58 豊臣秀吉
（前略）
朝廷では、秀吉がいちはやく明智の反乱を鎮定した功を賞して、五位の位を賜り、少
将に任ぜられましたが、柴田勝家を亡ぼすに及んで参議にあげられ、天正十二年には従
三位権大納言、十三年には正二位内大臣、間もなく従一位関白にあげられ、そして十四
年には、関白太政大臣としてその栄誉を極めると共に、新たに豊臣と云う姓を賜りまし
た。天皇を奉じて天下に号令すると云う信長の理想は、今や秀吉によって承け継がれ、
着々として実行せられて行きました。
（中略）
九州引き揚げの際に、今一つ重大な決定をしたのは、キリスト教の禁止であります。
それは天正十五年六月十九日の発令ですが、その第一条に、
「日本国は神国たる処、きりしたん国より、邪法を授け候儀、はなはだ以て然るべか
らず候事。」
とあり、第二条には、地方の有力者を誘惑して、神社仏閣を打破る事、前代未聞の悪事
である、今度は日本国の大方針として、さようの事を許さないと云い、第三条には、宣
教師は、日本の国是に反する以上、今度は在留を禁ずる故、今日以後二十日の内に帰国
すべしと云い、次に第四条、第五条においては、キリスト教宣布に無関係の者は、貿易
も、往来も自由に之を許すと述べてあります。蓋し秀吉は、九州滞在中、大友･有馬･大
村を始めとして、諸大名の中にキリスト教を信ずる者が多く、日本の風俗漸く変革の色
あるを見て、この重大なる決定をしたのでありましょう。
（中略）
そこでこの二年半の間、関東東北に対しては、それぞれ処置を考えながら、中央にあ
って平和的な事業により、天下の人心の安定を計りました。
先ず北野の大茶湯、これは天正十五年の十月朔日より十日までの間、天気次第に之を
開催し、秀吉秘蔵の名物、残らず之を見せよう、茶を好む者は、いかほど下賎の者であ
っても良い、釜一つ、つるべ一つ、のみ物一つ、ひっさげて来い、野外であるから畳二
帖持って来い、折角招いてやるのに、出て来ない不心得物は、今後茶を飲む事、やめる
が良い、と云う布告でありました。この時、北野の松原には、八百あまりの茶湯小屋が
出来たと云います。
次に聚楽の行幸。秀吉は、先年より京の内野に壮麗を極めた大邸宅の建築を始めてい
ましたが、それが天正十五年の九月に完成して、之を聚楽第と名づけました。秀吉は、
信長と同じく、最も皇室を尊びましたので、この大邸宅が出来上がりますと、ここに行
幸を仰ぎました。翌十六年四月十四日、後陽成天皇行幸、その御出でましの際には、関
白秀吉、みずから天皇の御裾を取って、御供申し上げました。公卿も数多く供奉すれば
、諸大名も行列に加わり、それぞれ装束に意匠を凝らしたので、見物の人々は非常な感
動でした。御滞在、初めは三日間の予定でしたが、天皇は非常な御満足で、之を五日に
延長せられました。秀吉は深く之を喜び、宮中へ御料所を献上すると共に、織田信雄、
徳川家康、宇喜多秀家、前田利家等数十人の大名に命じて、皇恩を有り難く感佩（かん
ぱい）する事、皇室御料を永久に守るべき事を、堅く誓約させました。秀吉は、「頼朝
以後では自分だ」と云う事を、よく云いましたが、その武力の天下を威圧して点におい
ても、またその天皇を尊び、武士に対して勤王を厳命した点においても、正に頼朝と相
並んで双璧と云ってよいでしょう。
秀吉はまた、京都東山に方広寺を建て、ここに大仏を作り、その大仏殿の建設に使用
すると云って、天正十六年七月、刀狩の令を下しました。それには「諸国百姓等、刀、
わきざし、弓、鑓、てっぱう、其の外、武具のたぐひ、諸事候事、かたく御停止候」云
々とあって、百姓はその本務である田畠耕作に専念すべく、武器を持つ事は、有害無益
であると云うのでありました。
（中略）
これより秀吉の亡くなるまでの八年間、最大の問題は、海外への出兵でありました。こ
れは我が国としては、得るところ極めて少なく、朝鮮にとっては頗る迷惑な、つまり双
方の不幸でありました。秀吉と云う人は、まことに傑出した英雄でありましたが、その
英雄たる本質を最もよく発揮したのは、明智及び柴田の征伐であって、後年に及んでは
、その生活も乱れ、その判断も軌道をはずれるところがありました。前には信長が、強
敵が無くなって後に油断が出て、遂に身を亡ぼした悲しむべき例を見ましたが、今度は
秀吉に驕りが出てきたのです。人はすべて、その全盛の日を慎まねばならないのです。
丁度秀吉に驕りが出て来、慎みの無くなった時に、海外の出兵の起こった事は、残念で
ありました。（以下略）
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58 Toyotomi Hideyoshi
(an omission)
As a reward for putting down Mitsuhide, the Imperial Court rewarded Hideyoshi
by appointing him to the fifth court rank and naming him shoushou (minor
captain of the guard). After the defeat of Shibata Katsuie, he was made a sangi
(royal advisor). In the 12th year of Tenshou (1584), he was promoted to the
lower third court rank and made gondainagon (suoernumerary major counsellor).
The next year he was promoted again, to upper second court rank, and named
naidaijin (minister of the center); but almost immediately he was again
promoted to lower first court rank and raised to the office of kanpaku
(regent). Then in the 14th year of Tenshou (1586), as both kanpaku and
dajou-daijin (chancellor) he was given the surname "Toyotomi" (meaning
"bountiful minister") to accompany his great gloties. Nobunaga's ideals of
national dominance with an imperial mandate now were to continue under
Hideyohi, who would bring them to fruition.
(an omission)
The last remaining large problem in Kyuushuu that Hideyoshi had to deal with
was the issue of banning the Christians. On the 19th day of the 6th month of
the 15th year of Tenshou (1587), he issued a proclamation. The first article
read: "Japan is the land of the gods. Diffusion here of a pernicious doctrine
from 'Kirishitan' (Christian) countries is extremely undesirable."
The second article of the proclamation said that actions such as leading
astray (i.e., converting) powerful lords and having them destroy Buddhist
temples or Shintou shrines was cutrageous and something previoesly unhead of; it
was against Japanese policy, and such things would not be tolerated. The third
banned from Japan the missionaries who had been interfering in domestic
policies, and forbade further missionaries to come, giving those in Japan twenty
days to leave the country. The fourth and fifth articles stated that those
who were not involved with missionary work - traders and the like - would be
allowed to come and go freely.
Hideyoshi, having seen that the face of Japan was changing and that there were
many Christians daimyou in Kyuushuu - starting with the Ohtomo, Arima, and
Ohmura - came to this extremely important decision and issued this
proclamation.
(an omission)
In that two and half years, he had given thought to how to deal with Touhoku
and the Kantou, but he had concentrated his energies on peaceful pastimes,
claming the hearts of the people he governed.
First there was the Grand Tea Ceremony of Kitano, planned for the 1st throuth
10th of the 10th month of the 15th year of the Tenshou (1587), weather
permitting. Hideyoshi wanted to show all his treasures, so he invited all
connoiseurs of tea no matter how high or low to attend. All they would need to
bring was a pot, a water container, something to drink from, and two tatami (as
it was to be held outdoors in the Kyouto suburb of Kitano). Hideyoshi issued a
directive that those felt unsure about coming and thus failed to do so should
never again drink tea. It i said that some 800 small tea houses dotted the pine
field in Kitano.
Second was the Imperial visitation to Jurakudai. The year before, Hideyoshi
had begun construction on a truly splendid residence in Kyouto's Uchino
district, and it was completed in the 9th month of the 15th year of Tenshou
(1587). He called it "Jurakudai" - the Palace of Assembled Delights. Like
Nobunaga before him, Hideyoshi revered the Imperial house, so when construction
was finished he asked for the Emperor to pay a visit to it. On the 14th of the
4th month of the 16th year of Tenshou (1588), on the occasion of Emperor
Go-Youzei's visit, the regent Hideyoshi personally accompanied the Emperor on
his progress and he himself held the Emperor's train. Many Court aristocrats
were also in attendence, and several daimyou also joined the retinue. All had
paid great attention to their dress and appearance, and all who assembled to
watch it were thrilled. It was originally planned for three days, but the
Emperor was having such a good time he extended his visit to five days.
Hideyoshi was deeply overjoyed by this. In addition to making a gift of land to
the Imperial Household, Hideyoshi gave orders to ten daimyou - including Oda
Nobukatsu, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Ukita Hideie, and Maeda Toshiie - to never forget
to feel gratitude for the Imperial favors, and extracted a firm oath that they
would always defend the Imperial lands. Hideyoshi often said, "After Yoritomo
comes me." Given that he had overcome and conquered through military might, he
revered the Emperor, and he exerted strict order and loyalty in the military, it
can truly be said that he ranks beside Yoritomo as one of the two greats.
In the Higashiyama area of Kyouto, Hideyoshi had build the temple Houkouji,
and therein erected of a large statue of the Buddha. In the 7th month of the
16th year of Tenshou (1588), for the construction of the Buddha Hall to house
the statue, he issued the Sword Hunt Edict. The edict stated that "the farmers
of all province are strictly forbidden to have in their possession any swords,
short swords, bows, lances, arquebuses, of other types of weapons." Peasants
were to restrict their activities to their obligations of cultivating the land,
and he said that the weapons would not be wasted but would be turned into
cramping irons and nails to construct the Hall, thus having weapons would be
harmful but giving them up would be good for their souls.
(an omission)
From this point to Hideyoshi's death eight years later, the greatest issue was
the sending of troops overseas. In Japan, there were very few places to be
won, but in Korea there were many troubles - for both sides it was unfortunate.
Hideyoshi was an excellent warrior, yes, but his greatest skills were
demonstrated in his battles against Akechi Mitsuhide and Shibata Katsuie; but
in his later years his life was in some disorder and his judgement went a bit
off track. Previously, we saw the sad example of how, when he had run out of
strong opponents, Nobunaga grew careless and lost his life; this time, however,
with Hideyoshi, it was haughtiness that grew instead. At the height of their
prosperity, people should exercise discretion, but when Hideyoshi was growing
in pride and he lost his sense of discretion, unfortunately he sent troops
abroad.
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少年日本史 (平泉澄)
The story of Japan （Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)
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