Nakahara Naosuke (猶介) (中原猶介)
Naosuke NAKAHARA (May 8, 1832 - September 22, 1868) was a rangakusha (a person who studied Western sciences by means of the Dutch language), scientist and soldier from Satsuma Province (modern day Kagoshima Prefecture).
Biography and Personal Profile
His given name was 尚勇, and his gago (pseudonym) was Tesshinsai. Although some literature gave the pronunciation of '猶介' as 'Yusuke,' it is considered that 'Naosuke' is correct because the name was also written as '尚介' (pronounced as Naosuke) in some other literature.
He was born in present-day Uenosono-cho (a part of the town, in fact, which used to belong to Uearata area before the reorganization of lot numbers), Kagoshima City on Apr 8, 1832. He had been enthusiastic about Western studies and chemistry from childhood. He had an opportunity to go to Nagasaki under clan orders at the age of 18 and learned Western studies from Dutch teachers. At the age of 22, his talent attracted the attention of Nariakira SHIMAZU (the lord of Satsuma clan), so that he was involved in Shuseikan (Western-style industrial complex) project, reinforcement of the Navy of Satsuma clan, the construction of warships and a reverberatory furnace to lay the foundations of modern navy. He also rendered distinguished services in modern technology of Kagoshima prefecture and Japan by developing Japan's first torpedo as a provision for Anglo-Satsuma War, producing red Satsuma kiriko (cut-glass work) successfully by studying the coloring of Satsuma kiriko on the order of Nariakira and so on.
After Nariakira's death, he went to Edo to study under Tarozaemon EGAWA and Sokken YASUI and later assumed the position of the head teacher of a private school to bring up the next generation. With a steam warship of Satsuma clan putting in at Shinagawa by chance, Naosuke, when studying under Sokken, guided Sokken around the inside of the ship. Although Naosuke had never told his teacher Sokken that he himself had a part in the construction of the warship, Sokken learned of this fact later and slapped his knee in admiration for Naosuke's personality.
He was recuperating in Nagasaki during Anglo-Satsuma War, but was appointed Gunbuyaku (army commander) and the commander of cannon troops in Kinmon Incident, and also used his influence to help Choshu clan purchase armaments in Nagasaki during the Second Choshu Conquest in 1866. When the envoy from England visited Satsuma clan in 1867, he took charge of reception and directed a live-ammunition exercise to show him.
During the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in 1868, he was appointed a staff officer of the navy on the side of the new government in March, but returned briefly to his hometown because of illness. He went to the front again in June and joined the Battle of Nagaoka-jo Castle in Echigo Province in July. However, while confronting Tsugunosuke KAWAI, he was shot in the right leg which brought his life of 37 years to a close in Kashiwazaki Hospital.
When his end was approaching, in spite of his absorption and belief in Western studies and sciences, he realized it was fate and refused all the medical treatments and medications.
There is 'a monument to the remains of the venerable Mr. Naosuke NAKAHARA's residence' at the south gate of Kagoshima Prefectural Konan High School. It was built by a group of supporters in Kagoshima City in 1916 and the inscription was written by Baron Nagamaru SHIMAZU. Shogoi (Senior Fifth Rank) was conferred upon NAKAHARA the following year in 1917. Although the monument had originally been near the main gate of existing Konan High School, but was relocated in 1930 when the schoolhouse was rebuilt with ferroconcrete in the time of The Second Kagoshima Junior High School, the predecessor of Konan High School.
Death haiku (Japanese poem)
Even if this present body was buried in snow of Koshiji region, I would leave a name behind me by washing it down the clear water melting into the snow.
Some literature says it was 'Even if this present body was buried in snow in Koshiji region, I would leave a name behind me by washing it down the flow of clear water.'