History

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Legend of the Suzuki Clan ~ Part 1

In a previous post, I spoke about a famous general and strategist of the Takeda clan during the 1500s named Yamamoto Kansuke. One aspect that is his claim to fame is studying military affairs of the Suzuki method under an elderly man named Suzuki Hyūga-no-Kami Shigetatsu¹. Like with most things attached to another man’s glory, Kansuke’s impressive career in turn gave much acclaim to Shigetatsu, as well as his family name.

What is the story behind the Suzuki clan? Is there any historical recordings before Yamamoto Kansuke? In this 2-part discussion, we will first look into the history of Shigetatsu’s Suzuki family line, from their roots, military career, down to their final days during Sengoku period.

ROOTS

Suzuki Hyūga-no-Kami Shigetatsu’s family line, as well as many other Suzuki lines², trace their heritage hundreds of years to a prominent family that were servants of the Shinto shrines. This particular name Suzuki was created by the Hozumi clan, whom were priests of the Fujishiro Jinja (Fujishiro Shrine) located in Waguyama Prefecture. This line is often labeled as “Fujishiro Suzuki shi³”. From this, different branches of the Suzuki line were established, whether by inheritance through blood, adoption, or permission to use the name.

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A picture of Fujishiro Jinja. From Wikipedia.

Suzuki Shigeyoshi⁴, a descendant of the Fujishiro Suzuki line, is accredited as the originator of the Suzuki line that situated in Mikawa no Kuni (Shigetatsu’s family line). Although his birth date is unknown, it’s believed that he was active around the ending of the Heian period (around the 1180s). It is recorded that Shigeyoshi was a military commander who held the official rank “Gyōbu Saemon-no-Jō⁵” under the Kani system.

During early 1180s, a few of Shigeyoshi’s relatives sided with Minamoto no Yoshitsune during Genpei War⁶, and assisted in bringing down the Taira clan for the sake of the Genji clan. Although victorious, Yoshitsune was later declared a traitor and hunted by his clansmen. As Yoshitsune made his escape to Oshu (older name for the northern region of Japan), those Suzuki members stayed loyal and followed him. Later, Shigeyoshi would also follow suit to reunite with his relatives and journeyed to Oshu in 1189. However, due to a pain disorder in his leg, he was forced to end his journey short in Mikawa no Kuni, where he would remain to reside for the rest of his life.

SUZUKI CLAN OF TERABE

Shigeyoshi would start a Suzuki line in Mikawa no Kuni from around the Kamakura period to the Nanbokucho period. At first, this line resided in Yanami Town, Kamo District (present day Yanami Town, Toyota City in Aichi Prefecture). As they grew in power, this Suzuki line expanded throughout the north-western part of Mikawa, with several members branching out and establishing themselves with their own force. Around Bunmei period (1469~1487), one of those members, known as Suzuki Shigetoki⁷, moved into Terabe (present day Terabe Town, Toyota City) and established Terabe castle⁸ as the home for his family. Bearing a family name with a prestigious background, Shigetoki established the Suzuki’s nobility in Terabe by contributing his family’s military prowess, as well as by keeping strong relations with not only neighboring noble families, but with other Suzuki lines.

Some of the families the Suzuki clan had good relations with in Mikawa are the Chūjō, Miyake, Nasu, and Abe families. Out of these families, Chūjō was the more accomplished, having a more reputable military record as having been retainers for the Hojo clan, as well as serving the Ashikaga Shogunate. With such a reputation, Chūjō clan played more on the leadership role, thus the Suzuki clan of Terabe and other neighboring families were willing to follow on important matters.

TROUBLES WITH MATSUDAIRA

The Matsudaira clan, whom originated from Matsudaira Gyō⁹ (Matsudaira Town), would try to grow in power, making a presence for themselves in Mikawa no Kuni. Constructing Iwazu castle, (within the eastern mountains of Iwazu Town, Okazaki City in the center of Mikawa) they progressively made a name for themselves around their given area. It became apparent that they were an imposing threat for many years, as they grew their strength by force, and having battled with neighboring noble families. As an example, Anjō castle in Anjō¹⁰ (present day Anjō Town, Anjō City in Aichi Prefecture) was taken over strategically by the 4th family head Matsudaira Chikatada in 1471. Using a musical procession to lure the guards and others out of the castle, Chikatada was able to overtake the defenseless castle with a force of 250 troops.

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A snapshot of the primary kamon (family emblem) associated with the Suzuki clan circled in red, called “Daki Ine” (抱き稲). From the site “Kamon World“.

In 1493, Chūjō Akihide¹¹ rallied his neighbors to oust the Matsudaira. Suzuki Shigetoki would muster his troops and participate in the war. Having a combined force of 3000 troops, Shigetoki and his comrades charged upon Matsudaira Chikatada and his army of barely 2000 troops in Idano, Okazaki. Although outnumbered, Chikatada outbested his rivals, concluding the battle near the Matsudaira’s Iwazu castle. In the end, this defeat hurt the morale of Chūjō Akihide, as well as weakened the influence the Chūjō family possessed. In a turn of events, the Suzuki clan rose in power and influence, giving them a chance to become a more recognized noble family.

LOYALTY TO THE IMAGAWA CLAN

In 1533 Suzuki Hyūga-no-Kami Shigenori¹² continued the feud with the Matsudaira clan, as he and the Miyake clan teamed up to engage in a battle against the 7th successor Matsudaira Kiyoyasu. As Kiyoyasu was the next lord of Iwazu castle, they fought near the vicinity of that castle. Despite their combined strength, Shigenori didn’t stand a chance as their opponent would prevail in this battle.

In order to gain support against any future attacks, Suzuki Shigetatsu (aka Shigenori) would become a vassal of Imagawa Yoshimoto, a warlord who had much control of and influence within Mikawa. This servitude would last a few decades, but would cease temporarily. Following alongside Miyake Takasei, Shigetatsu chose to leave the Imagawa household and attempted to switch his loyalties to Oda Nobunaga, a warlord who was making great strides dominating many territories around Japan. Imagawa Yoshimoto couldn’t forgive such actions, so by using his power of authority, he ordered the Matsudaira clan to attack Terabe castle.

Matsudaira Motoyasu¹³, the young lord of Okazaki castle, was one of the members of the Matsudaira clan to accept the order. Acquiring the support from Ueno castle lord Sakai Tadanao¹⁴, Motoyasu led the 1st charge and set upon Terabe castle. Not stopping there, Motoyasu would also attack the castles of comrades to the Suzuki clan. Terabe castle would be overwhelmed, and its inhabitants surrendered. Defeated, Shigetatsu had no choice but to return his loyalty back to Yoshimoto. Motoyasu was rewarded for his successful role in this, including gaining control over the western part of Mikawa.

FALL OF TERABE CASTLE

Throughout the early-mid 1500s the Imagawa clan was in a power struggle with the Oda clan for full control over both Mikawa and Owari. This would finally be decided in 1560, when Imagawa Yoshimoto clashed with Oda Nobunaga in what is known as the “Battle of Okehazama¹⁵”. Yoshimoto had a much larger army in total, spanning over 25,000. While he rallied up his closest subordinates, which included the Matsudaira, the Suzuki clan were not utilized in this battle.

Both sides set up their base in Okehazama, located in Owari no Kuni. Due to poor weather conditions, the fight came to a halt. While Yoshimoto rested with around 3000 of his troops in their base around nighttime, Nobunaga and around 2000 of his soldiers raided the base. Despite smaller in numbers, Oda’s side was successful in killing Imagawa Yoshimoto, and slaughtering the unarmed troops.

With his master dead, Matsudaira Motoyasu quickly returned back to Okazaki castle. Although he was prepared to commit seppuku, Motoyasu was convinced to instead reconsider and focus on surviving for a better future. Giving his stance as one who governed over the western side of Mikawa, he denounced his ties with the Imagawa clan, and made a peace pact¹⁶ with Nobunaga later in 1562. With no further opposition, Nobunaga could move unhindered into Mikawa no Kuni.

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Site where Teraba Castle once stood. From Wikipedia.

The Suzuki clan of Terabe remained loyal to Imagawa Yoshimoto after his death. At the time, Suzuki members Shigenori and Shigeaki held their ground in Terabe castle for several more years. However, in 1566, Nobunaga sent Sakuma Nobumori to attack Terabe castle. Having a large army, Nobumori’s assault was strong enough to beat the Suzuki’s defenses, thus resulting in the fall of Terabe castle into the enemies’ hands. Shigetatsu, along with Shigeaki managed to flee with their lives, and is said to have escaped to Suruga (present day north-eastern part of central Shizuoka Prefecture). What happens afterwards is uncertain, as documents about the Suzuki clan of Terabe have conflicting conclusions.

CONCLUSION

Suzuki Hyūga-no-Kami Shigetatsu and the Suzuki clan originated from a noble line, and expanded into a reputable warrior family. While Shigetatsu and his family line had some military influence in their area and showed worth, in the end they were outmatched by more powerful warlords. This concludes part 1 of the discussion on the Suzuki clan. Stay tuned to part 2, were we look into the possible links to Shigetatsu’s fabled knowledge on military tactics.

1) 鈴木日向守重辰

2) There are many different family names with the “Suzuki” pronunciation, but written with different kanji. Some of these versions may have been derived from one another.

3) 藤白鈴木氏. Literally translates as “Suzuki family of Fujishiro Shrine”.

4) 鈴木重善. Original 1st name was Shigetoki, but later changed. Not to be confused with another Suzuki Shigeyoshi (鈴木重義), who was alive a few centuries earlier.

5) 刑部左衛門尉. Job description is something like “3rd officer of the Saemon Fu (Left Division of Outer Palace) for the Ministry of Justice”.

6) Correctly known as the “Jishō Juei no Ran” (Disturbance during Jishō period and Juei period). This spans from 1180 to 1185.

7) 鈴木重時. Full title is Suzuki Shimotsuke-no-Kami Shigetoki. (鈴木下野守重時). No further concrete information about him. Not to be confused with another Suzuki Shigetoki born about a century later and was active in the mid 1500s.

8) It is not certain if Shigetoki had Terabe castle constructed, or if it was acquired as a previously owned castle.

9) 松平郷

10) It is believed that the Japanese characters for Anjō castle was the same as the area it was located in, which is “安城”. However, after the Sengoku period, records show it written as “安祥”.

11) In some sources, first name is replaced with “Dewa-no-Kami” (出羽守). This is a title that few other members of the Chūjō family used. Full address would be “Chūjō Dewa-no-Kami Akihide”.

12) 鈴木日向守重教. From what is known in available sources, Shigenori is the same person as Shigetatsu, the man claimed to have taught Yamamoto Kansuke. When did he use either names, and why, is not explained.

13) 松平元康. Motoyasu would later change his name to Tokugawa Ieyasu, and unify Japan in the early 1600s.

14) At the time, Tadanao was a retainer to the Matsudaira clan.

15) 桶狭間の戦い

16) This pact is generally called “Kiyosu Dōmei” (清洲同盟), but is known under other titles as well. While attempts for a fitting truce between Oda family and Matsudaira family was initially attempted in 1561, both sides couldn’t come to an agreement until sometime in 1562. This was possible after Motoyasu visited Nobunaga’s castle, Kiyosu castle, and both were able to talk face-to-face.

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Kuki Archives: Pioneering ~ Part 3 (Ending)

We continue on with part 3, covering the remainder of Kuki Yoshitaka’s story. Much like before, we follow his tale pledging loyalty under powerful warlords, and taking part in major battles. This post will also bring his chapter to a close, as his last days as the famed naval commander will be followed up until the very end. Like the previous parts, much information is pulled from Japanese sources, such as the books mentioned in the Kuki Archives: Pioneering ~ Part 3 (Beginning), as well as websites such as “Sengoku Busho Retsuden Ω“. While great measures were made to include only the most relevant of information, there is a good amount of cross-referencing between many events and individuals that play a role within Yoshitaka’s story, making this one a longer read than the others.

SERVICE UNDER TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI

From the late 1570s, Kuki Yoshitaka’s life was progressing very well, as he earned many merits by proving his clan’s worth through participating in some important battles under Oda Nobunaga. Becoming a feudal lord, he acquired different lands around Japan, and increased his family line. He rose in rank¹, from “Kunai Shoyu²” (Imperial Vice Minister) to “Jūgoi no Ge – Ōsumi no Kami³” (Great Warden of the lower 5th position). On top of this, the naval forces under his disposal grew very large, making him a contender to other rivaling clans that had their own established navy.

Toyotomi_hideyoshi

Portrait of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Dated 1601. Author unknown. From Wikipedia.

Oda Nobunaga was on the course of unifying Japan under his might, as he continued to dominate over different regions of Japan, and gained loyalty from other noble clans, albeit with an iron fist. As it appeared he had no equal, tragedy struck in 1582, as Nobunaga faced his death in what is known as the “Honnoji Incident⁴”. With his master gone, Yoshitaka would stay loyal and continue to serve in the Oda house under Oda Nobukatsu, Nobunaga’s son. However, as his longtime acquaintance Takigawa Kazumasu took his leave from the Oda house, Yoshitaka would do the same, and give his service elsewhere.

Throughout 1583 Yoshitaka was hired to deliver building stones by boat during the construction of the castle Ōsaka Jo in Ōsaka⁵. A project commissioned by the next uprising warlord named Toyotomi Hideyoshi⁶, who was one of those loyal retainers to the late Oda Nobunaga. Hideyoshi, an ambitious individual, was determined to continue in the foot steps of Nobunaga, which was controlling all of Japan. In order to make his dream come true, he started either eliminating those who sided against him, or making those who opposed him bend to his might. During this period he declares war on the remaining weakening legacy of the Oda house.

In June of 1584, Hideyoshi put into motion the campaign against Oda Nobukatsu, which is known as the battle of Komaki-Nagakute⁷. Takigawa Kazumasu sided with Hideyoshi and took part in this battle, which also prompted Yoshitaka to do the same. Nobukatsu, while not as influential as his father, still had allies that would support him, such as from one called Tokugawa Ieyasu. Hideyoshi lead his force towards central Japan to Ōno Jo in Owari no Kuni (present day Aisai City, Aichi Prefecture), and engaged in battles that were divided in the northern and southern parts of this area.

Kazumasu and his force, along with Yoshitaka and the Kuki suigun, came from the south and occupied Nobukatsu’s costal castle Kanie Jo through trickery⁸, and set out to attack a chain of castles in the south-western part of Owari. However, once Nobukatsu found out, the Oda and Tokugawa forces rushed back to aid those castles, and twice thwarted Kazumasu’s attacks, forcing them to retreat back to Kanie Castle. Overwhelmed by the oncoming odds and with no backup in sight, Kazumasu and Yoshitaka were forced to retreat back to Ise no Kuni. In the end, Hideyoshi won the war, but made peace with Nobukatsu, and gained Ieyasu’s support.

In November of the same year, Kuki Sumitaka, Yoshitaka’s nephew, passed away. His death was reported as a fatal illness⁹. Through Sumitaka’s death, succession of this Kuki line was officially passed into Yoshitaka’s hands.

In 1585 Hideyoshi would make Yoshitaka a subordinate, and appointed him to the rank of “Jūgoi no Kami – Ōsumi”, or “Great Warden lower 5th position”¹⁰. Over the years, Yoshitaka would continue to support Hideyoshi in a couple more battles. Some battles required going to further away areas such a Kyushu. Yoshitaka would also find himself working with once-enemies-now-turned-allies, such as the Mōri clan.

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An old illustration of Toba Jo (鳥羽城古絵図). Date and author unknown, but is noted to come from the Asano Literature collection. From Wikipedia.

Special favors were earned due to Yoshitaka’s service and the reputation he and the Kuki Navy possessed. For example, despite Hideyoshi’s restriction in 1588 on piracy and monopolization of sea travel by any group¹¹, he allowed Yoshitaka and the Kuki suigun to maintain their practices of doing so at Toba Wan, or Toba Bay in English. Possibly the boldest expedition Yoshitaka took part in during his lifetime under Hideyoshi was the attempt to take over Korea.

INVASION OF KOREA

In 1592, Hideyoshi began his campaign to conquer Korea¹². For this mission, it was required to carry a massive army across the open sea. As he had access to many naval specialists, he recruited as many as he could. Hideyoshi also had to make a decision who would command his fleet. He made an interesting move, and chose Yoshitaka as his naval commander, despite there being others with a much more prestigious resume for such a big task at hand, such as the more famous Murakami Takeyoshi and his larger Murakami suigun.

Along with the 1500 troops from his side, Yoshitaka took command of about 9000 troops. Thousands of soldiers, plenty of supplies, weapons, and horses were carried in numerous boats. Yoshitaka used a very large boat which bore a flag with a sun on it. This flag, which represented Japan as a unified force, was a first of its kind¹³. Reaching Korea through the Korea Peninsula, the Japanese were able to make their way into the country by foot from the south.

Within several months, the Japanese were able to occupy not only certain key areas such as Hanseong, Busan, and Pyongyang, but take complete control of the Korean Peninsula. The Korean army (and later, with aid from the Chinese military) fought to keep the invaders out on land, but were overwhelmed many times. The Japanese had the advantage due to experience from their many years of strife within their own country, equipment, close-battle tactics, as well as their ever-improving use of guns; around this time Korea (as well as China) did not have the same firepower capabilities, nor invested in it. Not able to deal with them successfully on land, the Koreans tried to counterattack with their naval force, with attempts to disrupt the supplies being delivered to the Japanese army.

WakouLandingColor

Painting showing the Japanese army invading a castle in Busan. Produced in 1760, author is Byeon Bak (변박). From Wikipedia.

A naval commander by the name of Yi Sun Shin arrived to battle against the Japanese navy, which was, at the time, very sparse and for the most part not monitored. Yi Sun Shin led his naval force¹⁴ and picked off isolated ships at night. While not major battles, this was steps towards the right direction for the Korean navy. Underestimating any opposition by sea, the Japanese navy were primarily engaged in on-land duties, but were soon ordered to deal with the new threat by Hideyoshi. Yoshitaka lead the command and ordered a small number to engaged the opposition as one unit.

As sea battles with the Japanese became prevalent, Yi Sun Shin began utilizing large reinstated ships called the “Turtle Ship¹⁵”. These specially fortified ships, outfitted with several cannons all around, were prepared to repel the invaders with unexpected tactics. For starters, the Korean’s ships, although few in numbers, were much sturdier, much faster moving, possessed better mobility, and were outfitted with more cannons. Yi used calculated tactics that involved not engaging the Japanese head on, but instead luring pursuers into traps and ramming into the weaker hulls of the Japanese boats, mixed with repeated cannon fire from long range. On top of this, he based his assaults carefully according to the geography of the area where the battles took place, which was primarily at the southern borders of Korea.

With the unexpected skill of Yi and the Korean navy, Yoshitaka and the Japanese navy were hard pressed, having to withdraw, defeated, from several fights. Increasing their numbers against their slippery foes did not help, either. However, during one battle called “Battle at Kumakawa¹⁶”, Yoshitaka saw initial success as the Japanese navy succeeded in capturing a few of the Korean’s larger ships, and wreaked many of the smaller ones with their combined strength and brazen tactics of boarding the opposition’s ships for close combat skirmishes. However, when it looked like Japanese navy was winning, many of the ships separated and went off to their own small battles. Despite Yoshitaka’s orders to regroup, they didn’t listen, which lead to yet another loss. This was only the beginning, for many more sea battles took place as Yi Sun Shin became very persistent and sought out the Japanese navy on a day-to-day basis, and forced them to engage in what were losing battles with the Korean navy having close to zero casualties.

In the end, much unpreparedness lead to waning morality within the Japanese navy, as many of their ships were destroyed or captured. This greatly affected the Japanese army’s foothold and advancement in Korean territory, for supplies that were brought by sea were cut off to the point where they could not sustain long enough to fight. Having a long period of losing ground and not able to advance, Kuki Yoshitaka and many others had to pull out of the invasion early in 1594 to regroup and refortify.

Despite their ultimate failure, Hideyoshi would bestow honors upon Yoshitaka, showing how much worth was put on him. Years later, another attempt at invading Korea was mandated by Hideyoshi in 1598. However, being elderly and still sour from the defeat during the 1st campaign, Yoshitaka avoided participating in this by retiring. In his place, his oldest son Kuki Moritaka would go, carrying the mantle of the Kuki clan.

LATER DAYS OF KUKI YOSHITAKA

Retired from combat, Yoshitaka focused on other obligations instead of being naval commander. The Kuki navy continued to be utilized, but primarily for shipping cargo, such as supplies for the construction of Osaka Jo. In his place, Kuki Moritaka would take the place as head of their family line, and represent the Kuki clan by taking an active role in military duties.

In late 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would die from illness. With his master and once ruler of Japan now out of the picture, things would begin to turn sour for Kuki Yoshitaka. During his service under Hideyoshi, despite his success in many battles, not everyone agreed with the merits given upon him, especially after the failed invasion of Korea. A certain feudal lord by the name of Inaba Michitoo was one of those people.

Tokugawa_Ieyasu2_full

Artwork of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Author is unknown, but noted to have been made in the 17th century. From Wikipedia.

Responsibilities were passed into different hands after Toyotomi passed. Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged as the next warlord attempting to claim control over Japan. Inaba Michitoo, who assisted with certain construction & labor projects and loyal to the Tokugawa clan, denied the Kuki suigun payment as they provided shipping service of materials (such as wood) for Osaka Jo. While Yoshitaka made complaints to Ieyasu about the situation, no action was made in his favor. Instead, Ieyasu rectified the situation by relieving the Kuki suigun, and have the Toba suigun take their place with the supply deliveries. This move did not sit well with Yoshitaka, and was the 1st point in his resentment towards Ieyasu.

A campaign to pacify Aizu was ordered by Tokugawa Ieyasu early 1600. There was opposition against the rise of the Tokugawa clan, particularly by those who were still supporters of the Toyotomi house. As expected, Yoshitaka did not participate in this. However, his son Kuki Moritaka joined the campaign, despite his father’s tensions against Ieyasu.

Eventually, the Tokugawa clan moved towards taking over the West. In retaliation, a call to arms was raised by a military commander and retainer of the Toyotomi clan named Ishida Mitsunari. He attempted to raise an army by having everyone within the areas of Iga, Ise, and Kii join. Many did heed to the call, and prepared to rise to the cause. Yoshitaka’s son-in-law, Horiuchi Ujiyoshi¹⁷, also wished to participate. Not wanting their families at home to be unguarded, Yoshitaka came out of retirement, took over Toba Jo¹⁸, and had family & relatives relocate there as a temporary safe haven. Ujiyoshi also had around 350 of his troops from his castle assist in protecting Toba Jo in case any domestic issues arose.

Shortly, a relative by the name of Kita Shōzō reported to Yoshitaka that he too was denied rights to receive payment for offering passageway across the river Miyakawa no Watashi¹⁹. Yoshitaka, infuriated on how he and those close to him were being treated, decided to get payback on Michitoo by raising an army and also joined the western army’s cause.

OUTCOME OF THE BATTLE OF SEKIGAHARA

Yoshitaka and his newly formed force traveled from the south side side of Ise no Kuni and laid seige on Michitoo’s castle, Iwade Jo. However, this proved to be a difficult battle, so they had to temporarily withdraw. Despite the setback, Yoshitaka directed his force to do damage by setting fire to villages around Mikawa and Owari, as well as take any supplies they could get their hands on and delivered them to support Ishida Mitsunari and his army.

It just so happened that Mikawa was once an area that Tokugawa Ieyasu governed. Getting report of what happened in the hands of Yoshitaka, Ieyasu became furious. Instead of ordering a counterattack, He commanded Kuki Moritaka to have his father switch sides and support the eastern army. Rewards were promised if Moritaka succeeded, but this task was near impossible.

Sekigaharascreen

Japanese screen with a depiction of the Battle at Sekigahara. Produced in 1854, it is a replica of an original piece by Kano Sadanobu, albeit with some slight altercations. From Wikipedia.

Moritaka personally sought to speak with his father, and traveled to Toba Jo where he currently occupied by force. Announced that his son had returned to bargain, Yoshitaka refused him entrance, as they both were on opposite sides of the war. With no other choice, Moritaka had to stage a siege on Toba Jo²⁰, having light confrontations and long-range attacks with rifles. Yoshitaka also fought back, but with Moritaka being his blood, did not engage to hurt him²¹. Eventually, Moritaka would pull out of the battle.

Much of the fighting that was taking place in the middle of 1600 between the Eastern army and Western army was leading to a grand clash. Historically known as “Battle of Sekigahara”, this would shortly take place at Sekigahara, Mino no Kuni²². The outcome of this battle would shape the future of Japan. Moritaka struggled to prove his loyalty to Tokugawa Ieyasu, as his father’s actions by supporting the Western army were making it difficult; even though 2 members of the same clan shared different interests, when the winning side has to decide punishment, usually it is on the entire clan.

Later that year, Inaba Michitoo deloyed an army of over 800 troops from Iwade Jo, and crossed Ise no Kuni towards Toba Jo, giving the impression that their intention was to reclaim it. Yoshitaka anticipated such an action would take place, and plotted with Kita Shōzō to catch them by surprise in a pincer attack along the path they were taking. However, fate took an unexpected turn as Michitoo and his force took a different direction, which was actually towards Shōzō’s castle. Not prepared for for a siege on his own castle, Shōzō was unable to defend adequately, and consequently his castle was set ablaze in retribution for what he did to the villages in Mikawa. Afterwards, Michitoo and his force promptly returned back to Iwade Jo.

Shortly after, the battle of Sekigahara commenced. The eastern army, consisting of Tokugawa clan and their allies, fought against the western army which was made up of those loyal to the Toyotomi house. Yoshitaka would remain out of this war, and kept his hold on Toba Jo. After several clashes both in and outside of Sekigahara, the eastern army came out victorious. Those remaining supporters of the western army fled, while the main instigators, including Ishida Mitsunari, paid for their opposition in death.

YOSHITAKA’S LEGACY

Yoshitaka and his remaining relatives fled from Toba Jo, with fear that they would be targeted for their actions by the victors. They went north-east to a small island called Toshi Jima, (in present day Toba City, Mie Prefecture) and hid in the temple Chōonji. An attempt was made to seek refuge in Kumano, but due to Tokugawa’s looming presence, fear of getting caught prompted Yoshitaka to return back to Toshi Jima.

Moritaka wanted to look for his father in order to clear his name, but instead Toyota Goroemon went in his place. Tracking him down in Toshi Jima, Goroemon apparently counseled Yoshitaka about the current situation which is the conflicting view between Moritaka’s loyalty and valiant efforts for the Eastern army, and the treachery of Yoshitaka’s actions while siding with the Western army. Yoshitaka’s intentions were personal, and he didn’t intend to bring misfortune to his son and his chance to also make a name for himself just as Yoshitaka did. With much thought on ensuring the outcome is best for the future of the Kuki clan, Yoshitaka decided that his death would set things right.

On October 12th of 1600, Kuki Yoshitaka took his life through seppuku. He still loathed Ieyasu up until his death, not willing to forgive the events that transpired. His head severed, Yoshitaka’s burial site for his head was at Dōsenan²³ in Wagu, and is said to still remain there till this day. While his chapter ended, the survival of the Kuki clan was ensured through the efforts of Moritaka while serving Tokugawa Ieyasu, as well as through future generations.

CONCLUSION

We’ve come to the finale of the Kuki clan’s expansion during medieval Japan. The Kuki history is very large, and lists not only key events members of the Kuki clans took part in, but individuals (whether friend or foe) they interacted with. I hope you could enjoy this small glimpse into the tales of but a few of those members, and thanks for reading!

1) In Japan there was a system for determining one’s rank (位階 ikai) and occupation (官職 kanshoku) for those of militaristic, or noble background. This system was called Kani (官位) .

2) 宮内少輔

3) 従五位下大隈守

4) The “Honnoji Incident” (“Honnoji no Hen” in Japanese) takes place at the temple Honnoji in Kyoto, Japan. While Oda Nobunaga and his attendants were there, one of Nobunaga’s trusted generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, turned against him. Mitsuhide secretly assembled a small force that surrounded the temple and attacked. Few in numbers, Nobunaga and his available companions couldn’t hold out against the overwhelming odds. To avoid being captured, Nobunaga had the inside of the temple lit on fire, and commited seppuku (ritual suicide).

Nobunaga’s body wasn’t recovered in the burnt remains of Honnoji, which there are numerous theories as to why. One of those theories states that Nobunaga’s body was charred beyond recognition. Another is he did escape with a few others, committed suicide in another location, and had his body hidden by those attendants who accompanied him.

5) Osaka Jo was being built over the remains of what used to be Ishiyama Honganji, the same place Oda Nobunaga attacked in order to quell Ikko Ikki movement. This was discussed in the previous part.

6) Although historically recognized under the surname “Toyotomi”, he originally didn’t use this. While a retainer of Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi used the surname “Hashiba” (羽柴). It wasn’t until later after during his own trek to be the ruler of Japan that Hideyoshi would have his last name changed to “Toyotomi”.

7) 小牧・長久手の戦い

8) Kazumasu had an insider by the name of Maeda Nagasada who was originally trusted to guard Kanie Jo while Nobunaga Nobukatsu and his army went out to battle Hideyoshi’s force. Upon arrival, Nagasada let Kazumasu and his force into the castle to take over with no resistance.

9) Some sources speculate that Sumitaka’s death may not have come naturally, but was premeditated by Yoshitaka. Some of those speculations range from him either being poisoned, or assassinated while outside the castle Toba Jo.

10) Yoshitaka held this rank while under Oda Nobunaga. It is possible that when he left serving the Oda house that he’d forfeited it.

11) This is known as “Kaizoku Kinshirei” (海賊禁止令), or “Kaizoku Teishirei” (海賊停止令).

12) This campaign to Korea, called “Bunroku no Eki (文禄の役), was one stage of a bigger goal, which was to conquer China. Since Hideyoshi was unsuccessful with this, he was unable to even step foot into China.

13) This large ship was called “Nihonmaru”.

14) The Korean naval force at the time was, in comparison to the Japanese, under-utilized and lack of combat experience. In earlier times it was well developed though, and had unique strategies and ships.

Yi Sun Shin, who was in his 30s at the time, had a military background of repelling Jurchen marauders, and was quite successful. Rising in the ranks, he was, about 1 year before the invasion promoted to command the regional navy in the city Yeosu, located on the southern coast of South Korea. Yi is regarded as being a genius concerning military affairs, despite the fact he had no experience with naval warfare beforehand. Sources say that he made preparations in advance when it was known that the Japanese were going to invade. Along with studying the geography in case battles took place at certain locations, Yi depended on weather conditions as well. With the use of scouts watching the Japanese’s movement, Yi was always several steps ahead of them.

15) 亀甲船. Pronounced “Geobukseon” (거북선) in Korean, it gets its name due to the armored covering on top of the ship, which looks like a turtle’s shell.

16) 熊川の戦い. This is in reference to the Japanese castle “Kumakawa Wajo”, or “Ungcheon Waesong” (웅천왜성) in its proper phonetic in Korean, which was constructed in South Gyeongsang Province (south eastern region of South Korea). It is but one of the many castles that the Japanese army built during their invasions in Korea.

17) 堀内氏善. He was a commander of the Kumano suigun, which also had connections with the Kuki clan.

18) As the Toba suigun was in the service of the eastern army, Toyota Goroemon, who was to take the hand of Yoshitaka’s eldest daughter, was left to take care of Toba Jo. Whether by force or batting a blind eye, Yoshitaka and others stormed it and eventually claimed the castle.

19) 北勝蔵. Shōzō is Yoshitaka’s 4th son’s father-in-law. He lived not too far from Yoshitaka, more north of Ise no Kuni.

宮川の渡し. At the time, Miyakawa no Watashi (Miyakawa Crossing) was a large river in the northern part of Ise no Kuni that was too wide to swim across. A popular route for those on religious pilgrimages, those with boats, such as Kita Shōzō, provided service to many travelers that wished to cross Miyakawa no Watashi.

20) Kuki Moritaka knew that the task of making his father change sides was a test of his loyalty. He also was aware that in his midst was a spy to observe his loyalty to the eastern army. Despite his efforts to protect his father, Moritaka’s attack on Toba Jo was inevitable.

21) Some sources claim that Yoshitaka’s side shot empty rounds from their rifles.

22) Present day Sekigahara Cho in Fuwa District, Gifu Prefecture.

23) 洞仙庵.

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Kuki Archives: Pioneering ~ Part 3 (Beginning)

Here we continue with the final discussion on those of the Kuki clan renown for being pioneers in expanding the Kuki clan’s line. We will look at the life and history of Kuki Yoshitaka¹, who not only was mentioned in the previous part, but was essentially the ending point. Possibly the most well known historically, his involvement in political and militaristic struggles under powerful warlords, as well as the honors earned, may possibly make his tale the most famous. Due to how involved he was in many events during Sengoku period, along with how detailed they were recorded, Yoshitaka’s tale will be split into 2 posts.

Artwork of Kuki Yoshitaka. From the collection of the temple Joanji. Author unknown. From Wikipedia.

YOSHITAKA’S BACKGROUND

Kuki Yoshitaka was born in 1542, as one of the children of the Kuki line that developed in Shima no Kuni. His father was Kuki Sadetake, native of the Nakiri-Kuki line. His mother, whose name is unknown², was a native from Ago Gun (Ago District), Koka in Shima no Kuni. Yoshitaka was the 3rd son out of 3 boys, where his older brothers were Kiyotaka and Mitsutaka. Yoshitaka and his brothers were raised in Tashiro Jo. They learned the family trade of military and naval affairs, as they were groomed to follow in the footsteps of their father.

Yoshitaka’s story is well documented in many types of publications due to how much he was involved in many events that affected Japan’s trek to unification. His service under some of Japan’s most renown warlords is an important factor. Many books in Japanese recite these events, such as “Sengoku Jinmei Jiten³” and “Kuki Yoshitaka Nobunaga – Hideyoshi wo tsugaeta Suigun Taisho⁴”. Let us begin Yoshitaka’s story, as he joins the side of his 1st master, Oda Nobunaga.

SERVICE UNDER ODA NOBUNAGA

His tale begins in 1560, same year where Kuki Kiyotaka’s ends. Fleeing from Shima no Kumi after losing to the combined strength of the 7 Lords of Shima⁵ backed by Ise no Kuni’s governing force, the Kitabatake clan, Yoshitaka made his way to Mt. Asama (in present day Nagano Prefecture). He traveled there along with his nephew and 8th head of the Kuki line, Kuki Sumitaka, as well as their comrades, to hide within grounds where many monks visit on their pilgrimage. Yoshitaka took time to regroup his force’s strength, as well as figure out their next move.

Artwork of Oda Nobunaga. From the collection of Kobe city Museum. Author unknown. From Wikipedia.

In 1569, he catches word of Oda Nobunaga’s declaration of war on the Kitabatake clan as he sets his sights on Ise no Kuni (present day Mie prefecture). A chance to get revenge and possibly reclaim his lost home, Yoshitaka had a plan to enter Nobunaga’s service. He made contact with Takigawa Kazumasu⁶, a retainer of Nobunaga, and told him his story, along with his wishes to enter Nobunaga’s force. They got along well and became good acquaintances. Kazumasu would then later inform his master of Yoshitaka’s request, who in turn was pleased to hear about Yoshitaka’s naval capabilities. After the necessary formalities, Yoshitaka was made into one of Nobunaga’s retainers, meaning he had to serve another if he wanted to reclaim his lost home.

WAR FOR ISE NO KUNI, AND SHIMA NO KUNI

Nobunaga and his large force set out by sea, heading towards the Kitabatake’s main castle, Tage Jo⁷ in the western part of Ise no Kuni. Kitabatake Tomonori, alerted by the impending danger, sent his navy to deter them, but the Kuki suigun⁸ easily dispatched their naval rivals. Reaching their destination, they laid sieges on various castles owned by the Kitabatake’s in the area. The Kuki suigun even went as far as to take down the hidden coastal castle, Ōyodo Jo⁹. Fearing for their lives, Kitabatake Tomonori had him and his family fled to their stronghold Ōkawachi Jo¹⁰ in the northern part of Ise no Kuni. Nobunaga and his troops tried to storm in, but could not due to its rather tough defenses. Relentless, Nobunaga would not let up, and would lay his siege for around 2 months.

While the siege on Kitabatake Tomonori was at a stalemate, Yoshitaka would be granted permission to go and claim Shima no Kuni. Reaching there, Yoshitaka and the Kuki suigun would assault the 13 main territories of Shima no Kuni, which were in complete control by their former allies¹¹. Without support from the Kitabatake’s, these territories were each taken down with little effort. The defenders of each territory made varying decisions as they found themselves powerless against the Kuki suigun; some would commit seppuku for fear of punishment, others would surrender and pledge loyalty by joining the ranks within the Kuki’s force. There are a few who were allowed to bear the Kuki surname, which further expanded their family line. Extracting revenge and proving to be the dominant force, Yoshitaka and his family (including his nephew Sumitaka) could once again return back to their home in Shima no Kuni. In time, they moved back into Tashiro Jo.

The siege on the Kitabatake concluded with Oda Nobunaga making the defeated Kitabatake clan as subordinates through a bargain¹², thus gaining control of Ise no Kuni. Due to his invaluable work, Nobunaga made Yoshitaka lord of Shima no Kuni. Also, Yoshitaka was granted the role as head of his Kuki line; since his performance as a naval commander made him to shine while Sumitaka did not engage in any military actions, Yoshitaka thought it was fitting that he took this role publicly¹³. With the rise in power, the reputation of the Kuki clan grew, especially as specialists in naval matters. Under the command of Yoshitaka, the Kuki name was affiliated with many historical events, which allowed them to see great success, or unforgettable failure. The following war below is an example of this.

1ST BATTLE AT THE ENTRYWAY OF KIZUGAWA

In 1576, Oda Nobunaga, in his attempt at supreme rule over Japan, traveled across the waters from the south in an attempt to quell the rebellious movement called Ikki Ikkō¹⁴. This rebellion was a continuation of the Ikki Ikkō that took place in Nagashima, Ise no Kuni from 1570 to 1574. The present one was headed by the Buddhist group Jōdo Shinsu sect of the temple Ishiyama Honganji¹⁵, located in the north-eastern part of Ōsaka. Lead by the 11th successor named Kennyo, he and his followers encouraged their fellow neighbors that self-governing was the way, rejecting Nobunaga’s growing presence for several years. Irritated by this thorn in his side, Nobunaga sought to capture Ishiyama Honganji in order to crush the rebels’ spirit once and for all.

Artwork of Kennyo. In the top left corner, says “顕如上人” (The saint Kennyo). Author unknown. From Wikipedia.

Kennyo made preparations in anticipation of Nobunaga’s inevitable arrival. Allies & supporters in the form of military families and warrior groups were called upon for help. Many came to give aid, including a team of rifle specialists called the Saika group¹⁶, and the Mōri clan who owned one of the largest navy at the time. Experienced in naval warfare, the Mōri clan set up a blockade with their ships to the south-west of Settsu no Kuni (present day Settsu City, Ōsaka), across the entryway of a waterway called Kizugawa. This was to prevent Oda’s forces from invading Ōsaka from the south. They even grew the size of their naval forces by recruiting others, including the Murakami suigun, which is considered one of Japan’s oldest and most successful naval fleets.

Nobunaga called upon his loyal generals once again for the task at hand, including Yoshitaka¹⁷. With the growth in naval power through his dominance over Shima no Kuni, Yoshitaka had amassed over 600 types of ships and boats, as well as guns for long range combat. He assembled his subordinates and comrades (including the newly recruited Toba suigun) to aid in this upcoming battle. Yoshitaka commanded a navy of 300 ships. He had been a loyal retainer to Nobunaga in many battles, and was ready to do his best again. Upon reaching Ōsaka’s south-western area, they were soon locked into combat with the Mōri clan and their navy at Kizugawa¹⁸.

As the battle ensued into the night, there were a few factors that tilted the scales in the favor of the Mōri clan. For starters, their side consisted of 600+ ships, doubling that of the Yoshitaka’s. Furthermore, the Mōri clan utilized long-range fire tactics which included incendiary projectiles called “hōroku dama¹⁹”, and incendiary arrows called “hōrokuya²⁰” from the Saika group. This proved especially effective during the night battle, as Yoshitaka’s navy couldn’t close the gap nor match the long-range combat with only their guns. In the end, Nobunaga’s force took a huge blow, not only in losing many ships of the Toba suigun to the fire attack, but a great number of important warriors died. Yoshitaka and the remaining fleet had to withdraw from the battle.

KUKI SUIGUN’S FAMOUS IRON-CLAD SHIPS

Enraged by the defeat, Nobunaga demanded that Yoshitaka make his next boats fire-proof, and have them ready for the next battle. Contemplating on the matter at hand for awhile, Yoshitaka came up with an idea to cover the boats with iron plates in the form of armor. This required lots of metal resources, which Nobunaga agreed to meet the needs for this project.

It took over a year, but Yoshitaka’s plan was completed. The result was very large boats outfitted with metal coverings that not only made them resistance to fire, but were also outfitted with large cannons and guns to deal devastating damage. Each of these boats were designed to hold up to 5000 people. Due to their size, these boats were named “Ise Ura no Dai Fune”, which stood for “Great Ships from Inner Ise²¹”.

In 1578, another attempt was made to capture Ishiyama Honganji. This time, Nobunaga’s naval force was made up of 6 iron-clad ships²² from Yoshitaka, and 1 iron-clad ship from his retainer Takigawa Kazumasu (he also took part in the project). They set off to Ōsaka, seeking victory in the upcoming rematch.

Map of Japan, showing where Shima no Kuni, Ise no Kuni, and Settsu no Kuni are located. Under Oda Nobunaga’s command, Kuki Yoshitaka and the Kuki suigun traveled south by boat in order to get to the port where Ishiyama Honganji was located.

2ND BATTLE AT THE ENTRYWAY OF KIZUGAWA

On their way to the southern part of Ōsaka, the Saika group sailed out to intercept them with about 500 ships. With his new ships, Yoshitaka and his naval force were able to rout the Saika group, gaining way to progress towards the waterways of Kizugawa. Seeing as Nobunaga would not be stopped so easily, Kennyo called upon the Mōri clan once again to help defend their land.

The Mōri, along with the Murakami suigun, assembled their naval force of 600 ships and headed out once again to repel the invaders by Kizugawa²³. Both sides fought as before, but the outcome was in Nobunaga’s favor as the iron-clad ships were impervious to the fire attacks from the Mōri’s naval force. In the end, the Kuki suigun was able to overpower the opposition granting Nobunaga the victory to this battle.

Nobunaga and his naval force embarked upon Ōsaka. Instead of attacking Ishiyama Honganji, he declared himself as controller of the seas around Japan, and cut off the delivery of goods and supplies that Kennyo and others regularly received from their neighbors, such as the Mōri clan. This task of controlling water travel was in the hands of Yoshitaka. While he tried to hold out for several more years, Kennyo finally submitted to Nobunaga due to internal strife.

The victory in the naval battle at Kizugawa greatly elevated Yoshitaka and the Kuki clan’s worth. As a reward for his success, Yoshitaka acquired more rewards, such as territories like Noda of Settsu and Fukushima, earned an increase to his yearly salary, and was elevated to feudal lord status.

ENDING

Here we conclude the 1st half of Kuki Yoshitaka’s tale. Service under Nobunaga was the beginning of growing the fame and status of the Kuki clan. The 2nd half of his tale will be posted soon, which will wrap up this 3-part series.

1) 九鬼嘉隆.

2) In many records from the past, it was not unusual to omit the names of mothers, wives, daughters, etc. This can be unfortunate at times when trying piece certain individuals’ complete family line and relations.

3) 戦国人名辞典. There are a few versions, one published by the Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, and another co-authored by Abe Takashi & Nishimura Keiko.

4) 九鬼嘉隆 信長・秀吉に仕えた水軍大将. Written by Shizu Saburō.

5) The Kuki of Nakiri was once one of the 7 Lords of Shima prior to their departure.

6) 滝川一益

7) 多芸城. Also written as 多気城 with the same pronunciation.

8) During this invasion of Ise no Kuni, Yoshitaka enlisted the Toba suigun to assist. Speaking of which, the Toba suigun (鳥羽水軍) appears to represent the naval force of Toba of Toshi Gun (Toshi District), Shima no Kuni. There is not much mentioned about their own history, such as significant members, if established prior to or after the Kuki clan’s 1st departure from Shima no Kuni, etc. The Toba suigun is affiliated with Toba Jo, Yoshitaka’s home, yet seem to be a separate entity from the Kuki suigun, although they seem paired together history-wise.

9) 大淀城

10) 大河内城

11) For more on this, see “Kuki Archives: Pioneering ~ Part 2“.

12) To “conclude” the war, Nobunaga offered his son, Oda Nobuo, for adoption to Kitabatake Tomonori. In a sense, it would seem as if Tomonori had a hostage as a bargaining chip, but in reality he was forced to retire as the lord of Ise no Kuni. Although he and his immediate family were spared, they were still at the mercy of Nobunaga’s whim.

13) This move turned Sumitaka into the “puppet” head, although he legally had rights as the head of their Kuki line.

14) 一向一揆. This stands for “unified movement towards self governance”. There were several cases of this, where groups within certain territories banded together to reject those rising in power.

15) Ishiyama Honganji (石山本願寺) was a very large estate where those of the Jōdo sect resided. It featured its main temple, along with other smaller housing structures. It sat in the center of several towns, surrounded by a moat and walls, similar to a castle. Along with its outer defenses, it housed its own inner defenses, including its own warriors that were equipped with rifles.

16) 雑賀衆

17) In terms of dates, Nobunaga was dealing with the Ikkō Ikki situation as early as 1570. Yoshitaka was involved in commanding naval battles in relation to this situation before the travel across the waters to Ōsaka.

18) This incident is known in Japanese as the “Kizugawaguchi no Tatakai” (木津川口の戦い, Battle at the Entryway of Kizugawa). It is part of the ongoing war called “Ishiyama Kassen” (石山合戦, War on Ishiyama Honganji) between Oda Nobunaga and those instigators of the Ikki Ikkō movement, primarily those of the Ishiyama Honganji. There were 2 battles that took place at Kizugawa, this being the first.

19) 焙烙玉. These are described as small clay pots filled with flammable materials inside. Propelled at their target, it will shatter upon impact, spreading the contents so to catch fire.

20) 焙烙火矢. Like the hōroku dama, these were arrows with small containers tied close by the arrowhead. Filled with flammable materials, the container shatters upon impact with its target, causing the contents to spill out and catch fire.

21) “Ise Ura”, or “Inner Ise” is referring to Shima no Kuni, where Yoshitaka resides.

22) This is how these boats are usually label in Japanese, which is “鉄甲船” (tekkousen).

23) Some written accounts claim that the Murakami suigun were not able to make it to the 2nd battle at Kizugawa in time, which contributed to the Mōri clan’s lose.

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Dispelling the Misconceptions of Bushido

Recently, I came across a conversation while watching a video about Bushido. Much is mentioned, from its interpreted image to how it should truly be understood. Bushido, as a topic, is one that is mainly misinterpreted, especially outside of Japan. For this post we will look at the various angles concerning Bushido, and try to define it from a historcal point of view.

Let’s first set our attention to the conversation regarding Bushido. It comes from the video “Way of the Warrior -The Samurai Way”¹, which features the martial tradition called Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō ryu. During the video, the leading head instructor, Ōtake Risuke, gives a lecture to his students regarding Bushido, as it relates to their training. Below is the full Japanese text of his lecture which was transcribed from the audio, followed by my translation in English².

This lecture on the topic of Bushido can be directly compared to a book called “Hagakure³”, which is possibly well known amongst many practitioners of Japanese martial arts. The contents of this book features the memoirs of Yamamoto Tsunetomo, and his views on both Bushido and the way samurai should live. Although he was a samurai in his younger days, it should be noted that he was so during peaceful times. Not only did he never step foot on the battlefield, but was disgruntled at how the samurai class had became burdened with bureaucratic work. On top of that, his opinions on the topic of Bushido was solely on his romanticize belief on what Bushido should be, which includes his views on death and the use of suicide⁴.

The purpose of today’s post is to hopefully bring some light on a topic that has been misunderstood, even in its native country. To get a clear understanding on what Bushido was, as well as the samurai who followed it, one needs to look into the pages of history.

My copy of “Hagakure”, which was bought many years ago.

WHAT IS BUSHIDO

The formalizing of the word Bushido is much recent than one would imagine. It was first discovered in a military journal call “Koyo Gunkan”, a historical recordings of the Takeda clan which was compiled by Kasuga Toratsuna⁵ during early 1600s of Edo period. In the Koyo Gunkan, the use of Bushido was as a label in referencing to qualities those who were considered bushi, or warriors in English, should follow both in lifestyle and profession. This term was not any different from older terms⁶ serving the same purpose, although some changes and adjustments made over the centuries in accordance to how the society of Japan evolved.

Bushido was, at the time, a philosophical view, albeit abit romanticized in its own rights. The “traits” that a true warrior was supposed to possess in accordance to this included being loyal and true to his lord, humble yet virtuous, brave under extreme conditions, and striving to do his best. While an honorable philosophy at best, Bushido was not the official term throughout Japan, as warriors belonged to different areas, served different lords of completely different domains, and followed their own rules and ethics according to which groups they belong to. There were probably similarities between the way warriors conducted themselves in general, and Bushido (if it could serve as a universal label) may possibly describe these similarities in one nice package. On another note, it’s also important to understand that this word wasn’t commonly known even to the general public until early 1900s.

Looking through the pages of history, you’ll find many accounts of how warriors handled their lifestyle that should attest to what Bushido represents. During times of war they had a role, and that was to ensure their side were the winners. In times when battling a rivaling warlord, warriors had to do their part to see victory, from executing proper formations on the battlefield, ensuring supplies and equipments were at hand, and defending their forts and castles. They worked together as a unit, and were trained to avoid rash and egotistical behavior. No warrior was perfect, but the groundwork placed for them was strict.

THE ROLE OF DEATH

Within the philosophy of Bushido, there is the notion of death, as this is a topic warriors would most likely face early in their career during the warring periods in Japan. Did they acknowledge death? Most likely, yes. However, not in the sense of killing themselves when they messed up or have failed in their duties. Instead, it was treated as a means to put their all into their life. In other words, they needed to be willing to die for what they believed in. This in turned not only allowed them to abandon fear, thus allowing them to accept the possibility of death, but to put their heart & soul into their tasks 100%, and continue to live. In a way, they learned to appreciate life and live to their utmost fullest…until their last breath. This understanding is what propeled famous warriors such as Miyamoto Musashi and Tsukahara Bokuden to be so successful in their careers as warriors when engaging with opponents both on and off the battlefield, and live long enough to talk about it.

With the acknowledgement of death, they could feel the need to do everything in their power for success while they were still alive. Many warriors had families they needed to care of, so working hard in gaining employment under a powerful warlord, earning merits through fighting fiercely on the battlefield, and receiving rewards was top priority. Bushi had much to live for, as they weren’t any different from warriors of other countries.

ABOUT THE SAMURAI

The term samurai did not become a permanent label for those of the elite warrior class until during Edo period⁷ (early 1600s). There were always those elite warriors who served a lord and received better living conditions & exclusive martial training, but their status evolved over time, which meant their roles in society, how they engaged on the battlefield, and the luxuries they could acquire changed. It was a responsibility that those priviledged in being born in a samurai family took pride in, and those not born to bear such title sought to earn. A prime example is Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who was born the son of a poor farmer, but rose up to enter the warrior class and become one of Japan’s most powerful and influential warlords during the 1500s.

As the samurai, while still active as warriors, became a status and class within the social caste, following what is generally labeled as bushido was imperative. They took it seriously until the very end. Along with understanding the ways of war, they were also educated, and learned in the arts. Some made contributions through poetry, calligraphy, and tea ceremony. This is a testament that for the samurai there where avenues that promoted a sense of balance in their lives.

REGARDING FAILURE

In Japan, there is an old saying that goes as so: “nanakorobi yaoki⁸”. Translated it states “when you fall 7 times, you get back up 8 times”. Simple to understand, no matter how many times you fail at something, you try again and again until you get it right. Everyone fails at one point or another in life. Even warriors of the samurai class were not exempt from failure.

Famous figures from history books are great examples, for not only was their accomplishments recorded, but their loses were documented as well. Like the old saying above, they picked themselves up, learned from their mistakes, and tried again, which in turn allowed them to accomplish amazing things. If Yamamoto Kansuke were to have ended his life early from failure in gaining employment due to his physical imperfections, would this not prevent him from becoming one of Takeda Shingen’s most reliable military strategists? If the skilled warrior Yagyu Munetoshi were to have killed himself due to shame after losing several duels against Kamiizumi Hidetsuna, would this not have prevented the birth of Yagyu Shinkage ryu Heiho? If Tokugawa Ieyasu regretted retreating due to the big lost faced during the Battle of Mikatagahara and commited seppuku⁹ instead of having his portrait taken, would this not prevent his successful unification of Japan years later?

FINAL WORDS

It is unfortunate that the modern interpretation of Bushido is misleading outside of Japan, especially for many years. In learning about Bushido, one must look to sources that have a connection to the past, as well as to those who can properly interpret it from its native language. I hope this post may contribute to promoting a clearer understanding regarding this topic, as well as help guide those who wish to research further.

1) “Way of the Warrior” was a 7-part series filmed by BBC, and aired on TV in the 80s. Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō ryu’s part was the 7th and final one of the series.

2) The original video already had translations of the lecture. However, as there are some nuances that differ from the original Japanese in that particular translation, I chose to provide my own to give a clearer understanding to what Mr. Ōtake is discussing.

3) Here is some background information. The book “Hagakure” (葉隠) is a collection of commentries by Yamamoto Tsumetomo (1659-1719), who was a retainer of the Saga Domain ruler Nabeshima Mitsushige during the Edo period (1603-1868). The contents of this book primarily deals with Tsumetomo’s life, his issues under his lord, and his dismay regarding the decline of the samurai class. What really draws attention to this book are his beliefs of what Bushido is; for the most part, he defines Bushido as the way of death, and that the samurai should live not only as if they are dead, but be willing to die at a moment’s notice, including alongside their lord. At the time these memoirs were written, Tsunetomo was an elderly monk, and had long removed himself from the samurai class.

4) The use of suicide by samurai here refers to the ceremonial-like method of taking one’s life, which is called “seppuku” (切腹). Seppuku is conducted with a person going into a kneeling position, plunges a knife into the gut, then cut across the stomach. Note that this is referred to as “harakiri” (腹切り) outside of Japan since modern times, which in turn the Japanese have also accepted the use of this word.

5) 春日虎綱. Also known under the name of Kōsuka Masanobu (高坂昌信) .

6) Like Bushido, the older concepts that outlined the ways of the warrior were based on different time periods and defined by the way warfare was conducted. Some examples are “Kyūba no Michi” (弓馬の道) and “Buke Shohatto” (武家諸法度).

7) The label “samurai”, as it is known now, was used late in Japan’s history. In fact, the conception of the word went through different transformations. Dating back to the Heian period (794-1185), its roots come from the colloquial term “one who serves”, which was primarily reserved for those who were employed by nobility. It had different pronunciations over the centuries, from “samorau/samora(h)i” to “saburau/sabura(h)i”. The final transformation to “samurau/samurai” came sometime around mid-century, and into early Edo period.

For a few centuries, it had no implication of those servants having any relations to the warrior class, or even a person studying martial combat as a profession. There were other terms that defined those following the path of the warrior, from the older term “mononofu” (モノノフ), to more medieval terms such as “bushi” (武士) and heihōsha (兵法者). “Bushi” was predominantly the universal term, which did not make much distinction between elite warriors and low-ranking warriors (there were other titles for that).

As for when the term “samurai” first came into use, it also was a universal term for “warrior”. However, this was later changed sometime early Edo period (1603-1868), where it became reserved for those warrior families that served as retainers for the nobility and warlords.

8) 七転び八起き. There is another way (possibly older) to read this, which is “shichiten hakki” (七顚八起). Other than a difference in pronunciation, the 2nd kanji is also different, albeit having the same meaning in this case.

9) See #4

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Kuki Archives: Pioneering ~ Part 2

We continue with part 2 of pioneers of the Kuki clan. In part 1, we covered the origins of the Kuki through Fujiwara Ryūshin and his migration to Kuki Ura. While Ryūshin, and many of his descendants would continue to reside at Kuki Ura, at some point a new line will branch off from the main line. This happens through the hands of Kuki Takayoshi¹, who in turn gives way to a new chapter of events that further spreads the name of the Kuki family.

Kuki Takayoshi was born as the 2nd son of Kuki Takafusa², who was the 2nd child of Ryūshin as well as the 3rd generation of the main line. Takayoshi grew up in Kuki Ura, where he would most likely learn the family’s crafts, including seafaring.

The Kuki family had strong ties to the Southern Court. This is due to Ryūshin’s dedication to the Southern Emperor Godaigo. In turn, members of the Kuki clan gained employment at & worked for the Southern Court. While his father, his uncle Takaharu, and older brother Takanaga all had kept up this working history during their youth, Takayoshi instead broke this tradition by not going on the same path. Instead, he became the first to leave the nest and, in 1362 set out to migrate in a different area.

A map of Japan, with Shima no Kuni colored in red. It is along the Tōkaidō (Eastern Sea Road) which is shown shaded, estimated, in green.

Takayoshi headed east, most likely by boat. He arrived in the south eastern part of Mie Prefecture, around a peninsula. This land area, called Shima no Kuni³, has a long rocky coast that was advantageous for anyone who could set up a form of base on any of its points. With the companions that accompanied Takayoshi, they embarked on one area on the rocky coast. They made their home by building a fortress, and called it Nakiri Jo (Nakiri Castle in English)⁴. Takayoshi would reside here for the remainder of his life, thus the Nakiri-Kuki line begins.

The Nakiri-Kuki line would remain in Shima no Kuni for about the next 200 years. They would keep in contact with the main Kuki line through traveling by boat. Over the years, some would offer their services to the ruling power, and earn titles through military service. Kuki Sadataka, the 5th head of the Kuki line, is an example of this, for he worked up to the position of “宮内大輔” (Imperial Vice Minister). Although information is scarce, it is said that Sadatake was an accomplished battle commander who was lord of Nakiri Jo during the 1500s.

Artwork entitled “Shima Nakiri”, by Asano Takeji. From “Ukiyoe Kensaku“.

Interestingly, the Kuki-Nakiri line was well documented as being a powerful family within Shima no Kuni, and having quite an influence in the area. Some of their exploits can be found in old memoirs such as the “Kansei Choushūsho Kafu”⁵, “Kitabatake Monogatari”⁶, and “Shima Gunki”⁷. As the Kuki’s involvement in Shima no Kuni is very important during the medieval age in Japan, I will discuss this in detail below.
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KUKI AND THE 13 TERRITORIES OF SHIMA

Around the mid 1500s, the Kuki of Nakiri were one of 7 families⁸ that controlled 2 of the 13 territories⁹ around the coast of Shima no Kuni, which are Nakiri and Tashiro. At this time, Kuki Kiyotaka was made 6th head of the Kuki line, and was lord of both Nakiri Jo in Daiōzaki Nakiri, and Tashiro Jo in Toba City, Mie Prefecture. He was aided by his teen son Sumitaka¹⁰, and his younger brother Yoshitaka¹¹. The Kuki of Nakiri made a pact between the other families that none would wrongfully cross into the other’s territory for the sake of war. They agreed to keep the peace as they controlled the activities that happened within their borders. This possibly included monopolizing on trades, as well as benefiting off of anything and anyone who came by sea¹². This organization of territorial rule gave them the nickname “The 13 Territorial Lords of Shima”¹³.

Sometime in the mid 1500s, a prestigious clan called Kitabatake sailed into Shima no Kuni with a rather powerful battalion. The clan’s leader, Kitabatake Harutomo, was ambitious in increasing the power and esteem of his family name through force. It is also said that the 7 families became subordinates of the Kitabatake¹⁴. For some time, Harutomo gained control over Shima no Kuni and, possibly used the 7 families as an extension of his own navel force¹⁵. His rule, however, was not absolute; the 7 families still maintained their ownership over their forts and land. So on one hand, it can be said that Harutomo used them as his underlings.

Artwork of Kitabatake Tomonori. Author unkown. From Wikipedia.

For some reason, Kiyotaka devised a scheme to gain control over the other 11 territories, risking the consequences of going against the pact they made with the other 6 families¹⁶. Little by little, the Kuki and their force staged assaults on the other territories, doing so by sea and covert means. With success on their side, the Kuki clan was, for a short period of time, the dominant force and on the road to gaining complete control of Shima no Kuni.

The other 6 families, distraught by the Kuki’s treachery and bold trek for power, decided to band together to fight their stronger opponent. They also gained support from Kitabatake Tomonori, the son of Harutomo, to further strengthen their numbers with his troops and solidify their resolve. They first stormed upon Tashiro Jo, which was defended by Kiyotaka, Sumitaka, Yoshitaka, and their own force. This siege was not an easy endeavor at first for the attackers, for Tashiro Jo had natural fortification through the wetlands that surrounded its perimeter. The Kuki and their force were not pushovers due to their resourcefulness and tactics. On top of this, Kiyotaka is said to have worked hard while being on the defense, for his prowess with the yumiya (bow & arrow)¹⁷ allowed him to keep his attackers at bay.

Unfortunately, during the duration of the siege, Kiyotaka became severely ill and unable to fight. The cause and the exact condition is unknown¹⁸, but in time Kiyotaka would die from his illness. He would pass succession of the 2 forts and the family line to his son, Sumitaka upon his death bed. While their standings against the siege was fairly well at this point, it took another impact as the soldiers of the Kuki side lost morale as they learned that their respected leader had passed away. Fearing that there was no insurance of the Kuki’s survival, many had abandoned the battle.

Remains of Nakiri Jo. Photo taken by N Yotarou. From Wikipedia.

Seeing as there was no way to win this losing battle, Sumitaka, would abandon Tashiro Jo with any remaining loyal followers, and flee west to Asamayama (Mt. Asama) in Mie Prefecture. There, he would lay low within what was considered the holy grounds of worship for many traveling monks and mountain ascetics. Yoshitaka, on the other hand, would make an attempt to salvage their foothold in Shima no Kuni by returning to Nakiri Jo, and preparing to continue the fight. As expected, the opposing threat did make their way to this fort and continued their siege. Unfortunately for Yoshitaka, his limited force was overpowered, and couldn’t hold out. To avoid being captured, Yoshitaka and his remaining troops escaped from Nakiri Jo, fled to their boats, and took to the seas. Thus, the Nakiri-Kuki line left Shima no Kuni behind, and closed their chapter there, if only temporary.

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We close here with the Kuki family’s efforts to expand to another part of Japan. Although this Kuki line had a short term on Japan’s eastern coast this time around, they remain resourceful, and wouldn’t be deterred by setbacks for long. Stay tuned to the final part, where we learn of possibly the greatest achievement that cemented the Kuki family’s name in history.

***UPDATE***

A slight edit regarding Takayoshi acquiring Nakiri Jo was made, along wih several updates to notes #1, 4 and 9.

1) 九鬼隆良. All sources that I’m aware of do not state a birth date or deceased date for Takayoshi. Based on his travel to Shima no Kuni, his birth date should be around late early 1300s.

2) 九鬼隆房. Takafusa is said to have been adopted into the Kuki family.

3) 志摩の国. Usually, written as 志摩国 with the “no” being omitted, although it is said verbally. Up until the 8th century, it was written as either “嶋国” or “志麻国”, still possessing the same pronunciation.

4) 波切城. Also called “Nakiri Kuki Jo” (波切九鬼城). Here is some extra background info regarding Nakiri Jo and how Takayoshi actually acquired it below.

“Before the Kuki’s venture to Shima no Kuni, The area of Nakiri was controlled by the Kawazura family (川面氏). Around the early 1360s an agreement was made between the Kuki family and a Kawazura Genzaemon (川面源左衛門) to have Takayoshi become his adopted son through marraige with his daughter. After reaching Nakiri’s shore and all arrangements were met around 1363, Takayoshi, through the support of Genzaemon, had Nakiri Jo built.”

As a side note, forts built on the coasts were usually identified by the kanji “砦”, which is pronounced “toride” or “sai”. The reason is because it meant “a fortified structure built on top of rocks”. They tend to be smaller than a typical castle, and were at times an extention of a bigger castle used to defend against threats. Thus, in the past it was not unusual for the fort Nakiri (and others of its kind) to have this in their name instead of “城” (jo). Nowadays, the toride kanji has been replaced by jo kanji as a universal label.

5) 寛政重修諸家譜. Compiled during the Kansei period from 1789 to 1801, a written account of events by feudal lords and vassals of the Shogun over the course of history. This spans into 1,530 volumes.

6) 北畠物語. 7-volume compilation of events the Kitabatake were involved in from the 1500s to mid 1600s. Entries written by members of the Kitabatake clan.

7) 志摩軍記. Written account of Kuki Yoshitaka and his exploits in Shima no Kuni. Author is unknown, but is signed to be from the “possessions of the Kita family” (來田氏家蔵).

8) These 7 families are often called “七党” (Shichitō), which gives an implication that they banded together to govern/maintain strongholds & activities around Shima no Kuni.

As written in the “Kitabatake Monogatari” these 7 families are recognized according to their last names, which are the following:

  • Ousatsu (相差)
  • Miura (三浦)
  • Takeda (武田)
  • Kuki (九鬼)
  • Aoyama (青山)
  • Saji (佐治)
  • Hamajima (浜島)

9) The 13 territories are each occupied by a fortress, and controlled by one of the 7 families. The names of these forts are the following:

  • Obama/Kohama Jo (小浜城)
  • Arajima Jo (楽島城)
  • Ura Jo (浦城)
  • Chiga Jo (千賀城)
  • Matoya Jo (的矢城)
  • Anraku Jo (安楽城)
  • Kōka Jo (甲賀城)
  • Kou Jo (国府城)
  • Nakiri Jo (波切城)
  • Koshika Jo (越賀城)
  • Wagu Jo (和具城)
  • Iwakura Jo (岩倉城) (Actually Tashiro Jo [田城城] of Iwakura Town?!?)
  • Toba Jo (鳥羽城)

12) Some sources claim that these 7 families engaged in “pirate-like” activities. The term in Japanese used is 海賊 (kaizoku). While it shares many similarities to how the term “pirates” is used in the West, some sources claim that kaizoku in medieval Japan also engaged in business practices, albeit “shady” and borderline extortion. This includes travelers needing to pay/bribe their way through pirate territories.

13) This label is, but one of many variants of names used. None of them are official, but a naming convention based on who’s talking about them. Some of the names I’ve come across include “Shima Shichitō” (志摩七党, 7-Family Coalition of Shima no Kuni), “Jūsan Chizu” (十三地頭, The 13 Land Owners), and “Shima Jūsannin Shu” (The 13-Members Brigade of Shima no Kuni).

14) Take note that Shima no Kuni had those who officially governed it over the centuries. However, this was more of a superficial declaration and never really acted on. Reason is Shima no Kuni had no good lands for harvesting rice, which was necessary for establishing means of living. Thus one of the reasons why the 7 families could exist without much opposition for a while, albeit most close by or on the coast.

On the other hand, the Kitabatake clan claimed ownership and acted upon it by controlling the 7 families. It doesn’t appear that any confrontation took place. Possibly Harutomo was able to sway their loyalty with words and the size of his army…?

15) In documentations such as “Kitabatake Monogatari” states that the Kitabatake utilized the Kuki’s naval skills as part of their navy. Possibly the other 6 families were used as well, but maybe the Kuki of Nakiri were depended on more. Possibly the Kuki’s navy was much more accomplished than the others.

16) In the “Shima Gunki”, it is implied that the Kuki conspired with the Kitabatake to take complete control over Shima no Kuni. If this is true, then originally the Kitabatake was in favor of this, but must’ve had reasons to steer away from this scheme.

17) 弓矢. An older way of saying archery. Skills in archery was seen in high regard among warriors due to its advantage and the discipline needed to use it.

18) Many sources that summarize Kiyotaka’s death have varying comments regarding this. Some say some form of sickness, others say injury from battle.

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Revisiting the Shichiyō through Takaharu

During research regarding areas some members of the Kuki family resided at in the past, I’ve come across a lot of interesting information. One of this is a short bio on Kuki Takaharu, the 2nd generation of the original line. What I wasn’t expecting in his bio was a description regarding the Shichiyō emblem used by the Kuki family. While I made a post regarding one concept of the Shichiyō before called “Kuki Archives: Shichiyō“, the new information in today’s post gives a slight variation regarding its meaning.

The source of this info comes from the site “Shashin de Miru Kuki Suigun Hasshō no Chi“¹, which has a good amount of information regarding some of the earlier Kuki members taken from old publications. Below is the bio for Kuki Takaharu, in its original Japanese, follow by my translation in English.

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二代隆治（たかはる）

隆信の長男、南朝に奉仕宮内少輔に補された。

後村上天皇より倫旨を賜る（寛永十七年火災で焼失）

天授元年（１３７５）春九鬼浦、帰路に難に遭い、平生崇拝している、北野天満宮の霊験より難を逃れるれ

翁が突然現れ、南方の七曜星の輝き目標の進むよう諭しあり無事九鬼に帰る

城の西北の浄地に天神社を創建、五人張の弓、箭を神幣とした、この地を「宮ノ谷」と称す

家紋も左三巴であったが、神恩を記念し、七曜星を表紋、巴を裏紋として是より、用いた

Takaharu, 2nd Generation of the Kuki (original) Line²

Ryūshin’s oldest son, he was appointed to serve within the Imperial palace of the Southern court as assistant vice minister. This was bestowed upon him through the order of Emperor Gomurakami. (this order was lost in a fire in the 17th year of the Kanei period (1640) )

During the Spring in the 1st year of the Tenju period (1375), Takaharu faced much difficulties on the path back to Kuki Mura. While on his routine worship session at Kitano Tenmangu, he was able to overcome this difficulty through a miracle.

An old man suddenly appeared before him, and advised Takaharu to follow along the bright lights from the “7 Stars” (aka Big Dipper) that are to the south in order to return home. With haste, he did as was told and made it back home to Kuki Ura.

To the northwest of Kuki Jo (Kuki Castle), a shrine for a heavenly deity³ was built on purified grounds. A “goninbari no yumi⁴” and arrows were offered as a shinpei⁵ to this shrine. This location is called “Miya no Tani”.

The Shichiyō is the Kuki clan’s emblem. On the other hand, the Mitsudomoe is also used as a family emblem. The Shichiyō is the “omote” (visible) emblem as it is honored for its divine blessing, while the Mitsudomoe is the “ura” (hidden) emblem.

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The conception of the Shichiyō may have been through Takaharu, based on his bio. The Shichiyō, in this case, appears to be related to the Big Dipper, which in Eastern Asia is referred to as the “Seven Stars of the Northern Dipper”⁶. Takaharu used the placement of these stars to find his way home, most likely by boat. This makes sense, as the Kuki specialized in sea travel through their navy, and using the stars for navigation on the seas would be a must. On top of this, the Shichiyō emblem was considered the main one used to represent the Kuki clan, while the Mitsudomoe was a secret one.

This post makes for a good continuation of the aforementioned post mentioned above, for it helps answer some questions that I originally had regarding the Shichiyō. In a future post, we will address the Mitsudomoe emblem, and see what can be learned from its history.

1) 写真で見る九鬼水軍発祥の地

2) Takaharu is also recognized by the last name “Fujiwara” in certain sources.

3) This shrine was called “Tenmangu”. Later, it’s name was changed to “Kuki Jinja”.

4) 五人張の弓. A bow that is prepped for use by 5 people. 4 people bend the bow, while 1 person strings it.

5) 神幣. A shinpei is often called a nusa (幣), which is a wooded rod with zig-zag paper streamers tied on the top end. It is used in Shinto rituals. For the case mentioned above, wooden arrows were used to form a nusa.

6) This is called “Hokuto Shichisei” (北斗七星) in Japanese.

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Kuki Archives: Pioneering ~ Part 1

Looking at any of the family lineage charts of the Kuki clan that are public, you will notice they are pretty large. There are many family branches on these charts, some blood line and some not. At different time periods various members migrated to different regions in Japan, with their influence having an effect on their environment one way or the other. In a 3-part series, I will focus on the main line¹ of the Kuki clan, touching upon some key historical events. Ranging from where they resided down to merits earned, we’ll look through the pages of history and discover those individuals who, as pioneers, contributed to making the Kuki name famous.

The Kuki family’s first venture is by its originator, Fujiwara Ryūshin². A descendant of an ancient & prestige clan called Fujiwara, it is no mystery that he would be recognized by this family name in many historical document. Interestingly, Ryūshin would pick up other titles and nicknames, a few based on his professions at one point³. The family name “Kuki” would come much later, which possibly is a derivative of yet another one granted to him called “Kukami”⁴. While there’s a good account of his life, there are many unclear parts to Ryūshin’s story, even up to his final days.

A map of Japan where Fujiwara Ryūshin was active in throughout his life.

Ryūshin was alive and active in the 1300s, during the Nanbokucho period⁵. He was born in the Kumano area, where his father was a head priest at the shrine called Hongu Taisha in Wakayama prefecture. In historical documentations, especially those attached to famous landmarks, his birthdate is stated as unknown⁶. Due to his family’s well-being, Ryūshin was not only educated, he was also considered a skilled fighter due to access in studying martial, military, and esoteric arts⁷. These he learned both from his family, as well as at temples up in Mt. Kurama foumd in Japan’s capital Heian Kyo (present-day Kyoto prefecture).

In his adulthood, Ryūshin resided in Sagura, located in Ise no Kuni (present day Yokkaichi city). As a supporter of the Southern Emperor Godaigo, he would show his loyalty by working at the Southern Court in Yoshino (present day Yoshino town in Nara prefecture) as a soldier. Upon climbing the ranks, he rose to the position of Chūjō, meaning “Vice Admiral”. To distinguish this, his title while in service was “Sagura Chūjō Ryūshin”⁸.

Years later, around 1346⁹, Ryūshin was attacked by a Northern court supporter named Nikki Yoshinaga¹⁰, through the betrayal of Hiraga Kurando¹¹. Details about this are scarce, for example it’s not mentioned where & how this incident took place, nor if Ryūshin along with his collegues faced this assault. In any event, this incident drove Ryūshin away from Sagura.

Ryūshin would move abit more south west, and make his new residence in an area called “Kuki Ura¹²”. Kuki Ura is generally said to be in Mie Prefecture around Kii Muro District. However, if we get more specific, most historical records would point to eastern part of Owase City found in Kii Peninsula within the southern region of Mie prefecture. This new area had many large hills and trees, giving it a natural defense against threats. A harbor was not too far away from Kii Peninsula, which gave access to naval travel to the Kuki family, as well as develop their seafaring skills¹³. This location was also useful later for the Kuki Suigun.

Ryūshin would establish a fortress called Kuki Jo (九鬼城, Kuki Castle) in the hills that overlooked the sea. Later, a town called Kuki Cho (九鬼町, Kuki Town) would be developed around Kuki Jo. With a background in Shinto practice, Ryūshin would also have a hand in the construction of a temple called Yakushiji (薬師寺), now known present day as Shinganji (真巌寺).

A picture of Kuki Jinja. Taken by and copyright of Yanai Kenichiro. Used with permission.

Kuki Takaharu¹⁴, Ryūshin’s oldest son, would later assist in the development of a shrine to the west of Kuki jo. This shrine, called Tenmangu, sat ontop of a tree-laden hill in front of the docks with this location called “Miya no Tani” (Imperial’s Vally). An offering of “Goninbari” bow¹⁵ and arrows were presented to this new shrine. Generations later, it’s name was changed from “Tenmangū” to “Kuki Jinja”.

Ryūshin and his family’s influence in this area is still seen today. While Kuki Jo is no more, Kuki Cho and the shrines they established still exist. Kuki Cho continued to grow over the many generations, with a flourishing fishing community, and a Kuki Station on the Japanese National Railway. As a form of markings from the past, many of the older houses there still bear a “Hidari Mitsudomoe” crest along the top of the roofs, which is one of the 2 kamon (family crest) of the Kuki. The influence of the Kuki clan still remains in this town.

This wraps up part 1, through the first steps of pioneering done by Fujiwara Ryūshin. Part 2 will be out soon, to continue with the ventures of the Kuki clan.

1) This line, often considered original, is nicknamed “Kunaike” (宮内家), which means “Imperial household” or “Family of the Imperial line”.

2) 藤原隆真. The name “Ryūshin” doesn’t follow the “conventional” naming style, although it’s possibly an exception for his time period. How his name may have also been pronounced is shared from Kuki-related Japanese sites as “Takazane”. Another possible pronunciation is “Takamasa”. These would not only be viewed as more culturally correct, but would put his name in line with how his descendants are named.

3) An example, “Yakushimaru” is a childhood name he used. This was given to him based on his successful conception and birth believed possible by the prayers his mother performed to the Buddhist god Yakushi at the temple Enryakuji, which is on Mt. Hiei in the northern part of Kyoto.

4) The background info of “Kukami” is related to Ryūshin’s story of martial prowess and unshaken loyalty to the Southern court Emperor Godaigo. Documentations regarding this are found in the possession of the Kuki family. For more on this, please read one of my older posts here.

On the other hand, many sources that speak either of the Kuki family’s martial traditions, military exploits, religious connections, or territorial migration give different accounts just when the Kuki name was in use. There’s much confusion when trying to sort reality from fiction. For the most part, the name “Kuki” was used later in Ryūshin’s life, possibly after residing in Kuki Ura for many years.

5) 南北朝時代. The title “Nabokucho” refers to the split in the Imperial house located in Kyoto around 1336, where 2 brothers by the names of Komyo and Godaigo were in disagreement regarding who was next in line to take the throne as Emperor. Thus, 2 Imperial courts were established that recognized each brother as an Emperor, one to the north of Kyoto (Komyo) and the other to the south (Godaigo). Despite years of conflict both on and off the battlefield, both courts were finally unified in 1392.

6) In sources from those related to the main Kuki line, Ryūshin’s birthdate is stated to be either 1317 or 1318.

7) The original martial system Ryūshin learned is called “Shinden Fujiwara Musō ryu (神伝藤原無双流). Along with esoteric training, he also studied the martial arts once taught at the temples on Mt. Kurama.

8) 佐倉中将隆真. This title means “Vice Admiral Ryūshin of Sagura”. It was not uncommon during ancient times where one’s last name (if that individual had a last name) would be dropped and replaced by either where they come from or where they are employed at.

9) Depending on the source, the actual date is conflicting. For example, in “Kiizoku Fuushiki” (紀伊続風土記), date written is 1367. Other sources, such as “Owase no Uramura” (おわせの浦村), date is 1346. Differences could be based on the calender used. Following the standards how historical events are presented by accepted sources and records, I am using the latter.

10) 仁木義長. Yoshinaga was a vassal of the Ashikaga clan, as well as a commander. Being of the Northern court, he took part in conflicts against the Southern Emperor Godaigo and his supporters. Apparently, Yoshinaga, along with the help of his brother, was able to get certain individuals from the Southern court territories to side with him.

11) Kurando was a lord of an area in Hanawa District, located in what is know known as Tsugaru, Aomori Prefecture.

12) 九木浦. While pronounced the same, Kuki Ura’s “Kuki” is different from the family name “Kuki”. The 2nd character in Kuki Ura stands for “tree”, different from the one in the Kuki family’s name “九鬼”, which stands for “demon”. Apparently, it was first written as “九鬼浦”, but changed years later to what it is now.

13) Most of Ryūshin’s knowledge of navel matters originally comes from the Kumano Betto (head priests) that administered the 3 grand shrines in the mountains of Kumano in Wakayama prefecture. For example, the head priest Tanzō (湛増) (1130-1198) is famous for commanding the Kumano Suigun (Kumano Navy) that assisted Minamoto no Yoshitsune in defeating the Taira clan in the battle “Dan no Ura” in 1185.

14) 隆治. Not to be confused with the Takaharu born in Meiji period (1886-1980), this Takaharu is the oldest son of Ryūshin and counted as the 2nd in line as head of this Kuki line. In regards to both the martial/religious traditions and the militaristic engagements of the Kuki family, Takaharu’s name doesn’t come up. Cross referencing the different lineage charts in books such as “Shinden Bujutsu” (written by Takatsuka Eichoku) and “Kukishinden Zensho: Nakatomi Shintō, Kumano Shugendō” (written by Agō Kiyohiko), his name is not on them, as if skipped. Reason for this could be that he didn’t partake in/inherit anything.

For information about this Takaharu, one would have to access other sources related to where he resided/grew up. For example, Takaharu is mentioned on the official homepage for Kuki Cho here, as well as on some other sites. Common background info is that Takaharu was employed at the Sourthern court in Ise no Kuni as a “Sunaisuke” (少輔), which is equivalent to “Assistant Vice-Minister”. You can say that he followed in his father’s footsteps and worked in the same place Ryūshin did. He returned much later home, where he aided his aging father in the construction of the shrine Tenmangū.

15) 五人張りの弓. “Goninbari” bow means a bow that requires five people to string & prep for use. That is, four people bend the bow, while one person strings it.

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Story of the Skillful Archer named Hangaku Gozen

There are a good number of female figures in Japanese history that are hard to come about. From acts of bravery on the battlefield, to power over the mass in political struggles, these female figures do exist in old historical books, which takes a bit of digging to come about. In today’s post, I will focus on one who is known by the name of Hangaku Gozen1.

A artwork of Hangaku Gozen. Labeled “Hangakujo”, from the series “Yoshitoshi no Mushaburui”. By Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. From Wikipedia.

Taking her name from the pages of historical books2, Hangaku Gozen is said to exemplify the image of a warrior, for she survived harsh conditions on the battlefield. She is hailed for her discipline and bravery, along with her skills with the bow and arrow. Often compared to the legendary Tomoe Gozen3, the tale of Hangaku Gozen is illustrated in older books, paintings, and in plays. Nowadays, there are jidai geki (historical drama) and cosplay (aka costume play, where one dresses up as a particular character) of Hangaku Gozen in public events especially in her hometown. Yet, even in modern society of Japan today many have not heard her name nor story. Through this post, I will share Hangaku Gozen’s tale.

HISTORY

The setting for Hangaku Gozen’s story begins in the later years of the Heian period. This period, rich in agriculture, is where the Imperial family, along with those of religious and aristocratic ties, were in the upper tiers in society. Hangaku was born in a prestigious buke (warrior family), bearing the surname Jō4. Having blood ties with the powerful Taira clan, famous for their political and military power, the Jō family was considerably resourceful and influential within the lands in Echigo no Kuni (present day Niigata). While the warrior class was not high in social status at this time as religious and aristocratic groups, they were still feared for their military strength, which is what the Jō family possessed.

Hangaku’s birth year is 1172. She is the daughter to the head of the Jō family, Jō Sukekuni5. Her mother, while name is unknown, is the granddaughter of Kiyohara no Takehira6, who was of a noble family. Hangaku grew up in Sangyōji Castle7, which stood in Okuyama Manor8 (present day Nakajo Town), located in Echigo no Kuni. She is the youngest of 3 children, her siblings being Sukenaga9 (oldest) and Nagamochi10 (middle). She also has a nephew (Sukenaga’s son) named Sukemori11 she grew up with.

GROWING UP

Since the Jō family were well off financially, Hangaku and her siblings received good education, as well as versed in the ways of warfare. Hangaku showed she was exceptionally gifted in both, which her father Sukekuni soon recognized. He ensured that she received the same learning experience akin to her brothers and nephew. Due to her intelligence and talents, it is said that Hangaku was even allowed to manage castle affairs while her father and brothers were away.

Hangaku’s skills in bujutsu (warrior arts) are said to be impressive. While there are no records that go into details regarding her bujutsu studies, one can imagine that, like any warrior during these times in Japan, she was versed in the commonly used weapons and tactics, such as the tachi (sword), yari (spear), bajutsu (horsemanship), jintori (commanding troops) and so forth. In any case, Hangaku was competent enough to take the role as her nephew Sukemori’s guardian, as well as take part in administrative duties at Tossaka Castle12, where he resides. Her diligence and sense of responsibility at such a young age earned her the title “Gozen”, which means “Lady”. Thus the reason she is most recognized as Hangaku Gozen, or “Lady Hangaku”.

TAIRA VS MINAMOTO

Her upbringing coincided with many of the changes that took place within the Jō family. In her mid teens, the Jō family took part in the ongoing struggle between the Taira clan and Minamoto clan that erupted into the Genpei war (1180-1185). Her oldest brother, Sukenaga, participated in the battles as head of the family, while Hangaku and Nagamochi remained at home. Not too long after the war began, Sukenaga passed away suddenly due to illness. Nagamochi replaced his deceased brother and took up arms in the name of Taira. There is no mention of Hangaku entering the battlefield, so it is more than likely that she remained at home to take care of matters there. Her maturity and understanding how to manage castles at a young age prepared her for this.

Nagamochi lead an army to attack Kiso Yoshinaka13 in Yokotagawara, Shinano (present day Nagasaki Prefecture). However, he faced a great defeat and, although fleeing east to Aizu Bange Town (located in present day Fukushima Prefecture) with a small number of soldiers, Nagamochi would later be outbested by his pursuers, and finally captured. Not too long after, the Taira clan faced defeat at the hands of the Minamoto clan which led to their demise. In late 1185, Minamoto no Yoritomo took the seat as shogun, and established the Bakufu, thus beginning the age of the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Losing abit of a foothold in terms of power, Hangaku and her family had to work harder as the ruling force was not in their favor. They were opposed by Wada Munezane14, who was appointed by the new shogun to take over the areas of Okuyama Manor in Echigo. Around this time, Hangaku, in her 20s, had grown into a superb warrior and commander. She protected her homeland leading forces against the troops of Munezane, which not only prolonged the lifeline of the Jō family, but contributed to their reputation and military might.

A postcard, featuring artwork describing a scene from the Kabuki play called “Wada Kassen Onna Maizuru (和田合戦女舞鶴)”. In this scene, called “Hangaku Monyaburi no Ba 板額門破りの場”, a young Hangaku wielding a naginata protects the castle gates from intruders. From “eHagaki“.

Around the same time, Jō Nagamochi, who was still held as a prisoner in the hands of his enemies, was pardoned for his previous actions by Minamoto Yoritomo. In exchange, Nagamochi had to pledge his loyalty. He agreed and became a retainer for the Minamoto clan under the employment of Kajiwara Kagetoki15. His motives were to most likely keep his family safe, for this ceased Wada Munezane’s attacks. Hangaku, along with her nephew Sukemori spent many days in peace as they maintained their household.

LAST STAND

While Nagamochi fought in the name of the Minamoto and entered the battlefield against Ōshu Fujiwara (known as the Battle in Ōshu), he earned merits and trust amongst his new peers. However, he kept his original displeasure for the Minamoto and the Bakufu, and schemed some way to overthrow both. At the start of 1201, after certain events, (including the passing of Yoritomo, with his younger brother Yoriie becoming the new shogun) Nagamochi made his move to try and overthrow the current government. Raising an army of his own, he would storm Heian Kyo (present day Kyoto) to challenge the Bakufu. He even tried to get support from the Emperor, requesting an imperial order in hopes to receive aid to officially rid the Minamoto from power.

Unfortunately, Nagamochi was unable to acquire the imperial order. His plans were shortly thwarted as the Bakufu military charged upon Nagamochi and his army, and were eliminated. This bold and unexpected move did not bode well for the Jō family, as Minamoto Yoriie declared an assault on the Jō family’s home. Sazaki Moritsuna16, one of shogun Yoriie’s commanders, lead a big army in the name of the Bakufu to seize control of Tossaka Castle and eliminate the remaining members of the Jō family.

While Nagamochi served the new government, most likely he was keeping in contact with Hangaku and the others. Although it is not certain whether they knew about his plans to try and overthrow the government, they did get word of his defeat and the impending assault by the government’s army. Having only a few months before the upcoming threat, Hangaku and Sukemori made preparations, each commanding their own force to deal with the threat. When the time came, they made their final stand at the Tossaka Castle, defending their home against the overwhelming military force of the Bakufu.

Sukemori tried to face the opposition, but in the long run pulled out of the fight and fled. With their chances of victory looking grim, Hangaku, as a last resort, climbed up a watchtower. With her bow in hand, she rained down arrows upon the opposing troops, taking out many of them with precise shots. It is here where Hangaku is truly remembered by her valiant actions, as she displayed her prowess with the bow and arrow. Unfortunately, a soldier by the name of Fujisawa no Shiro Kiyochika17 got the upper hand as he made his way up on a mountain behind Tossaka castle, in the blindsight of the watchtower. From there, Kiyochika shot an arrow that pierced both of Hangaku’s legs, which prevented her from standing. Shortly, she was subdued and captured by the remaining troops of Sazaki Moritsuna’s army. Hangaku was kept in captivity, and her wounds attended to before she was taken to Kamakura (present day Kamakura city, Kanagawa Prefecture), home of shogun Yoriie.

NEW LIFE

Once in Kamakura, Hangaku was brought before the presence of the shogun Yoriie. Yoriie and his officials were briefed ahead of time of Hangaku and her feats in battle. On top of that, her being a female commander greatly peaked their interest, for it was not common for women to step onto the battlefield, let alone lead her own troops. It is said as she stood before the shogun, Hangaku showed no fear and faced her captors with conviction and bravery. This shocked and amazed Yoriie, and everyone else present. She was then kept further in captivity, as her faith had yet to be decided.

The next day, Asari Yoichi Yoshitō18, a commander from Kai no Kuni (present day Yamanashi Prefecture) requested an audience with the shogun. Granted, Yoshitō stood before Yoriie and asked permission to take Hangaku as his wife. When asked why, Yoshitō took a liking to her strong qualities, and believed he could start a family that would lead to birthing a son of qualities suitable to serve the shogun. Pleased with the explanation, Yoriie granted him this request, and shortly afterwards Yoshitō took Hangaku as his wife, and they both returned back to his hometown Toyotomi Village, located in Kai no Kuni.

From here on It is said that Hangaku’s days were more peaceful. For example, she accompanied her husband Yoshitō on trips to Akita Prefecture. There, Yoshitō was chief owner of Hinai District. Hangaku also had a child with Yoshitō, who’s name was Tomoyoshi19. With that, here ends her story.

TIDBITS AND MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Below are some points regarding Hangaku Gozen I feel worth mentioning. These will give you an idea how her story has been handled, as well as developed in each passing generation. Note that all Japanese text below are followed by an English translation done by myself.

A page from the book “Azuma Kagami Shiwa”, which references her fight against Sazaki Moritsuna’s army.

① Hangaku is not a common name, for her real name is unknown. It is possible that her name was changed later, possibly to reflect where she comes from. This is difficult to determine, for there isn’t any official documentations found from the Jō family.

② This actually brings to question as to how to pronounce her name correctly. While documented as “Hangaku”, there is an area exactly where she grew up pronounced as “Iizumi”, using the characters “飯角”. These 2 characters are also one of the written variations of her name. It’s possible that this is the correct way to say her name.

③ Over the years, as Hangaku Gozen’s story was portrayed in artworks and plays, what little information about her has expanded. While she is most recognized as a fearless warrior with bow & arrow in hand, she has also been associated with the naginata. For example, in the book “Kamakura Bushi: Bushido no Seika20“, there is a chapter that talks about her strengths. One of the lines goes like so below.

ORIGINAL: “…無双の早業、長刀に薙ぎ拂はれ、近寄るもの傷を受ざるはなく攻めあぐみて見えける…”

TRANSLATION: “…her unmatched speed, (they are) mowed down by her naginata, and her opposition lose sight in their advance as they are unable to harm her upon closing the distance…”

Comments like this create the image that Hangaku rode out into battle not only with the bow & arrow, but also wielding a naginata. Is it possible that this happened in the few battles she participated in, let alone learned how to use a naginata? It is a possibility. However, it is a belief that has no concrete backing. In older Japanese sources such as like “Azuma Kagami”, her using anything other than the bow and arrow is not mentioned. Expanding on an image is not unusual, for as time goes on and as stories about historical figures get passed on to newer generations, certain elements may be added or even changed to make them sound more appealing.

In Hangaku Gozen’s case, her story may have been “enhanced” due to the popularity of ukiyo-e and Kabuki. This is around the 17th century onward, the same time when women started training more with the naginata21.

④ Here’s a popular line from the “Azuma Kagami22“.

ORIGINAL: “この人が女性ではあっても、百発百中の腕があり、男どもを抜いております。”

TRANSLATION: “Although a woman, she possess the ability, like a man, to skillfully hit her target with a bow.”

The key word here is “百発百中” (hyappatsu hyakuchū), which describes being proficient with the bow & arrow by “shooting 100 times and hitting the target 100 times”.

⑤ Here is another line from “Azuma Kagami”. This describes the scene during her final battle defending Tossaka Castle.

ORIGINAL: “子供の用に髪を束ねて、鎧腹巻を着けて、やぐらの上に立って、射られた者で死なぬ者はありませんでした。佐々木盛綱西念の部下が沢山、彼女のために殺されました。”

TRANSLATION: “Standing at the top of the watch tower with her hair tied up like a child, and wearing an armored haramaki, all that were shot by her arrows did not survive. Many of Sazaki Moritsune’s troops were slain in the hands of this woman.”

Hangaku was a serious thorn to the opposition. There was no safe way to get close to her and put a stop to her assault without getting shot down by her bow.

⑥ This line comes from “Azuma Kagami Shiwa23“, when Hangaku is brought before shogun Minamoto no Yoriie.

ORIGINAL: “板額は少しも惡びれた様子もなく…その態度は堂々たる勇士のやうで、体格も立派なものでした。併し顔は殆んど二目と見られない醜女でした。”

TRANSLATION: “Hangaku had a bold presence….she had the manner of a brave warrior, and her physique was excellent. However, she was an ugly woman, for one could not bear to look at her face more than once.”

This is a very different description from how Hangaku is described from her youth all the way to before her final battle. While it sounds harsh at face value, I think it is more of a compliment. To decipher this statement, I believe, is to understand the time period this all takes place.

Considering the times in (pre) medieval Japan, most women stayed at home to raise children. Women of nobility wore fine outfits and kept their features fair and attractive. Hangaku, on the other hand, was trained as a warrior and earned merits roughing it out like most men who take up arms and fight. Women were not expected to don on armor and charge into a battle, nor allowed to. Hangaku is but one of few women who has done so at a time where the warrior class was designated to men. In the last stand of the Jō household, Hangaku tied up her hair, donned on armor, and stood against her opponents valiantly. She had injuries on her as a testament of her role as a warrior. As a captive, who would give her time to freshen up and look their best in front of the shogun?

Hangaku was treated like any other men who was caught by the opposition, and left in a dirty, haggard state. This is quite frankly the true appearance of a warrior, and Hangaku fit the bill.

FINAL WORDS

This concludes this post on Hangaku Gozen. This historical tale has evolved quite a bit in Japan, and may possibly do so more if more exposure about Hangaku appears worldwide. I hope everyone enjoyed reading this, and stay tuned for the next post!

1) The most common way of writing “Hangaku” is 板額. Other ways include 飯額, 飯角, and 坂額. All of these are said to be pronounced as “Hangaku” in Japanese sources. In English sources, especially online, it is said that her name can also be pronounced as “Itagaki”, but this is possibly a mistake in the reading of her name.

2) Keep in mind that historical records around or after the Heian Period were written by the victorious and those in power. Hangaku Gozen and her family’s information comes from the records written by the Minamoto clan, which were their rivals. Some things may have been changed to suit the victors, including names of those who opposed them. This includes Hangaku Gozen.

3) Tomoe Gozen is quite possibly the most renown female warrior from the pages of Japanese literature, as well as dotted upon possibly throughout the world. Tomoe fought on the side of the Minamoto clan as they struggled for power against the Taira clan in the late 12th century.

4) Written as “城”, thus literally means “castle”. In Japanese, this surname is written as “城氏”, with the 2nd character giving indication to this.

5) 城資国

6) 清原武衡

7) 山居寺城. Note that while she was born here, and possibly raised here at an early age, Hangaku and her family moved at some point. It is not stated when this happened.

8) 奥山荘

9) 資永. Also written as 助長.

10) 長茂. Birthname was Sukemochi (助茂), but changed to Nagamochi later after taking position as head of the Jō household after the death of his older brother, Sukenaga. At some point, also used the name “Sukemoto” (助職 or 資職).

11) 資盛, which can also written as 助盛. Sukemochi also had the nickname “Kotarō” (小太郎).

12) 鳥坂城. At times, written as “Torisaka Castle” in English, but this could be in error due to the use of the same name with this pronunciation in other areas in Japan. Jo Sukenaga became owner of Tossaka Castle in 1180, followed by his younger brother Nagamochi around mid 1181.

13) 木曽義仲. He is otherwise known as Minamoto Yoshinaka (源義仲).

14) 和田宗実

15) 梶原景時

16) 佐々木盛綱

17) 藤沢の四郎清親

18) 浅利義遠. Also known as “Yoshinari” (義成).

19) 知義

20) 鎌倉武士 : 武士道の精華. Written by Takai Ranzan (高井蘭山), and published in 1916.

21) You can read more how the naginata developed into a self defense weapon for women in Japan in an earlier post of mine here.

22) 吾妻鏡. This is a compilation of written records (around 52 scrolls, missing the 45th scroll) maintained by the Bakufu, from 1180 to 1266.

22) 吾妻鏡史話. Written by Hagiwara Tokio (萩原時夫), and published in 1936.

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Kuki Archives: Shichiyō

2017-07-20 14.26.21

A snapshot from the website “Kamon World”. The 2 kamon shown are the Shichiyo (on the left), and the Hidari Mitsudomoe (on the right).

It is not uncommon for wealthy families in the past to have a kamon1, or family crest, in Japan. The Kuki family is no different. On the site “Kamon World“, there is a page dedicated to the Kuki Family’s history. On this page are two kamon listed that are associated to them. The one with the 7 black dots is called “Shichiyō2”, which represents 7 illuminating objects in the sky.  The other kamon is called “Hidari Mitsudomoe3”. What do they mean, and how significant are these kamon? For today’s post I will elaborate on the Shichiyō kamon, it’s origin and symbolism, as well as explain its ties to the Kuki family. Please note that, despite the title, there won’t be *much* talk about the Kuki family like my previous posts, but should still be an interesting read.

ASSOCIATION WITH THE SHICHIYŌ

First, let’s look at how the Kuki are tied to the Shichiyō kamon. There are stories that say that Kuki Yoshitaka1, the head of the Kuki clan and navel commander in the company of the fearless Oda Nobunaga during the late 16th century, would sail the seas and have the Shichiyō kamon raised high as his flag. Unlike the Hidari Mitsudomoe kamon which the Kuki house primarily uses to be recognized by, the Shichiyō is specifically associated with Yoshitaka, possibly indicating it’s use was soley by him. What’s the reason behind this? Earlier I mentioned the Shichiyō kamon’s association with 7 illuminating objects in the sky. Could it be that these objects were viewed as stars that one would see at night5? Could this be a symbol of luck while Yoshitaka and his crew sailed the seas at night and be guided safely to their destination? I personally have yet to find any info that states this to be the case. So, what we are left to do is investigate further the true meaning behind the Shichiyō, and its role in history.

Artwork of Kuki Yoshitaka, From Wikipedia.

SOURCE OF ORIGIN

Let’s get a proper definition of what the Shichiyō stands for. Translated, this means “Seven Luminaries”, as labeled in Chinese tradition. Shichiyō represents an ancient way of thought regarding life and its connections with 7 celestial objects high up in the sky. It’s recorded to have first been in use in Japan as early as the 9th century. Before going further with this, it is now important to take several more steps back and look much further into history, and see the roots of its conception. Warning, things get abit complicated due to the amount of references used from here on till close to the end. Just keep in mind that the information presented here on out pertains (either partially or fully) to the Shichiyō, one way or the other.

The idea of Shichiyō is believed to have several sources for its roots. One belief, which is mentioned in a book called “Gendai Koyomi Yomihodoki Jiten6”, is from Judaism, along with Christianity, especially when Christian travelers made their way through Central Asia. Another belief is that it came from the Romans and Greeks, from their concept called the “7 Planets”. Yet another idea is that it is comes from an ancient divination from Hindu called “Shichiyou Joisai Ketsu7”. The last point is a strong, concrete possibility, for this actually had great influence on another way of thought called “Inyo Gogyo Setsu8” developed in ancient China, which also plays as a basis for Shichiyō.

ABOUT INYO GOGYO SETSU

It is recorded that from the Kingdom of Qi (1046 BC – 221 BC) in China, an Onmyoji9 (Taoist priest) by the name of Zōu Yǎn10 (305 BC – 240 BC) developed the ideology called “Inyo Gogyo Setsu”. Looking at Inyo Gogyo Setsu, we must understand that it is the combination of two theories, which are Inyo and Gogyo. Inyo (commonly referred to as Ying Yang) is the belief that life is balanced by being in harmony with 2 forces, which are the In (Ying, dark) and Yo (Yang, light). As an example, this theory states that people have a light and dark side, (which fall under numerous labels such as good and bad, hot and cold, male and female, etc.) and must try never going to the extremes by being more of one side than the other.

The ideology of Gogyo follows a similar path where life and many aspects in our daily lives are related to 5 different elements, which are water, fire, wood, metal, and earth. Each of these elements have particular traits that, as an example, can be found in everyone and professions we specialize in, such as medicine and politics. As a form of checks & balance, the 5 elements can either support each other to “enhance” their benefits, or destroy each other as means to illustrate the death cycle, or military strategy.  Both theories are pretty old and unique in comparison to Western views, although both have made their way into Western culture, if by a small influence. Usually, those who are involved in some form of Asian-related studies or activities have come across both of these ideologies.

An illustration of the solar system. The 5 planets, along with their positioning in relations to the Earth, is pointed out in red.

Taking the concepts of Inyo and Gogyo, Zōu Yǎn redefines them through the symbolic representation of “7 heavenly objects of astronomy”, which consists of the sun (representing the concept of Yo), moon (representing the concept of In), and 5 planets (representing the 5 Elements) visible to the human eyes. These 5 planets, both with their English and Japanese titles, are the following: Kasei (Mars), Suisei (Mercury) Mokusei (Jupiter), Kinsei (Venus), Dosei (Saturn).

It was common in many ancient cultures to attach a sense of divinity to objects for many reasons, such as for the sake of superstition, religious beliefs, or for luck. The same can be said here. Below is part of this philosophy, taken from the book “Reki to Uranai no Kagaku11“.

  •  天地の始め渾沌とした中で明るく軽い気が陽の気とを作り火となる。
  • 暗く重い気が陰の気を作り水となる。
  • 天上では火は太陽となり、
  • 水は月となり、
  • これらが組み合わされて五惑星となる。
  • 地上では火と水から五原素が出来る。

Now, here’s my translation of the above text:

  • The beginning of the sky and earth comes from within chaos in the form of a bright, gentle energy. Becoming light (Yo) energy, it is made into fire.
  • The black, heavy energy becomes dark (In) energy, which then turns into water.
  • The fire that is up in the sky becomes the sun
  • The water becomes the moon
  • When these objects are joined together, they make up the 5 planets.
  • 5 chemical reactions take place when there is fire and water on the surface of the planet

The 5 chemicals are the elements. Each of the planets represent a specific element from the Gogyo, which is the following:

  • Kasei (Mars) = Fire
  • Suisei (Mercury) = Water
  • Mokusei (Jupiter) = Wood
  • Kinsei (Venus) = Metal
  • Dosei (Saturn) = Earth

These 5 planets are but one of many variations of the Gogyo developed in China12. This makes the Shichiyō a Gogyo Shisō13, or a “theoretical way of viewing life based on the Five Elements”. Due to its ties with the 5 elements, it is interrelated with, and can be interchangeable based on context and purpose, with other Gogyo variants.

Now that we have a clearer idea of the Shichiyō’s conception, let’s turn our attention to its arrival in Japan.

APPLICATIONS OF THE SHICHIYŌ

Around early 800s, a Buddhist by the name of Kuukai14 (774 – 835) returned home to Japan after spending some time in China as an envoy for the Emperor. He brought back with him a Chinese text called the Shukuyōkyō15. Within this text are passages on fortune telling through astrology. This contains 2 components, which are the 28 positions of the Constellations, and the 7 Luminaries. These components worked in a pattern that, based on specific factors, (i.e. time, day, direction, etc.) one’s moments of good luck, bad luck, and everything in between can be determined.

Since almost everything from China was viewed with value at the time, the Shukuyōkyō was adapted in the life of the educated, wealthy, and powerful in the growing civilization of Japan. Early written records from the Imperial Court indicate it was used in what is called the “Guchūreki16” during the Heian period (794-1185). The Guchūreki was a year-based almanac in the form of 2 scrolls, each with 3 parts consisting of the following (partial listing):

  • Day (日付)
  • 12 Zodiacs + 5 Elements (干支)
  • 12 Signs of one’s Fortune (十二直)
  • Chants (納音)
  • 24 Stages of Weather (二十四節気)
  • 72 Climates (七十二候)

As one can guess the Guchūreki is very complex, and takes a good amount of practice in order to understand it correctly. Many other forms of almanacs as a source of fortune-telling were created throughout the history of Japan, such as the “Jōkyōreki17“, and “Tsuitachine Getsuyō18“, each with their unique method. Eventually, from the Imperial Court, other groups such as those of religious & esoteric practices (i.e. Buddhism and Mikkyo) adapted this, as well as those of martial and military background. As Japan became more modernized, common people also gained access to this source of fortune-telling as well, through a 1-year daily calendar (more on this later).

An example of the Jōkyōreki. From Wikipedia.

Note that throughout the years since its initial use, the components for learning one’s fortune changed numerous times. These changes became more evident when much more focus was placed on just the Shichiyō, as the next wave of almanacs were steering away from the more complex processes. This is especially evident with the Jōkyōreki, which was developed by Shibukawa Shunkai19 around the late 1684. Much more concise, he refocused the concept of the fortune-telling almanac styled after the methodology of Taiin Taiyō Reki20 (the sun and moon were prioritized for prediction), which was the current trend found in the Chinese almanac called Jujireki21 at the time. The Jōkyōreki was structured around the revolution cycles of the sun and moon, and the seasons in accordance to this. The necessary components of fortune-telling were coordinated with the sun-moon-seasonal cycles,  such as the 5 Elements. Despite its foreign influences, the Jōkyōreki was very much a Japanese invention designed for use in accordance to Japan’s astrological and seasonal conditions.

DAYS OF THE WEEK

Eventually, the Jōkyōreki was replaced22 with a much more user-friendly calendar that incorporated the days of the week.  At some point during the Meiji period (1868-1912), when the Japanese calendar followed suit with other countries and adopted the 7-day week cycle23, the calendar had each day noted systematically with information such as the sun and moon phases, the type of fortune one would have for that particular day, and other related information. The Shichiyō was, conveniently, attached to this calendar, mostly by name. To be more specific, each of the 7 astrological objects were used to name each day of the 7-day week, while the title ‘Shichiyō’ became a reference for this. Today the Shichiyō is still used as an annual calendar in Japan, most containing the present year, the past year, and the next year. It is similar the same way that calendars are used in the West, but with extras.

2017-07-20 13.02.21[702]

Here’s a screen capture of the Japanese calendar on my phone, called “Hi Mekuri”.  Lots of information, including the moon phase, temperature, when both the sun and moon will be visible, and important dates. Different fortunes are also listed based on which fortune-telling method you prefer. For example, according to the “Old Calendar” (the one in purple font), today’s prediction is “senkachi” (前勝). What this means is “anything done during the day will be successful, but if you wait until the evening time it will be doomed for failure”.

ENDING

This sums up the history behind the Shichiyō. As a representation of 7 astrological objects, and used for predicting one’s fortune, the 7 dotted kamon may have been viewed as symbolic for good luck. Whatever the reason it may have been, Kuki Yoshitaka saw value in the Shichiyō kamon. Look out for a future post regarding the Hidari Mitsudomoe kamon, and learn what significance it had for the Kuki family.

1) 家紋

2) 七曜. This is also called Nanatsu Boshi (7つ星), also having the same meaning.

3) 左三つ巴

4) 九鬼嘉隆

5) Interesting, in China there is a phrase called “Hokuto Shichisei” (北斗七星), which refers to the Big Dipper (aka the Plough). Note that this is completely different from the Shichiyō, and that the Shichiyō kamon doesn’t make any references to the Big Dipper.

6) 現代こよみ読み解き事典. This is compiled by Okada Yoshirō.

7) 七曜壌災決

8) 陰陽五行説. Inyo (陰陽) is Ying Yang in Chinese, while Gogyo (五行) is Wu Xing in Chinese.

9) 陰陽師

10) 鄒衍. Pronounced “Sūen” in Japanese.

11) 暦と占いの科学. Written by Nagata Hisashi.

12) Examples of other variants include the following: 5 Tastes (五味), 5 Festivals (五節), 5 Divinities (五神), 5 Organs (五官), 5 Virtues (五德), 5 Directions (五方). It should be stated that, while 5 points of references are in each of these examples, it is not as literal as one would think. Sometimes an extra point of reference is added just to add up to the concept of “5”. For example, 4 Divinities (mythical creatures, well associated with direction or position) is commonplace in Asia, but in the 5 Divinities an “extra” is added, and that extra is different depending on the source. In another case, 4 Directions is commonplace for almost all cultures, but in the 5 Directions one’s starting point (that is, the center or mid point) is added.

13) 五行思想

14) 空海

15) 宿曜経

16) 具注暦

17) 貞享暦

18) 朔日値月曜

19) 渋川春海

20) 太陰太陽暦

21)  授時暦

22)  The Jōkyōreki is now referred to as Kyuureki, or ‘Old Calendar’ (旧暦). It’s added to most calendars in Japan, just as a reference.

23) At one point, A 6-day week calendar was used in Japan.

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Volunteering on a Translation Project

Recently my time has been divided a little more than normal. For over a month, I’ve been volunteering my service at “The Hidensho Project”, and helping with a Classical Japanese translation project that’ll sure to please those who have interest in historical military subjects of Japan.

The site “The Hidensho Project”, which is run by Randy McCall, is host to some ancient Japanese scrolls and documents that have been acquired over the years, each dealing with various topics. These are made public in their original form, alongside with Japanese-to-English translations by many translators all with the purpose to share the contents of these documents. The works done and the viewing of these documents are for non-profit, so anyone can visit the site.

Snapshot of the front page of “The Hidensho Project”.

The project I’m currently working on is a section from the Heiho Yukan, a famous manual of strategy on different matters of warfare once used by the Tokugawa shogunate. It is challenging work, for it is handwritten in an old-fashioned Japanese, so not only is some research required to understand some terminologies not used today, but the handwritten isn’t the most neatest in certain areas, so some deciphering is required. It is an ongoing project I will continue to spend some time on even when it’s completed. I have a few more pages to work before it’s complete, although what’s presently done is already up for viewing.

Please show your support and head over to “The Hidensho Project” here:

http://hidensho.com/

To go directly to the section with Heiho Yukan (the one I am presently working on), you can access it here:

http://hidensho.com/1854-heiho-yukan-manuscript/1854-fortification-background/
I will get back to regularly updating my blog, the earliest by the start of this weekend.