Battle of Noheji
Encyclopedia
The was a minor battle of the Boshin War
of the Meiji Restoration
in Japan
on November 7, 1868. It is considered a part of the larger Aizu campaign
.
was proclaimed at Morioka
, capital of the Nambu clan who rule Morioka Domain
. The territory of the Nambu extended along the northeastern half of Mutsu Province
, as far north as Shimokita Peninsula
, and the Nambu controlled a subsidiary domain at Hachinohe
. The northeast of Mutsu Province was dominated by the Nambu clan's hereditary rivals, the Tsugaru clan
of Hirosaki Domain
, with a subsidiary domain at Kuroishi
.
The Tsugaru first sided with the pro-imperial forces of Satchō Alliance
, and attacked nearby Shōnai Domain. However, the Tsugaru soon switched course, and briefly became a member of the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei. However, for reasons yet unclear, the Tsugaru backed out of the alliance and re-joined the imperial cause after a few months.
The village of Noheji
in what is now part of Aomori Prefecture
was an important port for the Nambu clan on Mutsu Bay
. Noheji was garrisoned by approximately 400 men from Hachinohe Domain after the defection of the Tsugaru back to the imperial side. The port was shelled by Kubota Domain
warship Shunyo-maru commanded by Saga Domain
’s Nakamuta Kuranosuke
on September 10, but with little damage to the village or reported casualties.
Accounts of the number of casualties of the battle vary widely. Based on the number of graves at the cemetery at Noheji, at least 27 men from both sides perished and were buried in the town. Per the official domain records from Hirosaki Domain, the Tsugaru clan lost 29 men, and similar records from the Nambu clan indicate losses of 45 men on the Nambu side.
at Hakodate. As a result, the entire clan was able to evade the punishment meted out by the government on the northern domains after the establishment of the Meiji government. On November 6, 1869, Hirosaki Domain dispatched two emissaries to Noheji, to meet with the leaders of Makado hamlet. The emissaries claimed that the Tsugaru clan had been forced into attacking Noheji under pressure from Saga Domain, and offered rice and timber for the rebuilding of the hamlet.
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
of the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
on November 7, 1868. It is considered a part of the larger Aizu campaign
Battle of Aizu
The Battle of Aizu was fought in northern Japan in autumn 1868, and was part of the Boshin War.Aizu was known for its martial skill, and maintained at any given time, a standing army of over 5000. It was often deployed to security operations on the northern fringes of the country, as far north as...
.
Background
On September 20, 1868 the pro-Shōgunate Ōuetsu Reppan DōmeiOuetsu Reppan Domei
-External links:**...
was proclaimed at Morioka
Morioka, Iwate
is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture, Japan.As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and a population density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km²....
, capital of the Nambu clan who rule Morioka Domain
Morioka Domain
The was a han or feudal domain that encompasses present-day the middle-northern part of Iwate Prefecture and eastern part of Aomori Prefecture. It is sometimes colloquially called . The domain was tozama daimyo and was governed by the Satake clan. Its income was 100,000...
. The territory of the Nambu extended along the northeastern half of Mutsu Province
Mutsu Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori prefecture and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture...
, as far north as Shimokita Peninsula
Shimokita Peninsula
The Shimokita Peninsula is the remote northeastern cape of the Japanese island of Honshū, stretching out towards Hokkaidō. Administratively the area is a part of Aomori Prefecture....
, and the Nambu controlled a subsidiary domain at Hachinohe
Hachinohe Domain
' was a tozama feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in Mutsu Province, Honshū. Its territory included 41 villages in Sannohe District, 38 villages in Kunohe District, and 4 villages in Shiwa District, with a total revenue of 22,000 koku...
. The northeast of Mutsu Province was dominated by the Nambu clan's hereditary rivals, the Tsugaru clan
Tsugaru clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan originating in northern Japan, specifically Mutsu Province . A branch of the local Nanbu clan, the Tsugaru rose to power during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. It was on the winning side of the Battle of Sekigahara, and entered the Edo period as a family of lords ...
of Hirosaki Domain
Hirosaki Domain
The ' was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in northern Mutsu Province . It was ruled by the Tsugaru clan...
, with a subsidiary domain at Kuroishi
Kuroishi Domain
' was a tozama feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in northwestern Mutsu Province, Honshū.Its territory included 2000 koku in the area around present-day city of Kuroishi, 1000 koku in present day Hiranani, and 2000 koku in what is now part of Ōta, Gunma...
.
The Tsugaru first sided with the pro-imperial forces of Satchō Alliance
Satcho Alliance
The ', or Satchō Alliance was a military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan....
, and attacked nearby Shōnai Domain. However, the Tsugaru soon switched course, and briefly became a member of the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei. However, for reasons yet unclear, the Tsugaru backed out of the alliance and re-joined the imperial cause after a few months.
The village of Noheji
Noheji, Aomori
is a town located in the Kamikita District of northeastern Aomori Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. As of 2009, the town had an estimated population of 14,721 and a density of 175 persons per km². Its total area was 81.61 km².-Geography:...
in what is now part of Aomori Prefecture
Aomori Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region. The capital is the city of Aomori.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Aomori prefecture was known as Mutsu Province....
was an important port for the Nambu clan on Mutsu Bay
Mutsu Bay
is a bay inside Aomori Prefecture, Japan. It includes three bays; Aomori Bay, Noheji Bay and Ōminato Bay. Mutsu Bay covers about 1660 km². The culture of scallops is prosperous in the bay....
. Noheji was garrisoned by approximately 400 men from Hachinohe Domain after the defection of the Tsugaru back to the imperial side. The port was shelled by Kubota Domain
Kubota Domain
The was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Dewa Province . Its main castle was in modern-day Akita, Akita. The Kubota Domain was also known as the . It was governed for the whole of its history by the Satake clan. In the Boshin War of 1868-69, it joined the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei, the...
warship Shunyo-maru commanded by Saga Domain
Saga Domain
Saga Domain was a han, or feudal domain, in Tokugawa period Japan. Largely contiguous with Hizen Province on Kyūshū, the domain was governed from Saga Castle in the capital city of Saga by the Nabeshima clan of tozama daimyō...
’s Nakamuta Kuranosuke
Nakamuta Kuranosuke
-External links:*- Notes :...
on September 10, but with little damage to the village or reported casualties.
The battle
In the pre-dawn hours of September 23, a force of 180 men from Hirosaki and Kuroishi Domains, divided into three companies, converged on Noheji, capturing the outlying hamlet of Makado, which they fired, destroying 64 homes and one Buddhist temple. The Nambu garrison at Noheji responded to the fire, coming under attack as they approached the burning hamlet. The Nambu forces attempted to encircle the Tsugaru attackers to cut off their escape, with only partial success. In the ensuing melee, Tsugaru forces managed to penetrate into the village to almost within sight of the Nambu garrison headquarters before the death of their leader, Kojima Nagayoshi, sparked a retreat.Accounts of the number of casualties of the battle vary widely. Based on the number of graves at the cemetery at Noheji, at least 27 men from both sides perished and were buried in the town. Per the official domain records from Hirosaki Domain, the Tsugaru clan lost 29 men, and similar records from the Nambu clan indicate losses of 45 men on the Nambu side.
Consequences
As a result of this minor skirmish, Tsugaru Domain was able to prove its defection from the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei and loyalty to the imperial cause. Tsugaru forces later joined the imperial army in attacking the Republic of EzoRepublic of Ezo
The ' was a short-lived state established by former Tokugawa retainers in what is now known as Hokkaidō, the large but sparsely populated northernmost island in modern Japan.-Background:...
at Hakodate. As a result, the entire clan was able to evade the punishment meted out by the government on the northern domains after the establishment of the Meiji government. On November 6, 1869, Hirosaki Domain dispatched two emissaries to Noheji, to meet with the leaders of Makado hamlet. The emissaries claimed that the Tsugaru clan had been forced into attacking Noheji under pressure from Saga Domain, and offered rice and timber for the rebuilding of the hamlet.