Kurobeko?

The black colored beko in the attached photo is a special version of Akabeko.

There is a kanji character, “義” on the back on the beko. “義” means loyalty.

In the end of Edo period, the new government army waged a war against the army of the Edo Shogunate. Aizu province was at the side of the army of the Edo Shogunate. In everywhere in the world, the victor tends to be considered as justice and the loser tends to be considered as rebel. Finally, the army of Edo Shogunate became a loser, but people in Aizu province kept being at Edo Shogunate side and fighting against the new government army even if the fortune of war was against them. This was based on their loyalty to Edo Shogunate.

I think Kurobeko expresses Aizu people’s pure loyalty to Edo Shogunate even they were considered as rebels and their prides.

The family crest in gold in the back of the Kurobeko is Tokugawa Shogunate’s and kanji characters on the base, “會津” means Aizu.

We can feel Aizu people’s prides in the past and even now.