of Saitou joining the police is his record where he got sent off to the Seinan war, otherwise known as the Southwestern Rebellion under the police and not the army.
Anyway during the time he and Yaso was living with the Kurasawa, he also helped setup a school. I’m not sure if this is the same school that the girl whom Yaso helped went to. Saitou also headed the penitence group on the same day he and (presumably) Yaso changed residence on February 10, 1873. The reason for the relocation was because Kurasawa and his family, which I would guess includes Tokio had also changed residence.
Goro and Yaso would then live at 812 residence at the Ueda household. This was the same house that Yaso lived in prior to marrying Goro. It is described as “tenement” style. The question comes to mind is why would Goro and Yaso move in Ueda Shichiro’s house? How did they secure residence there again and why did they not live with Kurasawa? The answer here I think can be found by examining Yaso and Kurasawa Hiejieumon’s relationship to the Ueda house. Yaso had already been living at the Ueda house so there’s no surprise there, however it is mentioned that Kurasawa himself was an adopted son of the Ueda’s. This would explain Kurasawa’s connection with Yaso, and why he would sponsor the marriage between the two. Kurasawa also would’ve been able to secure lodgings for Goro and Yaso once again into the Ueda house. It is not mentioned why Kurasawa would opt Goro and Yaso not to move in with them at Kurasawa's new residence.
Sometime after this, Takagi Tokio, Kurasawa’s adopted daughter is sent to Tokyo. The reasons are unknown. After over a year of living in the Ueda house, Fujita Goro goes to Tokyo on June 10, 1874, the reasons for Goro’s arrival in Tokyo is unknown as well but Akama seems to think that Goro has been in and out of Tonami several times. Anyway Goro eventually marries Tokio. The marriage arrangement between Fujita Goro and Tokio is thought to have been made in fall with Sagawa Kanbee (Kambei? and Yamakawa Hiroshi as lower go-betweens and Matsudaira as higher sponsors.
What can I tell you about all this? Nothing really that you don’t already know since I basically spilled everything. LOL. There was a theory that came out because of rekishi dokouhon that made it look like Saitou divorced Yaso and that perhaps Kurasawa had a hand in it. Please note that I have not read Rekishi Doukohon personally (but I did get a copy of it so I might update this with corrections or something). The theory went something like, to spare Tokio from further “hardship” her adopted father had arranged things and that the marriage of Saitou to Tokio was done even before Saitou went to Tokyo. With the relationships as it is, I sincerely doubt Kurasawa would request such a thing considering they had already lived in Tonami for quite some time plus why would he break up a marriage he sponsored in the first place? Much less a marriage of a woman whom Shichiro Ueda took into his care, remember Kurasawa was adopted into the Ueda house. Tokio had already been living in Tokyo earlier before Saitou got there, so that pretty much throws out the idea that the marriage was encouraged so that Tokio can be taken away from the harsh life in Tonami. All of this came from the assumption that Kurasawa wanted to safeguard his daughter, which is why Kurasawa took Yaso in eventually out of “guilt”, but considering the fact that the clan had already been pardoned and some had left Tonami much earlier… And anyway why pick someone who was already married to someone else? Simply to me this whole theory does not make any sense.
There is another “theory” that Yaso died from harshness in the life of Tonami… I am not sure where this theory comes from, although sometimes it is cited that there is no record of her after 1876 where she moved back to the house of the Kurasawas… I have not heard of accounts of her being fragile and just because one stops being on someone’s family register does not mean they died that year. It is possible she "relocated" and from what I know family registers are changed many times especially when living in a new area. And even if she died that year, that’s still two years from the time Goro left so it does not explain the separation.
From what I read though, researchers are not certain of what happened in between the time Saitou (Goro) left for Tokyo and he got married to Tokio. They are asking the question did Goro abandon his first wife? Because there is no divorce papers and the fact that Yaso at the day he left for Tokyo, saw him off, most probably indicates that she had no idea she would never see him again. I think the question is what happened –after- Goro arrived in Tokyo. It wouldn’t be uncommon to think that Goro would visit Tokio, considering he was good friends with Kurasawa. It’s not even unfair to think that Kurasawa himself might’ve asked Goro to visit Tokio from time to time to make sure she’s okay. What happened in between… I don’t know.
I’d like to think just like Akama that Saitou was not a cold man… Akama even goes on to theorize that Saitou might have made Yaso his mistress and might’ve participated in his work in the Police (remember she is also the one who theorizes that Goro has been working for the police as early as his Tonami days). I must say though that perhaps that’s just a way for Akama to reconcile this rather puzzling event. It’s very much like when one assumes Yaso dies of illness, was a bad woman or cannot bear a child… Or that Tokio was clearly the better choice. The list goes on really on how and why Saitou would -presumably- "abandon" Yaso but the truth is we don’t know –yet-. Did Saitou abandon his wife Yaso? Did they separate willfully? Or did circumstance bid them to part ways? Those are questions still being answered by Japanese researchers. We do not know if he infact abandoned Yaso or was forced to. If he was forced to, we do not know the circumstance and by whose hands. Feel free to speculate, most of the researchers I've read have speculated to no end.
hajimenokizu.com/index.php
This adopted daughter seemed to have had a "manly" temper and always carried a dagger in her bossom. Then one day she decided to "confess" to Okita about her love since Okita wasn't "aware" of her like for him. She asks to marry him and Okita flatly refused and because this adopted daughter felt ashamed she stabbed her throat. Fortunately the wound was not too deep and she was able to live. The adopted daughter goes on to say that she's married another person afterwards. This event was a well-known event in the Shieikan. However the author wonders if this is indeed true considering Kondou himself would only be in his 20s and to adopt at such a young age seemed unnatural. However in the Kojima diary in Onoji-son there is a passage about Kondou's adopting this daughter. It goes thus; July 3, 1864: Kondou adopts a daughter and is good. The appearance is about 13 years old. If looked in the context of the Edo period then the document is also persuasive although the circumstances are unclear.
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