いっきゅう　閑話休題

ご存知のとおり鍋島（佐賀）藩は明治維新前後、日本の近代化に大きな貢献しました。この時期に活躍した七賢人は佐賀の誇りですね。。Seven wise men in Saga clan who contributed much to modernize Japan around the Meiji restoration.

ワタシはなかでも鍋島直正公が特に偉かった、と思います。

大胆な藩政改革と経営手腕により（さまざまな抵抗を乗り越えて）田舎の小さな貧乏な藩を日本屈指の雄藩にしました。農業や産業育成と振興（お茶・産業・窯業・石炭）。いち早く西洋の新しい技術を取り入れて佐賀発日本の産業革命をもたらす。（反射炉・蒸気機関車や蒸気船・アームストロング砲）そして教育の充実。藩校弘道館から優秀な人材が輩出された。超スパルタ教育で、学生は死ぬほど勉強させられたそうです。さらに先端医療技術の導入・・・などなど。中長期のしっかりとしたヴィジョンを確実に実行に移して人々を導いていくこと。今まさに直正公のような政治家が求めらてますね。


佐賀城下ひな祭り・佐賀神社・松原神社（直正・直茂公が祀られてます）にて

では、英文要約。佐賀藩が明治維新で日本の近代化に貢献できた理由。教育の充実と出島を管理監督（長崎警備）し・西洋技術をいち早く習得した先見性。

The Nabeshima clan had played a significant role in the success of the imperial restoration. There were two main reasons. From generation to generation, the Nabehima clan had valued education. This was particularly true during the time of the illustrious Lord Nabeshima Naomasa. The Kogakukan, a school run by the clan, produced important figures who were involved in the modernization of Japan during the Imperial restoration. The Nabesima clan succeeded in fostering industries, commerce such as manufacturing and exporting ceramics, and agriculture.

Furthermore, despite the Edo Shogunate government’s policy of isolating the country from the outside world, the Nabeshima clan had been permitted to manage “Dezima Island which, was the only place to be opened for trade with the Netherlands. The Netherlands was the only permitted to trade with Japan. As a result, the Nabeshima clan acquired advanced technologies and knowledge from the west during this time. It was the Nabeshima clan’s advanced knowledge of political systems and military technologies that led to the significant role it played in the success of the Meiji Restoration

Thanks for reading this
written by Ｈiroto

ラストサムライ江藤新平の佐賀の乱については、いずれまた・・・

追記：来年のNHK大河ドラマは長崎が舞台の「竜馬」ですが、いつか「直正」もやってほしいですね。