Author: yuka

Tokugawa Yoshinobu was born in Edo (present-day Tokyo) in 1837. He was the seventh son of Tokugawa Nariaki, the ruler of Mito (present-day Ibaraki Prefecture) at the time, and was exceptionally talented among his siblings. Recognizing his intelligence, Nariaki raised him strictly from an early age as a future candidate for shogun.

1830 – 1859 吉田松陰 Shoin Yoshida The Crazy Man Who Acted with Japan in Mind Shoin Yoshida lived and flourished during the period of the Meiji Restoration, when the Edo shogunate, which had been at the top of Japan until then, fell, and a new Japan that incorporated Western culture began. During this era, many significant figures worked to create a better Japan, but among them, Shoin stood out as a thinker and educator who, both as a samurai and as a teacher, stayed true to his beliefs and influenced many people. Shoin lived for only 29 years. Let’s delve…

1847 – 1934 東郷平八郎 Heihachiro Togo A Legendary Admiral Who Shaped Japan’s Naval Legacy Early Life Heihachiro Tōgō was born in 1848 in Satsuma (present-day Kagoshima), coming from a samurai family. From a young age, he dedicated himself to academics, swordsmanship, and sumo wrestling. In Satsuma, the secretive sword style Jigen-ryū was passed down, and Heihachiro maintained a strong connection to its teachings throughout his life. Famous for its powerful downward strikes and focus on the first blow, Jigen-ryū’s philosophy of “abandoning wisdom” resonated deeply with Heihachiro, even after witnessing the might of the British Royal Navy. This formidable style…

1767 – 1848 曲亭馬琴 Bakin Kyokutei An Edo-Period Novelist Known for Timeless Tales Name: AKA Bakin TAKIZAWA 滝沢馬琴, Pen name Kyokutei Bakin 曲亭馬琴, later called himself Toku (解), Original name is Okikuni Takizawa 滝沢興邦 From Samurai to Storyteller: The Journey of Kyokutei Bakin Born in 1767, Bakin KYOKUTEI (real name Okikuni TAKIZAWA) came from a samurai family. His early years were marked by privilege, but his life took a dramatic turn when his father passed away at the age of nine. With his older brothers moving on—one to work for another family and the other adopted by relatives—Bakin inherited the…