For Daimyo Smugglers; It All Started with Silver (1)

     In 1546, Sagara Yoshishige (1489-1546) wrote a letter dated July the 12th to his adopted-son, Haruhiro (1513-1555).

     “This must be really a good omen.  Tens of thousands of good signs.  So valuable!  I had silver ores shown to an engineer, Doun.  He said the ores were better than those which were mined at Ikuno, Tajima Province.  I am more than satisfied.  Silver ores are rarely found in Japan, yet some are found at our time in our province.  It is just beyond our luck.  You should carefully imagine how greatly we are blessed with everything, and should, needless to say, try having our family thrive.  Last year, an imperial messenger visited us.  It was beyond our expectations.  It did look good to other clans.  It is obvious that we have got an extraordinary luck full of wonder.  I told the engineer to hurry, and he replied immediately that he understood it.

     “I still attach another sheet to tell it was at Miyahara on July the 6th in 1546 that the silver ores were found.  You should understand my intention, and should never lose the information.  The sheet of the record should be kept for the future.

     “I am waiting for another good news.

     “With best regards,

     “July the 12th,

     “Yoshishige”

     Another historic document tells us that Yoshishige actually got “another good news” that the ores were refined into about 100 grams of silver on July the 18th.

      To thank the divine protection that the clan found the silver mine, Haruhiro renewed thereby shrines.

     Now, you can easily understand how happy they felt on finding silver ores.