Background
Masahira Chiba was retainer of the Mito Clan, he was the son of Yoshichika, an armor maker. His name was Arikuni.
Masahira Chiba was retainer of the Mito Clan, he was the son of Yoshichika, an armor maker. His name was Arikuni.
When British Minister Alcock travelled along the Tokaido Highway on his way from Nagasaki to Yedo, Masahira thought that the holy land of Japan was desecrated by foreign barbarians. Together with ten odd friends of his including Hanya Ariga, Masahira wanted to attack the British Legation, which was temporarily housed in the Tozenji Temple in Takanawa, Yedo. The plot was exposed before it was carried out. Masahira was arrested while hiding on Mt. Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture and executed in 1861.
