Konyo Aoki

A Confucian scholar and Dutch scholar in the mid-Edo period. Commonly known as Bunzo, his given name was Atsunori (there are two theories about its origins, Atsunori or Atsumi). His pen name was Atsufuku (some say Harafu). His pen name was Konyo. There are differing theories about his birth, with some saying his father was from Omi, others that he was from Ise, or even Edo. All theories agree that he was the son of a merchant. He studied under Ito Togai in Kyoto, and moved to Edo in 1720 (Kyoho 5) or 1721. In 1733, at the request of Kato Uenao (1693-1785), a magistrate's assistant, Konyo was recommended to the 8th Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune, through Ooka Echizen no Kami Tadasuke, and traveled around the country as a book maker, researching historical records and documents. It is well known that Konyo was instrumental in popularizing sweet potatoes as a famine relief plant, and in 1735 he wrote "Thoughts on the Banshokou." They ordered seed potatoes from Satsuma and cultivated them on a trial basis on an area of ​​about 5 ares at the Edo Shogunate Medicinal Herb Garden (present-day Koishikawa Botanical Gardens) in Koishikawa Hakusan (Hakusan, Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo), and later produced seedlings in Maka Village, Shimousa Province (Makuhari, Hanamigawa Ward, Chiba City) and Fudodo Village, Kazusa Province (Fudodo, Kujukuri Town, Chiba Prefecture), which became popular. At the site of the sweet potato trial cultivation in Koishikawa Botanical Gardens, there is a monument, and in Maka Village, there is a shrine to the potato god.

There are various theories about the title of Konyo's position, but in 1739 (Genbun 4) he became the Chief of Books and in 1767 (Meiwa 4) he became the Magistrate of Books. During that time, he studied Dutch with Noro Genjo at Yoshimune's command, and wrote many books on the Dutch language. These include "Translation of Dutch Literature" and "A Brief Study of Dutch Characters." He also wrote books on economics and currency such as "Economics Compendium," as well as essays such as "Konyo Manroku." There is a huge monument in the grounds of Ryusenji Temple (Meguro Fudo) in Shimomeguro, Meguro Ward, Tokyo, and his grave is in the temple cemetery. It is said that he built this monument himself while he was alive, and it is called "The Grave of Professor Kansho."

[Yoichi Fukushima April 18, 2016]

"Shibuya Shuzo, 'The Origin of Konyo Sensei's Sweet Potatoes' (1926, Saitama Sweet Potato Merchants Association Office)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の儒者、蘭学(らんがく)者。通称は文蔵、名は敦書（あつのり、あつぶみの両説がある）。字(あざな)は厚甫（原甫としたものがある）。号は昆陽。出生についても異説があり、父は近江(おうみ)の人とも、伊勢(いせ)、さらには江戸の人ともいう。商人の子である点は各説が認めている。京都で伊藤東涯(とうがい)に学び1720年（享保5）または1721年江戸に移る。1733年、町奉行与力(まちぶぎょうよりき)加藤枝直(かとうえなお)（1693―1785）の上申により、大岡越前守忠相(おおおかえちぜんのかみただすけ)を通じ、8代将軍徳川吉宗(とくがわよしむね)に推挙され、書物方として各地を巡り、旧記、古文書を探査した。昆陽が救荒植物として甘藷(かんしょ)（サツマイモ）普及に功のあったことは人のよく知るところで、1735年『蕃藷考(ばんしょこう)』を著した。薩摩(さつま)より種いもを取り寄せて江戸・小石川白山（東京都文京区白山）の幕府薬草園（現在の小石川植物園）で約5アールの試作を行い、のち下総(しもうさ)国馬加(まくはり)村（千葉市花見川区幕張(まくはり)）、上総(かずさ)国不動堂村（千葉県九十九里町不動堂）にて苗をつくり、これを普及した。小石川植物園には甘藷試作跡には記念碑があり、馬加村には伊毛(いも)神の祠(ほこら)があった。

　昆陽の役職名についても種々異説があるが、1739年（元文4）御書物方、1767年（明和4）御書物奉行となった。その間、吉宗の命で野呂元丈(のろげんじょう)とともに蘭語を学び、多くのオランダ語関係の本を著した。『和蘭(おらんだ)文訳』『和蘭文字略考』その他がある。『経済纂要(さんよう)』など、経済関係、貨幣関係の著書、また『昆陽漫録』など随筆もある。東京都目黒区下目黒の滝泉寺(りゅうせんじ)（目黒不動）境内に巨大な顕彰碑があり墓も同寺墓地にある。これは生前自ら建てたといわれ、「甘藷先生之墓」とある。

［福島要一　2016年4月18日］

『渋谷周蔵著『昆陽先生甘藷の由来』（1926・埼玉甘藷商同業組合事務所）』

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