Utsunomiya Mokurin

A priest from the end of the Edo period who advocated pro-imperialism and pro-shogunate sentiment. He was from Nagahama, Aki Province (Hiroshima Prefecture). Born as an illegitimate child, his childhood name was Uneme, and in 1845 (Koka 2) he joined the Honpa Hongan-ji Temple and began to speak as Kakuryo. Around this time he was also known as Mokurin. He later returned to secular life and took the name Utsunomiya Mananosuke. Although he became deaf due to illness, he traveled around the country and associated with patriots. He was particularly close to the pro-imperial priest Gessho, and debated with Yoshida Shoin, giving Shoin the opportunity to change his views to support the overthrow of the shogunate. He was imprisoned in the Hiroshima domain in 1866 (Keio 2) and was released in 1869 (Meiji 2). In 1873, he was appointed by the Ministry of Education as a priest at Minatogawa Shrine and Otokoyama Hachiman Shrine, but was dismissed after a few months, and from around 1878 he retired to his hometown.

[Akira Tanaka]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末の僧侶(そうりょ)で、倒幕論のうえにたった尊王論を唱える。安芸(あき)国（広島県）長浜の人。私生児として生まれ、幼名を采女(うねめ)、1845年（弘化2）に本派本願寺の僧籍に入って覚了と唱え、このころから黙霖とも称した。のち還俗(げんぞく)して宇都宮真名介(まなのすけ)。病のため聾吃(ろうきつ)となったが、諸国を遍歴して志士と交わる。とくに勤王僧月性(げっしょう)と親交があり、吉田松陰(しょういん)と論争して、松陰に倒幕論への思想転換の機を与えた。66年（慶応2）広島藩の牢(ろう)につながれ、69年（明治2）出獄。73年教部(きょうぶ)省から湊川(みなとがわ)神社および男山八幡宮(おとこやまはちまんぐう)の神官に任命されたが数か月で罷免、78年ごろから故郷へ隠棲(いんせい)した。

［田中　彰］

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