What do you know about Hana no Shōgai and Naosuke Ii?

Naosuke Ii was the Tairō of the Edo Shogunate during its final years. What do you know about him? Perhaps his name makes you think of the Harris Treaty, the Ansei Purge, or the Sakuradamon Incident. For the people of Japan whose lives were changed by the historical event that was the Meiji Restoration, these keywords related to Naosuke Ii may bring up negative feelings.

Even so, Naosuke Ii was a prominent enough figure to climb to the rank of Tairō. What sort of thinking was behind his decisions and those various events? This place, Umoregi-no-ya, may be a location that can help you picture what was happening behind the scenes.

Naosuke Ii lived in Umoregi-no-ya for 15 years, between the ages of 17 and 32. Within this home lies the key to how the foundations of his personality formed. Your impression of Naosuke Ii may change once you hear the tale of his past.

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