Niiro Hisanobu

• Other Names: 石垣鋭之助 (Ishigaki Einosuke)
• Japanese: 新納久修 (Niiro Hisanobu, or Hisanaga)

Niiro Hisanobu, also known as Hisanaga, was the leader of a group of nineteen students from Satsuma han who traveled to Europe in 1865.

Niiro was 34 when he left Japan; like all the other members of the mission, he adopted a new name, and was known as Ishigaki Einosuke while overseas.

He returned to Japan in 1866/3, bringing with him valuable new technology in the form of spinning machines. He later became a karô (House Elder) in the domain.

References

• Plaque at Satsuma students monument outside Kagoshima Chûô train station.