Historic site the Aizu Tsurugajo Castle and Aizu clan’s people －From the viewpoint of Historical Tourism－

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to consider the individual behavior from the viewpoint of historical tourism through the historic site of the Aizu Tsurugajo Castle. The behavior and the way of life of the Aizu clan’s people in the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate left a great mark on the history of modem Japan. Above all, the behavior of the byakkotai composed by boys’soldiers have, for a long time, been handed down from generation to generation among the Japanese. It was the family motto and education from childhood that influenced their behavior. This means loyalty, first toward the head family of the Tokugawas, and second toward the lord of the Aizu clan. Therefore we consider, first of all, the relationship between the Tokugawas and the Aizu clan, second, the family motto and the clan’s education through the Nissinkan tourism, and finally the ideological incentives of the lord and the boys’soldiers in the last days of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Aizu clan’s samurais obstinately adhered to this sence of value, which resulted in death and tragedy. This paper explores the reason through the tourism.