Famous People with Name Shoin

Yoshida Shoin            Origin/Culture/Country: Japanese

Yoshida Shoin: was one of the most distinguished intellectuals in the closing days of the Tokugawa shogunate. He devoted to developing many Ishin Shishi who made an outstanding contribution to the Meiji Restoration.Apprehensive of their ways, Yoshida tried to learn the ways of the West. Matthew Perry visited Japan in 1853 and 1854. Shortly before Perry left, Yoshida and a friend went to Shimoda where Perry's 'black ships' were anchored, and tried to gain admittance. They first presented a letter asking to be let aboard one of his ships. In the dead of night Yoshida tried to secretly climb aboard. Perry's troops noticed them, and they were refused.[1] Shortly thereafter, they were caged by Tokugawa bakufu troops. Even in a cage, they managed to smuggle a written message to Perry. Yoshida Shoin was sent to a jail in Edo, then to one in Hagi where he was sentenced to house arrest.