Matsuura Takeshiro

Northern explorer and writer. Born on February 6, 1815, as the third son of a local samurai in Ise (Mie Prefecture). His given name was Hiromu and his pen name was Koshige. As he grew older, he adopted the nickname Takeshiro, but in many of his books he used the name Takeshiro and also went by the pseudonym Takishirou. In 1830 (Tenpo 1), he entered the private school of Confucian scholar Hiramatsu Rakusai in Tsu. In 1833, he went to Edo, and later traveled around the country. During this time, he heard of the crisis facing the north due to Russia's southward expansion, and decided to explore Ezo. However, since travelers were not permitted to enter the interior of the country, in 1845 (Koka 2), he took the name Wagaya Magobei, assistant clerk, and traveled as far as Cape Shiretoko in Eastern Ezo, and the following year explored Karafuto (Sakhalin) as a servant of the Northern Ezo local official. In 1849 (Kaei 2), he explored Kunashiri and Etorofu, and wrote about what he saw and heard during this time in his journals, "Ezo Nisshi," "Second Voyage of Ezo Nisshi," and "Third Voyage of Ezo Nisshi." In 1855 (Ansei 2), he was appointed to the shogunate's employ, and the following year, he toured eastern, northern, and western Ezo as an attendant to Mukoyama Gendayu, the head of the Hakodate magistrate's group. In 1857, he was ordered to serve as an investigator on the geography of the mountains and rivers of eastern and western Ezo, and he explored the main rivers and inland areas as well. He submitted the "Map of the Geography of the Mountains and Rivers of Eastern and Western Ezo" and the "Diary of the Investigation of the Mountains and Rivers of Eastern and Western Ezo," but these were not made public. Perhaps because of this, he resigned from his employment in 1859 and devoted himself to writing for about 10 years thereafter. In 1868 (Meiji 1), the new government appointed him to Tokyo Prefecture, and the following year he was appointed as a pioneer judge, where he was involved in selecting the names of Hokkaido and provinces and counties. However, he resigned due to illness after disagreeing with the government's policy on issues such as Ainu care. Since then, he traveled around the various provinces while writing, and was awarded the rank of Junior Fifth Rank shortly before his death.

[Setsuko Yamazaki]

"Matsuura Takeshiro Travelogue Collection, Vol. 1, 2 and 3 (1975, Tomiyama Publishing)" edited by Yoshida Takezo

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

北方探検家、著述家。文化(ぶんか)15年2月6日、伊勢(いせ)（三重県）の郷士(ごうし)の三男として生まれる。名は弘(ひろむ)、字(あざな)は子重。長じて武四郎を通り名としたが、著書の多くは竹四郎を用い、また多気志楼とも号した。1830年（天保1）津(つ)の儒者平松楽斎(ひらまつらくさい)の塾に入る。1833年江戸に行き、その後諸国を遊歴。この間にロシアの南下による北方の危機を聞き、蝦夷(えぞ)地の探検を決意した。しかし旅人が奥地へ入ることは許されなかったため、1845年（弘化2）場所請負人和賀屋孫兵衛(まごべえ)手代庄助(しょうすけ)と変名し、東蝦夷、知床(しれとこ)岬まで到達、翌年は北蝦夷地勤番役の僕(しもべ)として樺太(からふと)（サハリン）を探検した。さらに1849年（嘉永2）には国後(くなしり)・択捉(えとろふ)を探検し、この間に見聞したことを『蝦夷日誌』『再航蝦夷日誌』『三航蝦夷日誌』に著した。1855年（安政2）幕府御雇に登用され、翌年箱館奉行(はこだてぶぎょう)支配組頭、向山源太夫(むこやまげんだゆう)手付として東・北・西蝦夷地を巡回。1857年には東西蝦夷山川地理取調御用を命ぜられ、主要河川をさかのぼり内陸部をも踏査、『東西蝦夷山川地理取調図』『東西蝦夷山川取調日誌』として呈上したが公にされず、そのこともあってか1859年御雇を辞任、以後約10年間著作活動に専念した。1868年（明治1）新政府から東京府付属、ついで翌年には開拓判官(はんがん)に任命され、北海道名や国郡名などの選定にあたった。しかしアイヌ介護問題などについて政府の方針と意見を異にしたため病を理由に辞任、以来著作のかたわら諸州を漫遊、死去直前に従(じゅ)五位に叙せられた。

［山崎節子］

『吉田武三編『松浦武四郎紀行集』上中下（1975・冨山房）』

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