Hikoemon Ushuku

Background

Hikoemon Ushuku was born in 1820 in Japan. He was the sixth son of Suemoto Ijichi, adopted by Ushuku family.

Career

Hikoemon Ushuku studied gunnery and fencing. Later was sent to Edo to build a battery near the Tamachi coast in 1853. Year later Ushuku returned to Edo with Lord Narikara Shimazu to learn shipbuilding, telegraphy and photography.

Upon returning home Hikoemon Ushuku set up a factory for manufacturing chemicals for land mines and torpedos. Later he bought a steamship "Tenryu Maru" at Nagasaki in 1860. When the coast was threatened by British ships, Ushuku laid three mines in the sea. In 1863 sea mine was first used in Japan.

Later Hikoemon Ushuku borrowed from the "Shogunate" ship "Nagasaki Maru" and on his way to Osaka his ship was attacked by the Choshu clan at Shimonoseki channel and Ushuku went down with the vessel.

Connections

Father:

Suemoto Ijichi