Learning from Shoin Yoshida: "It's scarier to do nothing."

Hello.

This is Aoyagi.

In my column two weeks ago, I said, "Next, I'll write about Shoin Yoshida!" but last week I completely forgot and wrote about a different topic.

So, this time, it's definitely about Shoin Yoshida.


I'm giving the impression that I've always liked him, but I only started liking him after reading a book about Shoin Yoshida at the beginning of this year, so my knowledge is still very shallow.


First, a brief explanation of Shoin Yoshida: he was a thinker and educator during the late Edo period.

A quick look at his timeline:

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・1830 (age 0)
Born in Choshu Domain (present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture).

・1842 (age 12)
His uncle opens Shokasonjuku, and Shoin Yoshida enrolls.

・1851 (age 21)
He leaves the domain and is stripped of his samurai status.

・1854 (age 24)
During Perry's arrival, he sneaks onto a Black Ship and directly petitions to travel to America. He is then captured.

・1855 (age 25)
Released from prison.

・1857 (age 27)
Takes over Shokasonjuku and begins teaching.

・1858 (age 28)
Considered dangerous for his criticism of the shogunate and his anti-shogunate ideology, he is imprisoned again.

・1859 (age 29)
Executed in Edo.

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That's a very intense life.

More than intense, his "proactiveness," which is also my theme for this year, was extraordinary. (laughs)

The famous episodes are his "leaving the domain" and "sneaking onto a Black Ship."





First, leaving the domain.

At that time, simply leaving the domain without permission was a grave crime punishable by death.


Shoin Yoshida had promised his best friend in Higo (Kumamoto) to go on an inspection trip to Mito.

Trouble arose here.

He had applied for a travel permit, which was necessary for traveling to another domain, but the permit was not ready by the departure date.

However, Shoin Yoshida left the domain, stating, "I cannot break my promise to my best friend."

In modern terms, it's like going abroad without a passport.

He's too manly.

And as a result, he was stripped of his samurai status. (laughs)





Regarding sneaking onto a Black Ship, when Shoin Yoshida saw Perry's Black Ships, he witnessed their overwhelming military power and felt a strong sense of crisis about Japan's current situation. He thought, "I want to go abroad myself and learn Western knowledge and technology."

So he went to the Black Ship in a small boat and directly negotiated, saying, "Please take me to America."

It's like an episode from a manga. (laughs)

Of course, he was refused and simply captured. (laughs)


He had other such episodes, which might make him seem like just a reckless person.


However, my interpretation is that rather than being someone "not afraid of failure," he was probably someone who "was more afraid of doing nothing."



Everyone has a tendency to be lazy, and trying new things requires considerable perseverance and energy.


Humans are also good at making excuses for not acting.

Such as being busy, bad timing, or not being skilled enough yet.

I understand that completely, and I'm very much like that myself. (laughs)


I believe there are certainly times when you look back and regret things like, "I wish I had put my all into so-and-so back then," or "Why didn't I do so-and-so more in the past?"



Looking at Shoin Yoshida's life, I realized he was a person who never acted according to a predetermined plan, but rather continued to act with resolve based on his own convictions.


He was executed at the age of 29, but I imagine he had no regrets.


With only such wild stories, he might seem like an unconventional figure, but among the students of Shokasonjuku were figures who greatly changed Japan, such as Hirobumi Ito, the first Prime Minister, and Shinsaku Takasugi, the hot-blooded young leader of Choshu during the late Edo period.

I believe that passionate convictions truly have the power to move people's hearts.


By the way, here's the book I read at the beginning of this year.






It contains many passionate words left behind by Shoin Yoshida during his lifetime.


They are all very motivating words, so I recommend them to everyone suffering from May sickness. (laughs)