Tangaku Fujita (Kageyama): My Ancestor - Doctor, Neo-Confucian Scholar, Author, Teacher

This is the grave of Tangaku Fujita, my ancestor, and famous Confucian scholar, teacher, and doctor. It is in the Gekkyoin Buddhist temple with other family, created by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and directly below Emperor Suko's family graves in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto


The property belongs to the Fushimi No Miya Royal Imperial family today. Only family can enter. 宮内庁京都事務所 (Imperial Household Agency Kyoto Office)




Tangaku Fujita was born in Tokushima, lived in Osaka , and finally settled down in Fushimi, Kyoto, opening his own school, after accepting the invitation of Governor Honjo Michitsura to be his personal advisor and doctor, inside the Fushimi castle.

Prior accepting this offer, Tangaku Fujita was a teacher at the famous Nujiyama Confucian School in Himeiji, Hyogo

His new employer, Governor Honjo Michitsura was the next to last in the venerable Takotomi clan lineage, descendants of Japanese Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the latter being the founder of Gifu, Japan. 




Tangaku is also mentioned in Yamaki Zenta's famous history book, listing the most known doctors and intellectuals in Japan, during his time, while Tangaku was residing in Osaka. Osaka, Japan

Zenta listed Tangaku's residence as Tomitayabashi Bridge, which was a hub in Japanese history for scientists, philosophers, linguists, and doctors. There is a monument at the place today.

Tangaku's neighbors were recorded as famous astronomer Hazama Shigetomi, Dutch linguist Hashimoto Sokichi, Civil Engineer Tanaka Kyugu, and doctor Naosai Ooya whose ancestors founded Fukui, Japan.


 

Tangaku Fujita wrote many books on Confucianism, of which can be found today in university archives in Japan, China, America, as well as in Japan's National archives and in the founder of Japanese capitalism and Mizuho Bank, Shibusawa Eichi's personal library collection. 

His books have been sourced and referenced by many professors, including former Minister of Education in Japan, Teiji Ichiko. 」

He was close friends with famous Confucian scholars Sazan Kan, Rai Shunsui, and more.

The inscription on Tangaku's grave (orange) was written by his close friend, Sebe Shigenobu, an interesting character.

Shigenobu's name is included in a book with famous poet Ota Nanpo in the library of Tokugawa Yorimichi and in another book with child prodigy Morishige Kondo in the Shizuka library, the latter who fled the Osaka Christian persecution of 1827.





Tangaku Fujita's Kotobank profile is here:
https://kotobank.jp/word/%E8%97%A4%E7%94%B0%E4%B8%B9%E5%B2%B3-1105378

You can read more about my ancestors in this book by historian Akira Haruta "Tangaku Fujita and Sanyo Rai."
https://www.kosho.or.jp/products/detail.php?product_id=288732274










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