Acceptance and development of Western learning in the Choshu domain during the Bakumatsu era: Focusing on the role of Japanese overseas students

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K03069
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: Fukuoka University of Education
• Principal Investigator: OGAWA Ayako 福岡教育大学, 教育学部, 教授 (70274397)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 長州藩 / 洋学 / 海外留学生 / 桂小五郎（木戸孝允） / 斎藤弥九郎 / 吉田松陰

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The aim of this study is to clarify the nature of the acceptance and development of Western military science in the Choshu domain during the Bakumatsu era (end of the Edo period). Here, a novel focus is on the movements of Japanese overseas students within the Choshu domain. The results are summarized as follows.
The first three points were the identification of the following Choshu clan members and clarification of their respective movements after returning to Japan, as well as their involvement in the establishment of modern Japan: first, those involved in the Shogunate government's overseas missions during the Manen and Bunkyu(1860-1863); second, those who studied overseas during the Bunkyu period (1861-1863); and third, those who studied overseas during the Keio period (1865-1867).Fourth, it was demonstrated that two personal networks of Katsura Kogoro(Kido Takayoshi) were indispensable for the realization of such overseas travel and studies.

Free Research Field

日本史学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で対象とする幕末期長州藩の海外留学生については、これまで、海外留学史や幕末教育史上で、諸藩による意欲的な留学生派遣の事例の一つとして、取り上げられてきた 。しかし、その多くは、文久３年に国禁を破りイギリスへ密航した５人の留学生に焦点を当てたものとなっており、当該期の渡航や留学を総体として解明する段階にまでは至っていない 。
本研究によって、万延元年から慶応３年の間に海外渡航・留学を果たした藩士18人の動向とその背景が明らかになった、と考えている。また、この成果によって、長州藩明治維新史研究の欠落を補えると同時に、幕末洋学史研究の空白を埋めることにもなる、と考えている。