Those Who Inherit Freedom: The Genealogy of the Nagata Family Spirit

Introduction: In Search of "True Freedom"

In my family lineage, there are ancestors who upheld the spirit of "freedom," "faith," and "service" amidst the turbulent waves of their times.
Their way of life was never about pursuing worldly success or stability.
Rather, they were those who let go of everything, yielded, and lived quietly, upholding an"inner freedom."

This time, I would like to record, in my own way, the trajectory of what could be called a"genealogy of freedom" spanning three generations.

Chapter 1: Shigeo Nagata - A Physician Who Lived by Loyalty and Faith -

Shigeo Nagata is my great-great-grandfather.
As a physician, he lived through the Meiji era and served as a physician to the Imperial Household, yet he lived with a deep Christian faith.

It is said that Shigeo told his daughter the following:

That was a source of pride, and at the same time, it is a statement that shows how Shigeo lived with loyalty and a sense of mission.
I feel that his way of life embodied the coexistence of "serving with faith" and a "free heart."

Shigeo, who created the precursor and beginnings of St. Luke's International Hospital, does not appear on the main stage of history. However, the fact that my great-great-grandfather felt the limitations of Eastern medicine, dedicated his life to introducing Western medicine to Japan, and sacrificed his personal wealth to live for the sake of the world and others (making a significant contribution to the Japanese medical world) is something that I believe we must pass on to future generations as the pride of our family!

I believe that the noble ambition he held—choosing the development of medicine for the sake of the world and others over his own achievements, which could have been properly recorded in history had he wished—is likely inherited within the mindset and education of St. Luke's International Hospital.

Furthermore, I have heard that Shigeo was also involved as a preparatory member of the Japanese Red Cross Society. As a close aide to the Meiji Emperor, I believe he may have also been involved with Empress Shoken, who founded the Japanese Red Cross Society.

Chapter 2: Ryusho Nagata - A Man Who Let Go of Everything and Chose Voluntary Poverty -

Shigeo's son, Ryusho Nagata, is my great-grandfather. He is the father-in-law of my grandfather, Ryuso. I have heard that both Ryusho and Ryuso interacted with Kon Toko (Kon Shunchō), who was a mentor to Jakucho Setouchi. It seems they also had friendships with Yasunari Kawabata and Keio Aoyama, among others.
Ryusho generously let go of the assets he inherited from his father, Shigeo, in the form of donations to the Hokke sect and transfers to his disciples, effectively decluttering almost everything.

After that, it is said that he lived in a rented house in Negishi, Tokyo, living modestly and in voluntary poverty.
I feel a nobility in him as a "true free person" who possessed no wealth, was not attached to status, and yet continued to convey faith and teachings to people.

On the other hand, in his youth, Ryusho had what we would call a "wild period."
Having lived in Asakusa (the cutting edge of fashion at the time), there are anecdotes that he used to go out and play on credit.

But perhaps that free-spirited youth led to the determination and integrity with which he walked after letting go of everything in his later years.

Chapter 3: Ryuso Nagata - Faith, Conflict, and Love -

Ryuso is Ryusho's son-in-law and my grandfather. Originally from Tottori Prefecture, he had the good fortune to become a disciple of Ryusho. Later, he married Ryusho's daughter. He, too, was a man who lived by faith.
However, his life was by no means flat, and I think he was a person who continued to search for a "free soul" while harboring conflicts between faith and reality.

He had eight children.
The eldest son, Ryuko, and my mother were among them.
From the back of my grandfather Ryuso, the "quiet yet passionately burning pursuit of faith and freedom" is still conveyed to me, his grandchild, even now.
According to my uncle Ryuko, Yasunari Kawabata invited Ryuso, saying, "I want you to create a new sect (religious view). I will provide as much money as needed for that purpose," but Ryuso politely declined.
If my grandfather Ryuso had not declined Yasunari Kawabata's invitation, the composition of the Japanese religious world today might have been different.
However, the fact that he declined that invitation and quietly downsized as a religious corporation is a fact that has not come to light, but I believe it is the true form of the ultimate religious view (religion).

Conclusion: What It Means to Inherit "Freedom"

Although their eras and positions differed, I feel that the three generations of Nagata men—Shigeo, Ryusho, and Ryuso—shared a common stance.

That is—
not being bound by honor, status, or wealth,
living with faith and sincerity,
and even if it meant letting go of everything at times,upholding "freedom".

Living an inner freedom

For me, living in the modern age, this is a great lesson and a guiding principle.
Putting that spirit into words and leaving it behind may be the small "inheritance" that I can provide.

Even now, quietly, with heartfelt gratitude for divine grace—.