Owari Domain Explained

Native Name:尾張藩
Conventional Long Name:Nagoya Domain

Owari Domain
Common Name:Owari Domain
Subdivision:Han
Status Text:Domain of Japan
Government Type:Daimyō
Title Leader:Daimyō
Leader1:Tokugawa Yoshinao (first)
Year Leader1:1607-1650
Leader2:Tokugawa Yoshikatsu (last)
Year Leader2:1869-1871
Capital:Nagoya Castle
Today:Aichi Prefecture
Year Start:1600
Year End:1871
Era:Edo period
Meiji period
Image Map Caption:Southeast corner of Nagoya Castle

The [1] Owari-Han, also known as the Owari Domain, was a significant feudal domain in Japan during the Edo period. Situated in the western region of what is now Aichi Prefecture, it covered portions of Owari, Mino, and Shinano provinces, with its central administration based at Nagoya Castle. At its zenith, the Owari Domain boasted an impressive rating of 619,500 koku, making it the largest landholding of the Tokugawa clan outside of the shogunal territories. The ruling clan of the Owari Domain was the Tokugawa clan, holding the prestigious position of the highest rank among the gosanke. Additionally, the domain was sometimes referred to as the Nagoya Domain due to its association with Nagoya Castle.[2]

History

Owari was initially ruled by Fukushima Masanori with 240,000 koku until the Battle of Sekigahara in September 1600.[3] After his military achievements, he was reassigned to the Hiroshima Domain. Matsudaira Tadayoshi, the fourth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, took control of the Kiyosue Domain with 520,000 koku after Fukushima's departure. Tadayoshi passed away in 1607 without an heir, leading the territory to become Tenryo.Tokugawa Yoshinao, Ieyasu's ninth son, arrived from the Kai-Kofu Domain with 472,344 koku and established a clan in Owari, expanding the domain over time. By 1619, the domain had grown to 563,206 koku, with an additional 50,000 koku added in 1671 to assert its position as one of the top three families. The total koku reached 619,500, encompassing territories in Mino, Mikawa, Shinano, Omi, and Settsu. Despite officially having just under 620,000 koku, efforts to cultivate new fields led to an estimated actual koku of nearly 1 million, showcasing the domain's prosperity under Tokugawa Yoshinao's leadership. The first lord of the domain, Yoshinao Tokugawa, was still a child when he took office, so the early administration of the domain was carried out by Ieyasu's old retainers, but after he grew up, Yoshinao himself took charge of water supply, new rice field development, and annual taxes in order to increase rice production. He worked to establish the system and established the domain government.Tokugawa Yoshinao, the initial ruler of the territory, took on the responsibilities of managing the water supply, developing new rice fields, and handling taxes to boost rice production and establish the domain's administrative structure. Tokugawa Mitsutomo, the second lord, focused on policies related to temples and shrines, but excessive reconstruction led to financial instability. Fiscal reforms were implemented, but natural disasters further weakened the domain's finances. Tokugawa Tsunamasa, the third lord, had a strong connection to the Shogun through his mother, contributing to the expansion and diversification of the Tokugawa clan's influence and power. After the restoration of imperial rule, oshikatsu played a crucial role in urging Tokugawa Yoshinobu to resign. He aligned himself with the new government during the Battle of Toba-Fushimi and actively suppressed the Sabaku faction during the Aomatsuba Incident. Yoshikatsu Tokugawa, former feudal lord, was appointed leader of the Tokaido clans by the Meiji government after the Battle of Toba-Fushimi. He oversaw the Tokaido fudai clans and sent envoys to neutralize Kokugaku groups to facilitate the passage of new government forces.In 1870, Yoshikatsu absorbed the financially troubled Takasu Domain to strengthen its stability. On July 14, 1871, the domain was abolished and transformed into Nagoya Prefecture, which later merged with Inuyama Prefecture to become Aichi Prefecture. It further merged with Nukata Prefecture to form present-day Aichi Prefecture.

List of daimyo

Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank kokudaka
1Tokugawa Yoshinao (徳川義直)1607 – 1650Uhyoe no kami (右兵衛神)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
2Tokugawa Mitsutomo (徳川光友)1650 - 1693Gon Dainagon (権大納言)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
3Tokugawa Tsunanari (徳川綱誠)1693 – 1699Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
4Tokugawa Yoshimichi (徳川吉通)1699 – 1713Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
5Tokugawa Gorōta (徳川五郎太)1713noneJunior 3rd Rank Lower Grade (従三位下) 619,500 koku
6Tokugawa Tsugutomo (徳川継友)1713 – 1730Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
7Tokugawa Muneharu (徳川宗春)1730 – 1739Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
8Tokugawa Munekatsu (徳川宗勝)1739 – 1761Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
9Tokugawa Munechika (徳川宗睦)1761 - 1799Gon Dainagon (権大納言)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
10Tokugawa Naritomo (徳川斉朝)1799 – 1827Gyogon Dainagon (行厳大納言)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
11Tokugawa Nariharu (徳川斉温)1827 – 1839Gon Dainagon (権大納言)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
12Tokugawa Naritaka (徳川斉荘)1839 – 1845Gon Dainagon (権大納言)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
13Tokugawa Yoshitsugu (徳川慶臧)1845 – 1849noneJunior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
14Tokugawa Yoshikumi (徳川慶恕)1849 – 1858Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
15Tokugawa Mochinaga (徳川茂徳)1858 – 1863Gon Dainagon (権大納言)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
16Tokugawa Yoshinori (徳川義宜)1863 - 1869Konoe, Kon no Chujo (近衛、今中将)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku
17Tokugawa Yoshikatsu (徳川慶恕)1869 - 1871Chunagon Jusanmi (中納言従三位)Junior 4th Rank Lower Grade (従四位下)619,500 koku

Sub-domains

The Owari Domain was supported by the Yanagawa Domain in Mutsu Province and the Takasu Domain in Mino Province.

Yanagawa Domain

was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, in what is now eastern Fukuoka Prefecture. It was centered around Yanagawa Castle in what is now the city of Yanagawa, Fukuoka and was ruled by the tozama daimyō Tachibana clan for much of its history.

The Yanagawa Domain provided 30,000 koku to the Owari Domain annually from 1683 to 1730, when Tokugawa Muneharu came to power and dissolved the domain.

Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank kokudaka
1Tachibana Muneshige (立花宗茂)1620 - 1638Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 koku
2Tachibana Tadashige (立花忠重)1638 - 1664Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 koku
3Tachibana Akitora (立花秋虎)1664 - 1696Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 koku
4Tachibana Akitaka (立花明隆)1696 - 1721Hida-no-kami(飛騨守) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) 109,000 koku
5Tachibana Sadayoshi (立花貞俶)1721 - 1744Hida-no-kami(飛騨守) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) 109,000 koku
6Tachibana Sadanori (立花貞則)1744 - 1746Hida-no-kami(飛騨守) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) 109,000 koku
7Tachibana Akinao (立花鑑通)1746 - 1797Ukyō-no-daibu(左京大夫) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) 109,000 koku
8Tachibana Akihisa (立花鑑寿)1797 - 1820Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 koku
9Tachibana Akikata (立花鑑賢)1820 - 1830Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 koku
10Tachibana Akihiro (立花鑑広)1830 - 1833-None- Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) 109,000 koku
11Tachibana Akinobu (立花鑑備)1833 - 1845Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 koku
12Tachibana Akitomo (立花鑑寛)1845 - 1871Sakon'e-no-shōgen (左近将監) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 109,000 ->114,000 koku

Takasu Domain

The Takasu Domain (高須藩, Takasu-han) was a Japanese domain located in Mino Province (present-day Kaizu, Gifu). For most of its history, it was ruled by the Takasu-Matsudaira, a branch of the Tokugawa clan of Owari Domain.

Matsudaira Katamori, Matsudaira Sadaaki, Tokugawa Yoshikatsu, and Tokugawa Mochinaga, four important figures in Bakumatsu-era Japan, were the sons of Matsudaira Yoshitatsu, one of Takasu's last daimyō.The Takasu Domain also provided 30,000 koku to the Owari Domain annually from 1700 to 1870, when it was merged with the Owari Domain.

Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank kokudaka
11700-1715Settsu-no-kami (摂津守) Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下) 30,000 koku
21715–1732Settsu-no-kami (摂津守) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下)30,000 koku
31732–1739Sakonoe-shosho (左近衛少将) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下)30,000 koku
41739–1771Nakatsukasa no-daiyu (中務大輔)Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
51771–1777Settsu-no-kami (摂津守); Jijū (侍従) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
61777–1795Settsu-no-kami (摂津守); Jijū (侍従) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
71795–1801Danjo-hitsu (弾正大弼) Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
81801–1804Sakonoe-shosho (左少将);Jijū (侍従)Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
91804-1832Sakonoe-shosho (左少将)Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
101832–1850Sakonoe-shosho (左少将)Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
111850-1858Sakonoe-shosho (左少将)Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下) 30,000 koku
121858–1860- none - - none - 30,000 koku
131860-1869- none - Junior 5th Rank Lower Grade, (従五位)30,000 koku
141869 –1870- none - - none - 30,000 koku

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wigen . Kären . Cartographic Japan: A History in Maps . Fumiko . Sugimoto . Karacas . Cary . 2016-03-16 . University of Chicago Press . 978-0-226-07305-7 . en.
  2. Book: Deal, William E. . Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan . 2007 . Oxford University Press . 978-0-19-533126-4 . en.
  3. Book: Walker, Brett L. . A Concise History of Japan . 2015-02-26 . Cambridge University Press . 978-1-316-23969-8 . en.