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Permission granted by the Edo Shogunate for passage to Takeshima

1618

The Edo Shogunate granted permission to passage to Utsuryo Island to merchants in Yonago (Tottori Prefecture). Later, permission to passage to Takeshima was also granted. No.1-4

 Jinkichi Oya and Ichibee Murakawa, merchants from Yonago who operated shipping agencies, made a request to the Edo Shogunate for passage to Utsuryo Island, an inhabited island abundant in lumber and marine products. With the Shogunate’s permission, the families of Oya and Murakawa took turns travelling to Utsuryo Island once each year and carried out their business.
 Takeshima, on the route from Oki to Utsuryo Island, came to be used as a navigational port, a docking point for ships and a rich fishing ground for sea lions and abalone.


No.1
Notification of Permission for Passage to Takeshima* (copy)

 This is a copy of the permission granted by the Shogunate for the Oya and Murakawa families to passage to Utsuryo Island, issued in 1618 (or 1625 according to some scholars)

*Utsuryo Island (See Temporary confusion of names and locations of Utsuryo Island and Takeshima

Excerpt (translation into modern language)

Last year, the passage from Yonago of Hōki Province for Takeshima was made. The request from the merchants in Yonago, Ichibee Murakawa and Jinkichi Oya was forwarded to the Shogun. Since the Shogun said that permission may be granted, I ask you to inform them that they are permitted to sail (for Takeshima).

Notification of Permission for Passage to Takeshima* (copy)

1618 (Genwa 4)
[Repository] Municipal Yonago Historical-Museum

No.2
Ensign of the Hollyhock Crest (Aoi-mon) for ships sailing for Takeshima

 A ship's ensign bestowed by the Shogunate to the Oya family, who sailed for Utsuryo Island and Takeshima in the Edo Period. Thought to have been hoisted when sailing (it has now been converted into a screen).

17th century (estimated)
[Repository] Municipal Yonago Historical-Museum

Ensign of the Hollyhock Crest
Documents that indicates the passage by the Oya family to Takeshima
No.3
Note submitted to the Shogunate patrol officer lodging at the Oya family in the 9th year of Enpou (1681)

 This is a note of Kyuemon-Katsunobu’s reply to the inquiries by the Shogunate patrol officer who lodged at the Oya family in May 1681 (Enpou 9). This note records that Takeshima was bestowed to the Oya family 24 or 25 years ago in the generation of Shogun Ietsuna, and the family caught sea lions there.

Kyuemon-Katsunobu Oya 1681 (Enpou 9)
The picture is a copy made by Shinkuro-Katsuoki Oya in 1810 (Bunka 11)

note from Oya family

[Repository] Shimane Prefecture Takeshima Reference Room

Excerpt (translation into modern language)

There is a small island en route to Takeshima (current Utsuryo Island) that has a circumference of approximately 20 cho (2.2 km) and is rocky without vegetation. In the generation of Lord Gen-yu-in (i.e. the fourth Tokugawa Shogun, Ietsuna), this island was bestowed to us 24 or 25 years ago through the brokerage of Shiro-Goro Abe. We sail for the island and catch sea lions there for oil.

No.4
Letter from Shozaemon Kameyama to Kyuemon-Katsuzane Oya

 This is a letter from Shozaemon Kameyama, serving Shiro-Goro Abe, Shogunate officer, to Kyuemon Oya in 1660 (Manji 3). This letter records that Shiro-Goro Abe obtained the endorsement of the Senior Councilor of the Shogunate for sailing to Matsushima (current Takeshima).

書簡

Written by Shozaemon Kameyama in September 1660 (Manji 3)
[Repository] Shimane Prefecture Takeshima Reference Room

Excerpt (translation into modern language)

In the previous year, Shiro-Goro (i.e., Shiro-Goro-Masatsugu Abe) obtained the endorsement of the Senior Councilor for your (Oya family’s) plan to sail to Matsushima (current Takeshima) en route to Takeshima (current Utsuryo Island) in the following year.


1693 - 1696

Genronku Takeshima Ikken (Affair) No.5

 Japan and Korea negotiated over Utsuryo Island (then called Takeshima), but failed to reach agreement. In January 1696, taking into consideration relations with Korea, the Shogunate prohibited Japanese from traveling to Utsuryo Island.
 The Korean Dynasty prohibited Koreans from traveling to and residing in Utsuryo Island from the 15th century, which kept the island vacant. In 1692 (Genroku 5) the Murakawa family went to Utsuryo Island, where they encountered a number of Koreans.
 In the following year, 1693, the Ohya family went to Utsuryo Island and also encountered Koreans. The family brought two Koreans back to Japan as proof that they were impeding the fishing of abalone. One of the Koreans was Ahn Yong-bok.
 Accordingly, by order of the shogunate, Tsushima Domain, which served as the contact point of the diplomacy and trade with Korea, repatriated the Koreans, including Ahn, and initiated negotiation with Korea requesting that it prohibit its people from traveling to Utsuryo Island. However, the negotiation broke down.
 In January 1696, the Shogunate decided to prohibit the Japanese from traveling to Utsuryo Island to prevent conflict with Korea and take into consideration the two countries’ friendship. Meanwhile, traveling to Takeshima was not prohibited. This makes it clear that Japan considered Takeshima to be part of its territory from that period.

  • 1693The Oya family brought back to Japan two Koreans, including Ahn Yong-bok, whom they encountered in Utsuryo Island.
  • 1693 –Japan (Tsushima Domain) negotiated with Korea.
  • 1696The negotiation broke down.
  • Jan. 1696The Edo Shogunate prohibited Japanese from traveling to Utsuryo Island to prevent conflict with Korea. Meanwhile, passage to Takeshima was not prohibited.
Who was Ahn Yong-bok? Today he is a national hero in the ROK.
But in reality…their Korean dynasty punished him for the “crime of forging a letter.”

 Today, in the ROK, Ahn Yong-bok is treated as a national hero who went to Japan twice in the late 17th century and got Japan to recognize that Takeshima belonged to Korea. A monument is built on Utsuryo Island to honor him. Certainly, records of Ahn’s travels to Japan remain. He was actually a fisherman operating around the Utsuryo Island, which was vacated by measure of the Korean dynasty.

 According to the Annals of King Sukjong, which is also cited in the statement of the ROK, Ahn was interrogated on his return to Korea. Korean government officials described him as a “troublesome fisherman” and an “ignorant person blown by the winds,” and stated that there was no reason that the dynasty would have sent such a person to Japan. In a letter from the Korean dynasty to the lord of Tsushima Domain, it was conveyed that Ahn committed the “crime of forging a letter” and the dynasty exiled him in accordance with the law.

Stone monument in Utsuryo Island

Stone monument in Utsuryo Island
Shimane Prefecture Takeshima Reference Room


No.5
Information document issued by Roju (Senior Councilor of the Shogunate) regarding the prohibition on passage to Utsuryo Island (copy)

 This is a copy of the document that conveyed the information prohibiting the families of Oya and Murakawa from traveling to Utsuryo Island.

Excerpt
(translation into modern language)

With regard to the passage to Takeshima (current Utsuryo) Island by the merchants in Yonago, Ichibee Murakawa and Jinkichi Oya, which was requested in the reign of Shintaro Matsudaira over Inaba and Hoki Provinces, be advised that it has been instructed from the Shogunate that the passage will be prohibited hereafter, in spite of their past fishery activities there.

Information document issued by Roju

Included in Official Document of Takeshima 1696 (Genroku 9)
[Repository] Tottori Prefectural Museum

Map drawn based on precise knowledge
Illustrative map of Takeshima submitted by Ihe-e Kotani

 The Edo Shognate asked Tottori Domain on the situation of sailing to Utsuryo Island to consider making the decision on the prohibition on passage to the island in 1696. To reply to the Shogunate, Tottori Domain prepared a map (left). In this map, Utsuryo Island (then called Takeshima) and Takeshima (then called Matsushima) are depicted. Takeshima is shown as two islands lying east and west, and on the shore of the eastern island the characters of “Funasueba (berth)” and the sign of a hut are indicated. This shows that this was a precise map based on the knowledge of fishermen who fished in this place.
 This map is considered to have been made based on drawings made by the Murakawa Family, who had sailed to Utsuryo Island. This map, along with other documents, confirm that the Japanese long had knowledge on the existence of Utsuryo Island and Takeshima.

Illustrative map of Takeshima submitted by Ihe-e Kotani

Illustrative map of Takeshima submitted by Ihe-e Kotani
[Repository] Tottori Prefectural Museum


Illustrative map of Takeshima submitted by Ihe-e Kotani

Illustrative map of Takeshima submitted by Ihe-e Kotani (partial enlargement)
[Repository] Tottori Prefectural Museum

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