"Sake and meals are served
More than ten persons and one
In the evening of autumn"(Shiki)
(At Kubota in Mitsu, in autumn of 1895)
There used to be a gently sloped sandy beach and a lookout place around the west side of Mitsu 3-chome, between 4 and 6, from that retainers of Matsuyama Feudal Domain got abroad at their departure of Sankin-Koutai.
It was on December of 1871 (Meiji 4), when Kouhei Kubota took over this lookout place without charge and opened Kubota Shipping Agent.
At that time, the main ship was at anchor in the offing, and passengers took a Japanese-style boat to the main ship.
The stone guidepost of "boarding platform, The Shipping Agent, Kubota" was located at the northern corner of Mitsu 3-chome, 4.
[Notes]
Soseki went ashore at the "Odaiba" (a place equipped a battery) of Mitsuhama from Kobe by steamer, around 2 PM., on Apr.9, 1895 (Meiji 28).
It was just this place that Soseki left for Hiroshima with Kyoshi Takahama when he transferred to the fifth highschool of Kumamoto, on Apr.11, 1896 (Meiji 9).
There used to be the shipping agent combined with a inn, Kubota, that was crowded with many travelers, Soseki, Shiki and others in those days.
It is easily supposed that this stone guidepost would see Shiki off, who came home nine times from Tokyo since he went he went up to Tokyo in 1883 (Meiji 16), at the age of seventeen, warmly and make him welcome longingly.
On Oct.17, 1895 (Meiji 28), Shiki held the farewell party with 18 persons, Souseki, Kyokudo and others and stayed at Kubota Shipping Agency in Matsuyama to leave Mitsuhama for Tokyo.
On the following day, Oct.18, the members of "Shofu-kai", Souryu and others visited Shiki and drunk with each other for farewell.
One of the obligation of every feudal lord (i.e. Daimyo) put by Tokugawa Shogunate in the days of the period of Edo.
The system that in alternate years as a general rule, Daimyo went up Edo being command of persons of number according to the output of rice, and stayed in their residence in Edo to be under the command of Shogun.
