Takamoto Chogoro's Grave

Takamoto Nagagoro's Grave (Designated Historical Site by Tokyo Metropolis)

In the communal cemetery of Oshitate, there is the grave of Takushi Nagagoro. In one corner of the grave, there is a monument (a praise stone) that describes Nagagoro's biography.
Nagagoro was a farmer born in Oshitate Village, known in the nearby area for his filial piety towards his mother, and was awarded by the shogunate in the first year of Kanpo (1741) during the Edo period. As a reward for his filial devotion, he was given 20 pieces of silver, and later, he was granted the vacant land in this area along with the costs for its reclamation. It is said that Nagagoro reclaimed over 2 cho of farmland. This land was located on the west side of the communal cemetery and was called "Koshimen."

Stories about the filial son Nagagoro are largely based on tradition, and there are very few related documents that remain. However, there is a historical document titled "The Preliminary Report Concerning Filial Son Nagagoro" (Oshitate, Kawasaki Kiyoke Documents, Showa 2) that was transcribed when the monument was established, which details the circumstances of the award and Nagagoro's background. I will introduce an outline of this document.

The Early Life of Nagagoro

Nagagoro was born in the 3rd year of Genroku (1690) in a farming family in Oshitate Village. The Nagagoro family was never wealthy and lived in a small house with a size of 7 ken by 3.5 ken, built on stilts. When he was 6 years old, his father passed away, and at the age of 14, his sister and her husband, with whom he lived, died of illness. Although he got married, his wife also died of illness, and his second wife met the same fate, leading to a series of unfortunate events. After that, a difficult life began, supporting his mother, who was over 80, and his three children. Despite these circumstances, he continued to show filial piety towards his mother, but what did that filial piety entail? According to historical materials, several episodes are introduced, and their content is as follows.
In between farm work, he would gather firewood to sell. Since his mother was a natural lover of sake, he would always buy sake for her on his way back from selling firewood. On summer nights, he would stay up all night chasing away mosquitoes from his mother's bedside to prevent her from being bitten, and on winter nights, he would lay her down by the hearth, taking off his own clothes to cover her with them.

Reward from the Edo Shogunate

Such actions were reported to the local villages, from the headman of Oshitate Village to the deputy who governed Oshitate Shinden. Furthermore, it was reported to Ooka Echizen no Kami Tadao, who held the position of Kanto Regional Official in charge of new rice fields and flood control policies for the Edo Shogunate. Ooka Tadao summoned Nagagoro to the Edo office, praised his filial piety, and it is recorded that he was awarded 20 pieces of silver and 7 tan of rice fields.
However, the reward from Ooka Echizen was not merely a response to his actions; it was positioned as one of the reward policies actively implemented during the Kyoho Reforms at that time, and it seems to have been realized as part of the Shogunate's rural governance.
Nagagoro passed away at the age of 71 in the 11th year of Horei (1761), but 48 years later, in the 6th year of Bunka (1809), Ota Nanpu, known as a kyoka poet, visited this area during his patrol of the Tama River as an accounting officer for the Shogunate, was moved by the story of Nagagoro, and composed a poem praising his actions.
(Reference: "Inagi City History" Volume 1, Part 4)