Tadahiro Okubo

A politician from the end of the Edo period to the early Meiji period. A 500 koku hatamoto. Born November 29, 1814. His given name was Sanichirō and Tadamasa. He served as Shima no Kami, Ukon Shogen, Ise no Kami, and Ecchu no Kami. He was appointed by the senior councilor Abe Masahiro from when he was a subordinate, and in 1854 (Ansei 1) he became an inspector of the Kaibō-gakari (coastal defense office), and in 1856 he concurrently served as head of the Bansho Shirabesho (investigative journal of foreign documents). The following year he was promoted from Nagasaki Bugyo to Sunpu Town Bugyo, and in 1858 he was Kinrizuki (attached to the Imperial Court), and then Kyoto Town Bugyo, among other mid-ranking positions. However, he came into conflict with the chief advisor, Ii Naosuke, and was dismissed. In 1861 (Bunkyu 1), he became head of the Bansho Shirabesho again, then transferred to the position of foreign affairs magistrate, and the following year also became ometsuke. He also served as the magistrate of the samurai lecture hall and the treasurer for a time, before finally retiring and assuming the name Ichio. He was also close to Matsudaira Yoshinaga and a disciple of Katsu Kaishu. As an enlightened shogunate official with an interest in foreign affairs, he continued to criticize the Choshu Expedition and other actions, and was an early advocate of the return of imperial rule to the emperor. Even after the collapse of the shogunate in 1867 (Keio 3), he took charge of the Boshin War as the chief treasurer of the shogunate from January the following year, and was also highly regarded by the new government as a liaison with the old shogunate. He later worked in Shizuoka Prefecture and the Ministry of Education, and served as the Governor of Tokyo Prefecture and Junior Assistant Minister of Education, before becoming a member of the Genroin (Senate) in 1877 (Meiji 10) and receiving the title of Viscount in 1887. He died on July 31, 1888.

[Hachiro Kawachi]

"Okubo Kazuo - The man who influenced Katsu Kaishu" by Aitetsu Furukawa (2008, Graph Publishing)" ▽ "Okubo Kazuo" by Hideo Matsuoka (Chuko Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

幕末～明治前期の政治家。500石の旗本。文化(ぶんか)14年11月29日生まれ。名は三市郎、忠正。志摩守(しまのかみ)、右近将監(うこんしょうげん)、伊勢守(いせのかみ)、越中守(えっちゅうのかみ)。徒頭(かちがしら)のときから老中阿部正弘(まさひろ)に登用され、1854年（安政1）海防掛(がかり)の目付となり、続いて1856年蕃書調所(ばんしょしらべしょ)頭取を兼任、翌年長崎奉行(ぶぎょう)から駿府(すんぷ)町奉行へ、1858年禁裏付(きんりづき)、さらに京都町奉行など、中堅どころの役職を歴任した。しかし、大老井伊直弼(いいなおすけ)と対立、罷免された。1861年（文久1）ふたたび蕃書調所頭取となり、続いて外国奉行に転じ、翌年大目付を兼ねた。さらに、講武所(こうぶしょ)奉行と勘定奉行を一時務め、それを最後に退隠、一翁(いちおう)と称した。松平慶永(よしなが)とも親しく、勝海舟(かつかいしゅう)の門下でもあり、外国事情に関心をもつ開明的な幕吏として、その後も長州征伐などを批判し、早くから大政奉還も説いた。1867年（慶応3）幕府の崩壊後も、翌年正月から幕府会計総裁として戊辰(ぼしん)戦争の始末にあたる一方、新政府側からも旧幕府へのパイプ役として重んじられた。その後静岡県、文部省などに勤務、東京府知事、教務少輔(しょうゆう)を経て、1877年（明治10）元老院議官となり、1887年子爵を受けた。明治21年7月31日没。

［河内八郎］

『古川愛哲著『大久保一翁──勝海舟を動かした男』（2008・グラフ社）』▽『松岡英夫著『大久保一翁』（中公新書）』

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