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Anbei was born in 1670 as the eldest son of Yajiemon Nakayama.
His birthplace is located within a 5-minute walk from Shibata Castle and close to the castle in the castle town.
Now, only the monument remains at the intersection, but there is a prediction that it may be a very good origin.

When I checked it out, my mother's grandmother, Itohime, who raised Anbei, was the sixth daughter of the first feudal lord, Hidekatsu Mizoguchi, and Yamaga, who married a princess from feudal lord, seems to have been a considerable family in the Shibata clan!
(Reference website: Shibata Tourist Guide "The Birthplace of Yasubee Horibe")
It was a surprising discovery to me that I only knew about Anbei's hardship that my father became a ronin and moved to Tokyo after he died!

As mentioned above, there was misfortune, and Anbei decided to travel to Edo to revive Naka-Yamaga.
I heard that there is a "Horibe Yasubei hand-planted pine", which is said to have been hand-planted at Chotoku era-ji Temple, Bodaiji Temple in Nakayamaga, and went to see it.

That pine is here! It's tall and pretty good.
On the back of the stone monument "Gishi Yasubee Horibe Monument" near it, the origin, the background of moving to Tokyo, the success of Ako Yoshishi, and the background of the monument were engraved.

So, what kind of life did you live after you traveled to Edo for the revival of Naka Yamaga at a young age?
I would like to move the stage to Edo and Tokyo and briefly review it.

After moving to Tokyo, Anbei studied swordsmanship at the Horiuchi Dojo, which was said to be the best in Edo, and decided to let the name melt to Edo in a duel in Takadanobaba.
Since then, his life has changed a lot!
clansman Akaho and Yahee Horibe finally accepted the offer of adoption, and later joined the Akaho feudal lord Asano family.

(The 'Gishido' that remains at Chotoku era-ji Temple)

On March 14, 1701, Takuminokami Asano (the site of Takuminokami Asano's residence in Akashi-cho, Chuo-ku) slashed Kozukenosuke Kira at the "Pine Great Corridor" of Edo Castle, but failed, and was ordered to cut off. Was.
At the end of the following year, the Ako Yoshishi attacked Kozukenosuke Kira's residence and succeeded in revenge Takuminokami Asano!

(signboard of Gishido, wooden inside)

The Ako Yoshishi raised him to Sengakuji Temple and offered Kira's neck in front of Takuminokami Asano's grave, but later he was ordered to cut off by the Shogunate, and Anbei ended his short life at the age of 34.
His body was buried at Sengakuji Temple, where the burial ground of Takuminokami Asano is located, but there is also a monument to memorialize him at Chotoku era-ji Temple in Shibata.

At the end of November 2017, the soil of the tomb brought back from Sengakuji was "ossified" on the tombstone by the members of the civil society "Takeyokai" who conveys the achievements of Anbei.
Every year on December 14, the Gishi Festival is held here at Chotoku era-ji Temple in memory of Yasubee Horibe.
If you look closely, you will notice that there is a frog figurine that is just said to be "Anbei" and "Go home safely" from Echigo Castle Town Shibata.

In this way, it was found that his achievements were not only being handed down in Shibata City, but also intercity exchanges related to Ako Yoshishi were regularly held.

Now, I would like to visit the Horibe Yasubei Takeyuki Monument at Kameshima Bridge Nishizume again.
This monument was set up to commemorate that he lived in Kyobashi Mizutanicho (now Hatchobori, Chuo-ku).

Until now, even when I saw this monument, I didn't think much of Anbei's life, but this time I was able to look back on his life and see this monument.
Yanagi IV of Ginza is planted on the other side of the road, so please take a look at it when taking a walk.♪

Through this excursion, I was able to learn again that since the Edo period, people from all over Japan had gathered in the present Chuo-ku, which is now known in history.
It may be unique to Chuo-ku, where such relationships can be found while traveling, prospered as a town for samurai and townspeople, and later had a foreign settlement.
I would like to continue to find the relationship between Chuo-ku and other cities ^ ^

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