Kurimoto Shoun - Kurimoto Shoun

A politician in the late Edo period. A newspaper reporter in the early Meiji period. His name was Kon, commonly known as Sehee. He was known by the names Houan and Soun, and was called Aki no Kami. He was the third son of Kitamura Kaien, a physician in the Edo shogunate. He was adopted by the Kurimoto family, who was also a physician, and in 1850 (Kaei 3), he became a court physician in the inner circle, but was ordered to emigrate to Ezo in 1858 (Ansei 5) after infringing on his superior's taboo name. He spent ten years in Hakodate, during which time he formed a friendship with the French missionary Eugène-Emmanuel Mermet de Cachon (1828-1889). In 1862 (Bunkyu 2), he was registered as a samurai and became a vassal of the shogunate. He played an active role in the history of diplomacy at the end of the Edo period as a leader of the pro-French faction.

In 1864 (Genji 1), he was appointed as a metsuke (inspector), and negotiated the closure of the port of Yokohama, and the following year in 1865, he became the magistrate of foreign affairs. During this time, he worked hard to invite French military advisors and establish the Yokosuka Shipyard, and worked to transplant French culture and promote industry. In 1867 (Keio 3), he was sent to France to assist Tokugawa Akitake (1853-1910), who was visiting France on behalf of the Shogun, and promoted friendship between the Shogunate and France, but returned to Japan in 1868 due to the collapse of the Shogunate. After that, he withdrew from public life for a time, but in 1872 he joined the Yokohama Mainichi Shimbun, and the following year, in 1873, he was invited to become the editor-in-chief of the Yubin Hochi Shimbun (the predecessor of the Hochi Shimbun). He continued to be a talented writer until he retired from the company in 1885, and became famous along with Narushima Ryuhoku and Fukuchi Ochi. During that time, he was recommended as a member of the Tokyo Gakushi Association in 1878. His posthumous works, over 60 of which are collected in the Kyoan Ikou.

[Eiichi Kato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末の政治家。明治初期の新聞記者。名を鯤(こん)、通称瀬兵衛(せへえ)。匏庵(ほうあん)・鋤雲と号し、安芸守(あきのかみ)を称する。幕府の医官喜多村槐園(きたむらかいえん)の三男。同じく医官の栗本氏の養子となり、1850年（嘉永3）内班侍医となったが、上司の忌諱(きき)に触れて1858年（安政5）蝦夷地(えぞち)移住を命ぜられた。10年間を箱館(はこだて)に過ごし、この間フランス人宣教師メルメ・ド・カションEugène-Emmanuel Mermet de Cachon（1828―1889）と親交を結び、1862年（文久2）士籍に列し幕臣となってから一貫して親仏派の領袖(りょうしゅう)として幕末外交史上に活躍した。

　1864年（元治1）目付に任じ、横浜鎖港談判にあたり、翌1865年外国奉行(ぶぎょう)となる。この間、フランス軍事顧問団の招聘(しょうへい)、横須賀造船所の設立に尽力し、フランス文化の移植と殖産興業に努めた。1867年（慶応3）に渡仏した将軍名代徳川昭武(とくがわあきたけ)（1853―1910）をたすけてフランスに派遣され、幕仏間の親善を図ったが、幕府倒壊により1868年帰国。その後一時世間との交渉を断ったが、1872年『横浜毎日新聞』に入り、翌1873年『郵便報知新聞』（『報知新聞』の前身）に編集主任として招かれ、1885年に同社を退くまで才筆を振るい、成島柳北(なるしまりゅうほく)、福地桜痴(ふくちおうち)らとともに声名をはせた。その間、1878年には東京学士会員に推された。60余編の遺著が『匏庵遺稿』に収められている。

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