Matsubara Sangorō (1864–1946, 松原三五郎 ) Pioneer of Western-Style Painting

This postal card has a postmark of 備前岡山 (Bizen, Okayama) and is dated January 1, 1890 with Matsubara's square ink stamp on reverse bottom.

Born in 1864 in Okayama City, Matsubara Sangorō was one of the key figures who helped shape the early development of Western-style painting in Japan during the Meiji and Taishō periods. His journey began at the Okayama Prefectural Normal School, where he studied under the painter Hirano Yūya. Although he left before graduating, his passion for Western art led him to Tokyo in 1880, where he furthered his training under influential artists such as the German-born Wargmann and Watanabe Bunzaburō.

Returning to Okayama in 1884, Matsubara became a drawing teacher at local schools, but he didn’t stop there. In 1885, he founded the Tensai Gakusha, a private art school dedicated to teaching Western painting techniques. His commitment to nurturing young talent would be a defining feature of his career. When he moved to Osaka in 1890, he brought his school with him and continued teaching at several institutions, including the Osaka Normal School and the military academy.

Matsubara’s influence extended beyond teaching. He helped establish the Kansai Bijutsukai (Kansai Art Association), which aimed to promote Western-style painting in western Japan. The association’s move to Kyoto and Matsubara’s role as a committee member cemented his status as an important figure in the Kansai art scene. After leaving formal teaching in 1904, he renamed his school Tensai Gajuku and continued mentoring artists until 1925. Among his students were Mitsutani Kunishirō, Kanokogi Tōrō, and Ikeda Yōson, who themselves became respected painters.

Beyond his classroom work, Matsubara authored several art textbooks that helped shape art education throughout Japan. His own artworks show a strong command of Western realism, skillfully adapted to Japanese sensibilities. While specific pieces of his work are mostly held in Japanese collections such as the Kurashiki City Art Museum, his artistic legacy remains vital.

Despite these contributions, Matsubara Sangorō remains relatively unknown outside Japan. Language barriers, limited international exhibitions, and a Western art market that often overlooks traditional Japanese painters all contribute to his low profile abroad. His deep involvement in Japanese art education during a time of rapid cultural change also meant his influence was primarily domestic.

Matsubara Sangorō’s life and work highlight an important chapter in Japan’s art history — one where Western and Japanese styles intertwined, and where dedicated educators laid the foundation for generations to come. His story deserves wider recognition, and his legacy continues to inspire both artists and art lovers in Japan today.

Discoveries from the Maeda Yoshihiko Postcard Archive

Based on the analysis of approximately 300 Meiji-era postal cards addressed to or involving Maeda Yoshihiko (a Western-style painter and educator based in Kobe), the following notable individuals have been identified.

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Western-Style Painters and Artists (Meiji Era)

• Koyama Shōtarō (小山正太郎)

• Nakajima Seikei (中島静溪)

• Koyama Sanzō (小山三造)

• Watanabe Bunzaburō (渡辺文三郎)

• Watanabe Yūkō (渡辺幽香)

• Masuda Matsuyuki (増田松之)

• Morizumi Isana (守住勇魚)

• Hikita Keizō (疋田敬蔵)

• Hiraki Masatsugu (平木政次)

• Yamada Kaidō (山田介堂)

• Yamashita Kumata (山下久馬太)

• Inahara Tōkō (稻原東工)

• Yamana Ukai (山名迂介)

• Takase Kōzan (高瀬好山)

• Akiyama Kan’ichi (秋山貫一)

• Koichirō Naganuma (永沼小一郎)

• Tamura Sōryū (田村宗立)

• Mizuguchi Ryūnosuke (水口龍之助)

• Tsuji Chōzaemon (辻長左衛門)

• Fujii Tadahiro (藤井忠弘)

• Ōhira Hiromasa (大平廣正)

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Art Societies and Groups Mentioned

• Meiji Bijutsu Kai (明治美術会)

• Osaka Lithograph and Copperplate Engraving Society
  (大阪銅石版画会議通知, 1889)

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Other Notable Historical Figures

• Yokochi Ishitārō (横地石太郎) – Archaeologist

• Suzuki Ryōhei (鈴木量平) – One of 16 known Shinsengumi members from Bitchū-Matsuyama

• Itakura Nobunao (板倉信古, 1846–1912) – Member of the Bitchū-Matsuyama daimyo family

• Itakura Katsusuke household (板倉勝弼 / 家扶) – Last daimyo of Bitchū-Matsuyama

• Yanai Kizō (柳井貴三) – Physician serving the Itakura clan

• Motoyama Hikoichi (本山彦一) – Journalist

• Sekiya Seikei (Kiyokage) (関谷清景) – Seismologist

• Hirase Yoichirō (平瀬與一郎) – Malacologist

• Akagi Kyutarō (赤木久太郎) – Haiku writer

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This list continues to grow as more postcards are studied, providing valuable insights into the networks and relationships of Meiji-era cultural figures surrounding Maeda Yoshihiko.

Five Tokyo Postcards with Unreadable Sender Names

This lot contains five postcards sent from various parts of Tokyo by individuals whose identities remain unclear. Despite their anonymity, these cards offer a few valuable details — including a rare confirmation of Maeda Yoshihiko’s marital status.

Three cards were sent from the Nihonbashi and Koishikawa areas:

One, postmarked September 28, 1889, was sent by a person signed as 小◯正◯, with a return address listed as 東京日本橋区◯◯町三丁目六番地 (Tokyo Nihonbashi-ku, ◯◯chō 3-chome 6-banchi).

Another, dated November 16, 1891, was signed 正◯◯三郎 and gives only a partial return address: 東京日本橋区 (Tokyo Nihonbashi-ku).

A third, postmarked 武蔵東京小石川 (Musashi Tokyo Koishikawa) on January 7, 1889, was sent by 吉田◯郎 (Yoshida —rō), whose address appears as 東京小石川◯◯町四十番地 (Tokyo Koishikawa ◯◯chō, No. 40).

Two additional cards come from senders in Shiba and Iidamachi:

A card postmarked 武蔵東京芝口 (Musashi Tokyo Shibaguchi) on September 15, 1889 was sent from 東京市芝区白金 (Tokyo City, Shiba-ku, Shirogane). The sender, unnamed, addresses Maeda as 先生 (sensei) and notably refers to his wife as 奥様 (okusama) — providing the first concrete evidence that Maeda was married. This is a key detail, as no reference to his wife appears in any known public records. A second mention of Maeda’s wife appears in a card from Itakura Katsusuke (see entry dated May 28, 2025).

A fifth card, postmarked 武蔵東京飯田町 (Musashi Tokyo Iidamachi) on September 23, 1891, also addresses Maeda as 先生, but offers no return address or identifying information.

Due to the fragmentary nature of the names and addresses on these cards, further investigation into the senders’ identities is unlikely to yield meaningful results at this time. Nevertheless, the incidental references within them help illuminate otherwise undocumented aspects of Maeda’s personal life.

Two Additional Cards from 備中松山藩士 杉忠三郎

These two postcards are a new discovery within this collection. For reference, see the post dated November 28, 2024, which features four other postcards sent by Sugi Chūzaburō (杉忠三郎): https://maeda-yoshihiko.blogspot.com/2024/11/60.html 

Both cards were sent by Sugi Chūzaburō to Maeda while Maeda was visiting Hiroshima, addressed to 広島市細工町 高坂方 (Hiroshima-shi, Saikumachi, c/o Kōsaka). It remains unclear why Sugi sent two postcards on the same day. Both bear Tokyo postmarks dated December 17, 1889, and list Sugi’s return address as 東京本郷区森川町一番地 吉川方 (Tokyo, Hongo-ku, Morikawa-chō 1 banchi, c/o Yoshikawa).

The mystery continues: What was Maeda doing in Hiroshima? And why was Sugi in Tokyo?

Koyama Shōtarō 小山正太郎 (1857–1916): Western-Style Painter

A surviving postcard from Koyama Shōtarō to fellow artist Maeda Yoshihiko offers a rare personal glimpse into the interconnected world of Meiji-era painters. Sent from Koyama’s art school, Fudō-sha, in Tokyo’s Hongō district, it is postmarked 武蔵東京本郷 (Musashi Tokyo Hongo) and addressed from 東京本郷駒込千駄木町十三番地 (Tokyo Hongo Komagome Sendagichō 13-banchi), bearing the name 小山正太郎 (Koyama Shōtarō). The card reflects the active correspondence and collaborative spirit among artists shaping modern Japanese art.

Born in 1857 in Nagaoka, Niigata Prefecture, Koyama moved to Tokyo as a young man to study art. He began his formal training under Kawakami Tōgai and later studied oil painting at the Kōbu Bijutsu Gakkō under Antonio Fontanesi, an Italian painter whose realist approach and Barbizon School influences left a lasting mark on Koyama’s style.

After Fontanesi’s departure in 1878, Koyama helped form the Jūichijikai (“Association of the Eleventh”) to continue promoting Western-style painting independently. He later established Fudō-sha ("Diversity Society") in Hongō, a private art school that emphasized openness to various styles. It became a formative institution for students such as Yoshida Hiroshi, Aoki Shigeru, Nakamura Fusetsu, and Kanokogi Takeshirō.

In 1889, Koyama co-founded the Meiji Bijutsukai (Meiji Art Association) with Asai Chū and Matsuoka Hisashi, helping to solidify the place of yōga in Japan’s art scene. He also served as a war artist during the First Sino-Japanese War, producing works like a panoramic depiction of the Battle of Pyongyang.

Though his own works—often painted in a somber academic palette—were relatively few, Koyama’s influence as a teacher and advocate of Western-style painting was profound. His dedication to integrating Western techniques and mentoring the next generation of artists cements his legacy as a foundational figure in modern Japanese art.

稻原東工（Inahara Tōkō) Rare Lost to History Painter

 

This card is postmarked Yamashiro, Kyoto (山城京都) and dated February 15, 1891. Inahara appears to have been staying with someone named Isaki (井崎) and gives his return address as Maruyama 14-banchi. The message mentions a Nakashima (中島), but as this blog has already cataloged four or five individuals by that name, it’s unclear which one is being referred to here.

稻原東工 was a Japanese painter active in the late Meiji period, known primarily as an instructor in Western painting techniques, especially watercolor and oil painting. His name appears in multiple early 20th-century art reference works, including Taishō Gaka Retsuden: Meiji Gashi and Kokon Shogaka Meikan, in the context of his role as a mentor.

Though details of his own artwork remain sparse in historical records, his influence is evident through his pupils. Several artists, notably those active in realist and hybrid Japanese-Western styles, are documented to have studied under him in their formative years. His co-instructor is often listed as Fujii Kunisue (藤井邦季), suggesting a collaborative or parallel role in guiding young painters in Western media.

Inahara Tōkō’s teaching legacy places him among the important yet lesser-known figures who helped bridge Japanese art with imported Western techniques during the Meiji era, a time of cultural transformation and experimentation. His impact is preserved indirectly through the accomplishments of the artists he trained.

奥平清規 School Teacher

This postcard was sent by 奥平清規 (Okudaira Kiyonori) and bears a postmark from Musashi Tokyo Mita (武蔵東京三田). He lists his return address as 48 Kitamachi, Takanawa, Shiba Ward, Tokyo City (東京市芝区高輪北町四十八番地). At the time, Okudaira was working as an assistant teacher at a regular middle school (尋常中学校助教諭)—possibly Tokyo Prefectural First Middle School (東京府立第一中学校)—and concurrently at a teacher training school (尋常師範学校助教諭), likely the Tokyo Normal School (東京師範学校). He may have been a former student of Maeda. 

鈴木量平 備中松山藩出身の新選組隊士

Postal card sent to Maeda Yoshihiko on January 7, 1890, postmarked at Hongo, Tokyo by 鈴木量平 (Suzuki Ryōhei).

Suzuki Ryōhei: A Shinsengumi Retainer from Bitchū-Matsuyama

Suzuki Ryōhei (鈴木量平) was one of sixteen known Shinsengumi members from the Bitchū-Matsuyama Domain. Born in 1846 (Kōka 3) in Teppōmachi, a district within the domain’s castle town, Suzuki came from a samurai family that served under the Itakura clan. He held the position of go-chūkosho (御中小姓)—a mid-level page—attending directly to the domain’s lord, Itakura Katsusuke (板倉勝弼, 1846–1896).

Katsusuke, who became lord of Bitchū-Matsuyama in the waning years of the Tokugawa regime, inherited a domain in a period of profound upheaval. Though not a senior shogunal official like his predecessor Katsushige, he faced the chaos of the Boshin War and led a contingent of his retainers—among them Suzuki—into alignment with Tokugawa loyalist forces.

In 1868, as imperial troops pressed forward, Katsusuke and his close men, including Suzuki, left the domain and aligned themselves with the northern resistance. Suzuki’s role in this movement set the course for his eventual involvement with the Shinsengumi.

Japanese records such as the Bitchū Matsuyama Hanshi Rireki confirm Suzuki’s service directly under Katsusuke—a fact sometimes obscured in English-language sources, which have mistakenly linked him to Katsusuke’s uncle, Itakura Katsushige (板倉勝静). In reality, it was Katsusuke who led the remnants of the domain’s fighting force into exile and ultimately into the northern conflict.

As Katsusuke’s page, Suzuki would have had privileged access to the inner circles of the domain’s leadership during this turbulent time. When Katsusuke was captured and the resistance disbanded in mid-1869, loyal followers such as Suzuki continued to fight on.

In September 1868, Suzuki left Edo aboard the former shogunate warship Chōgei and disembarked in Sendai. There, around September 20, he formally joined the Shinsengumi—a reorganized unit preparing to defend the Tokugawa cause in Hokkaidō. He was 24 years old.

Once in Ezo (modern-day Hokkaidō), Suzuki was assigned to the First Division, Eastern Unit (Higashi-gumi ichiban). He participated in policing duties in Hakodate in early 1869, during the brief existence of the Republic of Ezo. In May, as imperial forces launched their final offensive, Suzuki rushed from his barracks at Shōmyōji to reinforce the garrison at Benten Daiba, the fortress at the tip of Hakodate Bay. On May 15, he surrendered alongside the last defenders of the Tokugawa cause.

Suzuki was interned at Yakuōin in Hirosaki and later transferred to Tokyo. There, he was handed over to his former domain, then under the new Meiji government’s control, and held at Saishōin in Shiba. He was released in January 1870. Though his official rank had been Heitaishe—a foot soldier—his role in the final campaign was shaped by a much deeper loyalty to his lord and domain.

Following his release, Suzuki appears to have resettled in Tokyo. Despite the collapse of the old world he served, he maintained ties with former comrades, including Maeda Yoshihiko, a fellow Itakura retainer who had rebuilt his life in Kobe as an art educator. Suzuki later sent Maeda a postcard—an understated yet poignant reminder of the enduring bonds among men who had once served the same cause. In this gesture, we glimpse the quiet persistence of identity and loyalty that continued even after the samurai class was formally dissolved.

Though Suzuki Ryōhei does not figure prominently in textbooks, his life reflects the broader experience of low-ranking samurai during Japan’s violent transition from shogunate to empire. From castle-town page to Shinsengumi fighter, from defeat to quiet civilian life, Suzuki’s story is a testament to the dignity, loss, and adaptability of a generation caught between eras.

Akiyama Kan’ichi (秋山貫一) Ukiyo Manga (浮世漫画) Artist

Among the many correspondents who sent postcards to painter and educator Maeda Yoshihiko during the Meiji period, Akiyama Kan’ichi (秋山貫一) stands out both in volume and content. Akiyama sent at least eight postcards to Maeda between 1888 and 1891, with postmarks from various cities including Osaka (February 18, 1888; August 24, 1891), Kobe (October 4, 1891), and Hiroshima (January 3, 1890; June 18, 1890; August 17, 1889; June 24, 1891; and September 2, 1891). Across many of these cards, Akiyama referred to Maeda as “先生” (sensei), affirming Maeda’s role as his former teacher. In one message, the word 母校 (alma mater) appears in the text, suggesting Akiyama was requesting permission to visit the school where Maeda had once taught him. These details point to a strong and enduring student-teacher relationship, characterized by respect and continued contact.

Akiyama was also active in the arts during this period. He is credited with producing a work titled Ukiyo Manga (浮世漫画), published in 1882 by Funai Seitarō, a Meiji-era publisher based in Kobe known for issuing later impressions of Edo-period illustrated books. Ukiyo Manga draws from earlier Japanese visual traditions, particularly the Hokusai Manga by Katsushika Hokusai. One illustration in Akiyama’s work features a frog reminiscent of those in Hokusai’s sketches, suggesting direct artistic influence. This positions Akiyama as an artist working within the lineage of Edo-period imagery while adapting it for the Meiji period’s evolving visual culture.

The fact that Akiyama sent multiple cards from Hiroshima between 1889 and 1891 places him within a wider professional and educational network tied to that city. Other correspondents to Maeda—such as Takai Hankyu, Kuwato Manabu, Ōtani Kenichi, and Tsutsumi Masami—also sent cards from Hiroshima, frequently listing 9 Chōme, Ōte-machi as their location. This address appears repeatedly and likely served as a government or educational facility. It was possibly well-known enough that senders often omitted street numbers, implying a central, easily recognized institution.

Although little else is known about Akiyama Kan’ichi’s broader career, his correspondence with Maeda, his artistic publication, and his association with civic life in Hiroshima suggest that he was both an artist and possibly an educator. His surviving postcards reflect the persistence of educational ties and professional respect, and they help map the artistic and institutional networks of Meiji-era Japan, with Maeda Yoshihiko at the center.

Note: with a help from a translator on Reddit, Akiyama's first name was recognized