The Hairpin and the Gold Coin

Episode 3: The Birth of a New Era and the Drums of War (1868–1877)

Part 1: The Silver Hairpin and the Miracle of Birth

In 1868, the hills of Ueno were engulfed in the flames of the Boshin War.

The Shogunate collapsed, and the city of Edo was renamed "Tokyo."

The Matsudaira clan was stripped of its estates by the advancing Imperial forces, and Atsuko's family was forced into a tense, impoverished retirement.

It was during this time of chaos that Atsuko went into labor with her first child. Imperial soldiers patrolled the perimeter of their modest retirement residence, making it almost impossible even to secure a doctor.

"Lady Atsuko, please hang on! The new government guards are refusing to let the doctor pass through the gates!" the panicked voices of her servants echoed outside her chamber.

Amidst the agonizing, day-long labor, Atsuko's consciousness began to fade.

The era of the Tokugawa was over, and the new era treated their very existence as a sin.

No one cared whether she lived or died. As fear and pain threatened to tear her apart, her fingers brushed against the silver cherry-blossom hairpin she had placed beneath her pillow.

The image of the tenement girl smiling under the wood-shaded temple courtyard flashed through her mind.

This cherry blossom represents 'strength to endure adversity' and 'family happiness'...

The warm words seemed to echo through the cold, despairing room. Atsuko summoned the very last of her strength and tightly gripped the silver hairpin.

A moment later, a powerful, healthy cry of a newborn baby boy shattered the tense silence of the chamber.

Tears streaming down her face, Atsuko gazed at the silver hairpin in her hand.

I have survived. I will raise this child to be strong in this new era. Carrying the pride of our heritage, I will live and love this country.

It was the precise moment that her frozen heart was unfrozen, filled with a fierce determination to live.

Part 2: Disrupted Lives and the Sleeping Gold

Around the same time, in the tenement house of Kanda.

O-Saki had also given birth to a healthy baby girl. They named her "Saki," choosing the name to honor the elegant, gentle "young lady" O-Saki had met at the temple.

However, the dawn of the Meiji era brought no easy peace for traditional artisans. With the abolition of the samurai class, the ban on swords, and the sudden decline of traditional kimono accessories, the demand for Hanji's work plummeted. Many of their artisan neighbors closed their shops, moving to

coal mines or modern factories, but Hanji refused to give up.

"O-Saki, the future isn't just about traditional hairpins," Hanji said, his voice full of resolve. "Western items like silver forks and modern metalwork are coming in. That is what the new era will need."

Hanji threw himself into learning the modern metalworking techniques of the West. His dexterous fingers and the strength of his arms were now channeled into crafting precise Western-style accessories and decorative fittings. Slowly, new orders began to trickle in.

At night, by the lamp's warm glow, O-Saki took the pure gold ichibu-kin coin with the Tokugawa crest from its small pine box, letting it catch the light.

"Han-san, we still can't bring ourselves to spend this gold, can we?"

Hanji wiped his oil-stained, muscular hands and sat beside her with a gentle smile. "No. If that lovely lady ever finds herself in trouble, we must return this to her and say, 'This is our gratitude for that summer day.' It wasn't earned by the sweat of our brows anyway. Besides, as long as we have this, it feels like we are still connected to her."

"Yes, you're right. Let us keep it safe as our family's guardian angel."

But their quiet peace was soon threatened by the drums of another war. In 1877, the Satsuma Rebellion broke out in the south. A massive civil war divided the nation between the government forces and the rebel samurai led by Saigo Takamori.

One morning, a government conscription officer appeared at the tenement house. Strong and capable artisans were drafted to transport heavy artillery and military supplies to the front lines.

"Kanda district, metal craftsman Hanji! You are hereby conscripted!"

The blood drained from O-Saki's face. Hanji tightly embraced his weeping wife and young daughter Saki, his voice trembling but firm. "It will be all right, O-Saki. I have my skill, and more than anything, I have these strong arms. I will return soon. Until then, take care of Saki and the shop..."

"Han-san! No! Please don't go!"

O-Saki's desperate cries were drowned out by the heavy marching boots of the departing troops. The tides of the era had once again torn their happiness apart.

📖Nextchapter：https://note.com/ttukumoo/n/n70763ce6c05f
📖Reversechapter：https://note.com/ttukumoo/n/n11691e5b2461
🌐OriginalJapanese：https://note.com/juicy_laelia8513/n/n98fe0e7f2dd2?app_launch=false

"Thank you so much for reading to the very end!"💗