[Part 2] Aizu samurai cultivated apples! A new industry brought to fruition by the indomitable Aizu spirit

The American apple seedlings brought to Hokkaido

We mentioned earlier that the seedlings of the apple varieties "No. 19 (Hi no Koromo)" and "No. 49 (Kunihitsu)" that were successfully cultivated by former Aizu samurai who immigrated to Yoichi were brought from America, but what kinds of varieties were these originally?

Let's take a look at the history of each

Scarlet Robe = King of Tompkins County

The original name of the scarlet robe, originally called No. 19, "King of Tompkins County."

Although the name "King of Tompkins County" comes from Tompkins County, New York, it is known not to have originated there, but to have been brought there by grafting from Warren County, New Jersey in 1804

It is characterized by countless small yellow spots floating on its red skin, and in some cases the flesh is yellowish and contains nectar

While it has a rich flavor, it does not keep as well as other varieties, and it is said to have been grown almost exclusively in Yoichi in Japan, making it a rare variety

It is also a triploid variety that tends to produce large fruits, and considering that Japanese apples, which were common until the beginning of the Meiji period, were about the size of a ping-pong ball, this variety, which grows to about 300g, must have been surprisingly large at the time

Kunimitsu = Ralls Janet

Originally called No. 49, Kunimitsu 's original name was "Ralls Janet."

It is also known as "Ralls Genet" or "Rawls Jennet," and is believed to have originated in Virginia, USA

One story goes that the origins of the orchard date back to the early 19th century, when Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, entrusted an apple branch brought by French ambassador Edmond Charles Genet to Caleb Rawls Orchard in Amherst County, California

This variety, known as Kunimitsu in Japan, can be harvested from late October and, although it requires refrigeration from spring onwards, is known for its high shelf life, allowing it to be stored until around June of the following year

The fruit is slightly smaller than the Hi no Koromo, weighing around 150g to 200g, but it was cultivated as the main apple variety in Japan from the Meiji period for the next 100 years

It is also the parent of the well-known apple variety "Fuji" today, and in Aomori Prefecture, for example, Kunimitsu accounted for nearly 50% of the cultivated apple varieties at the end of the Meiji period

This suggests that this variety of apple was well suited to Japan's climate and environment

What was the life of former Aizu samurai in Yoichi like?

The unimaginable hardships endured by the pioneers who settled in Hokkaido are still passed down to this day, but the former Aizu samurai who moved to Yoichi also survived extremely harsh conditions

Let's take a look at what kind of pioneer life they lived until they were able to harvest apples and finally get their livelihood on track

Yoichi, a former wetland

The original name of Yoichi was "Shpunto"

Shupun refers to the freshwater fish dace, and to means swamp, so the lower reaches of the Yoichi River where the former Aizu samurai settled were a wetland with a crescent lake remaining

Due to these locational conditions, the land was originally unsuitable for cultivation, and as with many other Hokkaido developments, clearing the land involved a series of mind-numbingly hard work, including the repeated felling and uprooting of giant trees with trunks measuring over one meter in circumference, all by hand

Because it is a wetland, even if they tried to practice slash-and-burn agriculture, the trees would not burn as expected, and at the time there were no varieties of rice that could be grown in Hokkaido, so it was not possible to cultivate rice paddies

Although the Hokkaido Development Commission provided them with a minimum living allowance for three years, it is said that they had to cut back on this and live a harsh life

Once the land was finally cleared, corn, pumpkins, peas, melons and other crops were grown, but the struggle with wild animals preying on these crops was fierce

Interestingly, tomatoes were already being cultivated at this time, but they were still unpopular and could not be grown commercially

It is likely that the area's unsuitable location for cultivation played a major role in the subsequent shift of the main industry to apple cultivation

Daily food and samurai pride

The former Aizu samurai who moved to Yoichi were given a three-year stipend by the Hokkaido Development Commission, which was used to procure food, housing, and supplies necessary for the development

For example, in the first year of immigration, each of the 700 immigrants was allocated 7.5 cups of brown rice per day. However, this rice was not all eaten as is, but rather converted into cash to purchase necessities or kept as property, so strict frugality was practiced

It was assumed that after a certain number of years, the people would become self-sufficient through income from agricultural products and other sources obtained through development, so naturally, the support from the Hokkaido Development Agency ended after three years

However, the situation was far from sufficient for them to be self-sufficient, and the immigrants were forced to find ways to earn cash while continuing to develop farmland

Specifically, these included selling harvested crops and engaging in fishing, but it is said that the issue that arose here was the pride they had long held as samurai

The story goes that he carried the soybeans he had harvested to sell, but was unable to directly approach people and ask them to buy them, so he just kept going around town

Additionally, Yoichi was a very prosperous fishing area at the time, and there were many jobs available for day labor in the fishing industry, but even here, bowing down and getting hired was a major hurdle

This may be a situation that is difficult to imagine from a modern perspective, but for the former Aizu samurai, the gap between their identity as samurai and reality was an unbearable source of suffering

The lingering stigma of being a "traitor" and an indomitable sincerity

It is well known that during the Boshin War, the new government forces raised the Imperial flag to strategically demonstrate their position as the "official army."

For the Aizu clan, which had once protected the capital Kyoto and risked its life to serve both the shogunate and the imperial court, being labeled an enemy of the imperial court was a deep wound that completely undermined its very reason for existence

Even after the Meiji Restoration, people from Aizu faced strong criticism, and despite their hopes of success, they continued to be slandered as "traitors."

This problem did not disappear even in Yoichi, where the pioneer group moved, and it is said that there were no local temples that would undertake funerals for people from Aizu

As a result, Shinto-style rituals, such as Shinto funerals, began to be held mainly by those qualified as Shinto priests

It can be said that for the Aizu immigrants, it was a heartfelt desire to clear their name as enemies of the imperial court and restore their honor

To that end, with a firm resolve to give their all to the opportunity they were given, the group of immigrants who had stayed in Yoichi temporarily as part of the original plan to emigrate to Sakhalin submitted a petition called the "Onukesho"

There is a sentence written there that goes like this

Please follow the attached regulations and implement the rules of the Heavenly Grace. Anyone who violates the regulations and neglects their business will be severely fined and will be subject to stern punishment

In other words , "We will obey the rules and honor the Emperor's kindness, and anyone who disobeys the law or is lazy in their duties will be severely punished," and it was also a declaration that demonstrated through their actions that they had no intention of rebelling.

It is also known as the Blood Oath because it contains the names of 226 people as well as a blood seal

A blood oath also signifies a pledge to the gods of heaven and earth at the risk of one's life, and for a samurai to make this is a sign of absolute unwavering resolve

It can be said that the Aizu immigrants from Yoichi pioneered the area with an indomitable spirit, and ultimately succeeded in cultivating apples from scratch, thanks to this fierce determination

The impact of Aizu samurai apples on industry

Yoichi apples, which grew into a major industry thanks to the Aizu immigrants, continued to have a major impact on the economy

Yoichi Apple Wine Co., Ltd. in 1910. The following year, apple cider and apple wine began to be produced.

These products quickly became popular, and the cider in particular was even presented to the Imperial family, so it is thought to have made a significant contribution to restoring Aizu's honor, just like the "Scarlet Robe" and other products

Going back in time, another impact that Yoichi apples had on the industry was their relationship with Nikka Whisky

In order to raise start-up capital, Nikka "Dainippon Kaju" in 1931 as a preliminary step to produce juice and other products using Yoichi apples, and that Nikka" "Sun" and "Ka .

A photograph from that time of the Nikka Yoichi main store shows a huge amount of apples piled up in the open air, waiting to be processed. Even fallen or damaged apples were purchased, which is said to have been very welcomed by local apple farmers

If we trace this historical background back to its origins, we can say that it is because the Aizu immigrants in Yoichi never gave up and made apple cultivation a reality

in conclusion

In 1984, a man visited Yoichi, Hokkaido

The person in question was Matsudaira Isao, the governor of Fukushima Prefecture at the time, and the grandson of Matsudaira Katamori, the last lord of the Aizu domain

"Hi no robe" was once the most popular apple variety in Yoichi, but since the 1940s, it has been disappearing due to the rise of new varieties

After learning about the history of how the Aizu immigrants had overcome many hardships to successfully cultivate apples in Yoichi, Governor Matsudaira traveled to Hokkaido himself to express his gratitude to the local people as the grandson of Matsudaira Katamori

This incident sparked a movement to revive the scarlet garment, which led to the friendly exchange between Yoichi and Aizu-Wakamatsu mentioned at the beginning of Part 1. Why not take a moment to reflect on the history of these two places, which have been reunited through apples, transcending time?

[Series] The history of Japan's first commercial apple cultivation, cultivated by Aizu samurai

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Part 1] Aizu samurai cultivated apples! What are the first apples cultivated privately in Japan, "Hi no Koromo" and "Kunimitsu"?

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/48234

IntroductionIn October 2015, Aizuwakamatsu City in Fukushima Prefecture and Yoichi City in Hokkaido declared themselves friends and neighbors. While the two cities may seem far apart at first glance, they are in fact bound together by an inseparable bond of history. Their origins date back to the Boshin War during the Meiji Restoration, when present-day Yoichi was one of the destinations for Aizu samurai who fled their hometowns after the war. While the indescribable hardships of Hokkaido's development are well-known, the Aizu samurai who settled in Yoichi ultimately succeeded in establishing an industry after years of hardship: the first commercial apple cultivation in Japan by a Japanese private citizen. Later, the industry was named "Hi no robe" (scarlet robe)...

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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Part 2] Aizu samurai cultivated apples! How were Western varieties introduced?

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/48239

Domestic Apple Cultivation up to the Meiji Period Modern Apples As mentioned above, the "Hi no Koromo" and "Kunimitsu" varieties grown in Yoichi, Hokkaido, by a group of Aizu feudal samurai immigrants are considered the first successful examples of commercial apple cultivation in Japan. So, did apples as a fruit not exist in Japan before then? As can be inferred from the detailed definition of "commercial apple cultivation by private individuals," apples have a history of being grown and eaten before the "Hi no Koromo" era. However, these were small varieties known as "Japanese apples," and differed from the larger Western varieties like the "Hi no Koromo." So...

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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Part 2] Aizu samurai cultivated apples! A new industry brought to fruition by the indomitable Aizu spirit

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/48243

The American apple seedlings brought to Hokkaido. As mentioned earlier, the seedlings of the apple varieties "No. 19 (Scarlet Robe)" and "No. 49 (Kunimitsu)" that were successfully cultivated by former Aizu feudal lords who immigrated to Yoichi were brought from America. But what were these original varieties? Let's take a look at their origins. Scarlet Robe = King of Tompkins County. Originally called No. 19, Scarlet Robe was originally called "King of Tompkins County." While the nickname "King of Tompkins County" comes from Tompkins County, New York, it did not originate there, but rather was cultivated in New York in 1804...

Koroku Obito ( historical writer and novelist )

・Original text for Seibido Publishing's "Enjoy looking at the Heian period picture encyclopedia.
" ・"The Land of Star Reading" won an honorable mention in the 3rd Shosoin Misato Literary Award of the West.
・"Io-san's Bride Meal" won an honorable mention in Everystar's "Delicious Time."
・"Swordsman's Message" won the "9th History and Period Novel Grand Prize" and the "Entertainment Swordsman Award" (plans to publish it as a book are currently underway).
・5th Dan in Iaido and 4th Dan in Jodo.

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