英語訳
[Header] Toyohashi City Historical Discussions - (Sakai Tadatsugu's Retirement) - 152
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"I will not say such things. I alone will commit seppuku and save all the people. If I do not go to the capital, relations will be severed, but even if a million cavalry come attacking, we could defeat them in one battle. However, the way of war is not like that. If I, through my own resolve, drive the common people and various samurai into the mountains and wilderness to be killed, the vengeful spirits' resentment would be terrifying. If I alone commit seppuku, the lives of all people will be saved. You too, without necessarily stating any particular duty, should make apologies and save the lives of all people." When he said this, Saemon-no-jō also replied, "Given your thoughts on this matter, it is quite reasonable. You should proceed with the journey to the capital." To this, it was said, "That is indeed a response befitting a mature person."
Looking at this, Ieyasu's resolve was truly admirable, and one cannot help but feel deep respect. Ultimately, as mentioned before, Ieyasu finally decided on going to the capital, arrived in Osaka on the 26th of that month, and went with Hideyoshi to Kyoto where he received great honors. At this time, Ieyasu humbled his aspirations and yielded one step to Hideyoshi. As stated before, this reveals the characters of both heroes. If Ieyasu had remained completely inflexible and not gone to the capital, what would the result have been? The generals and retainers of the Tokugawa were single-mindedly martial and, so to speak, narrow in their worldview. The Toyotomi side was quite magnanimous and broad-minded, widely understanding the general trend of the realm, but there were still various circumstances surrounding them, making it difficult to fundamentally defeat the Tokugawa. Whether the Tokugawa would fall or the Toyotomi would be broken, either way the realm would have again brewed great turmoil. Investigating the relationship between these two houses from such circumstances might be the most interesting aspect of history, but as this would become too lengthy, I would like to stop this discussion here.
⦿Sakai Tadatsugu's Retirement
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[Header] San'yō Shimbun No. 3906 Supplement (Published November 7, Meiji 44)
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Now, that Ieyasu's journey to the capital actually became the cause of long-lasting friendship with the Toyotomi house was as described in the previous chapter. However, regarding this journey to the capital, the Tokugawa made it with great resolve, and before finally going to the capital, it was necessary to further warm relations with the Hōjō clan in the east. In the 3rd month of Tenshō 14, Ieyasu personally went to Mishima in Izu, which was Hōjō territory, and met with Hōjō Ujimasa. At that time there was a banquet at a place called Sōgawara, and at that gathering Sakai Tadatsugu playfully performed a dance, which greatly pleased Ujimasa and delighted him. This is just something I mention as part of Tadatsugu's history, but also in the following year, on the 15th day of the 11th month of Tenshō 15, Ieyasu visited Tadatsugu's residence and there was an all-day sarugaku performance, with Ieyasu enjoying himself thoroughly before returning home. However, in the following year, in the 10th month of Tenshō 16, Tadatsugu finally retired and transferred the family headship to his eldest son Ietsugu. The events of this succession are also recorded in the Ietada Diary, and I think there are quite meaningful passages, so I will excerpt them below:
"5th day, kinoto-tori: Yoshida Sakai Saemon-no-jō's retirement, Kunai's succession celebration, went to Yoshida. Entertainment at Kunai's place. To the castle, 300 hiki, sake barrels and food. To the retiree, 100 hiki, sake barrels and food."
The "Kunai" mentioned here refers to Ietsugu, and from then Tadatsugu took the tonsure, took the name Icchi, lived at the Sakurai residence in Kyoto, and died there of natural causes on the 28th day of the 10th month of Keichō 1 at age seventy (some sources say seventy-two; I follow the Kansei Revised Genealogies of Various Houses). His posthumous Buddhist name was Ten'yo Kōgetsu Enshin Senkyūin and he was buried at Chion-in Temple. This Sakurai residence was given by Hideyoshi when Tadatsugu accompanied Ieyasu's journey to the capital. At that time, Hideyoshi presented Ieyasu with a residence and also gave him lands worth 30,000 koku near Moriyama in Ōmi Province as a bathing stipend. To Tadatsugu he gave this Sakurai residence and about 1,000 koku of land, also in Ōmi. As mentioned before, Tadatsugu's wife was called Usui-hime, later Kōju-fujin, daughter of Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, making her Ieyasu's aunt. This woman also lived a very long life, dying on the 27th day of the 11th month of Keichō 17, with the Buddhist name Kushin Sōgetsu...
[Header] Toyohashi City Historical Discussions - (Sakai Tadatsugu's Retirement) - 153