Choshu Five
Encyclopedia
The were members of the Chōshū han
of western Japan
who studied in England from 1863 at University College London
under the guidance of Professor Alexander William Williamson
. It was still illegal to leave Japan when they left, as sakoku
was still practically in force until the Meiji Restoration
.
, put the Chōshū youths, disguised as English sailors, aboard a reluctant Captain J. S. Gower's vessel at 1000 ryō
each, bound for Shanghai
where they were sheltered on an opium
storage ship before dividing into two groups for the long voyage to London
.
When they reached London the Chōshū students were introduced by William Matheson to Professor Alexander Williamson
.
Inoue Kaoru
and Itō Hirobumi
, destined to be two of the greatest Japanese statesmen of the age, worked as deckhands aboard the 1500 ton steamer Pegasus on the voyage to Europe. They also returned earlier than the other three when they realised that the Chōshū clan was in danger of attack by the allied powers for trying to close the Straits of Shimonoseki
to foreign shipping.
Choshu Han
The was a feudal domain of Japan during the Edo period occupying the whole of modern day Yamaguchi Prefecture. It was coterminous with Nagato Province: in fact, Chōshū was simply shorthand for the province. The domain played a major role in the Late Tokugawa shogunate...
of western Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
who studied in England from 1863 at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
under the guidance of Professor Alexander William Williamson
Alexander William Williamson
Alexander William Williamson FRS was an English chemist of Scottish descent. He is best known today for the Williamson ether synthesis.-Biography:...
. It was still illegal to leave Japan when they left, as sakoku
Sakoku
was the foreign relations policy of Japan under which no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death. The policy was enacted by the Tokugawa shogunate under Tokugawa Iemitsu through a number of edicts and policies from 1633–39 and remained in effect until...
was still practically in force until the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
.
Voyage to Britain
A Mr. Weigal, Jardine Matheson's manager in YokohamaYokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, put the Chōshū youths, disguised as English sailors, aboard a reluctant Captain J. S. Gower's vessel at 1000 ryō
Ryo
Ryo may refer to:* The Japanese kana digraph ryo, ryō, or ryoh * Ryō , a gold piece in pre-Meiji era Japan worth about sixty monme or four kan...
each, bound for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
where they were sheltered on an opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
storage ship before dividing into two groups for the long voyage to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
When they reached London the Chōshū students were introduced by William Matheson to Professor Alexander Williamson
Alexander William Williamson
Alexander William Williamson FRS was an English chemist of Scottish descent. He is best known today for the Williamson ether synthesis.-Biography:...
.
Inoue Kaoru
Inoue Kaoru
Count , GCMG was a member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesman in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies.-Early years:...
and Itō Hirobumi
Ito Hirobumi
Prince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
, destined to be two of the greatest Japanese statesmen of the age, worked as deckhands aboard the 1500 ton steamer Pegasus on the voyage to Europe. They also returned earlier than the other three when they realised that the Chōshū clan was in danger of attack by the allied powers for trying to close the Straits of Shimonoseki
Kanmon Straits
The Kanmon Straits or the Straits of Shimonoseki is the stretch of water separating two of Japan's four main islands. On the Honshū side of the water is Shimonoseki and on the Kyūshū side is Kitakyūshū, whose former city and present ward, Moji , gave the strait its "mon"...
to foreign shipping.
Identity of the Chōshū Five
- Itō ShunsukeIto HirobumiPrince was a samurai of Chōshū domain, Japanese statesman, four time Prime Minister of Japan , genrō and Resident-General of Korea. Itō was assassinated by An Jung-geun, a Korean nationalist who was against the annexation of Korea by the Japanese Empire...
(later Ito Hirobumi; Prime Minister) - Inoue MontaInoue KaoruCount , GCMG was a member of the Meiji oligarchy during the Meiji period Empire of Japan. As one of the senior statesman in Japan during that period, he had a tremendous influence on the selection of the nation's leaders and formation of its policies.-Early years:...
(later Inoue Kaoru; Foreign Minister) - Yamao YōzōYamao YozoViscount was a Japanese samurai of the late Edo period who became an influential member of the Meiji era government of Japan.-Early life:Yamao was born in Akiu, a village in Chōshū domain , and had received the traditional training of a samurai at a private school in Edo...
who later studied engineering at the Andersonian Institute, GlasgowGlasgowGlasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, 1866-68 while working at the River ClydeRiver ClydeThe River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
shipyards by day - Endō KinsukeEndo Kinsukewas a Japanese statesman in the early Meiji period.Endō was born to a samurai family in Hagi, Chōshū Domain was a Japanese statesman in the early Meiji period.Endō was born to a samurai family in Hagi, Chōshū Domain was a Japanese statesman in the early Meiji period.Endō was born to a samurai...
- Nomura YakichiInoue MasaruViscount was the first `Director of Railways` in Japan and is known as the "father of the Japanese railways".He was born into the Chōshū clan at Hagi, Yamaguchi...
(later Inoue Masaru)
New Film
- A movie entitled "Chōshū Five" has been released in Japan in January 2007. "Chōshū Five" received the Grand Remi Award at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival.
External links
- Nagasaki in the Meiji Restoration - links Thomas GloverThomas Blake GloverThomas Blake Glover, Order of the Rising Sun was a Scottish merchant in Bakumatsu and Meiji period Japan.-Early life :...
and the Chōshū Five