Recipient of a Special Order Blade by Hideaki

[SSt]

Hi

This request is related to my research into the recipient of a special order blade made by Hideaki in 1929

Ishii Syoichiro, 石井省一郎, (a.k.a. Ishii Ichiro, Ishii Sei-ichiro, Ishii Shiyouiti, et al..).

He was a prominent member of Japanese Society from the Meiji through the early Showa periods.

Attached are a few portrait pics that I managed to source.

 

He was presented, very late in life, with this sword made by Zuisen Minamotono Hideaki (later known as Horii Toshihide).

Small Itame hada well grained, Jinie. Nie-deki Cyoji midare Hamon and in the Ha, Sunagashi and Kinsuji work.

 

Mei;

Zuisen Minamotono Hideaki, Syowa 4 Nen 5 Gatsu Kichi jitsu (Zuisen Minamoto Hideaki, Lucky Day, May 1929)

Kizokuin Ishii Syoichiro Syoji 89 Sai Okina. (The owner of this sword is Kizokuin (House of Peers) Mr Ishii 89 years of age)

NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho Showa 47, September 1972.

 

I have found various Japanese texts on the Web. It is all information, on a biographical/personal level.

It appears he was a Civil Engineer (and Japanese Minister?), involved in the building of a canal in the late 1800's.

A set of Canal Locks (now an Important Cultural Property) bear his name.

He was involved in the Boshin War (?). A politician (?), who became a Prefect (?) and subsequently a Nomarch (?)

Later in life he was elevated to the House of Peers (Kizokuin) and was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Sacred Treasure.

 

I have found a few references, potted biographies etc.., in Japanese but web translations can be quite vague.

 

e.g.

 

石井省一郎

 

天保12年(1841)12月28日～昭和５年(1930)10月20日

父碕田勝助、母文子の長男として豊前国片野村（現北九州市）に生まれる

母方の石井家を継ぎ小倉藩藩士として藩校思水館に学ぶ

明治２年５月民部官書記

明治２年７月一揆鎮定のため信濃国に使わされる

明治３年周防国の襲撃事件鎮定にあたる

明治３年９月民部省庶務佑

明治３年11月土木権正内務省土木局長

明治17年(1884)２月26日～明治24年(1891) 岩手県令

明治24年４月～明治25年11月茨城県知事

明治30年貴族院議員

昭和５年10月20日89歳で没す　勲一等瑞宝章を賜る

 

translated roughly as;

Born 28 December 1841 - Died 20th October 1930

Born in Nomura, Father (?), Mother (Fumiko), the Eldest Son

Ogura Clan retainer ?

May 1869 appointed Clerk ?

July 1869 - riot suppression (Boshin War)?

suppression of 1870 anti-government riots ?

September 1870 appointed as ?

November 1870 Civil Engineering Bureau Chief ?

1884 - 1891 Iwate Prefecture ?

1891 - 1892 Nomarch ?

1897 Appointed to House of Peers (Kizokuin)

Dies 20 October 1930, awarded Grand Cordon (1st Class Order) of the Sacred Treasure.

 

also relating to his involvement(?) in the Boshin War

郵便報知新聞の犬養毅は、熊本県令事務取扱石井省一郎から熊本県小用係という辞令を受けて最前線に入り、熊本城入城まで野津少将の第１旅団に従軍

Google translated this as;

Postal Hochi Shimbun dog Foster Yi, Kumamoto Prefecture Ordinance office handling Shiyouiti Ishii II from Kumamoto Prefectureå°ç”¨clerk received a letter of appointment to the forefront entered the city triumphantly to Kumamoto Castle Notsu general of the first brigade army.?

 

My interest is in clarifying his Bio and what was his involvement, if any, in the Boshin War.

Any help/thoughts/pointers/input would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[Carlo Giuseppe Tacchini]

Hi Steve.

 

Hope to not stumple on the feet of anybody with this, but I think that for Biographies a good source is

Samurai Archives. For yours in particular and Boshin war, the Bakumatsu to Meiji section should fit well

for your question :

 

http://forums.samurai-archives.com/view ... 735883bf42

 

Obviously any other contribution will be appreciated and possibly posted there (after permission)

by me or John.

 

Best.

 

PS. Artic Canada ? I know it's huge, but are you a buddy of John ?

[Nobody]

Attached are a few portrait pics that I managed to source.

The lower portrait is not Ishii Shoichiro but Koda Rohan (幸田露伴). He is a Japanese author.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dda_Rohan

[Nobody]

also relating to his involvement(?) in the Boshin War

郵便報知新聞の犬養毅は、熊本県令事務取扱石井省一郎から熊本県小用係という辞令を受けて最前線に入り、熊本城入城まで野津少将の第１旅団に従軍

Google translated this as;

Postal Hochi Shimbun dog Foster Yi, Kumamoto Prefecture Ordinance office handling Shiyouiti Ishii II from Kumamoto Prefectureå°ç”¨clerk received a letter of appointment to the forefront entered the city triumphantly to Kumamoto Castle Notsu general of the first brigade army.?

The text is relating to the Seinan Senso (西南戦争; 1877), not the Boshin Senso (戊辰戦争; 1868 - 1869). And that is describing the action of Inukai Tsuyoshi (犬養毅) who was a war correspondent at that time. (BTW, Inukai Tsuyoshi became the Prime Minister of Japan later.)

[Nobody]

It appears he was a Civil Engineer (and Japanese Minister?), involved in the building of a canal in the late 1800's.

A set of Canal Locks (now an Important Cultural Property) bear his name.

He was involved in the Boshin War (?). A politician (?), who became a Prefect (?) and subsequently a Nomarch (?)

Later in life he was elevated to the House of Peers (Kizokuin) and was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Sacred Treasure.

According to the information you found, Ishii Shoichiro was not a civil engineer but a government official. And later, he has held prefectural governors of Iwate and Ibaraki before he finally became a member of the House of Peers.

[Jacques D.]

Hi,

 

Sst,

 

May be you can find some information here

[SSt]

Hi Carlo

Appreciate the web link.

It would appear that the text I used refers to the Satsuma Rebellion (西南戦争, Seinan Sensō (Southwestern War)) and not the Boshin War. See below.

 

As to location, John is in the West, I am in the East. The width of the continent is between us, many thousands of miles!

 

Thanks

[SSt]

Hi Jacques

Thanks for the link.

Alas no portrait of this particular gentleman.

[SSt]

Hi Koichi

I had wondered about that particular picture. It was on a Japanese web site embedded next to a small list which included Ishii Syoichiro.

http://www.miyaginet.com/~miyaginet08/k ... naun02.htm

The article seems to about the history/development of the infrastructure in a particular region of Japan.

 

Re: Not a Civil Engineer

http://www.miyaginet.com/~miyaginet39/8.html

Is an article on the "Miyagi Canal" and Kitakami river system.

At the bottom of the page, Ishii Syoichiro, 石井省一郎, is listed below the Emperor and the Interior Minister(?) Toshimiti Ookubo, but above the Dutch Civil Engineer Van Doorn.

Is he the Director of Civil Works, the government bureaucrat responsible for the project?

 

And finally : Not the Boshin War

So the Satsuma Rebellion (西南戦争, Seinan Sensō (Southwestern War)) and not the Boshin War. Understood.

But is Ishii Syoichiro, 石井省一郎 not mentioned in that section of text, as highlighted? And if so, what was he up to?

 

郵便報知新聞の犬養毅は、熊本県令事務取扱石井省一郎から熊本県小用係という辞令を受けて最前線に入り、熊本城入城まで野津少将の第１旅団に従軍

Google translated this as;

Postal Hochi Shimbun dog Foster Yi, Kumamoto Prefecture Ordinance office handling Shiyouiti Ishii II from Kumamoto Prefecture小用clerk received a letter of appointment to the forefront entered the city triumphantly to Kumamoto Castle Notsu general of the first brigade army.?

 

Many Thanks for your help Koichi.

[SSt]

Hi Koichi

Just realised I had not included the web URL of my last request (Satsuma Rebellion vs Boshin War)

http://seinan1877.hp.infoseek.co.jp/tabaru3/tabaru3.htm

 

Ishii Syoichiro, 石井省一郎 is mentioned in the text, enclosed in the white box, towards the bottom of the article.

 

Thanks Again.

[Nobody]

Hi Steve,

I understand your information loosely as follows;

 

I had wondered about that particular picture. It was on a Japanese web site embedded next to a small list which included Ishii Syoichiro.

http://www.miyaginet.com/~miyaginet08/k ... naun02.htm

The article seems to about the history/development of the infrastructure in a particular region of Japan.

The text on the right of the picture describes a list of famous persons who embarked the steamships that run there.

 

 

Re: Not a Civil Engineer

http://www.miyaginet.com/~miyaginet39/8.html

Is an article on the "Miyagi Canal" and Kitakami river system.

At the bottom of the page, Ishii Syoichiro, 石井省一郎, is listed below the Emperor and the Interior Minister(?) Toshimiti Ookubo, but above the Dutch Civil Engineer Van Doorn.

Is he the Director of Civil Works, the government bureaucrat responsible for the project?

He was the director of the Public Works Bureau of the Home Ministry (correct term?) at that time.

 

 

And finally : Not the Boshin War

So the Satsuma Rebellion (西南戦争 (Southwestern War)) and not the Boshin War. Understood.

But is Ishii Syoichiro, 石井省一郎, not mentioned in that section of text, as highlighted? And if so, what was he up to?

Inukai Tsuyoshi received an official announcement of appointment from Ishii Shoichiro to follow the army as a war correspondent. Ishii Shoichiro was an assistant (or cleak?) of the prefectural governor of Kumamoto.

[SSt]

Hi Koichi

I appreciate your help.

 

Many Thanks.