Today, I write about ” Samurai’s daughter studied in United States.”
1860, Yamakawa Saki ( Ooyama Sutematsu ) was born in Aizu Domain.
Her father was top-ranking samurai officials.
1868, Battle of Aizu (Boshin War ).
She was 8 years old.
She was nursing the injured in the castle.
Ooyama Iwao was a leader of an artillery unit of new government army.
He shot many cannons to castle of Aizu.
Aizu was defeated and moved to far away.
1871, The Meiji government recruited the girl who wants to study for ten years in the United States.
Yamakawa Saki applied for it.
The applicant had only five girls.
Five girls were the daughters of the samurai who lost war.
All the members passed.
The mother of the Yamakawa Saki changed the daughter’s name into “Sutematsu.”
“Sute” means abandon, “Matsu” means await.
1871, Yamakawa Sutematsu set out for United States.
She was 12 years old.
Oyama Iwao set out for Europe for studying abroad on the next day when she went to the United States.
Since 2 girls were sick, they returned to Japan in 1872.
3 girls adapted themselves to the American life.
Yamakawa Sutematsu was placed in the household of Leonard Bacon in Connecticut.
She mastered English completely.
She was an excellent and popular student.
She graduated from Vassar College and studied nursing for one year.
1882, She returned to Japan. She was 22 years old.
She was disappointed.
There was no job in which she can put her abilities to use.
She was 22, ready for marriage by the customs of Japan at that time.
There was the man who propose to her.
She refused it.
The friend who studied abroad together, Tsuda Umeko wanted to found the school for woman.
There were few supporter of her idea.
Yamakawa Sutematsu was Tsuda Umeko’s supporter.
1883, Oyama Iwao met Yamakawa Sutematsu at his friend’s marriage ceremony.
Ooyama fell in love with her at first sight.
Ooyama proposed to Sutematsu.
Her family strongly objected.
15 years ago, He shot many cannons to castle.
She was in the castle.
Ooyama was not given up, He persuaded.
He had become an army high official.
He seemed to be the gentleman of Europe.
Yamakawa Sutematsu accepted his proposal.
Her name became the “Ooyama Sutematsu.”
Those days, there was social meeting place “Rokumei-kan.”
Rokumei-kan is a place of social interaction in order to receive diplomats and international guests of honor.
Her capability was useful in that place.
She talked with the foreigner merrily. She was good at social dance.
She was called “the flower of Rokumeikan.”
1917, She held the charity bazaar in Rokumeikan.
The charity bazaar made huge profits.
She founded the school of nursing by it.
She also supported Tsuda Umeko.
1900, Tsuda Umeko founded the school for a woman. (Tsuda College)
Ooyama Iwao later become Army General.
1916, He died at 75.
1919, Tsuda Umeko suffered a stroke.
She retired to her summer cottage in Kamakura , where she died after a long illness in 1929.
Now, Tsuda College is one of the prestigious universities in Japan.
1919, Ooyama Sutematsu died from Spanish influenza at 58.
2013, the teleplay “Yae no sakura” is broadcasting.
There was a scene that Oyama Iwao shot many cannons to Aizu’s castle.
His future wife was in the castle.
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