What happened to the people of the Aizu Domain after the Boshin War? Learning from the hardships of the 'Aizu-shu'

Recently, I have been interested in the history of the end of the Edo period and the Meiji Restoration, and I have been watching related videos on YouTube. Among them, I have become particularly interested in the Aizu Domain, which resisted the new Meiji government until the very end.

I have visited Aizu-Wakamatsu City several times for work. Located in the western part of Fukushima Prefecture, it is a city blessed with natural scenery, surrounded by rich nature such as Mount Bandai and Lake Inawashiro.

While there, I encountered stories of the tragic end of the Aizu Domain in the Boshin War and the Byakkotai (White Tiger Corps), and I found myself reflecting on how much suffering the people of that time must have endured.

In the Aizu Domain, the 'Aizu Family Precepts' and the 'Jū no Okite' (Rules of the Ten) were instilled from childhood as the spirit of Aizu Bushido. The phrase “Die for justice, do not live in injustice” expresses the spirit of Aizu Bushido, meaning that one may lose their life for the sake of right principles and gratitude, but one should not live a life that knows injustice or shame. Also, the phrase “What is forbidden is forbidden” became famous nationwide in the 2013 NHK Taiga drama 'Yae no Sakura''.

This time, I looked into the hardships experienced by the people of the Aizu Domain after the Meiji era.

The Aizu Domain after the Boshin War

Defeated in the Boshin War, the Aizu Domain was allowed to be revived in 1869 in Aomori as the Tonami Domain. The territory consisted of the Shimokita Peninsula, centered on present-day Mutsu City, and parts of the Kamikita and Sannohe regions.

The Aizu Domain, which once boasted 230,000 koku, was given only 30,000 koku. Moreover, it is said that the actual yield was only about 7,000 koku. The cold Shimokita Peninsula has much volcanic ash soil and is not suitable for rice cultivation. About 17,000 former Aizu retainers and their families migrated there. Their treatment was truly that of exiles.

The fact that the only domains abolished in the aftermath of the Boshin War were the small Kisarazu Domain (Chiba Prefecture) with about 10,000 koku and the Aizu Domain shows just how severe the punishment for the Aizu Domain was.

Records remain that the former Aizu people who migrated to the Shimokita Peninsula in Aomori gathered wild vegetables, herbs, and seaweed, and even ate the meat of dogs and cats to stave off starvation. Furthermore, an incident occurred where a merchant ran off with the funds intended for purchasing rice, deepening their poverty even further.

The living conditions were also harsh. People lived in crude huts with only about two tatami mats per person, and they faced winters where temperatures dropped below minus 20 degrees Celsius without sufficient heating or clothing. It is said that in the winter of 1870, deaths from cold, hunger, and disease occurred one after another, and there were not even enough people to bury the bodies.

The former samurai worked as farm laborers or fishing assistants to survive. However, the prejudice of being 'enemies of the court' or 'rebel forces' did not disappear, and it is said that even the children were bullied.

On the other hand, for the Nambu residents who had originally lived in the area, the mass migration of impoverished people was a major burden. Disputes over food and friction between residents also occurred. It is no wonder that this life was called “exile of the entire domain”.

Revival through the Aizu spirit

Even so, the people of Aizu did not just despair. Hirosawa Yasutane and others, who were executives of the Tonami Domain, suggested to the government that the prefectures of Hirosaki, Kuroishi, Hachinohe, Shinohe, and Tonami be integrated. This became one of the triggers for the birth of Aomori Prefecture.

Hirosawa also thought of using the land where rice was difficult to grow for livestock, and opened the Yachigashira Ranch in present-day Misawa City. He introduced Western-style farm tools and grazing methods, and also worked on the production of ham and cheese. These attempts became the foundation for Aomori's development into a production area for horses and cattle.

Hirosawa also proposed the construction of a canal across the Shimokita Peninsula. Although it was not realized, it can be said that it was a vision that looked toward the future of maritime transport and logistics.

Even while suffering from hunger, the people did not stop the education of their children. They used Entsu-ji Temple in Mutsu City as a temporary domain office and revived the education of the Aizu domain school, 'Nisshinkan'. They incorporated books like Fukuzawa Yukichi's 'Conditions in the West' into their teaching materials, trying to cultivate human resources who could live in the new era.

The Tonami Domain disappeared in less than two years due to the abolition of the han system and the establishment of prefectures. After that, many people returned to Aizu or scattered to various places. Even so, the people who remained in Aomori and their descendants are still called “Aizu-shu” with affection and respect. Mutsu City and Aizu-Wakamatsu City have also become sister cities due to this historical connection.

The Aizu-shu, who lost everything and suffered from extreme cold and starvation, yet never gave up on education and development. Their journey cannot simply be dismissed as a 'history of the losers'. They explored new possibilities amidst hardship and were people who left behind seeds that would lead to the future of Aomori.

Summary

Perhaps because the history of Aizu after the Meiji Restoration is the story of the defeated side, it is not often widely discussed. However, I believe there is much for us living in the modern age to learn from the spirit of the people of Aizu, who supported the Edo Shogunate until the very end and survived by hoping for a comeback in lands that were essentially places of exile.

In modern business and leadership theory, the 'Aizu spirit' is said to be highly regarded from the perspectives of compliance, psychological safety, and the creation of self-disciplined organizations and is actually being utilized in training and management settings. My interest has been piqued, and I would like to study this even more deeply.