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was a
feudal domain
A demesne ( ) or domain was all the land retained and managed by a lord of the manor under the feudal system for his own use, occupation, or support. This distinguished it from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants. The concept or ...
under the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
of
Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
Japan, located in southern
Mutsu Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture.
Mutsu Province is also known as or . The term is often used to refer to the comb ...
. It was centered on
Komine Castle
is a Japanese castle located in what is now the city of Shirakawa, southern Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. Throughout the middle to later Edo period, Komine Castle was home to the Abe clan, ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain. It was also referred to ...
in what is now the city of
Shirakawa, Fukushima
270px, Nanko Park in Shirakawa
is a city located in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 59,393 in 23,546 households and a population density of 190 persons per km2. The total area of the city was .
Geography ...
. Its most famous ruler was
Matsudaira Sadanobu
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the mid-Edo period, famous for his financial reforms which saved the Shirakawa Domain, and the similar reforms he undertook during his tenure as chief of the Tokugawa shogunate, from 1787 to 1793.
Early life
Mat ...
, the architect of the
Kansei Reforms
was a after ''Tenmei'' and before ''Kyōwa''. This period spanned the years from January 1789 through February 1801. The reigning emperor was .
Change of era
* 1789 : The new era name of '' Kansei'' (meaning "Tolerant Government" or "Broad-min ...
. It was also the scene of one of the battles of the
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a clique seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperi ...
of the
Meiji restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
.
History
The
Shirakawa Barrier
The is the location of a frontier fortification on the Ōshū Kaidō highway in what is now the Hatajuku neighborhood of the city of Shirakawa, Fukushima Japan, three kilometers south of the border of Tochigi Prefecture The site was designated a ...
was noted from the
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from CE 710 to 794. Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara). Except for a five-year period (740–745), when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the cap ...
as the border between the “settled” regions of Japan proper, and the “frontier” regions of northern Japan, and was of great strategic importance. During the
Sengoku period
The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615.
The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...
, the area around Shirakawa was controlled by the rulers of
Aizu.
In 1627,
Niwa Nagashige
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' who served the Oda clan. Nagashige was the eldest son of Niwa Nagahide and married the 5th daughter of Oda Nobunaga. He took part in his first campaign in 1583, assisting his father in the Battle of Shizugatake agains ...
, one of
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
’s generals, was transferred from
Tanakura Domain
was a '' fudai'' feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in southern Mutsu Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Tanagura Castle, located in what is now part of the town of Tanagura in Fukushi ...
to the newly established Shirakawa Domain, with a ''
kokudaka
refers to a system for determining land value for taxation purposes under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo-period Japan, and expressing this value in terms of ''koku'' of rice. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Koku"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 54 ...
'' of 100,700 ''
koku
The is a Chinese-based Japanese unit of volume. 1 koku is equivalent to 10 or approximately , or about . It converts, in turn, to 100 shō and 1000 gō. One ''gō'' is the volume of the "rice cup", the plastic measuring cup that is supplied ...
''. He built Komine Castle, and established the surrounding
castle town
A castle town is a settlement built adjacent to or surrounding a castle. Castle towns were common in Medieval Europe. Some examples include small towns like Alnwick and Arundel, which are still dominated by their castles. In Western Europe, ...
. He was followed by his son,
Niwa Mitsushige in 1637, but the clan was transferred to
Nihonmatsu Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in southern Mutsu Province. It was centered on Nihonmatsu Castle in what is now the city of Nihonmatsu, Fukushima, and its territory included all of Nihonmatsu, Moto ...
in 1647.
The Niwa were replaced by
Sakakibara Tadatsugu from
Tatebayashi Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Kōzuke Province (modern-day Gunma Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Tatebayashi Castle in what is now the city of Tatebayashi, Gunma.
History
Following the ...
, with an increase to 140,000 ''koku''. Tadatsugu’s mother was one of Ieyasu’s concubines, and for a time he adopted the
Matsudaira
The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of ...
surname. However, his tenure at Shirakawa was short, and he was transferred to
Himeji Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Harima Province in what is now the southern portion of modern-day Hyōgo Prefecture. It was centered around Himeji Castle, which is located in what is now the ...
in 1649.
The domain was then assigned to
Honda Tadayoshi, formerly of
Murakami Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Echigo Province (modern-day Niigata Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Murakami Castle in what is now the city of Murakami, Niigata.[Utsunomiya Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Shimotsuke Province (modern-day Tochigi Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Utsunomiya Castle in what is now part of the city of Utsunomiya. Utsunomiya was ruled ...]
in 1681.
Shirakawa was then assigned to Matsudaira (Okudaira) Tadahiro, but he was in poor health and assigned running the domain to his ''
karō
were top-ranking samurai officials and advisors in service to the ''daimyōs'' of feudal Japan.
Overview
In the Edo period, the policy of ''sankin-kōtai'' (alternate attendance) required each ''daimyō'' to place a ''karō'' in Edo and anoth ...
''. Furthermore, the early death of his sons led to an ''
O-Ie Sōdō O-Ie Sōdō (, "house strife") were noble family disputes within the samurai and aristocratic classes of Japan, particularly during the early Edo period (17th century). The most famous is the '' Date Sōdō'', which broke out among the Date family ...
'' which divided his retainers between a faction favoring a son-in-law and a faction favoring a grandson. His inability to resolve this crisis resulted in his demotion and replacement by another branch of the Matsudaira clan.
Matsudaira (Echizen) Naonori became ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa in 1692 and initially implemented plans to repair the domain’s finances through fiscal restraint and reduction of the income of his retainers. These policies were reversed in 1720 by the powerful Toki-faction within the clan, whose solution to the domain’s finances was a drastic increase in taxation. This resulted in a major peasant uprising. Naonori’s successor, Motochika, initiated a
suggestion box
The suggestion box is used for collecting slips of paper with input from customers and patrons of a particular organization. Suggestion boxes may also exist internally, within an organization, such as means for garnering employee opinion.
History ...
, and his successor Yoshichika was transferred to
Himeji Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Harima Province in what is now the southern portion of modern-day Hyōgo Prefecture. It was centered around Himeji Castle, which is located in what is now the ...
in 1741.
Shirakawa then came under yet another branch of the Matsudaira clan, with the appointment of Matsudaira (Hisamatsu) Tadayoshi. His adopted grandson,
Matsudaira Sadanobu
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the mid-Edo period, famous for his financial reforms which saved the Shirakawa Domain, and the similar reforms he undertook during his tenure as chief of the Tokugawa shogunate, from 1787 to 1793.
Early life
Mat ...
was immediately faced with his domain's economically disastrous position: of 110,000 ''koku'' that it was supposed to be able to produce, 108,600 had been reported "lost". Sadanobu worked ceaselessly to fix the economic situation in Shirakawa, finally saving it and bringing its finances and agriculture back to stability. These reforms, coupled with Sadanobu's continued political maneuvering, brought him fame, and he was named chief councilor of the Shōgunate in the summer of 1787, and regent to the 11th shōgun
Tokugawa Ienari
Tokugawa Ienari ( ja, 徳川 家斉, November 18, 1773 – March 22, 1841) was the eleventh and longest-serving ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan who held office from 1787 to 1837.Hall, John Whitney ''et al.'' (1991) ''Early Modern J ...
early the following year. This period of Sadanobu's strengthening of the already faltering Tokugawa regime is known as the
Kansei Reforms
was a after ''Tenmei'' and before ''Kyōwa''. This period spanned the years from January 1789 through February 1801. The reigning emperor was .
Change of era
* 1789 : The new era name of '' Kansei'' (meaning "Tolerant Government" or "Broad-min ...
. His son, Matsudaira Sadanaga, was transferred to
Kuwana Domain
250px, Reconstructed portion of Kuwana Castle
was a Japanese feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Ise Province. It was centered on Kuwana Castle in what is now the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture. It was contr ...
.
Shirakawa was then assigned to the
Abe clan
The was one of the oldest of the major Japanese clans (''uji''); and the clan retained its prominence during the Sengoku period and the Edo period.Meyer, Eva-Maria"Gouverneure von Kyôto in der Edo-Zeit." Universität Tübingen (in German). The ...
of
Oshi Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Musashi Province (modern-day Saitama Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Oshi Castle in what is now part of the city of Gyōda, Saitama.
History
Oshi Castle ...
, who ruled over eight generations to the
Meiji restoration
The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored practical imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Although there were ...
. The 7th ''daimyō'',
Abe Masatō
was the 7th Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain, and an important official in the Bakumatsu period Tokugawa shogunate.
Early life as a ''hatamoto''
Masatō was born the younger son of Abe Shōzō, a 3000 '' koku'' ''hatamoto'' retainer of Shir ...
, rose to the post of ''
rōjū
The , usually translated as '' Elder'', was one of the highest-ranking government posts under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council of Elders as a whole; under the first two ''sh ...
'', and played an important role in the
opening of Japan
was the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. Between 1853 and 1867, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a feudal Tokugawa shogunate to the modern empire of the Meiji government. ...
. He overcame the objections of the ''
sonnō jōi
was a ''yojijukugo'' (four-character compound) phrase used as the rallying cry and slogan of a political movement in Japan in the 1850s and 1860s during the Bakumatsu period. Based on Neo-Confucianism and Japanese nativism, the movement sought ...
'' party, and negotiated the opening of
Hyōgo Port to the foreigners, but this act precipitated his forced retirement and loss of 40,000 ''koku''. During the
Bakumatsu period
was the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. Between 1853 and 1867, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a feudal Tokugawa shogunate to the modern empire of the Meiji govern ...
, the 8th and final ''daimyō'',
Abe Masakiyo, was transferred to
Tanakura Domain
was a '' fudai'' feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in southern Mutsu Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Tanagura Castle, located in what is now part of the town of Tanagura in Fukushi ...
in 1866. Shirakawa then became ''
tenryō
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
'' territory administered directly by the Tokugawa shogunate, but the
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a clique seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperi ...
began before a new ''daimyō'' could be appointed. Shirakawa joined the
Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei
The was a Japanese military-political coalition established and disestablished over the course of several months in early to mid-1868 during the Boshin War. Its flag was either a white interwoven five-pointed star on a black field, or a black i ...
and Abe Masakiyo returned briefly in 1868, but the castle was destroyed by
Satchō Alliance
The , or was a powerful military alliance between the feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū formed in 1866 to combine their efforts to restore Imperial rule and overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan.
History
The name ''Satchō'' () is ...
forces during the
Battle of Aizu in the
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a clique seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperi ...
.
After the end of the conflict, Shirakawa Domain was dissolved in December 1868, and became Shirakawa Prefecture in August 1869. After the
abolition of the han system
The in the Empire of Japan and its replacement by a system of prefectures in 1871 was the culmination of the Meiji Restoration begun in 1868, the starting year of the Meiji period. Under the reform, all daimyos (, ''daimyō'', feudal lords) ...
in July 1871, it became part of “Nihonmatsu Prefecture”, which later became part of Fukushima Prefecture.
Holdings at the end of the Edo period
As with most domains in the
han system
( ja, 藩, "domain") is a Japanese historical term for the estate of a daimyo in the Edo period (1603–1868) and early Meiji period (1868–1912). Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Han"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 283. or (daimyo domain) s ...
, Shirakawa Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned ''
kokudaka
refers to a system for determining land value for taxation purposes under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo-period Japan, and expressing this value in terms of ''koku'' of rice. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Koku"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 54 ...
'', based on periodic
cadastral
A cadastre or cadaster is a comprehensive recording of the real estate or real property's metes-and-bounds of a country.Jo Henssen, ''Basic Principles of the Main Cadastral Systems in the World,'/ref>
Often it is represented graphically in a cad ...
surveys and projected agricultural yields.
*
Mutsu Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture.
Mutsu Province is also known as or . The term is often used to refer to the comb ...
(
Iwashiro Province
is an old province in the area of Fukushima Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Iwashiro''" in . It was sometimes called .
The province occupies the western half of the central part of Fukushima Prefecture; the eastern half is I ...
)
**63 villages in
Shirakawa District may refer to:
People
* Shirakawa (surname)
* Emperor Shirakawa, an eleventh-century emperor of Japan
Places
* Shirakawa, Fukushima, a city in Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
** Shirakawa Domain, a feudal domain of Edo-period Japan
* Shirakawa ...
**2 villages in
Iwase District
*
Tōtōmi Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today western Shizuoka Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tōtōmi''" in . Tōtōmi bordered on Mikawa, Suruga and Shinano Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . The or ...
**15 villages in
Yamana District
**18 villages in
Toyoda District
**3 villages in
Aratama District
**4 villages in
Inasa District
*
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture.
Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, whi ...
**36 villages in
Ina District
List of daimyō
Abe Masanori
was the 9th Abe ''daimyō'' of
Oshi Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Musashi Province (modern-day Saitama Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Oshi Castle in what is now part of the city of Gyōda, Saitama.
History
Oshi Castle ...
and the first Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa
Masanori was the second son of
Abe Masayoshi
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the mid-Edo period, who ruled the Oshi Domain.
Masayoshi served as ''Kyoto Shoshidai
The was an important administrative and political office in the Tokugawa shogunate. The office was the personal representati ...
. When he was three years old, his father died and he became ''daimyō''. However, because of his age and feeble health, his mother took over the administration of the domain and Masanori was placed under the guardianship of
Abe Masakiyo, ''daimyō'' of
Fukuyama Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. It was associated with Bingo Province and Bitchū Province in modern-day Hiroshima Prefecture.">DF_39-40_of_80">"Mizuno"_at_''Nobiliare_du_Japon'',_pp._35–36__In_1822,_the_Tokugawa_shogunate_
The_Tokugawa_shogunate_(,_Japanese_徳川幕府_''Tokugawa_bakufu''),_also_known_as_the_,_was_the__military_government_of_Japan_during_the_Edo_period_from_1603_to_1868._Nussbaum,_Louis-Frédéric._(2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in_''Japan_Encyclopedia_...
_issued_a_decree_rotating_the_''daimyō''_of_Oshi,_Kuwana_Domain.html" "title="DF_39-40_of_80/nowiki>_retrieved_2013-4- ...
.
In 1822, the
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
issued a decree rotating the ''daimyō'' of Oshi, Kuwana Domain">Kuwana
is a city located in Mie Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 141,045 in 60,301 households and a population density of 1000 persons per km². The total area of the city is .
Geography
Kuwana is located in northern Mie Pr ...
and Shirakawa Domains. Masanori was ordered to relocate to Shirakawa, but in the midst of this move he died. The succession passed to his cousin Abe Masaatsu.
Abe Masaatsu
was the 2nd Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain. He was the son of Matsudaira Yorioki, the 5th son of Tokugawa Munemasa of Wakayama Domain and was posthumously adopted as heir to his cousin Abe Masanori. His courtesy title was ''Hida-no-kami'', and his court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. HIs wife was a daughter of
Shimazu Narinobu of
Satsuma Domain
The , briefly known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1602 to 1871.
The Satsuma Domain was based at Kagoshima Castle in Satsuma Province, the core of the modern city of Kagoshima, ...
. As with his cousin, he was also of weak constitution, and retired in 1831 after adopting Abe Masaakira as his heir. He died in 1843 and his grave is at the temple of Saifuku-ji in Kurumae, Tokyo.
Abe Masaakira
was the 3rd Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain. He was the 14th son of
Matsudaira Nobuakira
The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of t ...
of
Yoshida Domain
was a Japanese feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Mikawa Province located in eastern Mikawa Province (modern-day eastern Aichi Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Yoshida Castle in what is now the cit ...
and was adopted as heir to Abe Masaatsu. His courtesy title was ''Noto-no-kami'', and his court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. HIs wife was a daughter of
Nagai Naotomo Nagai may refer to:
*Nagai (surname), a Japanese surname
*Nagai, Yamagata, a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan
*An alternative name for Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, India
*Nagai (Star Wars), Nagai (''Star Wars''), a fictional alien race in t ...
of
Takatsuka Domain. Noted for his intelligence, he served as ''
sōshaban
were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Conventional interpretations have construed this Japanese title as "master of ceremonies"
Created in 1632, this '' bakufu'' title identified an official selected from the ranks of the ...
'' in 1836 and ''
Jisha-bugyō
was a "commissioner" or an "overseer" of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were always ''fudai daimyōs'', the lowest-ranking of the shogunate offices to be so restricted.Beasley, William G. (1955) ...
''in 1837. Although he appeared to have a bright future, he also had weak health and died in 1838. His grave is at the temple of Saifuku-ji in Kurumae, Tokyo.
Abe Masakata
was the 4th Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain. He was the 4th son of
Ōmura Sumiyoshi Omura (小村) or Ōmura (大村) are Japanese surnames, but may also refer to:
* Ōmura, Nagasaki, a city located in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan
* Omura's whale (''Balaenoptera omurai''), a species of rorqual about which very little is known
Peopl ...
of
Ōmura Domain
was a Japanese domain
Domain may refer to:
Mathematics
*Domain of a function, the set of input values for which the (total) function is defined
**Domain of definition of a partial function
**Natural domain of a partial function
**Domain of holo ...
and was posthumous adopted as heir to Abe Masaakira. His courtesy title was ''Noto-no-kami'', and his court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. His wife was a daughter of
Naitō Yoriyasu of
Takatō Domain
was a domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.
The Takatō Domain was based at Takatō Castle in Shinano Province, in the modern city of Ina, located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshu. The T ...
. He served as ''
sōshaban
were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Conventional interpretations have construed this Japanese title as "master of ceremonies"
Created in 1632, this '' bakufu'' title identified an official selected from the ranks of the ...
'' in 1847, but retired the following year. He lived into the
Meiji period
The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912.
The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...
and died in 1874. His grave is at the temple of Saifuku-ji in Kurumae, Tokyo.
Abe Masasada
was the 5th Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain. He was the eldest son of Abe Shōzō, a 3000 ''
koku
The is a Chinese-based Japanese unit of volume. 1 koku is equivalent to 10 or approximately , or about . It converts, in turn, to 100 shō and 1000 gō. One ''gō'' is the volume of the "rice cup", the plastic measuring cup that is supplied ...
'' ''
hatamoto
A was a high ranking samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the shogunates in Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred to as ''gokenin.'' However ...
'' retainer of Shirakawa Domain, and was adopted as heir to Abe Masakata. However, he died only three months after taking office. As he had no heir, his death was kept secret from the authorities until Abe Masahisa could be summoned from
Fukuyama Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. It was associated with Bingo Province and Bitchū Province in modern-day Hiroshima Prefecture.">DF_39-40_of_80">"Mizuno"_at_''Nobiliare_du_Japon'',_pp._35–36_[PDF_39-40_of_80/nowiki>_retrieved_2013-4- ...
and proclaimed heir. Masasada's death was announced on the same day. Masasada's grave is at the temple of Saifuku-ji in Kurumae, Tokyo.
Abe Masahisa
was the 6th Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain. He was the nephew of Abe Masayasu of
Fukuyama Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. It was associated with Bingo Province and Bitchū Province in modern-day Hiroshima Prefecture.">DF_39-40_of_80">"Mizuno"_at_''Nobiliare_du_Japon'',_pp._35–36_[PDF_39-40_of_80/nowiki>_retrieved_2013-4- ...
and was posthumous adopted as heir to Abe Masasada. His courtesy title was ''Harima-no-kami'', and his court rank was Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade. He served as ''
sōshaban
were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Conventional interpretations have construed this Japanese title as "master of ceremonies"
Created in 1632, this '' bakufu'' title identified an official selected from the ranks of the ...
'' in 1849. In 1863, he assisted Matsudaira Katamori in the policing of Kyoto and surrounding areas. However, he fell ill and died the following year in 1864. His grave is at the temple of Saifuku-ji in Kurumae, Tokyo.
Abe Masato
was the 7th Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain, and an important official in the
Bakumatsu period
was the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. Between 1853 and 1867, Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as and changed from a feudal Tokugawa shogunate to the modern empire of the Meiji govern ...
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
.
Masatō was the younger son of Abe Shōzō, a 3000 ''
koku
The is a Chinese-based Japanese unit of volume. 1 koku is equivalent to 10 or approximately , or about . It converts, in turn, to 100 shō and 1000 gō. One ''gō'' is the volume of the "rice cup", the plastic measuring cup that is supplied ...
'' ''
hatamoto
A was a high ranking samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the shogunates in Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred to as ''gokenin.'' However ...
'' retainer of Shirakawa Domain, and inherited this post when his elder brother Abe Masada was selected to become ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa. In 1859, he helped arrange for the wedding between Princess
Kazunomiya
(''Kazunomiya'') was the wife of 14th ''shōgun'' Tokugawa Iemochi. She was renamed Lady Seikan'in-no-miya after she took the tonsure as a widow. She was the great-great-great aunt of Emperor Akihito, who reigned from 1989 to 2019.
Biography
...
and
Shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...
Tokugawa Iemochi
(July 17, 1846 – August 29, 1866) was the 14th ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, who held office from 1858 to 1866.
During his reign there was much internal turmoil as a result of the "re-opening" of Japan to western nations. ...
. In 1861, he became ''
Kanagawa bugyō'', and the same year, he was promoted to ''
Gaikoku bugyō
were the commissioners or "magistrates of foreign affairs" appointed at the end of the Edo era by the Tokugawa shogunate to oversee trade and diplomatic relations with foreign countries. In essence this was the beginning of the creation of a Mini ...
'', and the following year to
''Edo Kita Machi-bugyō''. In 1864, on the death of Abe Masahisa, he became ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa, and a couple of months later was appointed both ''
sōshaban
were officials of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Conventional interpretations have construed this Japanese title as "master of ceremonies"
Created in 1632, this '' bakufu'' title identified an official selected from the ranks of the ...
'' and ''
Jisha-bugyō
was a "commissioner" or an "overseer" of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo period Japan. Appointments to this prominent office were always ''fudai daimyōs'', the lowest-ranking of the shogunate offices to be so restricted.Beasley, William G. (1955) ...
'', and only days later was appointed a ''
rōjū
The , usually translated as '' Elder'', was one of the highest-ranking government posts under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council of Elders as a whole; under the first two ''sh ...
''. In this role, he played a leading role in the negotiations involving the creation of the port and foreign settlements at
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
, and
Hyōgo. The opening of Hyōgō was vehemently opposed by
Emperor Kōmei
was the 121st Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')孝明天皇 (121)/ref> Kōmei's reign spanned the years from 1846 through 1867, corresponding to the final years of the ...
and the anti-treaty faction within the shogunate, and after Abe gave in to the foreign demands, he was fired from his office.
placed under
house arrest
In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
. The post of ''daimyō'' went to his son, Abe Masakiyo. He died in Tokyo in 1887.
Abe Masakiyo
was the 8th (and final) Abe ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa Domain, and the 1st Abe ''daimyō'' of
Tanagura Domain
was a '' fudai'' feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in southern Mutsu Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Tanagura Castle, located in what is now part of the town of Tanagura in Fukushima ...
. He was the eldest son of Abe Masatō. His courtesy title was ''Mimasaka-no-kami'', and his court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. In 1864, when his father was adopted to succeed Abe Masahisa, he inherited his father's 3000 ''koku'' ''hatamoto'' holding. However, in 1866, when his father was forced into retirement for his actions in the opening of the port of Hyōgo to foreign trade, Masakiyo was named ''daimyō'' of Shirakawa. The very same day, he was transferred to Tanagura and Shirakawa Domain became ''
tenryō
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
'' territory under direct control of the Shogunate. Although he protested the move, and later petitioned to return to Shirakawa, he was allowed to return for less than a month before Komine Castle was again taken from him, and placed under the control of
Nihonmatsu Domain
was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in southern Mutsu Province. It was centered on Nihonmatsu Castle in what is now the city of Nihonmatsu, Fukushima, and its territory included all of Nihonmatsu, Moto ...
. The castle was garrisoned by troops of the ''
Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei
The was a Japanese military-political coalition established and disestablished over the course of several months in early to mid-1868 during the Boshin War. Its flag was either a white interwoven five-pointed star on a black field, or a black i ...
'' during the
Boshin War
The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a clique seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperi ...
. In 1868, the castle fell to the
Meiji government
The was the government that was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain and Chōshū Domain in the 1860s. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan.
Politicians of the Meiji government were known as the Meiji o ...
during the
Battle of Shirakawa, and Tanagura fell shortly afterwards to forces led by
Itagaki Taisuke
Count was a Japanese politician. He was a leader of the "Freedom and People's Rights Movement" and founded Japan's first political party, the Liberal Party.
Biography
Early life
Itagaki Taisuke was born into a middle-ranking ''samurai'' ...
. Masakiyo was sent under
house arrest
In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
together with his son to
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
, where he died in 1878.
References
Further reading
*
External links
Shirakawa on "Edo 300 HTML"
{{Authority control
Domains of Japan
History of Fukushima Prefecture
Iwashiro Province
Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei
1868 disestablishments in Japan
States and territories disestablished in 1868
Abe clan
Echizen-Matsudaira clan
Hisamatsu-Matsudaira clan
Honda clan
Niwa clan
Okudaira-Matsudaira clan