69 Emperor Koumei (an omission) It was greatly due to the virtues of Emperor Koumei that the shogunate lost power and had to look up to the Court for supervision. Emperor Koumei succeeded to the throne at the age of fifteen, in the 2nd month of the 3rd year of Kouka (1846). It wasn't long after assuming the throne that the American warships appeared in Uraga. When the Emperor heard of it, he issued orders to the shogunate: "If they are a slight enemy, do not make light of them; if a great enemy, do not fear them. Turn to your plans well, and take care that you cause no blemish to the national polity." In the 4th year of Kaei (1851), Emperor Koumei turned twenty. In the 3rd month of that year, the 8th century nobleman Wake no Kiyomaro was recognized and worshipped as a deity with the name Goou Daimyoujin, and elevated to the upper first court rank. Centuries before, the nation had lost its way and was on the verge of revolution and the Imperial line was in danger, and Kiyomaro's position was in support of the Imperial line at his own cost; "I take no note of danger to myself; a bravely, severely true heart is everything," he said. Emperor Koumei rewarded him posthumously for Kiyomaro's stance. When Sakura Azumao heard of this, he was so moved that he was unable to contain himself, and, braving the rain, immediately went to Takaozan (where Kiyomaro was enshrined) and prostrated himself before the shrine of Goou Daimyoujin, and wtote the following poem: "The maple leaves of Mount Takao, where lives the god who protects the Emperor, look like red hearts." With the arrival in Uraga of Perry in the 6th month of the 6th year of Kaei (1853), the shogunate fell into great distress. The Emperor prayed at Ise Grand Shrine for tranquility everywhere and the safety of the national polity. Then he had prayers intoned at all the Grand Shrines in the country - starting with Atsuta - For "the divine protection of the gods, the land of the gods unsullied, the people not suffering, tranquility for the national polity, and peace in the realm." Then, lamenting the dilapidated state of the tombs of generations of emperors past, on the 10th day of the 10th month of 2nd year Bunkyuu (1862), the Emperor appointed Ohgimachi Sanenaru, Nonomiya Sadaisa, and others to take charge and see that they would be repaired. The shogunate, too, was moved by this, and assigned Toda Tadanori (the proxy of the lord of the Utsunomiya domain, Toda Echizen-no-kami Tadayuki). He followed the instructions of the Court, and there he was made Commissioner of Imperial Tombs (sanryou bugyou) and later he was given the title "Yamato-no-kami." The tombs which had fallen into disrepair over the previous several centuries and had been lamented over by Mito Mitsukuni, lamented over by Nonomiya Sadamoto, lamented over by Matsushita Kenrin, and lamented over by Shibano Ritsuzan had only been lamented over. No one had been able to do anything about it. But now, through the vitues of Emperor Koumei, they were able to work together to repair them. It is amazing that they were able to underake the restoration of the sites of over 100 imperial tombs throughout the whole country over the Bunkyuu, Genji, and Keiou eras (1861-1868) with the great domestic/foreign chaos of the time. When some incident took place with Toda Echizen-no-kami Tadayuki of Utsunomiya, who had been helping in the repairs through all this, the shogunate orderd a reduction of his fief and prepared to transfer him to another; but an Imperial order quashed that. When all the tombs had been restored, the shougun Iemochi was raised to lower first court rank. All of this shows that the Imperial Court had once again become the center of the Japan. The supreme authority for assigning rewards and punishments was shown to be with the Emperor. The Japanese people had to have felt great emotion upon hearing Emperor Koumei's poetry. Morning and Evening I hope for the peace for my people while ships from far lands weigh on my heart. Oh! I would see and hear of Peace in the country and Prosperity in the kitchens of my people. This is my wish. In the things I read every day I hope to see it written that my people are living in tranquility. Umeda Unpin, who fell to the Great Ansei Purge, wrote the following: Single-mindedly I thought only of Thy reign. I didn't even think of my own life. The priest Gesshou, who threw himself into the sea off Satsuma during the Purge, wrote this: Of what should I have regrets if it is for Thee ? Even if I should sink in the narrow straits of Satsuma ? Sakura Azumao, who died in prison after the Sakurada Gate Incident, wrote: What prayer should be for me ? I would be pleased with thoughts for Three, my lord. (an omission) With the Satchou Alliance in place, the outlook seemed bad for the perplexed shogunate, which had been unable to deal with the single domain of Choushuu. The shogunate was troubled. In the 7th month of the 2nd year of Keiou (1866), amidst their misfortune, the shougun Iemochi fell ill and died. Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu finally succeeded him to the shogunate. Yoshinobu was a clever and learned man, and that would have been fine before the Great Ansei Purge - but now, in the Keiou era, even though he was shougun there was nothing that could be done. It was too late. However, Providence had placed a heavy burden upon his shoulders and prepared for him an important task. What was this ? The restration of Imperial rule. The problems had progressed the 12th month of the 2nd year of Keiou (January, 1867) when misfortune was suddenly visited upon Japan. This misfortune was the death of Emperor Koumei. He was thirty-five. He had been Emperor for twenty-one years. Many domestic and foreign events took place and there had been hardly a single uneventful, peaceful day. Everyone was deeply touched and looked up to him with his great heart; he had prayed for peace for the national polity and the prosperity of his people, and in compensation, he returned glory to the authority of the Imperial Court.

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