Saisho Atsushi (ç¨Âæ 篤) (22 December 1827 â 21 June 1910) was a Japanese samurai, viscount, governor, senator and member of the Privy Council of Japan. He was the adoptive father of Japanese writer Murakami Namiroku and thus the great-grandfather of the assassin Otoya Yamaguchi. Atsushi was renowned for his stubbornness and was considered one of the Satsuma Clan's Three Greats, along with Saigà  Takamori and à Âkubo Toshimichi. He was a leader within the clan.
He was born as the second son of Saisho Atsunori of the Satsuma clan. He had a poor quality of life as a small child, but when his older brother was favored by Hisamitsu Shimazu as the head priest of Kissho-in Temple, his life dramatically improved.
The Daimyo of the Satsuma Domain, then feudal lord Shimazu Nariakira saw potential in him and assigned to him roles of considerable importance and trust early on. He was made the official warehouse secretary and the district treasurer of Mishima. When the shogunate invited Dutch naval officers to establish the Nagasaki Naval Training Center, Nariakira selected just over ten samurai from Satsuma. Among them, Atsushi was one of the few who were selected. He later met Saigà  Takamori, the man known as The Last Samurai, and the two developed a close friendship through their military experiences.
Atsushi went on various military expeditions alongside Saigà  Takamori. During the events prior to the First Chà Âshà « expedition, Atsushi, along with Takamori and Takamori's younger brother Kà Âhei assisted in the defense of the Imperial Palace. Rounds of cannon fire were exchanged between the forces. The three were nearly overrun, however, reinforcements were brought in and Chà Âshà «'s forces were forced to retreat. Atsushi, and the other two would sustain non-life-threatening injuries from the battle.
Atsushi, alongside Saigà  went on a diplomatic excursion to rebel-held Shimonoseki in an attempt to win the trust of loyalists, and to negotiate the release of five nobles. The move carried great risk but they considered the move necessary to winning the trust of loyalists in the area. They met were able to begin diplomatic talks. The negotiations ended without violence. The five nobles were transferred to the Fukuoka domain in Kyushu, a territory considered to be neutral. The caravan were guarded by soldiers from five domains. The five were successfully transported without any issues or interruptions. Peace was then successfully negotiated, and the expedition against Chà Âshà « disbanded without further incident.
In the new Meiji government, he served as a judge regarding domestic affairs, and on the recommendation of his friend Okubo, served as the governor and a magistrate in the prefectures of Kawachi, Hyà Âgo, Sakai and Nara, where like in much of western Japan at the time, there was still political instability. While the governor of Sakai, he allocated significant funds into the development of education around the prefecture. Atsushi oversaw the opening of a teachers training school, a medical school, a hospital, a girls' school and the publishing of Sakai-edition schoolbooks. He also directed substantial resources into industry and commerce, such as renovating a lighthouse, constructing a textile factory, and erecting a brick factory. In addition, he also undertook administrative duties, including overseeing the establishment and expansion of several public parks, such as Hamadera Park, Ohama Park and Nara Park.
When the feudal system ended and the prefectural system began, many territories were merged with adjacent territories, for the purpose of simplifying governance. On 18 April 1876, Nara Prefecture was merged into Sakai Prefecture, then on 7 February 1881, Sakai Prefecture was incorporated into Osaka prefecture. Citizens within Nara had started a secession movement, seeking to break away from Osaka prefecture and establish Nara prefecture. Then Senator Atsushi had sympathies towards the movement, and showed favor towards it, and had previously stated his objections towards the incorporation of Nara Prefecture into Osaka prefecture. He provided advice to the heads of the movement and conveyed their aspirations to influential government officials, and became deeply involved in the movement. On 1 December 1887, Nara District had formally seceded from Osaka Prefecture, thus becoming the new and separate administrative division of Nara Prefecture.
In 1889, while Atsushi was the prefectural governor of Nara, catastrophic flooding from heavy rainfall caused severe damage in Totsukawa village. The disaster left 168 dead, wiped out 70% of their farmland, and destroyed 610 houses. The lands were previously infertile, the geography changed as a result of the flooding, and the disaster wiping out their crops and their farmland made it impossible for the entire village to restart their lives while remaining there. As a result, much of the village began the process of relocating to Hokkaido. Atsushi oversaw their migration, and posted an official notice offering his respects and condolences while wishing them well on their future endeavors, as well as informing them of monetary disaster relief aid granted by Meiji to help them reestablish their lives. They founded a new settlement in Hokkaido, and in commemoration of their old village of Totsukawa, opted to name it "Shintotsukawa" ().
Every year on 20 June in Shintotsukawa, Hokkaido, a ceremony is held to commemorate the establishment of the town. They have a tradition of reading the official notice given by Atsushi at the ceremony.
The full text of the notice can be read below: