Translation: Katsura Kogoro: Chapter 1, Part 3

Hagi Stories: Katsura Kogoro. By: Issaki, Taro. This book was given to me by Osaki Yoko, a kind lady at Hagi Museum.


Chapter 1: From Hagi to Kyoto

Page 8-10

The Arrival of Perry’s Ships

As a young boy, Kogoro appeared sickly, despite having a good physical build.

Kogoro studied at the “Merinkan” school under Yoshida Shoin, who was three years his senior. In later years, Kogoro and Shoin would build a relationship beyond student and master and become good friends and kindred spirits.

In September 1852, Saito Shintaro, the eldest son of famed Edo fencing instructor Saito Yakuro, visited Hagi, the castle city of Choshu, where Kogoro lived. An opportunity arose for five students to visit Edo and study martial arts there. Although Kogoro was not one of the selected five, he did receive permission to “study abroad” in Edo on his own expense.

And so, tagging along, Kogoro reached #3 Koji-Machi, Edo, address of Saito Yakuro’s dojo and military training hall, and he crawled underneath the gate. Upon entering the dojo, it wasn’t long before Kogoro displayed such talent that he quickly climbed ranks to the top of the class.



While in Edo Kogoro also conversed with young people from different feudal domains all over the country. This would have an important influence on Kogoro’s activities later in life.

In June 1853, a fleet of “black ships,” under the command of Commodore Matthew Perry, could be seen off the coast of Uragawa. Perry had come to urge the Shogun to open Japan to trade, and his method was to use his warships to exert high pressure.

Kogoro, 21 at the time, was still in Edo, and he got to witness this unprecedented crisis unfold in real time.

On June 4, 1853, he wrote in his diary: “Now I hear rumors of a black ship called Tallamesh*.” The next day he wrote: “Gradually, the rumors have become widespread. It was my wish to go to Uraga by the hour of the dog (7:00-9:00 PM) and witness this appearance for myself, but some other business suddenly came up, and I was unable to go.” On June 9th, Kogoro was added to the line of soldiers under Lord of Choshu Mori Yoshichika (later Mori Takachika), charged with guarding the Omori Coast. Kogoro faithfully discharged his duty.



On June 13, Perry left Japan, having obtained the Shogun’s promise to respond to America’s demands in a year’s time. One year later, Perry did indeed return. The Shogunate, folding under pressure, signed the Japan-America Treaty of Amity and Friendship (also known as the Yokohama Treaty) in March of 1854.

*The spelling of this word, as well as the spelling of many foreign names written in Japanese, should be taken with a grain of salt.