英語訳
were occasionally invited to their residences and even wrote title inscriptions for poetry collections. At the residences of Iwakura (Right Minister), Hijikata (Minister of the Imperial Household), Yamada Akiyoshi (Minister of Justice), Tanaka Fujimaro (Minister of Education), Sugi Magoshichiro (Vice-Minister of the Imperial Household), and Ito Hirobumi (later Prime Minister), he frequently attended banquets and composed poetry. The era celebrated the enlightened peace under Heaven following the Restoration, Tokyo was increasingly prosperous, and poetry and elegant literary gatherings were held everywhere. Since it was a situation where anyone with position and honor had no influence unless they composed poetry, people like the old man were truly great elders of the poetry world and extremely busy with social engagements.
IX. Elegant Social Relations
The old man was always warm-hearted toward friends, had a chivalrous spirit, took good care of others, and sometimes showed spirited determination. As befitted one who stood among the renowned figures and celebrities of his generation, his social connections were extremely wide. From his youth, those with whom he discussed national affairs included first the Mito domain elders Fujita Toko, Aizawa Seishisai, and Ajima Taitō (see "Imperial Loyalty and Patriotism"), and he was also close to people like Ohara Kan (styled Rikkei, called Jinbei, with the pen name Tesshin, a disciple of Saito Setsudon), who was famous as an elder of Ogaki. During the Restoration, domains like Ogaki also experienced considerable turmoil, but having the talented Ohara Tesshin, they managed not to err in their course. He studied under Yanagawa Seigan and associated as senior or friend with the great scholars of the age: Rai Mikisaburo, Umeda Unpin, Yoshida Shoin, Hashimoto Sanai, Taketomi Kinan, Fujimori Koan, Katsuno Taizan, Yasui Sokken, Shioya Toin, Asaka Gonsai, Yoshino Kinryo, Otsuki Bankei, and Saito Chikudo. Among poetry friends were such masters as Kikuchi Gozan, Onuma Chinzan, Okamoto Kōseki, Ohashi Totsunan, the same Toan, Sakuma Shozan, Fujimoto Tesseki, Matsumoto Keido, Goto Shoin, Mori Shunto, Toyama Un'nyo, and Suzuki Shoto. Among Buddhist monks, he was particularly close to the Reverend Baichi and Priest Shoai. Through the period before and after the Restoration, his connections extended to Washizu Kidō, Matsuoka Kiken, Nakamura Keiu, Kawada Kogyō, Mukoyama Kōson, Matano Randen, Kimura Kaishu, Nanmo Uho, Shigeno Seisei, Oka Kamon, Sakatani Rōro, Mishima Chūshū, Yoda Hyakusen, Shinobu Joken, Nagamatsu Giken, Sekine Chido, Nagasaka Sekiui, Narushima Ryūhoku, Suehiro Tetchō, Kaminami Sokuzan, Sugiyama Sankō, Noguchi Neisai, Yamada Shinsen and others. Among high officials and nobles were Imperial Prince Arisugawa Taruhito, Sanjo, Iwakura, Nijo, Kido, Hijikata, Ito, Yamada (Akiyoshi), Tanaka (Fujimaro), Hosokawa (Junsaburo), Sugi (Magoshichiro), Akizuki Taneki, Miura Goro, Nakajima Nobukazu and others. Among Buddhist clergy, from Jōkai of Zōjōji, Tecchō of Chion-in, Tankō of Rinnai-ji, to Mokudō of Eiheiji, extending to all sects. As poet-calligraphers there were Shūgan, Shōsai, Sekijo, Hansen, Hanrei, Tankō, and Sekkō. The Chō Sanshū father and son, Iwaya Ichiroku, and in terms of faith, Kusakabe Meikaku, Kanai Kindō and others formed close friendships and critiqued each other's poetry. Among calligraphers were Chinzan, Ryūko, Sōun, Ryūho, Shōka, and Shōhin. In the medical world were Mitsukuri Genpo, Akamatsu Genshō, and Asada Sōhaku. In business circles, he became deeply acquainted with Iwasaki Yatarō, Shibusawa Eiichi and his relative Kisaku, Hirose Saihei, Tajima Yahei and others. Shibusawa Eiichi and Kisaku both came together to console him during his confinement in Yoshida. During the old man's time in Kyoto, he received the favor of Regent Nijo, and later when the regent died, he composed a poem in mourning.
"Suddenly this morning came news of death. The sorrowfully crying geese move people deeply. Having gratitude brings tears that cannot be held back. The setting sun over the western mountains, one piece of heart."
He also had a poem mourning the death of Kido Takayoshi:
"Once grasping the nation's safety and danger in one person. The achievements of the Restoration are unparalleled in history. The Emperor's deep thoughts are still as they were yesterday. Who could be a replacement for that gentleman?"
The old man's close friend who served as matchmaker for his wife, Yasui Sokken, was naturally stern and unyielding and did not easily accept people, but the old man gained his favor. At Yoshi-