Changes

As to what Fuwa did after his dismissal, this is unknown.  One of the specifications of the [[Buke Shohatto]] that were in effect in [[1683]] stated: "...a man who has had a difference (literally hindrance) with his original lord is not to be taken into service by any other lord." So he would not have been able to obtain a position as a retainer by any other lord.   

As to what Fuwa did after his dismissal, this is unknown.  One of the specifications of the [[Buke Shohatto]] that were in effect in [[1683]] stated: "...a man who has had a difference (literally hindrance) with his original lord is not to be taken into service by any other lord." So he would not have been able to obtain a position as a retainer by any other lord.   

One can only speculate about the options open to a dismissed ronin during this time.  One of the options would have been engaging in criminal activities, becoming a highwayman or being hired by a [[yakuza]] gang as a bodyguard.  However, for a man forbidden to take service under a different lord, his best hope would most likely have been to attempt to win reinstatement by his original clan lord.  To serve this motive, it would be unlikely that Fuwa would have engaged in outlaw pursuits.  Instead, he would more likely have strived to live an upright life that would not have reflected negatively upon his former lord’s reputation.   

One can only speculate about the options open to a dismissed [[ronin]] during this time.  Fuwa could have become an outlaw or he could have been hired by a [[yakuza]] gang as a bodyguard.  However, for a man forbidden to take service under a different lord, his best hope would most likely have been to attempt to win reinstatement by his original clan lord.  To serve this motive, it would be unlikely that Fuwa would have engaged in outlaw pursuits.  Instead, he would more likely have strived to live an upright life that would not have reflected negatively upon his former lord’s reputation.   

There were few options open to law-abiding ronin in late 17th century [[Edo Period|Tokugawa Japan]].  Most ronin lived in poverty. They were allowed to continue to bear a family name and wear the distinctive two swords that they wore when they were clan [[samurai]]. However, they effectively existed outside of the official class structure (samurai, farmers, artisans, merchants). Ronin were known to teach in [[terakoya]] (neighborhood schools for commoner’s children).  Likewise, they were known to offer martial arts lessons to commoners; it is strongly speculated that the 17th century swordsman [[Miyamoto Musashi]], who spent most of his life as a ronin, earned some of his keep that way .   Sometimes, as depicted in some chambara/jidai-geki films, ronin would engage in piecework handicrafts, fashioning fans, umbrellas, inkbrushes, insect cages, women’s hair combs and the like, selling their handcrafted wares to wholesalers; these were occupations also performed by low-ranking clan samurai needing extra earnings to survive.   A ronin could have given up any chance of samurai employment or reinstatement by renouncing his Buke status and become either a farmer, artisan, or merchant; this option would likely become feasible only if he had connections with well-established commoner families to acquire land or learn a trade.

There were few options open to law-abiding ronin in late 17th century [[Edo Period|Tokugawa Japan]].  Most ronin lived in poverty, effectively existng outside of the official class structure (samurai, farmers, artisans, merchants). He could have taught in a [[terakoya]] (a neighborhood school for commoner’s children).  Or he could have offered martial arts lessons to commoners; it is strongly speculated that the 17th century swordsman [[Miyamoto Musashi]], who spent most of his life as a ronin, earned some of his keep that way. Or else he could have earned his keep in fashioning piecework handicrafts. 

Though Fuwa was known to be a skillful swordsman, there are no records that indicate that he had fought in duels, had commited crimes, or had killed anyone. No records exist that indicated that Fuwa renounced his Buke status and became a commoner.  In order to win his reinstatement, one can only speculate that, whatever activities that Fuwa engaged in to make a living, he lived a spare, law-abiding life during this time.  

   

   

In 1701, upon receiving information of the death by seppuku of his former lord and the confiscation of the Ako estate, Fuwa Kazuemon rushed to Ako to offer his services in order to atone for his original offense against his lord.  According to most sources, Oishi Kuranosuke, former chief retainer of Ako, rejected Fuwa’s offers of service because of his earlier dismissal from the clan.  Fuwa kept persisting and eventually was allowed to join the league of Lord Asano’s avengers.  

In 1701, upon receiving information of the death by seppuku of his former lord and the confiscation of the Ako estate, Fuwa Kazuemon rushed to Ako to offer his services in order to atone for his original offense against his lord.  According to most sources, Oishi Kuranosuke, former chief retainer of Ako, rejected Fuwa’s offers of service because of his earlier dismissal from the clan.  Fuwa kept persisting and eventually was allowed to join the league of Lord Asano’s avengers.  

Fuwa Kazuemon died by seppuku in February, 1703.  He was buried at Sengakuji Temple along with his compatriots and Lord Asano Naganori.  

Fuwa Kazuemon died by seppuku in February, 1703.  He was buried at Sengakuji Temple along with his compatriots and Lord Asano Naganori.  

FURTHER NOTES ON THE AKO RONIN: The life of Fuwa Kazuemon raises questions about the character of the daimyo Asano Naganori and the motives, characters, and actions of the forty-seven ex-retainers who planned and executed the successful attack upon the hatamoto official, Kira Kosuke-no-Suke Yoshinaka. A revisionist view has been written by some recent scholars, stating essentially that the attack upon Kira was not justified because of the bad character of Lord Asano and the failures of his retainers to rein him in and properly educate him. This assessment of Lord Asano’s character and mode of governance was derived mainly from the Dokai Koshuki, a report prepared by agents of Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi that concerned the lives and behavior of daimyo in Japan.  In this report, Asano Naganori was portrayed as a daimyo who, though he had strict and consistant rules for his fief, spent time gathering women for his own pleasure, that he would give promotions to retainers based upon the beauty of the women that his retainers allegedly procured for him.  The report also said that he was “only concerned with his personal amusement” and left the government of his domain in the hands of those who served him.  The report went on to state that Asano Naganori lacked both military and literary skills.  The report states furthermore that chief retainer Oishi Kuranosuke had failed in his duties in keeping Lord Asano more in line with proper decorum and behavior.  

FURTHER NOTES ON THE AKO RONIN: The life of Fuwa Kazuemon raises questions about the character of the daimyo Asano Naganori and the motives, characters, and actions of the forty-seven ex-retainers who planned and executed the successful attack upon the hatamoto official, Kira Kosuke-no-Suke Yoshinaka. A revisionist view has been written by some recent scholars, stating essentially that the attack upon Kira was not justified because of the bad character of Lord Asano and the failures of his retainers to rein him in and properly educate him. This assessment of Lord Asano’s character and mode of governance was derived mainly from the Dokai Koshuki, a report prepared by agents of Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi that concerned the lives and behavior of daimyo in Japan.  In this report, Asano Naganori was portrayed as a daimyo who, though he had strict and consistant rules for his fief, spent time gathering women for his own pleasure, that he would give promotions to retainers based upon the beauty of the women that his retainers allegedly procured for him.  The report also said that he was “only concerned with his personal amusement” and left the government of his domain in the hands of those who served him.  The report went on to state that Asano Naganori lacked both military and literary skills.  The report states furthermore that chief retainer Oishi Kuranosuke had failed in his duties in keeping Lord Asano more in line with proper decorum and behavior.  

==References==

==References==

* Bodart-Baily, Beatrice, The Dog Shogun: The Personality And Policies of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi:  (University of Hawaii Press, May 2007). This book contains a chapter on the 47 Ako ronin and their former lord.  The author expounds the revisionist view of the issues surrounding the Ako ronin’s attack, mainly citing the Dokai Koshuki to support this view.   

* Bodart-Baily, Beatrice, The Dog Shogun: The Personality And Policies of Tokugawa Tsunayoshi:  (University of Hawaii Press, May 2007). This book contains a chapter on the 47 Ako ronin and their former lord.  The author expounds the revisionist view of the issues surrounding the Ako ronin’s attack, mainly citing the Dokai Koshuki to support this view.   

* Hall, John Carey, translator: Buke Shohatto 1683 (The Tokugawa Legislation, Yokohama 1910, PP. 286-319) URL: http://www.unierfurt.de/ostasiatische_geschichte/texte/japan/dokumente/17/tokugawa_legislation/index_files/buke_shohatto_1683.html  This is the text of the laws in effect at the time of Fuwa Kazuemon’s life that mainly concern the conduct and behavior of those in the Buke class.  

* Hall, John Carey, translator: Buke Shohatto 1683 (The Tokugawa Legislation, Yokohama 1910, PP. 286-319) URL: http://www.uni-erfurt.de/ostasiatische_geschichte/texte/japan/dokumente/17/tokugawa_legislation/index_files/buke_shohatto_1683.html  This is the text of the laws in effect at the time of Fuwa Kazuemon’s life that mainly concern the conduct and behavior of those in the Buke class.  

* Murdoch, James: A History of Japan: (Routledge, December 16, 1996). This 3-volume set was first published in 1926. I read the chapter on the 47 ronin at an online site which no longer exists at the particular URL address. Murdoch mainly cited Shigeno Yasutsugu, whom Professor Henry Smith (cited below in the bibliography) describes as “the first Japanese historian to analyze the incident using the tools of modern scholarship.”  Included in this account are summaries of Kira Yoshinaka’s alleged greed, including a report of an incident a different daimyo occuring 4 years previous to Asano Naganori’s attack.  This daimyo, Kamei, who ruled over Tsuwano in Iwami, had been insulted by Kira for failure to provide sufficient “gifts.”       

* Murdoch, James: A History of Japan: (Routledge, December 16, 1996). This 3-volume set was first published in 1926. I read the chapter on the 47 ronin at an online site which no longer exists at the particular URL address. Murdoch mainly cited Shigeno Yasutsugu, whom Professor Henry Smith (cited below in the bibliography) describes as “the first Japanese historian to analyze the incident using the tools of modern scholarship.”  Included in this account are summaries of Kira Yoshinaka’s alleged greed, including a report of an incident a different daimyo occuring 4 years previous to Asano Naganori’s attack.  This daimyo, Kamei, who ruled over Tsuwano in Iwami, had been insulted by Kira for failure to provide sufficient “gifts.”       

* Sansom, George, History of Japan: 1615-1867 (Stanford University Press June, 1963).  This is a text of the general history of Japan during the Tokugawa period.  There is a bare mention of the Ako ronin events. However, the author does mention the tozama status of the Asano family of Ako.  There is also a general summary of how ronin fared during this time.

* Sansom, George, History of Japan: 1615-1867 (Stanford University Press June, 1963).  This is a text of the general history of Japan during the Tokugawa period.  There is a bare mention of the Ako ronin events. However, the author does mention the tozama status of the Asano family of Ako.  There is also a general summary of how ronin fared during this time.