Norimasa Muragaki

A hatamoto (director of the Shogunate) during the late Edo period. He was active in diplomacy, serving as foreign affairs magistrate. He left behind the "Muragaki Awaji no Kami Norimasa Official Diary" and other works. He was newly summoned in 1831 (Tenpo 2) and became a kojunin (lower tenth rank) gardener, and after serving in various positions, he was promoted to kanjoginmiyaku (financial inspector) in 1854 (Ansei 1), where he was involved in coastal defense, and in October of the same year, he was ordered to receive the Russian envoys who arrived in Shimoda, together with Kawaji Toshiakira and others. In 1856, he was promoted to Hakodate magistrate, and appointed to the rank of Jugoi (Junior Fifth Rank) and Awaji no Kami. During his term, he made an effort to develop Ezochi (Ezo region). In 1858, he was appointed magistrate of foreign affairs, and in the following year, 1859, he was also magistrate of Kanagawa. In September of the same year, he was appointed deputy envoy for the ratification and exchange of the Japan-US Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and in January of 1860 (Man'en 1), he traveled to America with envoy Masaoki Shinmi and others, and was awarded an additional 300 koku of rice for this achievement (total of 500 koku). He has a diary of a Japanese envoy sent to Europe. At the end of the same year, he was given full authority to negotiate a trade treaty with Prussia, but he left diplomacy thereafter and served as magistrate of construction work and caretaker of the Nishinomaru before retiring due to illness in 1868 (Meiji 1).

[Ryosho Hayashi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末期の旗本。外国奉行(ぶぎょう)を勤めるなど外交面で活躍した。『村垣淡路守(あわじのかみ)範正公務日記』などを残している。1831年（天保2）新規召し出されて小十人格(こじゅうにんかく)庭番となり、諸職(しょしき)を経て54年（安政1）勘定吟味役(かんじょうぎんみやく)に進み、海岸防御のことなどにも関係し、同年10月には川路聖謨(かわじとしあきら)らとともに、下田(しもだ)に来航したロシア使節の応接係を命ぜられた。56年箱館(はこだて)奉行に進み、従(じゅ)五位下、淡路守に叙任された。在任中は蝦夷地(えぞち)の開拓に尽力した。58年外国奉行を兼ね、翌59年神奈川奉行も兼帯した。同年9月日米通商条約批准交換の副使を命ぜられ、60年（万延1）正月、正使新見正興(しんみまさおき)らとともにアメリカに赴き、その功で300石の加増を受けた（計500石）。『遣欧(けんおう)使節日記』がある。同年末プロシアとの通商条約交渉の全権に任ぜられるなどあったが、以後外交面から離れ、作事(さくじ)奉行、西の丸留守居(るすい)などを勤め、68年（明治1）病のため隠居した。

［林　亮勝］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例