Toki clan
Encyclopedia
The was a powerful clan that ruled in Japan
from the Kamakura period
to the Edo period
. It descended from Emperor Seiwa
by Minamoto no Yorimitsu
from the Minamoto clan
(Seiwa genji) and used Toki
in Mino Province
as their hometown. The family adhered to Zen Buddhist beliefs and founded many temples, including Shōhō-ji
, which contains the Gifu Great Buddha
, and Sōfuku-ji
in the city of Gifu
.
, shikken
of the Kamakura shogunate
, fought against the Southern Dynasty with Ashikaga Takauji
.
From the Muromachi period
to the Sengoku period
, the Toki clan ruled Mino Province. Toki Yasuyuki was shugo
(governor) of three provinces: Mino, Owari
and Ise
. When the shogun
had tried to take Owari from him, Yasuyuki refused and fought for two years (1389–1391).
Toki Shigeyori
sided with the Yamana clan
during the Ōnin War
and, in 1487, invaded the southern part of Ōmi Province
. The principal line of the Toki lost their possessions in 1542 during the civil wars that decimated Mino Province, when Toki Yoshiyori (then governor of Mino) was defeated by Saitō Dōsan
. Toki Sadamasa (1551–1597) lost his father at the age of two and was carried to Mikawa Province
. At the age of 14 he entered in Tokugawa Ieyasu
's army. In 1590, he was named daimyo
of Sōma (Shimōsa Province) and revived the former glory of the Toki. In 1868, at the end of the Tokugawa period, his descendants were daimyo of Numata (Kōzuke Province
).
The Toki are also famous for their cadet branches: the Asano, Hida, Ikeda, Akechi
and Takenaka
clans.
Seiwa Genji
.
Below is a list of rulers of the Toki clan. The first six rulers resided in Kyoto and Settsu Tada before receiving the
Mino province. The second seven rulers were just heads of the clan resided in Toki; however, starting with Toki Yorisada, the rulers also served as the shugo
of Mino Province.
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...
from the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
to 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....
. It descended from Emperor Seiwa
Emperor Seiwa
was the 56th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.-Traditional narrative:...
by Minamoto no Yorimitsu
Minamoto no Yorimitsu
, also known as Minamoto no Raikō, served the regents of the Fujiwara clan along with his brother Yorinobu, taking the violent measures the Fujiwara were themselves unable to take...
from the Minamoto clan
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
(Seiwa genji) and used Toki
Toki, Gifu
is a city in Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The city is located on the Honshū island, to the southeast of Gifu City, the prefectural capital. The Toki River runs through the downtown area. Toki is known as one of the largest producers of Japanese pottery. The products made in the region are generally...
in Mino Province
Mino Province
, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....
as their hometown. The family adhered to Zen Buddhist beliefs and founded many temples, including Shōhō-ji
Shoho-ji (Gifu)
is a Buddhist temple of the Ōbaku school of Buddhism in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It is a branch temple of Mampuku-ji in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. The temple has many aspects of the Ōbaku school, but its building style and sacraments are in the Chinese style. Additionally, it is much larger than...
, which contains the Gifu Great Buddha
Gifu Great Buddha
The is a large Buddhist statue located in Shōhō-ji in Gifu City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was conceived by the 11th head priest of Kinpouzan Shōhō temple, Ichyuu, around 1790, in hopes of averting large earthquakes and famines. Ichyuu died in 1815 before it was completed, but his successor,...
, and Sōfuku-ji
Sofuku-ji (Gifu)
' is a Buddhist temple located in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. The temple has strong ties to both Saitō Dōsan and Oda Nobunaga. Gifu's Sōfuku-ji is famed throughout Japan for both the number of monks it produces and for its "Blood Ceiling". Shortly after its founding, it was also known as Kōsai-ji...
in the city of Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
.
History
Minamoto no Mitsunobu, a fourth generation descendant of Yorimitsu, was the first to settle in Toki. It was he who named and started the Toki clan. Toki Yorisada, whose maternal grandfather was Hōjō SadatokiHojo Sadatoki
was the ninth shikken of the Kamakura shogunate , and Tokuso from his appointment as regent until his death....
, shikken
Shikken
The was the regent for the shogun in the Kamakura shogunate in Japan. The post was monopolized by the Hōjō clan, and this system only existed once in Japanese history, between 1203 and 1333...
of the Kamakura shogunate
Kamakura shogunate
The Kamakura shogunate was a military dictatorship in Japan headed by the shoguns from 1185 to 1333. It was based in Kamakura. The Kamakura period draws its name from the capital of the shogunate...
, fought against the Southern Dynasty with Ashikaga Takauji
Ashikaga Takauji
was the founder and first shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358...
.
From the Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
to the Sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
, the Toki clan ruled Mino Province. Toki Yasuyuki was shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
(governor) of three provinces: Mino, Owari
Owari Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....
and Ise
Ise Province
or was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
. When the shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
had tried to take Owari from him, Yasuyuki refused and fought for two years (1389–1391).
Toki Shigeyori
Toki Shigeyori
was a leading military commander during the Muromachi period in Mino Province , Japan. The characters for his name can also be read as Toki Nariyori. He became the eighth head of the Toki clan at the age of 15 and was the adopted son of Toki Mochimasu. His sons included Toki Masafusa and Toki...
sided with the Yamana clan
Yamana clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan which was one of the most powerful of the Muromachi period ; at its peak, members of the family held the position of Constable over eleven provinces. Originally from Kōzuke province, and later centered in Inaba province, the clan claimed descendance from the Seiwa...
during the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
and, in 1487, invaded the southern part of Ōmi Province
Omi Province
is an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. It is nicknamed as .Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province...
. The principal line of the Toki lost their possessions in 1542 during the civil wars that decimated Mino Province, when Toki Yoshiyori (then governor of Mino) was defeated by Saitō Dōsan
Saito Dosan
was a daimyo who dramatically rose and also fell from power in Sengoku period Japan. He was also known as the for his ruthless tactics.-Life:Originally a wealthy merchant from Yamashiro Province , he entered the service of Nagai Nagahiro of Mino Province , assuming the name Nishimura Kankurô.He...
. Toki Sadamasa (1551–1597) lost his father at the age of two and was carried to 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....
. At the age of 14 he entered in 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...
's army. In 1590, he was named daimyo
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...
of Sōma (Shimōsa Province) and revived the former glory of the Toki. In 1868, at the end of the Tokugawa period, his descendants were daimyo of Numata (Kōzuke Province
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
).
The Toki are also famous for their cadet branches: the Asano, Hida, Ikeda, Akechi
Akechi clan
The is a branch of the Toki clan, which is descended from the Seiwa Genji. The Akechi clan thrived around the later part of the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Akechi became the head , soryo of the Toki after the Toki fell to the Saitō clan in 1540. The Akechi denied to be under Saito ...
and Takenaka
Takenaka clan
The is a Japanese family descended from the Seiwa Genji line's Toki branch..The family, with holdings in the Fuwa district of Mino Province, was founded by Iwate Shigeuji, who was the first to take the name Takenaka.....
clans.
Clan rulers
The Toki clan, originating from Emperor Seiwa, made powerful samurai core families from generations to generations known asSeiwa Genji
Seiwa Genji
The ' were the most successful and powerful of the many branch families of the Japanese Minamoto clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto Yoshiie, also known as "Hachimantaro", or God of War, and Minamoto no Yoritomo, the founder of the Kamakura shogunate, were descended...
.
Below is a list of rulers of the Toki clan. The first six rulers resided in Kyoto and Settsu Tada before receiving the
Mino province. The second seven rulers were just heads of the clan resided in Toki; however, starting with Toki Yorisada, the rulers also served as the shugo
Shugo
was a title, commonly translated as "Governor," given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the shogun to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan...
of Mino Province.
Pre-Mino Ancesters
- Emperor Seiwa (清和天皇）- the 56th Emperor of Japan
- Teijun Shinoh (貞純親王）
- Tsunemoto Oh （経基王）- the 6th grandson of Emperor Seiwa, Chinjufu Shogun defeated Taira Masakado
- Tada Minamoto Mitsunaka (多田源満仲) - Founder of Settsu Tada Genji
- Minamoto no YorimitsuMinamoto no Yorimitsu, also known as Minamoto no Raikō, served the regents of the Fujiwara clan along with his brother Yorinobu, taking the violent measures the Fujiwara were themselves unable to take...
(Raiko) (源頼光）- Chinjufu Shogun, famous with Oeyama Oni Taiji and Tsuchigumo - Minamoto Yorikuni (源頼国)
Initial Mino rulers
- Minamoto no Kunifusa (源国房)
- Minamoto no Mitsukuni (源光国)
- Minamoto no Mitsunobu (源光信)
- Minamoto no Mitsuki (源光基)
- Toki Mitsuhira (土岐光衡) - founder of the Toki clan and the family crest
- Toki Mitsuyuki (土岐光行)
- Toki Mitsusada (土岐光定)
Shugo of Mino Province
- Toki Yorisada (土岐頼貞) (1271–1339)
- Toki Yoritō (土岐頼遠) (died December 29, 1342)
- Toki Yoriyasu (土岐頼康) (1318–February 3, 1388)
- Toki Yasuyuki (土岐康行) (died November 8, 1404)
- Toki Yoritada (土岐頼忠) (died 1397)
- Toki Yorimasu (土岐頼益) (1351–1414)
- Toki Mochimasu (土岐持益) (1406–1474)
- Toki ShigeyoriToki Shigeyoriwas a leading military commander during the Muromachi period in Mino Province , Japan. The characters for his name can also be read as Toki Nariyori. He became the eighth head of the Toki clan at the age of 15 and was the adopted son of Toki Mochimasu. His sons included Toki Masafusa and Toki...
(土岐成頼) (1442–1497) - Toki MasafusaToki Masafusawas the governor of Mino Province during the latter years of the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan. He was the son of Toki Shigeyori....
(土岐政房) (1457–September 12, 1519) - Toki Yoritake (土岐頼武) (1488–1536)
- Toki YorinariToki Yorinariwas a son of Toki Masafusa and final ruling head of the Toki clan during the latter years of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. As daimyo of Mino Province, he had hired Saito Dosan as his retainer in the 1520s, but was overthrown and expelled from the province by Dosan in a coup d'état in 1542...
(土岐頼芸) (1502–December 28, 1582) - Toki Yorizumi (土岐頼純) (1524–December 28, 1547)
- Toki Yorinari (was shugo twice)
Famous Profiles
- Toki Yoritō (土岐頼遠) a basara daimyo, attacked Kogen Joko by arrows.
- Toki Yoriyasu (土岐頼康)
- Toki YorinariToki Yorinariwas a son of Toki Masafusa and final ruling head of the Toki clan during the latter years of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. As daimyo of Mino Province, he had hired Saito Dosan as his retainer in the 1520s, but was overthrown and expelled from the province by Dosan in a coup d'état in 1542...
(土岐頼芸) the last shugo daimyo driven out by Saito Dosan