Okazaki Domain
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese domain
of the Edo period
, located in eastern Mikawa Province
(modern-day Aichi Prefecture
), Japan
. It was centered on Okazaki Castle
in what is now the city of Okazaki, Aichi
. It was ruled by a number of different fudai
daimyō
over the course of the Edo period
.
Due to its associations with Tokugawa Ieyasu
, who was born in Okazaki Castle, the domain had a prestige greater than in its nominal valuation based on rice tax revenues.
, after gaining control of the area surrounding Okazaki in 1524, demolished the old fortification and built Okazaki Castle. His famous grandson Matsudaira Motoyasu (later named Tokugawa Ieyasu
) was born here on December 16, 1542. The Matsudaira were defeated by the Imagawa clan
in 1549, and Ieyasu was taken to Sumpu as a hostage. Following the defeat of the Imagawa at the Battle of Okehazama
, Ieyasu regained possession of Okazaki in 1560 and left his eldest son Matsudaira Nobuyasu in charge when he moved to Hamamatsu Castle
in 1570. After Oda Nobunaga
ordered Nobuyasu’s death in 1579, the Honda clan
served as castellans. Following the forced relocation of the Tokugawa to Edo
after the Battle of Odawara by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, the castle was given to Tanaka Yoshimasa, who substantially improved on its fortifications, expanded the castle town
and developed Okazaki-juku on the Tokaido
.
Following the creation of the Tokugawa shogunate
, Okazaki Domain was created, and Ieyasu’s close retainer Honda Yasushige
was assigned possession of the castle. The Honda were replaced by the Mizuno clan
from 1645-1762, and the Matsudaira (Matsui) clan
from 1762-1769. In 1769, a branch of the Honda clan returned to Okazaki, and governed until the Meiji Restoration
.
In 1869, the final daimyō of Okazaki Domain, Honda Tadanao, surrendered Okazaki Domain to the new Meiji government. With the abolition of the han system
in 1871, Okazaki Domain became part of Nukata Prefecture
, with Okazaki Castle used as the prefectural headquarters. However, Nukata Prefecture was merged into Aichi Prefecture in 1872, and the capital of the prefecture was moved to Nagoya.
Okazaki Domain was not a single contiguous territory, but consisted of a number of scattered holdings in Mikawa Province:
Han (Japan)
The or domain was the name of the estate belonging to a warrior in Japan after the 17th century. The fiefs of the daimyos of the samurai class of Japan during the Edo period were called han.-Edo period:...
of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, located in eastern Mikawa Province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
(modern-day Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
), 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...
. It was centered on Okazaki Castle
Okazaki Castle
is a Japanese castle located in Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Okazaki Castle was home to the Honda clan, daimyō of Okazaki Domain, but the castle is better known for its association with Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Tokugawa clan...
in what is now the city of Okazaki, Aichi
Okazaki, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 373,339 and a population density of 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².-Geography:...
. It was ruled by a number of different fudai
Fudai
was a class of daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa in Edo period Japan. It was primarily the fudai who filled the ranks of the Tokugawa administration.-Origins:...
daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
over the course of the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
Due to its associations with Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, who was born in Okazaki Castle, the domain had a prestige greater than in its nominal valuation based on rice tax revenues.
History
Matsudaira KiyoyasuMatsudaira Kiyoyasu
was the 7th lord over the Matsudaira clan during the Sengoku period of Japan. Kiyoyasu was the grandfather of the exceedingly famous unifier of Japan, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Kiyoyasu soon gained control of the whole of the northern region of Mikawa province after the Saigo clan had surrendered after...
, after gaining control of the area surrounding Okazaki in 1524, demolished the old fortification and built Okazaki Castle. His famous grandson Matsudaira Motoyasu (later named Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
) was born here on December 16, 1542. The Matsudaira were defeated by the Imagawa clan
Imagawa clan
The was a Japanese clan that claimed descent from Emperor Seiwa . It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.-Origins:Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the 13th century at Imagawa and took its name.Imagawa Norikuni received from his cousin the...
in 1549, and Ieyasu was taken to Sumpu as a hostage. Following the defeat of the Imagawa at the Battle of Okehazama
Battle of Okehazama
The took place in June 1560. In this battle, Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running warlords in the Sengoku period.-Background:...
, Ieyasu regained possession of Okazaki in 1560 and left his eldest son Matsudaira Nobuyasu in charge when he moved to Hamamatsu Castle
Hamamatsu Castle
is a reconstructed hirayama-style Japanese castle. It was the seat of various fudai daimyō who ruled over Hamamatsu Domain, Tōtōmi Province, in what is now central Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan...
in 1570. After Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
ordered Nobuyasu’s death in 1579, the Honda clan
Honda clan
The ' is a Japanese family that claims descent from the medieval court noble Fujiwara no Kanemichi. The family settled in Mikawa and served the Matsudaira clan as retainers. Later, when the main Matsudaira family became the Tokugawa clan, the Honda rose in prestige. The clan includes thirteen...
served as castellans. Following the forced relocation of the Tokugawa to Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
after the Battle of Odawara by Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
, the castle was given to Tanaka Yoshimasa, who substantially improved on its fortifications, expanded the castle town
Castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns are common in Medieval Europe. Good example include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles...
and developed Okazaki-juku on the Tokaido
Tokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
.
Following the creation of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, Okazaki Domain was created, and Ieyasu’s close retainer Honda Yasushige
Honda Yasushige
' was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku through early Edo period. The first lord of Okazaki han in Mikawa Province, he held the title of Bungo no Kami . Yasushige served Tokugawa Ieyasu from a young age, taking part in various battles, such as the Battle of Anegawa and the fight against...
was assigned possession of the castle. The Honda were replaced by the Mizuno clan
Mizuno clan
The was a Japanese clan which claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji branch of the Minamoto clan. In the Edo period, the Mizuno clan produced many men who were fudai daimyo serving the Tokugawa shogun, as well as countless families of hatamoto...
from 1645-1762, and the Matsudaira (Matsui) clan
Matsudaira clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. It first originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province . Over the course of its history, the clan produced many branches, most of which also centered around Mikawa Province...
from 1762-1769. In 1769, a branch of the Honda clan returned to Okazaki, and governed until 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 1869, the final daimyō of Okazaki Domain, Honda Tadanao, surrendered Okazaki Domain to the new Meiji government. With the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
in 1871, Okazaki Domain became part of Nukata Prefecture
Nukata Prefecture
was a prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan, comprising the former state of Mikawa and the Chita Peninsula. It was merged into Aichi Prefecture on November 27, 1872....
, with Okazaki Castle used as the prefectural headquarters. However, Nukata Prefecture was merged into Aichi Prefecture in 1872, and the capital of the prefecture was moved to Nagoya.
Okazaki Domain was not a single contiguous territory, but consisted of a number of scattered holdings in Mikawa Province:
- 95 villages in Hekinan District
- 110 villages in Nukata DistrictNukata District, Aichiis a rural district located in central Aichi, Japan. As a result of various consolidations and mergers of municipalities, most of the district was incorporated into the cities of Okazaki and Toyota, and now consists of only the town of Kōta....
- 9 villages in Hazu DistrictHazu District, Aichiis a former rural district located in southeastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003 , the district had an estimated population of 58,921 and a population density of 696.88 persons per km²...
List of daimyō
- Honda clanHonda clanThe ' is a Japanese family that claims descent from the medieval court noble Fujiwara no Kanemichi. The family settled in Mikawa and served the Matsudaira clan as retainers. Later, when the main Matsudaira family became the Tokugawa clan, the Honda rose in prestige. The clan includes thirteen...
(fudai) 1601-1645# Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank revenues 1 1601–1611 Bungo-no-kami Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 2 1611–1623 Bungo-no-kami Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 3 1623–1645 Ise-no-kami Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku – 56,500 koku 4 1645 Echizen-no-kami Lower 5th (従五位下) 56,500 koku -- 50,000 koku
- Mizuno clanMizuno clanThe was a Japanese clan which claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji branch of the Minamoto clan. In the Edo period, the Mizuno clan produced many men who were fudai daimyo serving the Tokugawa shogun, as well as countless families of hatamoto...
(fudai) 1645-1762# Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank revenues 1 1645–1676 Daikenmotsu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 2 1676–1692 Emon-no-suke Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 3 1692–1699 Buzen-no-kami Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 4 1699–1730 Izumi-no-kami, Jiju Lower 4th (従四位下) 50,000 koku – 60,000 koku 5 1730–1737 Daikenmotsu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 6 1737–1752 Daikenmotsu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 7 1752–1762 Izumi-no-kami Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku
-
Matsudaira (Matsui) clanMatsudaira clanThe was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Minamoto clan. It first originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province . Over the course of its history, the clan produced many branches, most of which also centered around Mikawa Province...
(fudai) |1762–1769# Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank revenues 1 1762–1769 Suo-no-kami, Jiju Lower 4th (従四位下) 50,400 koku
- Honda clanHonda clanThe ' is a Japanese family that claims descent from the medieval court noble Fujiwara no Kanemichi. The family settled in Mikawa and served the Matsudaira clan as retainers. Later, when the main Matsudaira family became the Tokugawa clan, the Honda rose in prestige. The clan includes thirteen...
(fudai) 1769-1697# Name Tenure Courtesy title Court Rank revenues 1 1769–1777 Nakatsukasa-taifu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 2 1777–1790 Nakatsukasa-taifu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 3 1790–1821 Nakatsukasa-taifu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 4 1821–1835 Nakatsukasa-taifu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku 5 1835–1869 Mimasaki-no-kami, Jiju Lower 4th (従四位下) 50,000 koku 6 1869–1871 Nakatsukasa-taifu Lower 5th (従五位下) 50,000 koku