Chapter 32 Section 2 Hanekawa Rokuro's Lost Land Reconstruction Movement

"Russian-Japanese War Hanekawa Rokuro" (Arihodo, November 1, 1936) written by Sanshi Tokai was published three months before the outbreak of the Russo-Japanese War and is an outstanding work among the numerous fictional war novels.Sanshi Tokai (Shiro Shiro) is a well-known writer and thinker of civil rights for his "Adventure of a Beautiful Woman" (Meiji 18). He is also a relatively active figure in politics. minister. "Rokuro Hanekawa" describes the Russo-Japanese War from two aspects.One is the "Russian-Japanese (future) War" described from the domestic economic situation and public opinion in Japan at the same time, as well as the mechanics of the international community and a global perspective. Recovery Story".

The relationship between the Hanekawa family and Sakhalin Island, which was the former Aizu clan, can be traced back to the era of Rokuro's grandfather.In reality, in September of the year of Culture 3 (1806), the shelling of Sakhalin by the Russian fleet took place.In this novel, such a setting is made: Liulang's grandfather "crossed to the station of Dabo (current name) in Sakhalin as the leader of a team during the cultural period when Russia invaded Sakhalin Island, and was doing his best. While taking precautions, they were stricken and killed by endemic diseases."That is to say, for Liu Lang, Sakhalin Island is the grave of his grandfather.Rokuro's father, Yukawa Hanekawa, belonged to the Baobaku sect during the Boshin War, and followed Enomoto Takehiro to Hakodate (Hakodate).Afterwards, Enomoto surrendered and joined the Allied Forces of the Saga. He and a few people with lofty ideals came to Sakhalin Island to seek to open up a new world.In the novel, the story of the matter is described as follows: After the failure of Hakodate, he entered the mainland of Ezo, and did not forget his great cause. He went to Manchuria and inherited the wisdom of Genkuro. There were frequent disputes about these matters, but Enomoto was the leader. Contrary to public opinion, therefore, we are determined to carry out our great cause. 53 like-minded people left Hakodate in the dark night. After going through untold hardships, they took a canoe to guard against the Ainu and finally arrived at Sakhalin Island.

That is to say, in the book, under the background of Tsutomu Hanekawa crossing the sea to Sakhalin Island, the legend of Minamoto Yoshitsune's entry into Ezo is set.As mentioned earlier, such fictional histories could attract popular popularity in the early Meiji period.Based on the fictional desire to regain lost land such as "there was once the land of the Japanese" or "they shed the same blood as us", the self-justification of the act of entering the mainland is narratively instilled in the in the minds of the Japanese. However, around the reality of Sakhalin Island, although Russia recognized Japan’s ownership of it in the first half of the 19th century, at the end of the Shogunate, Sakhalin Island and the Kuril Islands were classified as common land between Japan and Russia. According to Meiji 8 (1875 ) in the Sakhalin Island Thousand Islands Exchange Treaty, Japan, a weak country, gave up its ownership of Sakhalin Island.This is Rokuro Hanekawa's "Staying on Fire and Tasting Courage".The term “steal your courage” has become a common slogan of the Japanese people since the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, when Russia, Germany, and France intervened to force Japan to return the Liaodong Peninsula to China.Han Chuan Rokuro's hard work and courage are naturally endowed with more profound historical ambitions.