page_title: Yoshida Shōin
section_title: Rewards of Punishment
hierarchical_section_title: Yoshida Shōin / Rewards of Punishment
caption_attribution_description: English: Yoshida Shoin rowing to Commodore Matthew Perry's Black Ships
context_page_description: Yoshida Shōin, commonly named Torajirō, was one of Japan's most distinguished intellectuals in the late years of the Tokugawa shogunate. He devoted himself to nurturing many ishin shishi who in turn made major contributions to the Meiji Restoration.
context_section_description: At the end of 1851, Yoshida left for a four-month trip across Northeastern Japan. He had been granted verbal permission from the Chōshū government but left before receiving his written permission in an act of defiance. This act of defiance was a serious offense known as dappan or "fleeing the han". He returned to Hagi in 1852. His punishment from the daimyō was costly but sweet for Shōin. He was stripped of his samurai status and his stipend of 57 koku with it. His father, Sugi Yurinosuke, was appointed as his guardian. Shōin was then granted 10 years of leisure in which he could study in any part of Japan that he chose.
  On January 16, 1853, Yoshida Shōin was granted permission to return to Edo to continue his studies. His timing for his return to Edo turned out to coincide with Matthew Perry’s arrival in Japan.
caption: Yoshida Shōin headed for the Black Ships
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