Honma Seiichiro - Honma Seiichiro

A grassroots patriot of the late Edo period. Born on January 24, Tempo 5, to a merchant family in Teradomari (now Nagaoka City), Echigo (Niigata Prefecture). His childhood name was Seibei, his given name was Masataka, his pen name was Shisei, and his pen name was Fujigisai. In 1853 (Kaei 6), he went to Edo and became a servant of the shogunate vassal Kawaji Toshiakira, and studied under Asaka Gonsai at Shoheiko. In 1859 (Ansei 6), he accompanied Kawaji to the west, and from then on became more active in supporting the emperor, and was imprisoned in Fushimi during the Ansei Purge. After being released from prison, he was active mainly in Kyoto, frequenting the Shoren-in Imperial Family and mingling with rōshi from various provinces, and campaigning in Choshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. He liked to carry a long sword, and his eloquent and radical speech sometimes earned him the animosity and misunderstanding of his comrades. As a result, he was beheaded and killed on August 20th, leap year 2 of Bunkyū (1862), and his head was crucified at Shijō-gawara. The killer is said to be a samurai of the Tosa clan. There is a monument marking his birthplace in the Teradomari district of Nagaoka city.

[Jun Mamizu]

“Hokuetsu Soman Restoration History” written by Sogoro Tanaka (1980, Kashiwa Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末の草莽(そうもう)志士。天保(てんぽう)5年正月24日越後(えちご)（新潟県）寺泊(てらどまり)（現長岡(ながおか)市）の商家に生まれる。幼名精兵衛(せいべえ)、名は正高、字(あざな)は至誠(しせい)、号は不自欺斎(ふじぎさい)。1853年（嘉永6）江戸に上り幕臣川路聖謨(としあきら)の中小姓(ちゅうごしょう)となり、昌平黌(しょうへいこう)の安積艮斎(あさかごんさい)に学んだ。59年（安政6）川路に随行して西上したころから勤王活動を深め、安政(あんせい)の大獄で伏見(ふしみ)に入獄。出獄後、京を中心に活動し、青蓮院(しょうれんいん)宮家に出入りして諸国浪士と交わり、長州、四国、九州に遊説した。好んで長刀を帯び、言説は雄弁過激で同志の反感と誤解を買うこともあった。そのため文久(ぶんきゅう)2年閏(うるう)8月20日斬殺(ざんさつ)され四条河原に梟首(きょうしゅ)された。犯人は土佐藩士ともいう。長岡市寺泊地区に生誕地の碑がある。

［真水　淳］

『田中惣五郎著『北越草莽維新史』（1980・柏書房）』

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