Background
Hirayama Shosai was born in 1815. He was the son of the Kuro-oka family in the Miharu Clan (Iwate Prefecture), he was adoted in the family of a retainer of the Shogun, named Hirayama. His other name was Kenjiro.
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Hirayama Shosai
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also known as
Kenjiro
Career
Went to Edo and was appointed a kachi-metsuke, a Shogunate police agent. In that capacity, he inspected the coast of Sagami (Kanagawa Prefecture) and Boshu (Chiba Prefecture) after the visit of Commodore Matthew Perry's fleet to Japan. Inspected coastal defense possibilities of western Hokkaido and Sakhalin. Participated in negotiations with Perry at Shimoda (Shizuoka Prefecture) and was rewarded with promotion to the post of shomotsu-bugyo, or magistrate of books, and gaikoku-bugyd, or magistrate of foreign affairs (1862). After the downfall of the Shogunate (1868), he lived in retirement. Became a Shintoist and founded Daiseikyo, a sect of Shintoism, and preached patriotism. His creed harmonized Shintoism and Confucianism.
Achievements
Religion
His creed harmonized Shintoism and Confucianism.
Connections
Career
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1862