Background
Umpin Umeda was born on July 13, 1815 in Obama, Fukui, Japan.
雲浜 梅田
Umpin Umeda was born on July 13, 1815 in Obama, Fukui, Japan.
Showed signs of intelligence at an early age and being high-spirited was fond of military exercises. After studying briefly under Keisai Asami in Kyoto, Umpin Umeda studied Confucianism under a fellow clansman named Kanzan Yamaguchi (from 1830).
Later served as substitute teacher for Keisai Asami (1842). His learning soon brought him into contact with such noted persons as Sessai Morita, Seigan Yanagawa and Mikisaburo Rai. When Commodore Matthew Perry landed at Uraga, Umpin Umeda discussed foreign policy matters with Seigan Yanagawa, Mikisaburo Rai, Shoin Yoshida and others (1854). When it was learnt that more American ships were to come Umpin Umeda joined Shoin Yoshida, Shinzaburo Toriyama and other Loyalists of the Mito Clan in framing an antiforeign policy. To accomplish this he traveled to Edo, Kyoto and Mito inciting the courtiers to prevent the Shogunate from signing a Japanese-American Treaty. As a result of his activities he was arrested and imprisoned in Edo.
After joining the "sonno joi" political movement to restore imperial power and expel Christians, Umpin Umeda was arrested and stripped of his samurai status. He was a staunch Loyalist and a strong advocate of antiforeign policy.
