Teradaya Inn

In short

A riverboat inn in Fushimi known as the stage for two incidents of the late Edo period (Bakumatsu). Its proprietress, Otose, helped pro-imperial patriots, and in 1866 (Keio 2), Sakamoto Ryoma, surrounded by constables, escaped thanks to Oryo's warning. The original inn is believed to have burned down during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in 1868 (Keio 4).

• ​Inside the Reconstructed Building​​: The second-floor room where Ryoma stayed, the stairs Oryo ran up, and the bath have been replicated
• ​Monuments to the East​​: A monument honoring the nine people who died in the Teradaya Incident of 1862 (Bunkyu 2) stands alongside a memorial stele to Sakamoto Ryoma
• ​Temples Where Associated Figures Rest​​: The nine people of the Teradaya Incident are buried at Daikoku-ji Temple, and Otose's grave is in the cemetery of Shorin-in Temple

History and Highlights

​Teradaya Inn​ is a riverboat inn in Fushimi, known as the stage for two historic incidents during the late Edo period (Bakumatsu). Fushimi flourished as a port connecting Kyoto and Osaka, and travelers arriving from Osaka on sanjikkokubune (thirty-koku riverboats) entered the city of Kyoto from here. Teradaya Inn was one of the five largest riverboat inns in Fushimi, managed by its proprietress Otose, who helped pro-imperial patriots. Sakamoto Ryoma is said to have been deeply attached to Otose, affectionately calling her his Kyoto "mother" (okaa).

In 1862 (Bunkyu 2), a pacification unit sent by Shimazu Hisamitsu failed to persuade radical patriots, turning Teradaya Inn into the scene of internal strife within the Satsuma Domain. Nine people, including Arima Shinshichi, lost their lives in this incident. In 1866 (Keio 2), Ryoma, who was staying at the inn with Miyoshi Shinzo, was surrounded by constables from the Fushimi Magistrate's Office. Oryo, who was bathing downstairs, was the first to notice and rushed up to the second floor to warn them, allowing the two men to escape to the Satsuma Domain residence.

According to research by the Kyoto City Historical Museum, the original Teradaya Inn riverboat inn is believed to have burned down when the town of Fushimi suffered damage during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi in the first month of 1868 (Keio 4). The Fushimi-cho Shi (Records of Fushimi Town) from the early Showa period notes that the site immediately east of the current building is where the original Teradaya Inn once stood.

Viewing and Experience Points

• ​Inside the Reconstructed Building​​: Inside the current Teradaya Inn, replicas have been created of the second-floor room where Ryoma stayed, the stairs that Oryo ran up, and the bath in which she was bathing at the time.
• ​Monuments to the East​​: In the vacant lot on the east side of the building stands the "Monument to the Nine Satsuma Martyrs" (Sappan Kyu-resshi Iseki-hyo), erected in 1894 (Meiji 27) to honor the nine men who died in the Teradaya Incident. The 1904 (Meiji 37) "Imperial Commemorative Monument" (Onshi Kinen no Hi) and a memorial stele to Sakamoto Ryoma also stand alongside it.
• ​Temples Associated with Historical Figures​​: The nine men who died in the Teradaya Incident are buried at Daikoku-ji Temple, which has deep ties to the Satsuma Domain, under the name "Nine Martyrs of the Fushimi Teradaya Incident." Otose's grave is located in the cemetery of Shorin-in Temple, about a 15-minute walk from Teradaya Inn.

Walking Tips

It is about a 5-minute walk from Chushojima Station on the Keihan Main Line. Fushimi is a town of sake breweries that prospered through water transport. Kizakura Kappa Country is about 120 meters to the northeast, and Fushimi Sakagura Koji is about 270 meters to the north. Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum is about 250 meters to the southeast, and the boarding area for the Fushimi Jikkokubune Canal Boat is about 280 meters away. If you walk just over 800 meters to the northeast, you will find Gokonomiya-jinja Shrine.