Mine and Yoshi

I'm posting this for my family and relatives who cannot read Japanese, but you're welcome also.

In the third photo are my great grandfather's older sister, Mine (Meeneh), and her daughter, Yoshi.  Mine married the only son of Yamamoto Hanya.  Hanya committed harakiri to take responsibility for the failure to guard the second post which was a temple. The war was the second Choshu Seibatsu by the Shogunate government. It was the beginning of the end to the feudal system in Japan.

Kawakata Zenjiro who was a cousin of my great grandfather was adopted into Yamamoto family to save the family lineage.  I believe Yoshi in the first photo married him. Those photos were taken in front of Ichigaya Military Academy in Tokyo. Mine on this photo must be younger than I am today. I feel for her looking at the hardship on her face. 

Many people suffered then because of the revolution-like chaos, but Hamada han’s members plunged into extreme poverty.  I didn’t know the history until recently.  I’ve been researching and learning as I read related books.