Ansei Toashi
Ansei Tōashi or Ansei-no-Tōashi was the name for the event in which samurais of Annaka Domain competed to run approximately 30 kilometer in accordance with the order by their feudal lord in Ansei era during Edo period of Japan.[1][2][3] It is also nicknamed as "Samurai Marathon".[2][3] Though forgotten for a long time, this event was rediscovered in 1955, and has been prefered as a cultural resource since then.[1] Annaka City in modern days holds a long-distance running event annually in commemoration of Ansei Tōashi.[1][2][3]
Backgound
The place: the place was Annaka Domain, one of parts of Joshū which is modern Gunma Prefecture, which was situated in the north-west part of Kantō plain.[4] Annaka Domain had a duty to defend Usui Pass, a narrow path, through which the transportation between Edo and north-western regions had to pass, therefore Annaka Domain was an important point of transport.[4]
The time: the time was the spring of 1855, the second year of Ansei era, two years later from "Arrival of the Black Ships" incident.[1][5] This incident created perturbation in Japan and split of the opinion for foreigners.[5] Some feudal lords thought that strengthening and fortification were needed against for the invasion of Westerners, and Itakura Katsuakira, the lord of Annaka Domain, was one of them.[5]
Primary sources
Ansei Tōashi had been forgotten for long time until ancient manuscripts were founded in 1955, from the underlining of fusuma of the house of shintō priest of Kumano Gongen shrine at Usui Pass.[1] The manuscripts tells the story of Ansei Tōashi, and records its date, time and order of arrival.[1]
The manuscripts comprises a rule book and a book that records the order of arrival.[1] The manuscripts have been typed and studied by historians, and are preserved in the institute for the compilation of historical material of Annaka City.[1]
Event
On the basis of the primary sources, Itakura Katsuakira hoped his vessals would be strengthened, and ordered them to run from the castle gate to Kumano Gongen shrine at Usui Pass.[2][3] He believed that it would benefit their mental and physical dicipline.[2][3]
The primary sources shows that the participants are 98 men, all the vessals of fifty years old and under.[1] They were divided into dozens of groups, each goups included 6 or 7 men.[1] All member within a group started to run at the same time.[1] The order of arrival of each groups were recorded.[1] Tōashi event took place from May 19 to June 28 of Japan's lunisolar calender in the second year of Ansei era.[1]
_02.jpg)
The route to run includes lots of ups and downs, and its length is 30 kilometer.[1][2][3] The final stage of the route has a mountain path to Usui Pass.[1]
The recorder was the shinō priest of Kumano Gongen shrine at Usui Pass.[1] In the first day, the recorder was late for the estimated arrival time of samurais because he who took the designation as the recorder by Lord Itakura at the castle in the previous day had to put up at an inn due to rain in the foot of the mountain path.[1] Therefore, he had to run and climb the mountain path along with them.[1]
Samurais who arrived at the goal dedicated early-ripening of rice plant to the deity of the shrine, and were given dried radish strips, seasoned cucumbers, rice cakes and tea.[1] Itabashi 2017 assumes giving rice cakes have symbolic meaning that they provide strength to donatory.[1] When the participants returns their home, it was not needed for them to run.[1] However, they were not allowed to ride in sedan chair nor ride on horseback.[1] They had to walk.[1]
Leagcy
After discovering the primary souces, the event written in it became to be known,[1] and the name Ansei Tōashi was coined.[3] The historical fact that a kind of marathon, which was invented by baron de Coubertin for modern Olympics in 1908, was invented by one of Japanese feudal loads and actually held in 1855, was thought to be interesting for modern Japanese people.[1]
Ansei Tōashi has been used as cultural resources.[1] Annaka City has annually held "Samurai Marathon" and invited runners since 1975.[1][2][3] Ansei Tōashi inspired some fictions.[1] Marathon Samurai (1956), a film directed by Kazuo Mori, starring Shintaro Katsu, and Samurai Marathon 1855 (2019), a film directed by Bernard Rose are the films inspired by Ansei Tōashi.[1]
The Conductor
Itakura Katsuakira (1809-1857), the seventh head of the house of Itakura and the fifteenth ruler of Annaka Domain, was fond of studying and encouraged new indusry in his domain.[4][2] Stone inscriptions which are preserved in Annaka in modern days tell that Katsuakira encouraged farmers to plant Japanese lacquer trees, and, thanks to this, they and their offsprings could and would be able to avoid from poverty.[4]
An examplary intellectual and political figure in Bakumatsu period, Katsuakira had antiforeignism and chauvinism, and took Japan's situation in global seriously.[5] He felt menace about the situation that westerners and russian often came from overseas to Japan.[5] According to Katsuakira's recognition of Japanese history, Japan had not been despised by oversea barbarians since the beginning of the country, and it was the enthusiasm for defence that kept this situation.[5]
Under his reign, the Meiji-era educator Joseph Hardy Neesima was born as the son of a retainer of the domain.[6] Hearing young Neesima's talent, Katsuakira ordered him to take up Dutch studies at his age of 14.[7] Neeshima's grandfather was formerly Shugen mystic, and, being expected to utilize his knowledge by the ruler of those days Katsunao, later became a lower-ranked feudal retainer of Annaka Domain.[6]
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac Itabashi, Haruo (2017). "Ansei Toashi Samurai Marathon and its Utilization as a Cultural Resource". Study for History of Sports. 30: 79–86. doi:10.19010/jjshjb.30.0_79.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Annaka City Outline 2016" (PDF). Annaka City. 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Monthly Bulletin for Foreign Residents" (PDF). Annaka City. May 2018. Retrieved 2021-11-09.
- ^ a b c d Yajima, Nikichi (August 1940). "Townscape of Annaka, Joshū". Geographical Review of Japan. 16 (8): 557–567. doi:10.4157/grj.16.557.
- ^ a b c d e f Takigawa, Shugo (2005). "Reflection on Antiforeign Chauvinism in End of Tokugawa Shogunate". Treatises of Legal and Political Sciences. 42 (2). Japan Association of Legal and Political Sciences: 19–30. doi:10.20816/jalps.42.2_19.
- ^ a b Ota, Motoko (2007). "Takeoff from Rearing in 'Home and Village' -- Thoughts for Reforming Child Rearing between End of Tokugawa Shogunate and Meiji Restoration". Study of History of Early Childhood Education. 12: 43–58. doi:10.20658/youjikyoikushi.12.0_43.
- ^ "History - Doshisha University for foreigners site". Doshisha University. Retrieved 2021-11-12.