Oku Hachibei (奥八兵衛)
Hachibei OKU (year of birth unknown-March 24, 1669) run the fish store (Kawachiya) in Kyoto in the Edo period.
Personal Profile
For generations, his family business was to provide fish to mikuriya (manors of Imperial family and powerful shrines). He was so impressed to hear that Emperor Gokomyo preached that the cremation was lack of clemency. Because he was distressed to hear that cremation would be held as before for the death of that emperor in 1654, he immediately visited Sen-in to kokyu (empress's residence) and government officials and tearfully appealed for holding the burial, explaining that cremation should be held based on the emperor's belief. The listeners were impressed by his sincerity and chogi (a ceremony at Imperial Court) finally determined to hold the burial, since when the cremation had been stopped in the Imperial Court.
His descendant, Hachirobei was awarded a posthumous prize in 1879 and also awarded Shogoi (Senior Fifth Rank) in May 1907.