SHINSENGUMI 新選組

Kameyama Shachū (Nagasaki)
On the slopes of Mt. Kazagashira in Nagasaki lies the remains of Japan's first modern trading corporation, the Kameyama Shachū. This was the birthplace where Sakamoto Ryōma and the Kaientai transformed their ideals into reality.

Kameyama Shachū (later known as the Kaientai) appeared as a trading and shipping organization, but in reality, it leveraged the name of the Satsuma han to allocate resources, secretly transport weapons to the Chōshū han, and became the engine driving the Satsuma-Chōshū Alliance, in political agenda.

The location rented at the time of its founding was originally the residence of a Kameyama-yaki pottery artisan, from which the corporation took its name. The Kameyama Shachū Memorial Museum has been open since 2009, displaying Kaientai supplies, correspondence, replicas of Sakamoto Ryōma's boots and pistol, among other items. The building features a small, hidden mezzanine room believed to be used for secret discussion, accessible by climbing a wooden ladder for a lookout.

The establishment of Kameyama Shachū embodies the courage of innovation, using commerce and navigation as a sword to carve out a new path for its era.

Located in Nagasaki, Wakamiya Inari Shrine stands next to the historically significant Kameyama Shachū. As Sakamoto Ryōma and members of the Kaientai frequently visited this shrine, local residents affectionately address it as the ‘Sakamoto Ryōma Shrine.’ A statue of Sakamoto Ryōma is enshrined as a tribute for future generations.

To commemorate the 130th anniversary of the founding of Kameyama Shachū, a large sculpture of Sakamoto Ryōma’s boots was also erected in 1995. It is said that Sakamoto Ryōma was among the first Japanese to boldly embrace Western culture and wear boots. The boot motif therefore symbolizes his role as a pioneer of Japan’s modernization and a new era.

There is also a bronze ship’s wheel, representing the Kaientai’s ambitious vision and pioneering spirit in maritime ventures and trade. Together, the sculpture serves as a memorial to a crucial period of innovation and historical transformation.