This postcard was sent by Kasai Akira (笠井彰) on March 19, 1890, from 2-7 Sadoharacho, Ichigaya, Ushigome-ku, Tokyo. Today, this area corresponds to the eastern side of Shinjuku.
Kasai Akira’s exact reason for being in Tokyo in 1890 remains unclear, but it’s likely tied to his emerging political career. He may have traveled to the capital to increase his influence within the changing political landscape of the Meiji period. While there’s a chance we may have the wrong Kasai Akira, given that the name is relatively common, we’re confident that this is the correct individual. For example, Maeda Yoshihiko didn’t seem to have many connections to people from Tokyo, except for those who had moved there from Okayama and Hyogo. Given that Inami, Hyogo, is near Kobe, the connection to Kasai’s background seems more plausible.
Kasai Akira (笠井彰) was appointed mayor of Inami-gun, Hyogo (兵庫県印南郡長) in August 1892, according to the Yamazaki-Go-Kai, a regional research bulletin from Hyogo Prefecture published on August 26, 2017 (see photo). Additionally, according to the Ministry of the Interior - Documents Related to Emperor Meiji's Official Affairs, a catalog of official records regarding the appointments and dismissals of government officials from the Meiji period, Kasai’s duties were officially terminated as per a document dated October 20, 1898 (see photo).
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