群馬県嬬恋村、JR万座鹿沢口駅前に大きな石碑。

この地が中居屋重兵衛の出身地であることを示しています。しかし、多くの人にとっては誰？という感じでしょう。群馬県民を洗脳してしまっている？とも思われる上毛かるたにも、残念ながら登場しないので、群馬県人の間にすら知名度は高くないかと思われます。
バブル期だったかなあ？『動天』という映画がありました。北大路欣也主演で、彼が演じた主人公が中居屋重兵衛。
幕末の頃に生きた人物。江戸を大きく揺るがした事件にも関与していたとも言われます。

文政三年（1820）当時は中居村と呼ばれていた此処の名主の家に生まれた黒岩撰之助。20歳の時に江戸出府。商人として身を立てようと志したのでした。今でも静かな嬬恋村、江戸時代は更に静かな所だったことでしょう。ということは、
オラ、こんな村イヤだ、江戸へ出るだ！ということだったか？
江戸へ出た撰之助、国学や蘭学等、更には火薬の調合なども学びました。時代は幕末という激動期が間近であり、諸外国の船などが近海にチラホラと現れ始めていたことから、火薬や武器の需要も高まりつつありました。そうした背景もあり、火薬の商いばかりではなく、彼の生国、上野は生糸の一大産地ということから、生糸の取引も行い、日本橋に出店。屋号を中居屋重兵衛と名乗りました。以後、この名前で通します。
商人として独立した重兵衛ですが、武士並に大きな志を抱いた商人でした。
「利を以て利と為さず、義を以て利と為す」
つまり利益追求のためには何でもするということではなく、取引相手、自分、そして社会全体を考えた商いを行うという崇高な理念。

その後、諸外国からの圧力に耐えかね、幕府は開国を決断。開港間もない横浜に重兵衛は出店。それも銅御殿（あかがねごてん）とも綽名される豪壮な店舗を構えました。
当時、欧米、特にヨーロッパでは蚕の病気が発生したために生糸が不足していて、その需要に応える形で日本の生糸の輸出量は増大。中居屋は上州生糸の輸出をほぼ独占するような形で事業を拡大していきました。外国商人とも商いを行っていましたが、そうした外国商人の一人がピストルを持って中居屋に乗り込んで来たことがありました。
イエローモンキーを飛び道具で脅し上げて、自分達に有利な条件で取引を行おうという恫喝のつもりでした。
それに応対した重兵衛、短刀を取り出して、畳にドスっと突き立てました。
「そちらは、そちらの魂と言えるピストル、こちらは日本人の魂である刀にかけて、一点の曇りもない公明正大な取引を致そうではないか」
この胆力に、外国商人はすっかり気圧されてしまいました。
正に武士のような胆力と志を持った商人。

佐久間象山や吉田松陰といった尊皇攘夷派の志士達とも交流があったと言われている重兵衛ですが、幕末日本を揺るがした大きな事件に関与していたとも言われています。

幕府の大老、井伊直弼の暗殺事件、桜田門外の変です。
安政七年（1860）３月24日、水戸、薩摩の尊攘派浪士が季節外れの雪が降った江戸城桜田門外にて、井伊家の行列を襲撃した事件ですが、浪士の一人が井伊大老の駕籠にピストルを撃ち込んだことから、事件は始まりました。
襲撃者にとっては運よく？井伊大老にとっては不運にも弾は井伊大老の腿に命中。身動き出来なくなってしまいました。
居合の達人でもあった井伊直弼、動けていれば、また違った展開になったかも？
弾が当たった井伊大老、結局は駕籠から引きずり出されて首を斬られました。
この事件の始まりを告げたピストルですが、中居屋重兵衛が提供した物とも言われています。
年号が万延と改元された頃から、重兵衛の運命は暗転。
商人の分限を超えた屋敷や振る舞いを幕府から問題視されて、事業の停止を命じられてしまいます。
私の推測では、それは表向きの理由で本当は尊攘派浪士との交流や桜田門外の変への関与が問題視されたのではないか？

幕末の豪商として名を馳せ、桜田門外の変への関与も取り沙汰される中居屋重兵衛ですが、その終わりははっきりしていません。
捕縛されて、江戸で獄死したとも船で安房（千葉県）へ逃れ、江戸に潜伏中に麻疹にかかって亡くなったとも言われます。文久元年（1861）、41歳を一期とした生涯。もしかしたら死んだことにして、何処かへ逃亡して生き延びていたかも？
どちらにしても、この年を最後に中居屋重兵衛は歴史の舞台からは消え、その財産もどうなったのか、よくわからないままです。ほんの160年程前のことですが、もはや伝説？

小栗上野介もそうですが、意図的に歴史から抹消されているように思われますが、幕末の日本に大きな影響を及ぼした人物は薩摩や長州ばかりではなく、群馬県にもそれなりにいたということです。

生家跡と言われる場所の裏手にある丘には、遺髪が納められているという中居屋重兵衛の墓もあります。又、嬬恋には黒岩姓が多いので直系なのかはよくわかりませんが、この碑の傍らには子孫の方が営む割烹があります。
蕎麦が美味しいという評判。

しかし、店の入り口にはC0VID19対策認定の店という旗と共に、マ〇久着用だの手指の消毒のお願いだのを書いた紙。ここもか、何だか残念。
店に入ったら、黙食でお願いしますなんて言われるんではあるまいか？そんな窮屈な飲食などしたくないので入店せず。
ご先祖様はお上の意向に逆らうようなこともやっていたが、ご子孫はお上のお達しには逆らいませんということか。

English version.

In front of Manza-kazawaguchi station of JR line, at Tumagoi village in Gunma prefecture, there is a big stone monument.

This monument tells us this is the home village of Nakaiya Jubee. But I guess many people don't know who is Jubee. Even many Gunma people don't know him. Because a famous card game, Jomo karuta doesn't have his card. 
I remember when the babble economy period, around 1990's. I watched a movie "Douten" which means move the times. Kitaouji Kinya played the lead roll, Nakaiya Jubee.
Nakaiya Jubee lived in the end of the Edo period. They say he participated a big incident in those days.

In 1820, the 3rd year of Bunsei which is Japanese calendar, Kuroiwa Sennosuke was born as a son of the village leader. At that time this place was called Nakai village. When he was 20 years old, he went to Edo to become a merchant. Even now around here is a quite area I guess in the Edo period it was more quiet. So he might think,
"I hate such a silent village. I would like to go to Edo"
After Sennnoeuke went to Edo, he learned Japanese history and spirits, western technology especially how to make fire powder.
It was near the end of the Edo period, some foreign ships had begun to approach Japan so some people were afraid of the invasion so such people were interested in fire arms. Because of such situation he started his business of fire powder and silk from Kouzuke province where he came. Since Kouzuke was famous for silk. He had his shop at Nihonbashi and changed his name Nakaiya Jubee. Since then he used this name.
Although he was a merchant, his mindset was close to samurai.
"I do not work only for profit, I will work for everyone"
His word means his business was not only for profit but also for his guests, himself and the society. It was his philosophy.

Later the shogunate decided that they would open the country to the world until then Japan had the seclusion policy. They opened Yokohama for international trade. Jubee moved his shop in there. His shop and residence was so big that people began to call it Akagane residence. Akagane means copper. Since the roof was made of copper.
Aroud the time, in Europe, there were many sick silk worms. So they were shrt of silk. The demand of Japanese silk became bigger so Japan had begun to export silk. Nakaiya was almost only trader of it. Because people in Kouzuke where he came made much silk. He traded with foreign traders one day one of such trader came to hisshop with a gun.
He thought he would threaten Jubee and make unfair deal. But Jubee took a short sword and he stuck it on tatami floor mat and said
"You bet your soul on your gun and I would bet my soul on this Japanese sword and we will make fair deal"
His word and attitude impressed this merchant.
I would like to say Jubee had great soul and spirit like samurai.
Some people say Juubee was a friend of samurai who were against the shogunate like Sakuma Shozan and Yoshida Shoin. And also he participated an incident which gave a deep impact on Japanese history on those days.

It was Sakuradamongai incident that was an assassin of Ii Naosuke who was a top executive of the shogunate. 
1860 ,the 7th year of Ansei, 24th March, samurai from Mito and Satsuma attacked Ii Naosuke in front of Sakuradamon gate Edo castle then it snowed.
One of them shot the patanquin in which Ii Naosuke. It was the start of this incident.
For assassin, it was a kind of lucky for Ii it was unlucky because the bullet shot his thigh so he couldn't move.
Ii was a master of sword fighting so if he had could move, he might survived from this case.
Since Ii was shot and couldn't move, he was pulled out and decapitated.
The gun which was used in this incident was offered from Nakaiya Juubee, some people said so.

Soon after the incident, Japanese calendar was changed from to Mannenn, then Jubee's destiny was changed too.
The shogunate ordered him to stop his business since his residence and lifestyle were too luxurious. 

I suppose actually the shogunate thought Jubee was too close to samurai who were against the shogunate and he might be involved Sakuradamongai case. 
Jubee was famous as a big trader and for be involved Sakuradamongai incident. Even such a man his life end was not clear.
Someone say he was caught and dead in a prison in Edo someone say he ran away to Awa, now Chiba prefecture, then sneaked into Edo but infected with measles then died from it. It was 1861, the 1st year of Bunkyuu, then he was 41 years old. I guess he might camouflage his death and escaped to somewhere.
Anyway since this year, Nakaiya Jubee disappeared from the history. No one knows where his property was gone. It was only about 160 years ago but it became a legend.  
Like Oguri Kouzukenosuke, he was hidden from the history. I would say there were some great men in Gunma in the end of Edo period. Great men were not only from Satsuma or Choshu.

This monument tells us this is the site of Jubee was born. Behind of here, there is a small hill and his tomb was there. I heard that they buried Jubee's hair under the tomb.
And there are many Kuwaiwa family in Tsumagoi so I don't know they are the direct descendants but next to this post, there is Japanese restaurant which is run by them.
People say buckwheat noodles are very good. 

But in front of the restaurant, there was a flag that says this is an aprobed restaurant which has a preventive measures for c0vid19 and a poster said that please wear a m〇sk and disinfect your hands. I often see such ones these days. That's reduclus.
If I had entered there, staff might said to me please be quiet while you are eating and waiting. I would not do such things. So I didn't enter.
Their ancestor resisted the authority but the descendants obey the government easily.