Omura Uemon (Kimihisa) 1827-1893 (later Ogashima)

Churo Omura Uemon and his retainers on the eve of the Aizu campaign 1868.

Omura Uemon Kimihisa was born the fourth son of the 250 Koku Karo Inada Matazaemon Masakane in the 10th year of Bunsei (1827) and was later adopted by Karo Omura Jirozaemon Akitada. (This branch of the Omura Akitada line descended from the 16th generation warrior Shibue Kiminari, who helped the 16th Omura Lord, Omura Sumikore in his struggle with the Arima). By the time 1867 came, Omura Uemon was a senior Churo and was chosen by the Omura Lord Sumihiro (1830-1882)to lead his domain's contingent with Satsuma to chastise the northern alliance of the pro-Tokugawa faction of the Aizu, Sendai and Shonai hans. The picture shows him with his retainers before their embarkation. He is seated in the centre with the sword that was made for him by Satsuma Naminohira Yukiyasu. He returned from the campaign in 1869 and died on 25th December 1893 at the age of 67. This picture is of his gravesite in Nagasaki as the Omura Domain had later become.

Omura Lords 1450-1868

As a matter of interest, in about Meiji 5 (1872) he changed his name of Ogashima which was the ancestor of the Shibui, the paternal house of the Inada. His eldest son Ogashima Hatasu later married the daughter of Baron Watanabe Kiyoshi who did so much to cement the alliance between Satsuma and Omura recently. Ogashima (later Ishii) Fudeko (1861-1944) is well known in Japan today as the the founder of the first school for the mentally handicapped children. This was inspired because her own two daughters were born with this affliction. Her school still exits today which is called Takinogawa Gakuin. Sadly, Omura's son, Hatasu died early and Fudeko later remarried a man named Ishii, under whom, her subsequent marital name she is known in Japan today. When General Grant visited Japan in 1879, he met Fudeko and praised her at the 'most intelligent woman in the country'.

Satsuma Yamato Kami Naminohira Yukiyasu (薩摩波平六十三代孫大和守朝臣平行安)

This sword is by Satsuma Naminohira Yukiyasu which was specially ordered for Omura Uemon on the 3rd Month of Keio 4th Year(1868). Naminohira Yukiyasu was born on Bunka 2 2nd Month (March 1805) in Taniyama, Satsuma Province. He was the younger brother of Naminohira Yasutoshi. In Tempo 2 (1831) he became the Han smith of the Shimazu, and in Ansei 5, 5th Month (July 1858) he suceeded his brother and became the 63rd generational head of the Naminohira school. He acquired the title of Yamato Suke and later on Keio 1,(1861) he acquired the Yamato Kami title. He died in 1887. One might ask why, with the famed Hizen Tadayoshi school in the same province as the Omura domain, did Omura Uemon not order a sword from them? No doubt it was due to the special political situation of that time. Omura Uemon had a series of meetings at the Satsuma han's jo-yashiki in Kyoto with Saigo Takamori, Okubo Toshimichi and Kyoto Satsuma Han's Karo Komatsu Tatewaki in 1867. It was most probably at this time that Komatsu Tatewaki commissioned this sword for Omura Uemon as appreciation for helping allying his domain with Satsuma and Choshu. Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa and the Omura domains finally formalised an alliance in 1867 to oust the Tokugawa Shogunate. Omura Uemon was summoned by the Omura Lord, Omura Sumitada and ordered to lead his domain's 326 men against the pro-Tokugawa forces of the Aizu, Sendai and Shaonai Hans. In a spirit of new found comaradeship this sword was specially ordered for Omura. It's in a suguba deki with a dense itame hada that is very elegant in appearance, velvet like in a sense. Its wide but not heavy body bears testiment that this sword was envisaged for things to come.

Tokubetsu Hozon for the Yukiyasu

Torokusho for the Yukiyasu issued by the Tokyo BOE in Showa 63