KAMIBAYASHI CHIKUAN
上林竹安
Kamibayashi Masashige who called himself Chikuan was a man of Uji.
上林正重は彼自身"竹安"と称し、宇治の人です。
In the second year of Genki (1572) he went to Okazaki and there was, at his own request, taken into the service of Ieyasu and received a hundred koku.
元亀二年（１５７２）彼は岡崎へ赴き家康の庇護となり、百石の知行を得ました。
He was ordered to cultivate tea there, but he took part in the battle of Nagakute, where he did valiantly, taking two enemy heads, for which he was presented with a spear and letter of thanks.
茶の栽培を依頼されたのですが、長久手の戦いが始まります。
茶匠ではありますが戦いに参加、勇敢に戦い敵兵の二つの首を上げ家康より礼状と武士の称号を贈られました。
Afterwards when Ieyasu removed to Shizuoka Chikuan wished to go with him, but Ieyasu ordered him to stay at Uji and cultivate tea to send to him, presenting him with a residence and several tea plantations.
後に家康が静岡に移るにあたり同行を求めましたが、家康は宇治に留まり茶の栽培をする仕事を依頼し、屋敷と茶畑を与え、それを飲みたいと言います。
But in the fifth year of Keicho (1600) when Ishida Kazushige laid siege to Fushimi, Chikuan hurried there with thirteen retainers and a hundred and thirty-two men, and sought out the commander Torii Hikoemon Mototada.
慶長五年（１６００）石田三成が挙兵し伏見に軍を進め、竹安は三十人の家来と百三十二名の兵を引き連れ現場へ、伏見城留守居役の鳥居彦江門元忠に加勢を申し入れました。
“I am under a deep debt of gratitude to Ieyasu, and I wish to pay it here with my life.”
「私は家康様に大恩があります、この度の戦にこの身をを殿に捧げたい。」
But Mototada refused.
しかし、元忠は断りました。
“You are only a tea merchant.
「そなたは茶匠である。
What have you to do with sieges?
籠城を共にしいったに何をなさるおつもりであるか？
You had better go back to Uji and keep out of danger.”
宇治へ戻って危険を回避せよ。」
“Oh, you think I am just an ordinary merchant, do you?
「私をただの茶匠とお思いか？
And if I do save my life by shamelessly neglecting my obligations, what will it be worth?
大恩をお返しもせず、恥ずかしい思いで生きて何の意味がありましょうか？
All right then, I'll go and make tea in hell.”
さすれば、私はあの世にて茶を点てましょうぞ！」
And he drew his sword and was just about to cut himself open when Mototada, struck by his firm resolve, stopped him and gave him the required permission.
彼は自信の刀を抜くと腹を切るべく準備を始め、彼の固い決意を見た元忠は彼を止め一所に戦う事を了承しました。
Then Chikuan, much pleased, collected a number of tea bags and made them into a banner, and binding a red towel round his head led his men into the castle.
竹安は歓喜し、持ってきた茶袋を火にくべ、真っ赤な襷を頭に巻き城内へ入って行きました。
Now Kobayakawa Chunagon Hideaki had arrived with his men outside the castle and he sent a messenger to the defender : “It is a secret order from the East that the castle should be given up.
小早川中納言秀明が城を囲んでいます。彼は城内に使者を送り「東軍からの内密の指示で城をあけわたすように」と言いました。
So open the gates at once!”
「門を開けるように！」
When they heard this those in the castle could not be certain whether it was true or false, and were about evenly divided, when Chikukan broke in : “The best thing is for someone to go out to them and find out.
それを聞いた城内では正否は分からず意見も真っ二つでしたが、竹安が意見を言います。「誰かが確かめに行って来るべきである。
It is out of the question for Hikozaemon to go, for he is in charge of the garrison, and it will hardly be well for any of the others to leave the castle either, but it doesn't matter at all what happens to an old monk like myself, so I will go out and see if I can find out the truth.”
彦左衛門殿は籠城の準備を怠らない為、他の者が良いと思う。私は茶人であるゆえ適任、確かめてまいりたい。」
The others agreed and Chikuan went out to Hidetada's camp, and that captain again told him that it was a secret order from the Tokugawa headquarters that the castle was to be given up, so they had better be quick and open the gates.
皆その案に同意し、竹安は秀明の陣へ向かいました。彼はこれは徳川殿重鎮の指示で、この城をあきらめ直ぐ開城しろと繰り返しました。
“In the case,” replied Chikuan, “you must have a note of hand duly signed.”
「それでは」と竹安は言い「花押の入った書面はございますね。」
“Oh, no,” was the answer, “there is no need of that.”
「いいや」っと敵将「それは必要なかろう。」
“Unless we have a duly signed order,” said Chikuan, “we cannot hand over the castle.”
「正式な書面が無いのであれば」と竹安「城は明け渡せません。」
And he went back again and told the others and they determined unanimously to stand a siege.
彼は城へ引き返しその旨を報告、満場一致で籠城戦を決めました。
After a while the enemy brought up a large army to the assault, and though the defenders made a fierce and valiant resistance, they were unable to hold out, and the castle at length fell on the last day of the eight month.
その後総攻撃が始まり、城の者たちは勇猛果敢に戦いました。しかし、八月の末日ついに城は落ちてしまいました。
Chikukan fought bravely with his men to the end, and when he could do no more he fell at the foot of the drum tower, and Suzuki Zempachi, a retainer of Nabeshima Shibano-no-kami Naoshige, took his head, which had the honor of being gibbeted with those of Mototada and his three commanders.
竹安も勇敢に戦い、ついに、天守閣の下で絶命。鍋島柴野守直重家臣、鈴木善八という侍が彼の首を上げ、元忠を始め家臣達も斬首され戦いは終わりました。
Truly the chivalry of this Tea Master was even more fragrant than his tea.
茶匠上林宗安の行動は、お茶以上に風味があるものでした。