A study on the acceptance and practice of Western Studies and military science in the Choshu Domain during the late Edo period:

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25370780
• 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): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 洋学史 / 幕末期 / 長州藩 / 造船 / 海軍 / 松島剛蔵 / 尊王攘夷

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focuses on the acceptance and practice of Western Studies and military science in the Choshu Domain during the late Edo Period from the viewpoint of manufacturing weapons. Concretely speaking, this study has two principal aims. The first is to clarify the following matters: 1) Choshu Domain’s policymaking process concerning the construction of Western-style naval vessels, 2) their acquisition process of related knowledge, and technology concerning the construction of Western-style warships, and 3) the construction process of the Western-style warship Heishin Maru as well as its subsequent activation and practical use. The second is to focus on Gozo Matsushima, who played a central role in introducing the Western style into the navy of the Choshu Domain, and to clarify his use of Western Studies, his political activities, and his personal networks.

Free Research Field

洋学史