Ogawa Seisuke (小川清助)
Seisuke OGAWA (1832 - 1880) was a stonemason active in the southern part of Izu Peninsula from the end of Edo Period to early Meiji Period. In Shimoda City area in Shizuoka Prefecture near the southern tip of Izu Peninsula, there are 20 or more works currently identified as Seisuke's work.
History of successive 'Seisuke'
According to the tradition of Seisuke OGAWA's descendant, the name 'Seisuke' was started to be used between 1673 - 1681 during the Edo Period and it was passed on to the next generation until the early Meiji Period for about 200 years.
In order to confirm this, a standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu (Guardian deity of travelers and children), made in 1727, in Nakamura Park, Nishinaka, Shimoda City, was named as the oldest of his work with the inscription of 'Seisuke.'
However now the name 'Seisuke' cannot be found on this statue and it is doubtful that this statue was made by Seisuke. Currently, the oldest work where the inscription 'Seisuke' can be identified is the standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu which stands in front of Taibai-ji Temple, an ancient temple in Yokokawa, Shimoda City, and there is an inscription of the year 1833. This year was the year following the birth of last Seisuke OGAWA (1832 - 1880) and it can be confirmed that the name of 'Seisuke' had been inherited through at least two generations. This 'former Seisuke' is considered to be the grandfather of the last Seisuke OGAWA (the father of the last Seisuke left works under the name of 'Tatsuzo') and there are three more works to be his besides the statue of Taibai-ji. There is no significant characteristics in the carvings of the former Seisuke and the outstanding carving skill and distinctive style of the last Seisuke cannot be seen in his work. Also Seisuke at that time did not identify himself as Ogawa, therefore his surname, Ogawa, had never been inscribed on his works.
Biography of Seisuke OGAWA
Training time
Except that he was born in 1832 and died in 1880 at the age of 48, the life of Seisuke OGAWA is not well known and there are only fragmentary episodes. The historical plaque, written when the main hall of the Shokko-in Temple located in the corner of the Sotoura Seaside Resort, in Kakisaki, Shimoda City was built, was considered to be one of his earliest records.
This plaque has the inscription of the year 1849 and also there are names of 'Kinshichi SHIMODA, the stonemason' as well as 'Seisuke SHIMODA, his apprentice.'
It is unknown what kind of work Seisuke OGAWA was involved at the age of twenty, however this record says that he was training with Kinshichi, the stonemason, not with his father (Tatsuzo).
Works during his twenties
The first work, currently-known, of Seisuke OGAWA was the stone pagoda that stands on top of Mt. Fujiwara close behind Aitama Koshindo Temple in Aitama, Shimoda City. Although this stone pagoda has the form of Hokyointo (three-tiered stupa pagoda), it can be identified as a Koshinto Pagoda (Koshin is a folk faith in Japan and its object of devotion is a deity called Shomen Kongo) because the description, 'The God above descended to this world, Shomen Kongo Myoo Pagoda,' is inscribed in front of its figure. The name of Seisuke OGAWA, listed at the top of seven stonemasons, is inscribed on the back. On the left side of the figure of this pagoda, there is a long inscription describing the origin of the building of this pagoda and there is a description of when it is built in the latter part which indicates that the pagoda is built in 1852. Seisuke OGAWA was only twenty years old in 1852 and it is unusual for such a young man's name to be at the top of the list of seven stonemasons, and thus it is believed that this pagoda mighe have been built by former Seisuke. However, there is a story that Seisuke OGAWA, later in his life, secluded himself at Koshindo Temple, in Aitama when he was struggling with his works. This story suggests that he had close connections with the Koshindo Temple and since he was the one to start inscribing his surname, Ogawa, on his works, we can, at this point, assume the stonemason who built this pagoda was Seisuke OGAWA.
Seisuke created the Roku Jizo (six Jizos) in Jugan-ji Temple, Kochi, Shimoda City at the age of twenty-one, and a pair of stone lanterns in Shimoda Hachiman-jinja Shrine at the age of twenty-eight. Shimoda Hachiman-jinja Shrine was worshipped by the residents in Shimoda Town because it enshrined the guardian God of the town. His works remain in this shrine and this shows that he was already appreciated by the people in Shimoda Town during his late twenties. It is said that there were another pair of stone lanterns in front of a hall of worship in Shimoda Hachiman-jinja Shrine made by Seisuke OGAWA, but it is said that they had been destroyed in a fire in recent years. Seisuke OGAWA also participated in rebuilding the hall of worship in Shirahama-jinja Shrine, in Shirahama, Shimoda City on which he inscribed the name of 'Seisuke OGAWA, the stonemason in Shimoda,' on fences surrounding the shrine and a pair of small stone-carved guardian dogs. Each of the fences and gurdian dogs are inscribed with 1860 and 1861 respectively and were made by Seisuke OGAWA at the age of 28 and 29.
Works during his thirties
Most active period in Seisuke OGAWA's history was during his thirties.
Seisuke continued to work on Shirahama-jinja Shrine and inscribed his name on the stone lantern (in 1864, aged 32) with more than 250 cm in height which was located in front of the hall of worship. Many of his outstanding works had been made during this period, such as a pair of spiritual foxes in Inari-jinja Shrine, Suzaki-cho, 1-chome, Shimoda City, a pair of big stone-carved guardian dogs in Suwa-jinja Shrine, Kochi, Shimoda City, or the seated statue of Bato Kannon (horse-head Kannon) in Mansho-ji Temple, Kochi, Shimoda City. According to the tradition of the Ogawa family, Seisuke OGAWA used all his abilities of stonemason in building the Mikomotoshima Lighthouse on Mikomoto-jima Island, about eleven kilometers from Shimoda Port. It is unknown whether the tradition is correct or not, however, if true, the completion of the Mikomotoshima Lighthouse was in 1870 and Seisuke OGAWA's works at the age of 34, 36, and 37 were not identified because he had been working to build the lighthouse.
Achievements in his forties
Seisuke, in his forties, exhibited his works at the National Industrial Exhibition in Ueno Onshi Park, Tokyo in 1873 and appealed to the public for his skill.
He exhibited five of his works: 'Kanu-in,' 'Ren,' 'Shoga,' 'Aoishi,' and 'Sekki.'
It is believed that all of his exhibits were stone objects, but the details of each work are unknown; "Ren" was a spindly lithograph on which Chinese poetry and calligraphic works or paintings were inscribed, "Shoga" was a stone relief, "Sekki" was a stone flute, and "Aoishi" was some sort of sculpture.
Although unfortunately whereabouts of these works were unknown, Seisuke inscribed his name and the surface of his stamp exquisitely on the footstone of guardinan dogs in Suwa-jinja Shrine, Kochi, and this curving of stamp can be helpful to imagine his lost work of 'Kanu-in.'
The most fascinating work was a stone flute, 'Sekki,' and Seisuke won an incentive award for it. Currently, only the award certificate exists in the house of Seisuke's descendant.
On the certificate, reasons for the award are written; 'The stone flute was carved from freestone and was elaborate, and although its music scale was off-key, the sound was brilliant.'
Although the type of flute cannot be indentified, it could be a transverse flute or an end-blown flute such as Shakuhachi bamboo flute which can shift the scale by using several holes on it because the certificate refers to a music scale. Seisuke also made a stone pot with spherical stone in it, a stone table, and a stone coffee cup, but unfortunately, they do not exist at present.
There is only one work of Seisuke identified as the work created during his forties. The valuable work is a seated statue of Koyasu Jizo in Taibai-ji Temple in Yokokawa, Shimoda city, and this is the one where a seated statue of Jizo Bosatsu (Guardian deity for children and pregnancy), with one leg standing upon a lotus pedestal, curved on the top of the prismatic-shaped memorial pagoda for a Buddhist nun. The pudgy-cheeked Jizo Bosatsu is staring forward with a peaceful benevolent look which is reminiscent of cocoon on its face and holding a baby in its left arm. And there is a statue of an adorable child at the right knee of Jizo Bosatsu, and he is clinging onto Jizo Bosatsu and looking up its peaceful face. This outstanding work of Seisuke OGAWA of 1878, at the age of 46, is currently known as his last work. Seisuke OGAWA died in Shinmachi, Shimoda on December 22, 1880, two years after he built this statue. His posthumous Buddhist name was Souten Seiju Shinshi. He was 48 years old. With the death of this 'Seisuke,' the name of "Seisuke, the stonemason" ended.
Works
Works of former Seisuke
Standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu (in 1833); in Taibai-ji Temple, Yokokawa, Shimoda City, Statue height: 138.4 cm, Total height: 209.7 cm
Standing statue of Jizo Bosatsu (in 1843); at the entrance of Fukane-jo Castle, Horinouchi, Shimoda City, Statue height: 56.1 cm, Total height: 98.2 cm
Pagoda for pilgrims to the sacred places of Kannon (in 1844); at the independent house in Kochi, Shimoda City
Chozubachi (a water basin used to rinse the hands or as a decorative element in gardens) in 1839; in Suwa-jinja Shrine, Kochi, Shimoda City.
Works of Seisuke OGAWA
Hokyointo-shaped Koshinto pagoda (in 1852, age twenty); on the top of Mt. Fujiwara in Aitama, Shimoda City
Roku Jizo, seven statues (in 1853, age twenty-one); in Jugan-ji Temple, Kochi, Shimoda City
A pair of stone lanterns (in 1860, age twenty-eight); in Hachiman-jinja Shrine, 1-chome, Shimoda City
A pair of small stone-carved guardian dogs (in 1860, age twenty-eight); in Shirahama-jinja Shrine, Shirahama, Shimoda City
Fence surrounding a worship hall (in 1861, age twenty-nine); in Shirahama-jinja Shrine, Shirahama, Shimoda City
A pair of stone lanterns (in 1864, age thirty-two); in Shirahama-jinja Shrine, Shirahama, Shimoda City
Seated statue of Jizo Bosatsu (in 1865, age thirty-three); in Futsugen-ji Temple, Tachino, Shimoda City
A pair of spiritual foxes (in 1865, age thirty-three); in Inari-jinja Shrine, Suzaki-cho, 1-chome, Shimoda City
A pair of small stone-carved guardian dogs (in 1867, age thirty-five); in Suwa-jinja Shrine, Kochi, Shimoda City
Pagoda for pilgrims to the provinces (in 1870, age thirty-eight); in Nakamura Park, Nishinaka, Shimoda City
Seated statue of Bato Kannon (in 1870, age thirty-eight); in Mansho-ji Temple, Kochi, Shimoda City
Torii (shrine gate) Nemaki stone (stones placed around the bottom end of Torii for protection) (in 1871, age thirty-nine); in Takane-jinja Shrine, Ochiai, Shimoda City (estimated from Munafuda)
Seated statue of Koyasu Jizo (in 1878, age 46); in Taibai-ji Temple, Yokokawa, Shimoda City
Seated statue of Bato Kannon (year of making unknown); in the entrance of public cemetery, Shirahama, Shimoda City