Shigeho Iwata

2024/04/19

Fukuzawa returns to Nakatsu. In November of Meiji 3 (1870), it was the young Sonno Joi (revere the Emperor, expel the barbarians) activists of Nakatsu whose blood boiled at the news of this homecoming. Yukichi Fukuzawa, who had traveled abroad three times at the end of the Edo period and was actively introducing Western thought through his writings, was an unforgivable villain to them. The ringleader was Sotaro Masuda, Fukuzawa's second cousin. On the night they finally decided to finish him off, one of the members of the assassination squad scouting the Fukuzawa residence was Shigeho Iwata.

Iwata was born in Kaei 5 (1852) into a family of low-ranking samurai in the Nakatsu Domain. As he grew older, he entered the Doseikan of Ikarimaro Watanabe and studied Kokugaku (National Learning) alongside Masuda and others.

Kokugaku is the study of classical literature to clarify the unique Japanese spirit (Kodo, or the Ancient Way). This interest extended to Shinto, criticizing contemporary Shinto for being mixed with imported Confucian and Buddhist ideas. It advocated for the removal of these influences and a return to the original, pure Shinto. Specifically, it held that the "Ancient Way" meant especially revering Amaterasu Omikami among the myriad gods, placing the Emperor, her descendant, as the central figure for all people, and aiming for the mutual prosperity of the Emperor and the people. While this idea, known as Restoration Shinto, was one "theory" within Kokugaku, Atsutane Hirata, who appeared during the Kasei period, argued it was a "practical code of conduct." Watanabe, under whom Iwata studied, was a Kokugaku scholar in this Hirata lineage, and his stance toward practicing the Ancient Way was reportedly even stronger than Hirata's.

Even after the era name changed to Meiji and a new government advocating for the restoration of imperial rule was established, Kokugaku scholars like Watanabe were not necessarily satisfied. This was because it appeared that a few powerful individuals were using the Emperor to monopolize power. They sought to expel these traitors from the Emperor's side and eliminate the Western thought that served as their foundation. It was this Sonno Joi ideology that drove Watanabe's students, such as Masuda and Iwata.

However, the assassination failed. The details are described in "The Autobiography of Yukichi Fukuzawa." Gorobe Hattori, who had taught Fukuzawa the recitation of the Four Books, was visiting the Fukuzawa residence, making it impossible to break in. Furthermore, the assassination squad learned that Fukuzawa, who was returning to the capital, was at a shipping inn in the port of Ushima with his mother and others he was taking back to Mita, and they attempted to attack again. However, dawn broke while they were bickering over who should lead the charge, and they were unable to carry it out.

Now, in the "Keio University Enrollment Records" of May, Meiji 5 (1872), the name "Shigeho Iwata, Shizoku (former samurai) of Kokura Prefecture" appears (Nakatsu was part of Kokura Prefecture from November of Meiji 4 to April of Meiji 9). The circumstances of his enrollment in the school of his former enemy are unknown. However, it seems that his ideology based on Restoration Shinto still remained.

In the new government, which was established with the restoration of imperial rule as its pretext, forces believing in Restoration Shinto were initially strong. They played a central role in the Edict for the Separation of Shinto and Buddhism and the Proclamation of the Great Doctrine, which aimed for national indoctrination through Shinto.

In March of Meiji 5, the Ministry of Religious Education (Kyobusho) was established to oversee national indoctrination. Furthermore, Shinto priests and others across the country were appointed as Kyodoshoku (evangelists) to serve as practitioners of indoctrination at the grassroots level. In September, the Daikyoin (Great Teaching Institute) was established in Tokyo as a training center for these evangelists.

While this centralized indoctrination system was being organized, in November of the same year, Iwata, along with Masuda, submitted a petition titled "On the Matter of Educational Rules." In it, they appealed for indoctrination activities to be conducted even in the elementary and middle schools whose establishment had been decided by the Education System (Gakusei) in August of that year.

In Meiji 6, he also joined Masuda in a petition titled "On the Restoration of the Department of Divinities (Jingikan) to Show the Great Principle of Revering the Gods to the World and Prevent Foreign Religions." They argued that recently there were many "strange tales and bewitching theories," such as the idea that the Emperor should be abolished and a presidential system introduced, or that the ban on Christianity should be lifted. To reverse this "decline," the promotion of indoctrination activities was an urgent task. However, entrusting this to the Ministry of Religious Education or "mediocre Shinto priests" was insufficient. They claimed that the Department of Divinities should be "restored" and that it should "supervise all affairs."

The Department of Divinities had been established until July of Meiji 4 as the government office for performing rituals for the gods, and institutionally, it ranked above the Grand Council of State (Dajokan), which was responsible for general administration. Iwata and his colleagues lamented the weakness of the Ministry of Religious Education and desired indoctrination activities based on stronger authority.

Thus, Iwata's ideological foundation had not changed. Because it differed from the school's academic style, he may have left the Juku early. Indeed, looking at Iwata's title in the Meiji 6 petition, it reads "Chief Priest of Nukiisaki Shrine, Shizoku of Kokura Prefecture." In October of the same year, there is a request from the Daikyoin to Nukiisaki Shrine in Tomioka, Gunma Prefecture, to investigate the evangelists within its jurisdiction, and Iwata's name appears there. The same document reveals that in addition to being the Chief Priest, he held the rank of "Gon-daikogyo," which was one of the grades for evangelists. It is thought that he went to the region himself to take up the post, grieving over the current situation where indoctrination activities were not progressing as desired.

However, the new government's indoctrination policy failed. When Takamori Saigo, the greatest supporter of the Ministry of Religious Education, left the government following the Political Crisis of 1873 (Meiji 6), the enlightenment faction, which was critical of national indoctrination through religion, rose to power in the new government. As a result, the Daikyoin was abolished in Meiji 8, and the Ministry of Religious Education was abolished two years later.

One wonders what Iwata felt about these fluctuations. No record remains, but Masuda, who had acted alongside him, enrolled in the Juku in Meiji 9. Did Iwata also knock on Fukuzawa's door once again?

November 3, Meiji 10 (1877). The sky over Yokohama on Tenchosetsu (the Emperor's Birthday) was colored by 300 fireworks from 3:00 PM to 12:00 midnight. Fukuzawa also watched this and wrote, "I was simply amazed by the grand spectacle" (Preface to the Toyohashi Fireworks Catalog).

The person who planned this fireworks display was Jinta Hirayama, who had opened a Western fireworks factory in Yokohama that year. He was the younger brother of Michita Nakamura (the first president of Yokohama Specie Bank), a student of Fukuzawa. And it was Iwata who started the factory with Hirayama. Their fireworks were well-received by foreigners in the Yokohama settlement, and orders began to come in from overseas.

Having thus begun a new path, Iwata returned to his hometown of Nakatsu the following year. Along with Kan'un Suzuki and Hiroe Yamaguchi, who were close friends of Fukuzawa, he attempted to form a sericulture organization, soliciting former samurai to recruit shareholders. Suzuki was the president of Tenpo Gisha, a mutual aid organization for Nakatsu samurai. Suzuki was a person who had been trying to build the Hita Shindo road using the hereditary pension bonds of the Nakatsu samurai.

Fukuzawa's influence can be seen in Iwata's actions. Fukuzawa had long hoped that the former samurai would become the driving force of the new era, and one of the specific actions he expected of them was investment in new businesses. On the other hand, he emphasized the cultivation of the sericulture and silk reeling industry, which had become Japan's core export industry since the opening of the ports. It was likely Fukuzawa who instructed him to collaborate with Suzuki and Yamaguchi, who had influence among the Nakatsu samurai. As a result, in December of Meiji 12, the Suehiro Silk Reeling Company was established in Nakatsu. With shares set at 10 yen each, 460 shares were raised from among the samurai and 150 shares from Tenpo Gisha.

Meanwhile, on the 8th of the same month, someone visited Fukuzawa in Tokyo. It was Kenzo Hayami, the manager of the Tomioka Silk Mill. At the time, he was aiming to establish a raw silk export company. There is no record of this meeting on Fukuzawa's side.

Tracing Hayami's records ("History Extracts"), it says, "The beginning of my friendship with Iwata" (March, Meiji 13 entry), and "Decided with Hoshino and Arai on Shigeaki (sic) Iwata's trip to the United States; he came to Tomioka today to ask me; I perceived the circumstances and permitted it; said that Obata and Fukuzawa agree" (June entry of the same year).

Iwata left Japan in August of Meiji 13. An article in "Kojun Zasshi" states, "He is reportedly heading to New York, USA on the 19th as an officer of the raw silk company Sato-gumi."

The representative of Sato-gumi was Hyotaro Sato, who opened the first import store for Japanese products in New York. Hayami had been an "advisor" to Sato-gumi since January of Meiji 12. Perhaps due to that connection, Hayami intended to entrust the local sales to Sato-gumi. Iwata was, so to speak, an employee seconded to a related company. In December of Meiji 13, Hayami's export company was officially launched as the Yokohama Doshin Company.

As his challenge in a foreign land began, perhaps he felt the need to study. Around June of Meiji 14, Iwata entered Eastman College, a business school in Poughkeepsie in the same state. It had a reputation for allowing students to learn American business practices in a short period, and in Meiji 9, Yutaka Morimura, another student of Fukuzawa, had also graduated from there. Morimura had already opened an import store for Japanese sundries in New York. Iwata's enrollment may have been due to the connection with this "senior."

Two months later, following the deterioration of Sato-gumi's management, the raw silk sales business was taken over by the Doshin Company itself. The company opened a New York branch, and Iwata was listed as one of its employees. The following year, raw silk from Nakatsu was sold there by the Doshin Company.

There are few materials showing Iwata's activities after that, but he traveled back and forth between Japan and the United States several times. The man who once believed in Sonno Joi thus became an international businessman competing with the world.

In Meiji 19 (1886), Iwata became independent in Yokohama. He managed a private trading company exporting silk goods and conducting retail for foreigners, and died in Meiji 35 at the age of 50. His days in Yokohama can be glimpsed in works such as "Chichi no Chichi" (Father's Milk) by his son, Bunroku Shishi (a novelist who studied at Keio University and received the Order of Culture).

After opening his business in Benten-dori, he moved to the foreign settlement. The settlement was an exclusive space, and it is said that when Japanese people tried to open shops, there was interference from foreigners. The fact that Iwata was able to open a shop in that settlement was exceptional and speaks to the trust he had from foreigners.

The shop's trade name was "S.EWATA." He used the letter E for the "I" in Iwata because Americans and British people would read the letter I as "Ai-wata," so he changed the spelling while he was in America. On the first floor of the two-story Western-style building, silk products such as handkerchiefs, blouses, and painted parasols—all decorated with Oriental designs favored by foreigners—were packed tightly. On the second floor, furnishings such as embroidered wall hangings and folding screens were displayed. Business was so successful that he could pay a monthly rent of 100 yen.

Image: From Grand Hotel Ltd. (Yokohama) et al., "Guide book for Yokohama and immediate vicinity / by N. Amenomori," Grand Hotel, [1898?] (National Diet Library Digital Collections (Accessed 2024-03-13))

In his private life, he married Jinta Hirayama's daughter, Mani (registered as Asashi in katakana), in Meiji 18. The matchmaker was Tokujirō Obata. Bunroku Shishi was born in Meiji 26, and his real name was Toyoo. His godfather was also Obata, and the character "Toyo" was taken from "Buzen Nakatsu" (Toyo-no-kuni).

As Bunroku Shishi frequently mentioned, Iwata's life became deeply connected with Fukuzawa and the Juku. In Meiji 34, when Fukuzawa passed away, Iwata attended the funeral from Yokohama despite his illness. On his way back, his condition suddenly changed, and he became bedridden. Fukuzawa could be called Iwata's benefactor to the extent that he wished to attend even in such a state.