Tadaharu Akagi

Japanese: 赤木忠春 - あかぎ・ただはる

Year of death: April 16, 1865 (May 10, 1865)
Year of birth: Bunka 13.10.13 (1816.12.1)
A senior disciple and missionary of Kurozumikyo shortly after it was founded. Born as the son of village headman Totarozaemon of Yademura, Kumenanjo County, Mimasaka Province (Tsuyama City, Okayama Prefecture), he was later adopted by Akagi Tsunegoro, a senior village headman of the same county. After losing his sight in both eyes in 1837 (Tempo 8), he met Kurozumi Munetada in 1845 (Koka 2) and became a disciple of Kurozumikyo. He is known as one of the "six senior disciples of Kurozumikyo." However, there is also a theory that he officially became a disciple in 1851 (Kaei 4), after Munetada's death. In 1851, after Munetada's death, he went to Kyoto to preach. In order to legalize Kurozumikyo, he approached the Yoshida family, who held the position of hereditary head of Shinto priests, and worked hard to petition for the acquisition of the title of Munetada Daimyojin, which was finally realized in March 1856 (Ansei 3). During this time, he also enthusiastically preached in the Kyoto area, and expanded his influence through his healing activities through bans and prayers. After the chancellor Kujo Naotada joined the sect after his daughter was cured of her illness, his influence spread to the nobles, and Sanjo Sanetomi was also a disciple for a time. In 1862, he succeeded in obtaining permission to build Munetada Shrine in Kaguraoka, Kyoto, but around this time he was suspected of being an independent sect by Daigen (headquarters in Okayama City), and was excommunicated in 1864. He died while training in his hometown to prove his innocence. He put forward the "Imperial Nation" and "Imperial Ancestor God Amaterasu Omikami," which were weak in the founder Munetada, and interacted with sonno joi patriots, gradually strengthening his political character. It is believed that this created a religious gap between him and Daigen. However, it was largely due to the personal connections built by Tadaharu that Kurozumikyo was one of the first sects to receive permission to become an independent sect after the Meiji period. <Works> "Akagi Otonashi Poetry Collection" and "Seven Articles of Instruction" <References> Takano Takafumi "Akagi Tadaharu Otonashi Biography"; Kodera Motonashi "The Historical Character of Kurozumikyo" (Okayama Historical Studies No. 24)

(Nobuhiro Katsurashima)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：慶応1.4.16(1865.5.10)
生年：文化13.10.13(1816.12.1)
開教直後の黒住教の高弟,布教者。美作国久米南条郡八出村(岡山県津山市)の庄屋陶太郎左衛門の子として生まれ,のちに同郡の大庄屋赤木常五郎の養子となった。天保8(1837)年に両眼を失明したことを契機として,弘化2(1845)年に黒住宗忠と会い黒住教に入門。「黒住教六高弟」のひとりと称せられる。ただし,正式の入門は宗忠没後の嘉永4(1851)年とする説もある。宗忠没後の嘉永4年,京都へ出て布教。黒住教の合法化のために,神祇伯職世襲の吉田家に接近し,宗忠大明神号獲得のための請願運動に奔走,安政3(1856)年3月遂に実現にこぎつけた。この間,京都周辺での布教も熱心に行い,禁厭や祈祷による治病活動で教勢を拡大した。関白九条尚忠が娘の病気治癒を契機として入門したのちは公卿へも影響を広げ,三条実美も一時門人であった。文久2(1862)年,京都神楽岡に宗忠神社の建立の許可を得ることに成功したが,このころから大元(岡山市の本部)から別派独立の嫌疑を受け,元治1(1864)年に破門された。身の潔白を証明するために郷里で修行中に死亡。教祖,宗忠には希薄であった「皇国」「皇祖神天照大神」を前面に打ち出し,尊王攘夷派の志士とも交流,次第に政治的性格を強めた。そのことが大元との宗教的懸隔を生んでいったと思われる。しかし,黒住教が明治以降いち早く別派独立の許可を得たのは,忠春の築いた人脈によるところが多い。<著作>『赤木大人歌文集』『七箇条諭弁』<参考文献>高野隆文『赤木忠春大人伝』,小寺基之子「黒住教の歴史的性格」(『岡山史学』24号)

(桂島宣弘)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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