AHN – Chapter 3 Mitsukuni Meets Africans (Part 1)

Mito is enjoying a serene spring day.

Sasakiburo Sasuke Sukezo walked along the polished black outer corridor, glancing at the garden basking in the sunlight. Amidst the deepening green of the new leaves, the garden was adorned with vibrant flowers.

Peach blossoms were blooming in pink, with white magnolias, purple magnolias, cascades of white spirea, and vivid red buds of flowering crabapples. The lively colors, akin to a silent festival, seemed to celebrate life after a harsh winter.

A smile involuntarily spread across Sukezo’s face.

Shoji doors opened to the corridor, allowing sunlight to stream into the room. He paused at the entrance.

“Excuse me,” he called out, and a voice from within responded with a gruff, “Come in.”

Peeking inside, he saw Mitsukuni deeply engrossed in reading a long letter spread out on the low table, a stern expression on his face. Beside him stood a young man in a light green kimono with a chasen-mage hairstyle, looking grim. The young man nodded slightly to Sukezo.

This was Minakata Kamon, a young man highly valued by Mitsukuni in recent years for his academic prowess and broad knowledge.

“If you’re busy, I can come back later,” Sukezo offered.

“I’ll be done shortly,” Mitsukuni replied without lifting his eyes from the letter.

“What are you doing here?” Mitsukuni asked Kamon suddenly.

“I came to discuss the departure for Edo tomorrow as you instructed,” Kamon replied, looking somewhat troubled and glancing at Mitsukuni, who still did not look up. Sukezo chuckled softly.

As a member of the Tokugawa clan, the head of the Mito domain was usually required to reside in Edo. However, Mitsukuni, who disliked being confined, often found reasons to leave Edo and return to Mito to conduct his duties.

After a while, Mitsukuni finally looked up, sighed, and glanced at Kamon.

“Sorry, Kamon, could you get me a cup of tea?” Kamon, looking slightly taken aback, quickly stood up and left the room to fetch tea.

“May I ask about the letter?” Sukezo inquired, timing his question carefully. Mitsukuni, still frowning slightly, responded, “What is it?”

“You seemed quite absorbed—who is the letter from?”

After a brief pause, Mitsukuni replied, “Matsumae Shima no Kami.”

Sukezo’s eyes widened.

“Matsumae? The lord of the Matsumae domain in Ezo, Lord Norihiro?”

Mitsukuni nodded.

“It’s about the Kaifumaru, isn’t it?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Mitsukuni replied.

Kaifumaru was a large ship that Mitsukuni had ordered to be constructed. The purpose of its construction was to explore Ezo (Hokkaido).

From the perspective of national studies, Mitsukuni had long shown interest in Ezo, aiming to reassess the identity of the Japanese people from an ethnological viewpoint.

Where did the Japanese come from, and where are they going?

This was a question Mitsukuni pondered throughout his life, seeking answers in ancient documents, ruins, and the spoken words of people.

While information flowed in from the south via Nagasaki, information from the north was hard to come by, and the information available through the Matsumae domain was limited. Thus, Mitsukuni independently decided to build an exploration ship to gather information on northern tribes.

By February of that year, Kaifumaru had already set out on its second voyage.

Kamon returned with a tea tray, joining the conversation.

“And what did the Matsumae domain say?” Sukezo asked.

Mitsukuni, not answering directly, sipped his tea and looked at Kamon.

“Kamon, are you familiar with the Kanbun Ezo Rebellion?”

Kamon hesitated slightly.

“Yes. It was a rebellion by the native Ezo people against the Matsumae domain, led by a man named Shakushain, if I recall correctly.”

“Indeed,” Mitsukuni said, putting down his tea and looking at Sukezo.

“In short, the Matsumae domain has stated that while Kaifumaru is currently headed towards Ezo, they cannot guarantee safety for further exploration to the north and therefore cannot grant permission.”

Sukezo frowned.

“During the previous voyage, we were also told not to venture outside of Matsumae’s territory. What is the Matsumae domain concerned about?”

“They’re not forbidding travel outside Matsumae territory this time. They said exploration in nearby areas would be tolerated,” Mitsukuni explained.

“That’s quite presumptuous of a provincial lord to speak to one of the Three Houses like that,” Sukezo remarked with a wry smile. Mitsukuni laughed heartily.

“Though the letter was not as blunt as that, it’s essentially what it said. They do have their reasons. It relates to the Kanbun Ezo Rebellion.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kamon leaned forward, interested. Mitsukuni stroked his beard thoughtfully.

“To the north of Matsumae, in an area called Ishikari, Kaifumaru is currently aiming to use this area as a base for northern expeditions. However, the local people in this area did not participate in the rebellion.”

“I’m not sure I see the connection,” Sukezo said, puzzled. Kamon crossed his arms in thought.

“During the rebellion, several northeastern domains sent troops to assist Matsumae. Perhaps the locals were intimidated by the show of force.”

“Matsumae Shima no Kami doesn’t think so. For some reason, Ishikari has its own way of thinking,” Mitsukuni said, massaging his temple.

“The leaders of the rebellious areas were all punished by the Matsumae domain, and their military power was stripped away. This means that Ishikari, which did not join the rebellion, still has the capability to raise an army. The Matsumae domain likely wants to avoid provoking them.”

“I see,” Sukezo said, crossing his arms.

“So they’re trying to prevent the ship from heading north. But the Matsumae domain can’t leave the situation unresolved forever.”

“Indeed. The revenue from trade with the north affects their tributes. If they can’t control Ishikari, it will set a bad precedent for other areas. There’s no guarantee that another Shakushain won’t emerge. It’s a delicate balance.”

A bush warbler sang in the garden, drawing Mitsukuni’s gaze outside.

“Hm,” he murmured to himself.

“By the way,” Kamon began, returning to the original topic, “about our main task.”

Mitsukuni turned to him with an expression of realization.

“I almost forgot. Tomorrow, right? Is that your business as well, Sukezo?”

“Yes,” Sukezo replied, bowing slightly.

“Is the Captain’s party already in Edo?”

“They should have completed their audience with the Shogun by the first. We haven’t received any notice from Edo, so they must be staying at Nagasaki as usual.”

Mitsukuni nodded in agreement.

During this era, the Shogun implemented a policy of national isolation, but trade with the Dutch was permitted at Dejima in Nagasaki. The head of the Dutch trading post, the “Captain,” traveled to Edo once a year to pay respects to the Shogun and present tributes, a custom known as the “Captain’s Visit to Edo.”

Mitsukuni, with his penchant for new things, made it a habit to visit the Captain each year to purchase rare items, considering it a hobby. In recent years, he would take Sukezo and Kakunoshin as his attendants and bring Kamon, who was fluent in Dutch, as an interpreter.

In theory, as an Edo resident, Mitsukuni was expected to attend the Captain’s audience with the Shogun, but his stubborn nature led him to avoid it, dismissing it as “a waste of time.”

“Do you know who this year’s Captain is?” Mitsukuni asked Kamon while tidying up the documents.

“A man named Jong, I believe. He served as Captain a few years ago.”

Mitsukuni paused, looking up thoughtfully.

“That name sounds familiar. Perhaps I’ll remember when I meet him.”