Yaichi Kawakami

Japanese: 河上弥市 - かわかみ・やいち

Year of death: October 14, 1863 (November 24, 1863)
Year of birth: Tenpo 14.1 (1843)
A patriot of the Choshu (Hagi) clan in the late Edo period. His given name was Masayoshi. He was also known by his nickname Yaichi. He was born in Kanaya (Tsubaki, Hagi City) as the son of Kawakami Chuemon, a Choshu clan samurai. He received a stipend of 103 koku. In June 1863 (Bunkyu 3), he participated in the formation of Takasugi Shinsaku's Kiheitai. In September, he succeeded Takasugi and served as commander of the Kiheitai together with Taki Yataro. In October, he raised an army in Ikuno, Tajima Province (Ikuno Town, Hyogo Prefecture) with Sawa Nobuyoshi, one of the Seven Nobles who had been exiled from the Imperial Court, and on October 12, he occupied the Ikuno magistrate's office. After the annihilation of the Tenchugumi and the neighboring clans moved to suppress them, he maintained a hard-line stance and set up camp in Yamaguchi Village to intercept them, but the main force in Ikuno was disbanded and he committed suicide after being surrounded by defecting peasant soldiers. He was 21 years old. On the headband was written, "If you lag behind, the plum blossoms will be overshadowed by the cherry blossoms, but only the leader will have the most beautiful color and fragrance."

(Miyake Takanobu)

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

Japanese:

没年：文久3.10.14(1863.11.24)
生年：天保14.1(1843)
幕末の長州(萩)藩の志士。名は正義。弥市は通称で弥一とも称す。長州藩八組士河上忠右衛門の子として金谷(萩市椿)に生まれる。禄高103石。文久3(1863)年6月,高杉晋作の奇兵隊結成に参加。9月,高杉のあとを受けて滝弥太郎と共に奇兵隊総督を務めた。10月,七卿落ち公卿のひとり沢宣嘉を擁して但馬国生野(兵庫県生野町)に挙兵,10月12日,生野代官所を占拠した。天誅組が壊滅し近隣諸藩が鎮圧に動くなか,強硬論を主張して迎撃のため山口村に陣を張ったが,生野の本隊は解陣,離反した農兵に囲まれたため自刃した。年は21。その鉢巻きには「後れては梅も桜におとるらん魁てこそ色も香もあれ」と書きつけてあった。

(三宅紹宣)

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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