Blue Blood Monument ?

by Kazu

After going through the trail in the woods at the foot of Mt. Hakodate-yama, I encountered the monument called Hekketsuhi again near Hakodate Hachimanguu Shrine in Yachigashira Area of Hakodate City where my father had lived for a few years. 

The monument was raised for the soldiers who fought against the army of Satsuma and Choushuu Prefecture that were sponsored by the private ruling capitalists of the United Kingdom and other European Countries.  

As you know, the Army of the Edo Administration founded by Seii Tai Shogun  Mr. Ieyasu Tokugawa lost the war and the last samurai soldiers headed by Mr. Toshizo Hijikata and Mr. Saburosuke Nakajima were killed in Hakodate. It was said that the blood of the soldiers who fought for their lord and belief turns blue after three years in Chinese saying. Hekketsu means blue blood and drives from the Chinese saying.