生麦事件関係史跡、十月二日探訪：「生麦」と聞けば、まず「生麦、生米、生卵」の早口言葉を思い浮かべる人が多いであろうが、日本史、取り分け、近現代史に興味のある人ならば、「生麦事件」に思いが至るであろう。文久二年八月二十一日（西暦1862年9月14日）、江戸を発して本国薩摩に向かう島津久光の行列四百名余りは、生麦村を通過中。その際、当時開港していた横浜から乗馬をしにきていた四人のイギリス人が行列を横切った時、警護の薩摩藩士が内一名を殺害、二名に重傷を負わせる。事件は外交問題、そして、翌年のイギリス艦隊による薩摩砲撃（薩英戦争）にまで発展し、幕末・維新の流れの中での大きな出来事として記録されている。事件の現場となった現在の鶴見界隈には、殺害されたイギリス人が落命した場所に立てられた記念碑が今も残る。これは、明治十六（1883）年に鶴見在住の黒川荘三が建立したものである。また、事件が起きた現場には、つい昨年設けられた立札状の標識が閑静な住宅街に立っている。（Historical Sites Relavant to Namamugi Incident, visited October 2; Upon hearing "namamugi" [raw wheat], many Japanese nationals might think of a tongue twister "namamugi, namagome, namatamago" [raw wheat, raw rice, raw egg] on the one hand. Yet, on the other hand, what occurs to the mind of those interested in Japanese history--modern Japanese history in particular--will be the Namamugi Incident in 1862. On September 14--or, August 21 on the lunar calender that was in use in Japan at the time--in that year, Shimazu Hisamitsu, the lord of the Satsuma domain located at the southern tip of Japan's southernmost island of Kyushu was on his way from Edo--today's Tokyo--to his hometown. Then, four British nationals, who were on a horse-riding trip from Yokohama--one of the Japanese port cities open to foreigners then--passed across the procession consisting of some 400 warriors of Satsuma. Some of these warriors regarded their move as an indecent act, and attacked them with their sword. As a result, they killed one British national, and seriously injured two. This incident developed into not only a diplomatic dispute, but also an armed conflict between a British fleet and the Satsuma domain in the following year. Hence, the incident stands as major event during the process leading to the destruction of the Tokugawa warrior government and inauguration of Meiji government in 1868. One can visit in the Tsurumi area--a part of which corresponds to what used to be Namamugi Village--of Kanagawa Prefecture some relevant historical sites today. A local resident erected a monument for the killed British national in 1883 at the location where he took his last breath. The monument still stands there. At the very location where the incident took place, local people set up a sign board last year [2022] to pinpoint the exact location. It stands in a quiet residential area.)
高架橋の下に残る・・・
明治十六年に建てられた碑。
背後にユニオンジャック。
傍にある立札には、事件が起きた場所を示す地図が。
事件発生現場。左家屋の前に立札があるのが認められます。
家屋の前の立札。
拡大…と言うより、接写。
反対側から写した現場。