nntsuzu/KFTT huggingface dataset:
English: He learned Yomeigaku neo-Confucianism from Moemon ITO and Zen from Musan-osho Priest of Fukusho-ji Temple (Kagoshima City) (a family temple of the Satsuma Family's was located at the place where the Kagoshima Municipal Gyokuryu High School is located now).
Japanese: 伊藤茂右衛門に陽明学、福昌寺(鹿児島市)（現在鹿児島市立玉龍高等学校があるところにあった島津家の菩提寺）の無参和尚に禅を学ぶ。
English: This year, he formed a reading club around "Kinshiroku, a book of Chinese thought" which is a book Sueyasu CHICHIBU of Chichibu-Kuzure (a family feud of Satsuma Domain) used to enjoy reading, with Toshimichi OKUBO (Toshiimichi), Tomomi YOSHII (Tomomi), Masaharu IJICHI (Masaharu) and Shunsai ARIMURA (Nobuyoshi KAIEDA) to advance in the will of AKASAKA and others.
Japanese: この年、赤山らの遺志を継ぐために、秩父崩れの秩父季保愛読の『近思録』を輪読する会を大久保利通（利通）・吉井友実（友実）・伊地知正治（正治）・有村俊斎（海江田信義）らとつくった（このメンバーが精忠組のもとになった）。
English: On February 2, 1851, Narioki Shimazu retired, and Nariakira SHIMAZU became lord of the Satsuma Domain.
Japanese: 嘉永4年（1851年）2月2日、島津斉興が隠居し、島津斉彬が薩摩藩主になった。
English: In 1852, he married Suga IJUIN (who was called Toshi (Toshiko) as well) who was Kanehiro IJUIN's sister on his parents recommendation, but his grandfather Yuzan died in July, his father Yoshibee died in September and his mother Masa died in November one after another, so he had to support a family by himself.
Japanese: 嘉永5年（1852年）、父母の勧めで伊集院兼寛の姉伊集院須賀（敏（敏子）であったとも云われる）と結婚したが、7月に祖父遊山、9月に父吉兵衛、11月に母マサが相次いで死去し、一人で一家を支えなければならなくなった。
English: In February 1853, he got an order of permission of succession to a family, but the position was not different from Korikata-kakiyakusuke (government cleric of rice customs), and his salary decreased to about forty one seki.
Japanese: 嘉永6年（1853年）2月、家督相続を許可されたが、役は郡方書役助と変わらず、禄は減少して41石余であった。
English: In 1854, the memorial to the throne was approved, and on the occasion of Edo-sankin (daimyo's alternate-year residence in Edo), he was appointed to the positions of Chuo-kosho to fulfill general duties, Jo-otomo (permanent attendant), and retainer in Edo, and went to Edo.
Japanese: 安政元年（1854年）、上書が認められ、斉彬の江戸参勤に際し、中御小姓・定御供・江戸詰に任ぜられ、江戸に赴いた。
English: In April, he became Niwakata-yaku gardener, and he studied under Saiakira, who was the greatest Daimyo of Kaimei Group living, and also he met the great scholar Toko, who was the person that he most wished to meet, and took a lecture about national affairs from him.
Japanese: 4月、庭方役となり、当代一の開明派大名であった斉彬から直接教えを受けるようになり、またぜひ会いたいと思っていた碩学藤田東湖にも会い、国事について教えを受けた。
English: In November in Kagoshima, his wife's parents family took Suga from Saigo's family because it was hard to see her in the hardships of poverty, and after that, Kichijiro, the second eldest brother; took care of the family.
Japanese: 鹿児島では11月に、貧窮の苦労を見かねた妻の実家、伊集院家が西郷家から須賀を引き取ってしまい、以後、二弟の吉二郎が一家の面倒を見ることになった。
English: In 1855, he succeeded to the position of head of the Saigo family, and changed his name from Yoshibei to Kichibei (The eighth Kichibei)
Japanese: 安政2年（1855年）、西郷家の家督を継ぎ、善兵衛から吉兵衛へ改める（8代目吉兵衛）。
English: In December, the thirteenth Shogun Iesada TOKUNAGA married Tenhoin (Keiko, Shogun's legal wife) who was an adopted daughter of Saiakira.
Japanese: 12月、第13代将軍徳川家定と斉彬の養女天璋院（敬子、将軍正室）が結婚。
English: At that time, Saiakira thought to make Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA the fourteenth Shogun through the legal wife of the Shogun, and to make the system in which power was centralized with the active Daimyo Feudal Lord, and to make the country prosperous and build a strong army, so that the country could be opened up and deal with foreign countries like Russia, Great Britain and France, and it was a magnificent plan that included a contingency for alliance with Japan, China and Korea.
Japanese: この頃の斉彬の考え方は、将軍正室を通じて一橋家の徳川慶喜を第14代将軍にし、賢侯の協力と公武親和によって幕府を中心とした中央集権体制を作り、開国して富国強兵をはかって露英仏など諸外国に対処しようとするもので、日中韓同盟をも視野にいれた壮大な計画であった。
English: s
Japanese: 安政4年（1857年）4月、参勤交代の帰途に肥後国熊本藩の長岡監物、津田山三郎と会い、国事を話し合った。
English: He was appointed to the post of Kachi-metsuke (a position entailing night duty and inspection) and Tori-azukari in October his best friend Toshimichi (Shosuke) OKUBO also became Kachi-metsuke.
Japanese: 10月、徒目付・鳥預の兼務を命ぜられた（親友大久保利通（正助）も徒目付になった）。
English: In November, he mediated the purchase of an indigo (dye) ball by Shoichiro SHIRAISHI of Satsuma, who was perplexed about high price of an indigo ball, after that, Shiraishi residence became one of the bases for Satsuma-jin (Satsuma citizens).
Japanese: 11月、藍玉の高値に困っていた下関の白石正一郎に薩摩の藍玉_(染料)購入の斡旋をし、以後、白石宅は薩摩人の活動拠点の一つになった。
English: In December, he arrived in Edo, and was took a secret letter of Saiakira's relating to Shogun Yoshitsugu to Yoshinaga MATSUDAIRA the lord of the Echizen Domain, and in this month, he discussed enthroning Yoshinobu HITOTSUBASHI with Sanai HASHIMOTO.
Japanese: 12月、江戸に着き、将軍継嗣に関する斉彬の密書を越前藩主松平慶永に持って行き、この月内、橋本左内らと一橋慶喜擁立について協議を重ねた。
English: In January and February of 1858, he was exchanging letters with Sanai HASHIMOTO and Unpin UMEDA, and he exchanged information about the visiting of Yukie NAKANE, and, in March, he went to Kyoto with a letter from the Shogun's legal wife to Tadahiro KONOE, and tried to obtain issuance of an secret Imperial command of Yoshinobu's heir using the support of the priest Gessho, but he failed to receive it.
Japanese: 安政5年（1858年）1、2月、橋本左内・梅田雲浜らと書簡を交わし、中根雪江が来訪するなど情報交換し、3月には将軍正室から近衛忠煕への書簡を携えて京都に赴き、僧月照らの協力で慶喜継嗣のための内勅降下をはかったが失敗した。
English: In June, Ii signed a treaty of amity and commerce with America, and then decided to make Yoshitomi TOKUNAGA, the lord of the Kii Domain, the Shogun Yoshitsugu.
Japanese: 井伊は、6月に日米修好通商条約に調印し、次いで紀伊藩主徳川慶福を将軍継嗣に決定した。
English: In July, Nariaki TOKUGAWA was ordered to be on his best behavior for the reason that he went to the Castle in an untimely manner, Yoshinaga MATSUDAIRA was ordered to be on his best behavior and made to retire, and Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA was ordered to be banned and to go to the castle; at first, they started to exercise their authority to oppress the Hitotsubashi group (this was the beginning of the Ansei no Taigoku (suppression of Sonjo group by Naosuke) in extensive interpretation).
Japanese: 7月には不時登城を理由に徳川斉昭に謹慎、松平慶永に謹慎・隠居、徳川慶喜に登城禁止を命じ、まず一橋派への弾圧から強権を振るい始めた（広義の安政の大獄開始）。
English: During this time, Saigo returned to Kagoshima with a letter about the situation of Kyoto to Yoshinaga MATSUDAIRA, and went to Kyoto to exchange information with Seigan YANAGAWA and Senan KASUGA.
Japanese: この間、西郷は6月に鹿児島へ帰り、松平慶永からの江戸・京都情勢を記した書簡を斉彬にもたらし、すぐに上京し、梁川星巌・春日潜庵らと情報交換した。
English: On July 8, Saiakira operated a large-scale military training grounds for Satsu-gun (Satsuma Army) at Mt. Tempo near Kagoshima Castle (it is also said that he was going to the east capital, Tokyo, with an army), but he died on July 16th.
Japanese: 7月8日、斉彬は鹿児島城下天保山で薩軍の大軍事調練を実施した（兵を率いて東上するつもりであったともいわれる）が、7月16日、急逝した。
English: On July 19, the brother of Saiakira, and child of Hisamitu SIMAZU succeeded to a family, and Hisamitu became his guardian, but Noriaki, who was the father of Saiakira, held the real power in the domain.
Japanese: 7月19日、斉彬の弟島津久光の子島津忠義が家督相続し、久光が後見人となったが、藩の実権は斉彬の父斉興が握った。
English: On July 27, 1858, he heard about Saiakira's death, and tried to follow Saiakira to the grave, but Gessho persuaded him against it, and he decided to follow Saiakira's advice.
Japanese: 安政5年7月27日、京都で斉彬の訃報を聞き、殉死しようとしたが、月照らに説得されて、斉彬の遺志を継ぐことを決意した。
English: In August, he went to Edo to bring a secret Imperial command of Emperor Komei to the domain of Mito and the domain of Owari, which was entrusted to the Konoe Family, but he was unable to do so and returned to Kyoto.
Japanese: 8月、近衛家から託された孝明天皇の内勅を水戸藩・尾張藩に渡すため江戸に赴いたが、できずに京都へ帰った。
English: After that until middle of September, he ignored Naosuke II of chief minister with volunteers of many domains, Shinshichi ARIMA and Masaharu IJICH, and tried to reform Bakufu feudal government.
Japanese: 以後9月中旬頃まで諸藩の有志および有馬新七・有村俊斎・伊地知正治らと大老井伊直弼を排斥し、それによって幕政の改革をしようとはかった。
English: But on September 9, Unpin UMEDA was arrested, and the crisis was coming to a head for the group advocating reverence for the Emperor and the expulsion of foreigners, and he escaped with Gessho who had been entrusted with protection by Konei family; after Fushimi, he entrusted Gessho to Shunsai ARIMURA and sent them from Osaka to Kagoshima.
Japanese: しかし、9月9日に梅田雲浜が捕縛され、尊攘派に危機が迫ったので、近衛家から保護を依頼された月照を伴って伏見へ脱出し、伏見からは有村俊斎らに月照を託し、大坂を経て鹿児島へ送らせた。
English: On September 16, he came to Kyoto again and tried to raise an army with other men of noble ideals, but the investigations of the Hori (officers who capture criminals) was very strict, so they left Osaka in September 24, and returned to Kagoshima on October 6, via Simonoseki.
Japanese: 9月16日、再び上京して諸志士らと挙兵をはかったが、捕吏の追及が厳しいため、9月24日に大坂を出航し、下関経由で10月6日に鹿児島へ帰った。
English: In November, Gessho came to Kagoshima with Kuniomi HIRANO, but the domain authorities that were afraid of investigation by the government decided to banish Gessho and others to Higashime (Hyuga Province) (this means they were deserted in the middle).
Japanese: 11月、平野国臣に伴われて月照が鹿児島に来たが、幕府の追及を恐れた藩当局は月照らを東目（日向国）へ追放すること（これは道中での切り捨てを意味していた）に決定した。
English: He got on the boat with Gesshu and Hirano but, he was pessimistic about his future, and late at night on the 16th, he drowned himself in ocean with Gesshu at an offing in Ryugamizu-oki.
Japanese: 月照・平野らとともに乗船したが、前途を悲観して、16日夜半、竜ヶ水沖で月照とともに入水した。
English: Hirano rescued them quickly, but Gesshu had already died; luckily Saigo survived but it took him a month to recover.
Japanese: すぐに平野らが救助したが、月照は死亡し、西郷は運良く蘇生したが、回復に一ヶ月近くかかった。
English: The authorities of the domain treated them as dead, and showed them the graves of Saigo and Gesshu to the officer of prisoners, and the officer of prisoners took the footman and Jusuke of Gesshu, and left.
Japanese: 藩当局は死んだものとして扱い、幕府の捕吏に西郷と月照の墓を見せたので、捕吏は月照の下僕重助を連れて引き上げた。
English: In December, the authorities of domain ordered to Saigo to stay in Amamioshima to avoid the government's notice, and at the end of December, he named himself Gengo KIKUCHI, which means 'my origin is the Kikuchi,' because he had a forefather of the Kikuchi clan in Kumamoto.
Japanese: 12月、藩当局は、幕府の目から隠すために西郷の職を免じ、奄美大島に潜居させることにした、12月末日、菊池源吾（熊本の菊池氏を祖としていたので、吾が源は菊池なりという意で付けたと云われる。
English: January 4, 1859, he entrusted Masaharu IJICHI, Toshimichi OKUBO and Sadaka IJICHI with future affairs, and left Yamagawa port, then rode out to the Shichito-nada ocean area through Naze and arrived at the place of refuge called Atansaki, Tatsugo-mura, Amamioshima on January, 12.
Japanese: 安政6年（1859年）1月4日、伊地知正治・大久保利通・伊地知貞馨等に後事を託して山川港を出航し、七島灘を乗り切り、名瀬を経て、1月12日に潜居地の奄美大島龍郷村阿丹崎に着いた。
English: And soon, Yasutsugu SHIGENO visited him, after that, Toshimichi OKUBO, Atsushi (Kizaemon) SAISHO, Tomomi YOSHII, Shunsai ARIMURA and Chuzaemon HORI sent him letters and comforts many times, also Saigo sent letters replying to them to try to get information.
Japanese: 間もなく重野安繹の慰問を受け、以後、大久保利通・税所篤（喜三左衛門）・吉井友実・有村俊斎・堀仲左衛門らからの書簡や慰問品が何度も送られ、西郷も返書を出して情報入手につとめた。
English: At that time, in November, Toma (later changed Aikana) of the the Ryu family clan, who was a daughter of Saeishi, became his wife on the island.
Japanese: この間、11月、龍家の一族、佐栄志の娘とま（のち愛加那と改める）を島妻とした。
English: However, he was asked to educate three kids on the island, also Fujinaga, Magiri-yokome's (officer of the province) was kind to him, and having a wife, he became accustomed to life on the island, and on November 2, 1860, Kikujiro SAIGO was born.
Japanese: しかし、島の子供3人の教育を依頼され、間切横目藤長から親切を受け、島妻を娶るにつれ、徐々に島での生活になじみ、万延元年（1860年）11月2日には西郷菊次郎が誕生した。
English: In September, 1861, the third brother Ryuan returned to secular life from his post as Omote Chabozu (a tea-server who takes care of a Daimyo) and was named Shingo.
Japanese: 文久元年（1861年）9月、三弟の竜庵が表茶坊主から還俗して信吾と名乗った。
English: In November, he met Dennai KOBA whose duty it was to stay informed (later, Koba helped Saigo as Osaka Rusui-yaku officer/ Kyoto Rusui-yaku officer.
Japanese: 11月、見聞役木場伝内と知り合った（のち木場は大坂留守居役・京都留守居役となり、西郷を助けた）。
English: In October, 1861, Hisamatsu decided to attempt to procure a position as a court noble or Samurai and reorganized the retainers in important ways, but he lacked a connection in Kyoto, so Okubo and Horijiro who were the Konando-yaku (the position charged with the shogun's personal care) advised sending a letter of recall to Saigo.
Japanese: 文久元年10月、久光は公武周旋に乗り出す決意をして要路重臣の更迭を行ったが、京都での手づるがなく、小納戸役の大久保・堀次郎らの進言で西郷に召還状を出した。
English: After Saigo received this letter of recall, he went to the greet the people who took care of him, and after getting ready for the life of Aikana, he sailed from Adanzaki went through Kuichi-no-Erabu-jima/ Makurazaki and arrived to Kagoshima on February 12.
Japanese: 西郷は11月21日に召還状を受け取ると、世話になった人々への挨拶を済ませ、愛加那の生活が立つようにしたのち、文久2年（1862年）1月14日に阿丹崎を出帆し、口永良部島・枕崎を経て2月12日に鹿児島へ着いた。
English: On February 15, he changed his name from Sansuke SAIGO to Sanemon OSHIMA to avoid discovery by the government.
Japanese: 2月15日、生きていることが幕府に発覚しないように西郷三助から大島三右衛門（大島に三年住んでいたという洒落）と改名した。
English: That same day, he had been called on by Hisamitsu, but Hisamatsu did not have good position or popularity like Saiakira, and for these reasons, he did not go to Kyoto, so Hisamatsu became indignant to him.
Japanese: 同日、久光に召されたが、久光が無官で、斉彬ほどの人望が無いことを理由に上京すべきでないと主張したので、久光の不興を買った。
English: Saigo heard about the tense situation in Kyo-Osaka from Kuniomi HIRANO at the residence of Ichiro SHIRAISHI in Shimonoseki, and on March 22, he left via port to Osaka with Shinpachi MURATA and Shinzo MORIYAMA, and arrived at Fushimi on 29th, and they tried to stop the plans of extremist patriots who were to burn Kyoto and were raising an army.
Japanese: 下関の白石正一郎宅で平野国臣から京大坂の緊迫した情勢を聞いた西郷は、3月22日、村田新八・森山新蔵を伴い大坂へ向けて出航し、29日に伏見に着き、激派志士たちの京都焼き討ち・挙兵の企てを止めようと試みた。
English: But on April 6, Hisamitsu who arrived at Himeji, was enraged that Saigo disobeyed the standing order given to him, and also heard Saigo stirred up the patriots from Horijiro and Nobuyoshi KAIEDA, and ordered the capture of Saigo, Murata and Morimura.
Japanese: しかし、4月6日、姫路に着いた久光は、西郷が待機命令を破ったこと、堀次郎・海江田信義から西郷が志士を煽動していると報告を受けたことから激怒し、西郷・村田・森山に捕縛命令を出した。
English: Otherwise, Hisamitsu who received the Imperial Palace's command to suppress masterless samurai sent Shigeru NARAHARA and Kakunosuke OYAMA (Tsunayoshi OYAMA) to Teradaya on April 23, to quell the extremist patriots, such as Yasuomi MAKI, and Sinshichi ARIMA and others who gathered in Teradaya in Fushimi.
Japanese: 一方、浪士鎮撫の朝旨を受けた久光は、伏見の寺田屋に集結している真木保臣・有馬新七らの激派志士を鎮撫するため、4月23日に奈良原繁・大山格之助（大山綱良）らを寺田屋に派遣した。
English: Narahara and others attempted to persuade the extremist patriots, but they did not yield, so they reluctantly killed eight of the offenders including Shinshichi ARIMA. (Terakoya riot)
Japanese: 奈良原らは激派を説得したが聞かれず、やむなく有馬新七ら8名を上意討ちにした（寺田屋騒動）。
English: At this time, they planned to raise an army, and his third eldest brother Shingo and cousin Iwao OYAMA (Yasuke) along with Kunimoto SHINOHARA and Yaichiro NAGAYAMA were members of the extremist patriot group who stayed at Terakoya and other places.
Japanese: この時に挙兵を企て、寺田屋、その他に分宿していた激派の中には三弟の信吾、従弟の大山巌（弥助）の外に篠原国幹・永山弥一郎なども含まれていた。
English: On June 6, when he was staying at Yamakawa port after the transport, Saigo had to be renamed Kichinosuke OSHIMA and also was exiled to Tokuno-shima island, and Shinpachi MURATA was exiled to Kikai-jima island (it is not Kikai-ga-shima island, namely Satsuma Io-jima island).
Japanese: 護送され山川港で待命中の6月6日、西郷は大島吉之助に改名させられ、徳之島へ遠島、村田新八は喜界島（鬼界ヶ島即ち薩摩硫黄島ではない。
English: On June 11, 1862, Saigo sailed from Yamakawa, and Murata also sailed thereafter, but they met at Isso, Yakushima because they had to wait 7 to 8 days for the cessation of a headwind, and then sailed from Isso together toward Amami.
Japanese: 文久2年6月11日、西郷は山川を出帆し、村田も遅れて出帆したが、向かい風で風待ちのために屋久島一湊で出会い、7、8日程風待ちをし、ともに一湊を出航、奄美へ向かった。
English: They sailed at Shichitonan via Amami (details are found in the 'Urumano diary'), and finally arrived at Jinya, Tokunoshima bay on July 2.
Japanese: 七島灘で漂流し、奄美を経て（以上は「宇留満乃日記」に詳しい）、やっと7月2日に西郷は徳之島湾仁屋に到着した。
English: When he was relaxing at the residence of Shoden of Okazen (on Tokunoshima) on August 26, Akana, who heard of their visit to Tokuno-shima Island, visited Saigo with two children.
Japanese: 徳之島岡前の勝伝宅で落ち着いていた8月26日、徳之島来島を知らされた愛加那が大島から子供2人を連れて西郷のもとを訪れた。
English: He was glad to be able to meet his children after a long time apart and after several days together, the order that he be sent to the distant island of Oki-no-erabujima island was delivered was even more devastating to him.
Japanese: 久しぶりの親子対面を喜んでから数日後、さらに追い打ちをかけるように沖永良部島へ遠島する命令が届いた。
English: Before the end of the next July, his second eldest brother Jiro, his third eldest brother Shingo and his fourth eldest brother Koheibei received the punishment of Enryo (the punishment of being put on one's best behavior), and the Chigyo fief and property of the Saigo family was confiscated, and this forced them into a very serious situation.
Japanese: これより前の7月下旬、鹿児島では二弟吉二郎、三弟信吾、四弟小兵衛が遠慮・謹慎などの処分を受け、西郷家の知行・家財が没収され、最悪の状態に追い込まれていた。
English: He was arrested by command of the domain, and at the beginning of August, he left Okazen, Tokunoshima, and arrived at Inobe (formerly "Yunubi"), Oki-no-erabujima island on 14th.
Japanese: 藩命で舟牢に入れられて、閏8月初め、徳之島岡前を出発し、14日に沖永良部島伊延（旧：ゆぬび・現：いのべ）に着いた。
English: But in October, Masateru TSUCHIMOCHI of Magiri-yokome (officer for province) got approval from the local governor, and made a zashikiro (room for confining criminals) with his money, then moved him there, and he finally recovered his health.
Japanese: しかし、10月、間切横目土持政照が代官の許可を得て、自費で座敷牢を作ってくれたので、そこに移り住み、やっと健康を取り戻した。
English: In April, the younger students of the same Goju (Satsuma's educational organization) that he had attended arrived on the island as Tsume-yaku, so Saigo's treatment further improved.
Japanese: 4月には同じ郷中の後輩が詰役として来島したので、西郷の待遇は一層改善された。
English: Also the folksong Minyo of Saisai-bushi describes him drinking with Masateru TSUCHIMOCHI.
Japanese: また、土持政照と一緒に酒を飲んでいる様子がこの島のサイサイ節という民謡に歌われている。
English: In July, 1863, when he got information about the Satsu-Ei Senso (War of Satsuma and Great Britain) which happened by incident of Namamugi last year, he returned to Kagoshima prepared for punishment, and tried to enter the war.
Japanese: 文久3年（1863年）7月、前年の生麦事件を契機に起きた薩英戦争の情報が入ると、処罰覚悟で鹿児島へ帰り、参戦しようとした。
English: In October, when he was getting on the ship that Tsuchimochi made him to leave to Kagoshima, he got information about repulsion of the British ships, so he was glad and had a banquet.
Japanese: 10月、土持がつくってくれた船に乗り、鹿児島へ出発しようとしていたとき、英艦を撃退したとの情報を得て、祝宴を催し喜んだ。
English: There were about twenty students in a class that he started after arriving on the island in January, 1864.
Japanese: 来島まもなく始めた塾も元治元年（1864年）1月頃には20名程になった。
English: Then, the rumor about the discharge and recall were started to spreading out, he wrote 'Yohitoyaku-taisha acquaintanceship of officer' and 'Magiri-yokome Daitai (Essential points of officer for province)' to aid the understanding of island officers, and made the document of building storage and gives it to Tuchimochi for preparing a famine.
Japanese: やがて赦免召還の噂が流れてくると、「与人役大躰」「間切横目大躰」を書いて島役人のための心得とさせ、社倉設立の文書を作って土持に与え、飢饉に備えさせた。
English: He did not miss a chance to exchange information with other officers on the island, and exchanged letters with Hisatake KATSURA, an officer of Oshima-zaiban, Sukeemon MERA, an officer of Ryukyu-zaiban, and Izumi MAKI.
Japanese: 在島中も諸士との情報交換はかかさず、大島在番であった桂久武、琉球在番の米良助右衛門、真木和泉などと書簡を交わした。
English: All of this information shows that the balance of power was tilted in favor of the government/Satsuma, and the radical Joi (principle of excluding foreigners) group central to the Choshu domain was gradually decreasing in influence.
Japanese: この情勢を量ると、秤は幕府・薩摩方に傾き、長州藩を中心とする反幕攘夷派勢力は徐々に軽くなりつつあったといえよう。
English: It was even called the supporter of the coalition of court nobles and Samurai originally, but it was different from the thought of Satsuma which centralized power by gathering sages to the Emperor, and Hidemitsu, who tried to reorganize the procurement of court nobles and Samurai in the style of Satsuma used as background the increasingly influential voice of the former Seichu-gumi organization, which worked well at the Satsuei War and during the downfall of the old-guard cronies, but the biggest problems were the bad reputation of Satsuma domain, and being short of people who could work to procure court nobles and Samurai.
Japanese: もともと公武合体派とはいっても、天皇のもとに賢侯を集めての中央集権をめざす薩摩の思惑と将軍中心の中央集権をめざす幕府の思惑は違っていたが、薩英戦争で活躍した旧精忠組の発言力の増大と守旧派の失脚を背景に、薩摩流の公武周旋をやり直そうとした久光にとっては、京大坂での薩摩藩の世評の悪化と公武周旋に動く人材の不足が最大の問題であった。
English: They ordered and pardoned Saigo to resolve the impasse, which was advised by Toshimichi (Ichizo) OKUBO and Kiyokado KOMATSU.
Japanese: この苦境を打開するために大久保利通（一蔵）や小松清廉らの勧めもあって、西郷を赦免召還することにした。
English: In February 21, 1864, the steamboat Kochomaru came to Wadomari, Oki-no-erabujima with Tomomi YOSHII and Tsugumichi (Shingo) SAIGO to pick him up.
Japanese: 元治元年（1864年）2月21日、吉井友実・西郷従道（信吾）らを乗せた蒸気船胡蝶丸が沖永良部島和泊に迎えにきた。
English: On the way he stopped by at Tatsugo, Oshima and left his wife and child with Shinpachi MURATA, who was on duty on a distant island (There was a letter for brother of Murata.
Japanese: 途中で大島龍郷に寄って妻子と別れ、喜界島遠島中の村田新八を伴って（村田の兄宛書簡あり。
English: On March 4, he sailed from Kagoshima with Shinpachi MURATA, arrived to Kyoto on 14th, and he was appointed Gunbu-yaku commander on 19th.
Japanese: 3月4日、村田新八をともなって鹿児島を出帆し、14日に京都に到着し、19日に軍賦役（軍司令官）に任命された。
English: Saigo arrived in Kyoto and was condemned by both the Sabaku and the Joi group (group of adherence to the shogunate and expulsion of the foreigners), and he was surprised that his reputation was very bad with both groups, not only with the patriot of Joi (principle of excluding foreigners) group.
Japanese: 京都に着いた西郷は薩摩が佐幕・攘夷派双方から非難されており、攘夷派志士だけではなく、世評も極めて悪いのに驚いた。
English: And, he made it a rule to stay active due to the intention of Imperial court, and he made a plan to moderate his bad reputation and persuade the patriots of Joi (principle of excluding foreigners) group to try to get over their difficulties.
Japanese: そこで、藩の行動原則を朝旨に遵（したが）った行動と単純化し、攘夷派と悪評への緩和策を採ることで、この難局を乗り越えようとした。
English: At that time, the point of greatest contention for the Joi group and also people in general was smuggling between the Satsuma Domain and foreigners.
Japanese: この当時、攘夷派および世人から最も悪評を浴びていたのが、薩摩藩と外夷との密貿易であった。
English: In the middle of 1863, cotton and tea from Europe was insufficient due to the American Civil War (1861 - 1865), and the result was that sales of Japanese cotton and tea was soared, and exportation of both items increased drastically.
Japanese: 文久3年（1863年）半ばに、米国南北戦争（1861年-1865年）により欧州の綿・茶が不足となり、日本綿・茶の買い付けが盛んに行なわれた結果、両品の日本からの輸出量が極端に増加した。
English: Although this was the true reason for the high price of Japanese cotton and tea, the rumor was that it was caused by trading between Satsuma Domain and foreigners.
Japanese: このことから日本中の綿・茶値段は高騰し、薩摩藩の外夷との通商が物価高騰の原因であるとする風評ができたのである。
English: Most people were simply angry that the prices were higher, but the Joi group was angry about the trading with foreigners itself, they even suggested excluding foreigners as a rule.
Japanese: 世人は物価の高騰を怒ったのであるが、攘夷派は攘夷と唱えながら外夷と通商していること自体を怒ったのである。
English: For that reason, the incident of torpedoing the Nagasakimaru, a chartered ship of the Satsuma Domain was perpetrated by the Choshu Domain, and also the the incident of the Katokumaru ship occurred.
Japanese: その結果、長州藩による薩摩藩傭船長崎丸撃沈事件、加徳丸事件が起きた。
English: The bad reputation that the Satsuma Domain had rested on things like this, and caused them no small interruption of their activities in Kyoto and Osaka, Saigo was ordered by Dennai KOBA of Osaka Rusui to regulate the activeity of the merchant of Satsuma who is in Osaka on June 11, and he gave the order to merchants who did not have Orai-tegata (travel permit) to go return to their points of origin, and also made strict regulations in the domain, and took measures against merchants coming to Osaka by command of domain.
Japanese: こうして形成された薩摩藩への悪評（世論も大きな影響を持っていた）は薩摩藩の京都・大坂での活動に大きな支障となったので、西郷は6月11日に大坂留守居木場伝内に上坂中の薩摩商人の取締りを命じ、往来手形を持参していない商人らにも帰国するよう命じ、併せて藩内での取締りも強化し、藩命を以て大商人らを上坂させぬように処置した。
English: On June 27, few days after the Ikedaya incident the Imperial Court approved the Choshu soldiers coming to the capital, and that was the pretext for the petition of the discharge of the seven nobles.
Japanese: 池田屋事件からまもない6月27日、朝議で七卿赦免の請願を名目とする長州兵の入京が許可された。