The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the

Minamoto clan was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during th ...

, and the Emperor Seiwa (850-881), the 56th Emperor of Japan. The Main Lineage (''sōke'', 宗家) were Lords (

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominall ...

) of the Hiroshima Domain in

Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku Region of western Honshū, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist ...

and another famous branch family were Lords of the

Akō Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Harima Province in what is now the southwestern portion of modern-day Hyōgo Prefecture. It was centered around Akō Castle, which is located in what is no ...

Harima Province or Banshū (播州) was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tanba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji. During t ...

associated with the story of the Forty-seven rōnin. Their inherited character is "長". The family came to prominence when the sister of Asano Nagamasa married

Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...

. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)
"Asano",_''Nobiliare_du_Japon'',_p._3_[PDF_7_of_80
/nowiki>.html" ;"title="DF 7 of 80">"Asano", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 3 [PDF 7 of 80
/nowiki>">DF 7 of 80">"Asano", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 3 [PDF 7 of 80
/nowiki> retrieved 2013-5-4. After the Meiji Restoration and the Abolition of the han system, abolition of the ''han'' system, the Asano clan became part of the Kazoku, new nobility. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)
"Matsudaira" at ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 29
retrieved 2013-7-11.

Origins

The Asano clan are a branch the Toki clan (土岐氏) who descend from Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光) of the

Seiwa Genji The is a line of the Japanese Minamoto clan that is descended from Emperor Seiwa, which is the most successful and powerful line of the clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto no Yoshiie, Minamoto no Yoritomo, the f ...

(清和源氏). The Toki clan's main residence was in the Toki District (土岐郡) of

Mino Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture. Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, and Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviat ...

from which they took their name. Minamoto no Mitsuhira (源光衡) was the third son of Minamoto no Mitsunaga (源光長) who was killed in battle during the

Genpei War The was a national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo, who appointed himse ...

. His uncle Minamoto no Mitsumoto (源光基) adopted him and he founded the Toki clan becoming Toki Mitsuhira (土岐光衡). His first son Toki Mitsuyuki (土岐光行) continued the clan but his second son Toki Mitsutoki (土岐光時) took the name Asano and became founder of the Asano clan. He resided at Asano, Toki district (Mino province) and took the name of the place. Seiwa-tennō (清和天皇, 850–878) 　┃ Sadazumi-shinnō (貞純親王, 873–916) 　┃

Minamoto no Tsunemoto was a samurai and Imperial Prince during Japan's Heian period, one of the progenitors of the Seiwa Genji The is a line of the Japanese Minamoto clan that is descended from Emperor Seiwa, which is the most successful and powerful line of the ...

(源經基, 894–961) 　┃ Minamoto no Mitsunaka (源満仲, 912?–997) 　┃ Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光, 948–1021) 　┃ Minamoto no Yorikuni (源頼国, ?–1058?) 　┃ Minamoto no Kunifusa (源国房, ?–1119) 　┃ Minamoto no Mitsukuni (源光国, 1063–1148) 　┃ Minamoto no Mitsunobu (源光信, 1093?–1145) 　┃ Minamoto no Mitsunaga (源光長, ?–1184) 　┃ Toki Mitsuhira (土岐光衡, 1159–1206) 　┃ Asano Mitsutoki (浅野光時, ?–?)

Asano Nagamasa (1546-1611)

He was the son of Yasui Shigetsugu, Lord of Miyago castle (Owari province), a descendant of Hatakeyama Iekuni,

Shugo , commonly translated as “(military) governor,” “protector,” or “constable,” was a title given to certain officials in feudal Japan. They were each appointed by the ''shōgun'' to oversee one or more of the provinces of Japan. The pos ...

(Governor) of Kawachi province, descending from

Ashikaga Yoshikane was a Japanese samurai military commander, feudal lord in the late Heian and early Kamakura period of Japan's history.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Ashikaga Yoshikane" in ; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ...

(1154-1199) of the

Seiwa-Genji The is a line of the Japanese Minamoto clan that is descended from Emperor Seiwa, which is the most successful and powerful line of the clan. Many of the most famous Minamoto warriors, including Minamoto no Yoshiie, Minamoto no Yoritomo, the foun ...

. Yoshikane was the third son of

Minamoto no Yoshiyasu Minamoto no Yoshiyasu, also called Ashikaga Yoshiyasu (源義康/足利義康, 1127 – 1157) was a samurai of the late Heian period. He is known for his participation in the Hōgen rebellion in 1156. He is best known as the founder of the Ashika ...

, also called Ashikaga Yoshiyasu (1127-1157), founder of the Ashikaga clan, grandson of the Chinjufu-shōgun (Commander-in-chief of the defense of the North)

Minamoto no Yoshiie Minamoto No Yoshiie (源義家; 1039 – 4 August 1106), also known as Hachimantarō, was a Minamoto clan samurai of the late Heian period, and '' Chinjufu-shōgun'' (Commander-in-chief of the defense of the North). The first son of Minamoto ...

(1039-1106), and a descendant of the Emperor Seiwa (850-881), the 56th Emperor of Japan. Nagamasa was adopted by his maternal uncle, Asano Nagakatsu, Lord of Asano castle, younger brother of his mother, and succeeded him as the fourteenth head of the Asano clan. Until Nagakatsu, the Asano descended directly from the Toki clan and Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021), and after Nagamasa, the Asano are direct descendants of the

Hatakeyama clan The was a Japanese samurai clan. Originally a branch of the Taira clan and descended from Taira no Takamochi, they fell victim to political intrigue in 1205, when Hatakeyama Shigeyasu, first, and his father Shigetada later were killed in battle ...

and the Ashikaga clan.

Branches

Makabe Domain (真壁藩),
Hitachi () is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the parent company of the Hitachi Group (''Hitachi Gurūpu'') and had formed part of the Nissan ''zaibatsu'' and later DKB Group and Fuyo G ...
(50,000 koku)

* Asano Nagamasa (浅野長政, 1546–1611) - brother-in-law of

. * Asano Nagashige (浅野長重, 1588–1632) - 3rd son of Asano Nagamasa.

Kishū Domain (紀州藩), Kii (376,000 koku)

Asano Yoshinaga was a Japanese samurai and feudal lord of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. His father served as one of the '' Go-Bugyō'' in the late Azuchi–Momoyama period. Asano Yoshinaga was born at Odani, in the Asai district of Ōmi Province, in ...

(浅野幸長, 1576–1613) - 1st son of Asano Nagamasa. * Asano Nagaakira (浅野長晟, 1586–1632) - 2nd son of Asano Nagamasa, transferred to Hiroshima Domain.

Mooka Domain (真岡藩), Shimotsuke (20,000 koku)

* Asano Nagashige (浅野長重, 1588–1632) - 3rd son of Asano Nagamasa.

Kasama Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Hitachi Province (modern-day Ibaraki Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Kasama Castle in what is now the city of Kasama, Ibaraki. It was ruled by a number o ...
(笠間藩),
Hitachi () is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It is the parent company of the Hitachi Group (''Hitachi Gurūpu'') and had formed part of the Nissan ''zaibatsu'' and later DKB Group and Fuyo G ...
(53,500 koku)

* Asano Nagashige (浅野長重, 1588–1632) - 3rd son of Asano Nagamasa. *

Asano Naganao was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Edo period, who ruled the Akō Domain. He was classified as a '' tozama'', and Akō under his rule was 53,000 ''koku'' in size. Naganao was responsible for the construction of Akō Castle is a flatland Jap ...

(浅野長直, 1610–1672) - eldest son of Nagashige, transferred to Akō Domain in 1645.

Hiroshima Domain (広島藩), Aki (426,500 koku)

* Asano Nagaakira (浅野長晟, 1586–1632) - 2nd son of Asano Nagamasa. * Asano Mitsuakira (浅野光晟, 1617–1693) * Asano Tsunaakira (浅野綱晟, 1637–1673) * Asano Tsunanaga (浅野綱長, 1659–1708) *

(浅野吉長, 1681–1752) * Asano Munetsune (浅野宗恒, 1717–1788) * Asano Shigeakira (浅野重晟, 1743–1814) * Asano Narikata (浅野斉賢, 1773–1831) *

Asano Naritaka Asano Naritaka (November 7, 1817 – February 5, 1868) was a Japanese '' daimyō'' of the Edo period, who ruled Hiroshima Domain. His childhood name was Katsukichi (勝吉) later Nagataka (長粛). Family * Father: Asano Narikata * Wife: Tokugawa ...

(浅野斉粛, 1817–1868) *

Asano Yoshiteru was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Edo period, who ruled Hiroshima Domain. His childhood name was Sadakichi (定吉) later become Sadanosuke (定之丞) later become Zenjirō (善次郎). Family * Father: Asano Naritaka * Wife: Tokugawa Toshi ...

(浅野慶熾, 1836–1858) *

Asano Nagamichi was a Japanese '' daimyō'' of the Edo period, who ruled Hiroshima Domain. His childhood name was Sennosuke (), later Tamegorō (). Family * Father: Asano Nagatomo * Wife: Shunhime, daughter of Asano Nagakane * Adopted Sons: ** Asano Nagakoto ** ...

(浅野長訓, 1812–1872) *

Asano Nagakoto Marquis was a ''daimyō'' of Hiroshima Domain for a short time after the Meiji Restoration. For the rest of the Meiji period, he was a politician and diplomat, and was one of the last surviving Japanese ''daimyō'' (Hayashi Tadataka and Wake ...

(浅野長勲, 1842–1937)

Hiroshima-Shinden Domain, Aki (30,000 koku)

* Asano Nagakata (浅野長賢, 1693–1744) - 3rd son of Asano Tsunanaga of the Hiroshima Domain. * Asano Nagataka (浅野長喬, 1732–1770) * Asano Nagakazu (浅野長員, 1745–1808) * Asano Nagakane (浅野長容, 1770–1824) *

(浅野長訓, 1812–1872) - later Lord of the Hiroshima Domain. * Asano Nagaoki (浅野長興, 1842–1937) - later Lord of the Hiroshima Domain as

(浅野長勲). * Asano Nagaatsu (浅野長厚, 1843–1873)

Mihara Domain (三原藩), Bingo (30,000 koku)

* Asano Tadayoshi (浅野忠吉, 1546–1621) - son of Asano Nagatada (浅野長忠), making him 1st cousin of Asano Nagamasa. * Asano Tadanaga (浅野忠長, 1592–1660) * Asano Tadazane (浅野忠真, 1618–1694) * Asano Tadayoshi (浅野忠義, 1667–1701) * Asano Tadamasa (浅野忠綏, ?–?) * Asano Tadachika (浅野忠晨, ?–?) * Asano Tadamasa (浅野忠正, ?–?) * Asano Tadayoshi (浅野忠愛, ?–?) * Asano Tadasuke (浅野忠順, 1790–1824) * Asano Tadahide (浅野忠敬, 1802–1860) * Asano Tetsu (浅野忠, 1819–1892)

Akō Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, located in Harima Province in what is now the southwestern portion of modern-day Hyōgo Prefecture. It was centered around Akō Castle, which is located in what is no ...
(赤穂藩), Harima (53,000 koku)

Kanadehon-Chushingura-Stage-3-Utagawa-Kuniteru

(浅野長直, 1610–1672) *

Asano Nagatomo was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Edo period, who ruled the Akō Domain. He was the father of the famous Asano Naganori was the ''daimyō'' of the Akō Domain in Japan (1675–1701). His title was ''Takumi no Kami'' (). He is known as the per ...

(浅野長友, 1643–1675) * Asano Naganori (浅野長矩, 1667–1701) - famous for being the lord of the Forty-seven rōnin.

Miyoshi Domain (三次藩), Bingo (50,000 koku)

* Asano Nagaharu (浅野長治, 1614–1675) * Asano Nagateru (浅野長照, 1652–1705) * Asano Nagazumi (浅野長澄, 1671–1718) * Asano Nagatsune (浅野長経, 1709–1719) * Asano Nagazane (浅野長寔, 1713–1720)

Tōjō Domain (東城藩), Bingo (10,000 koku)

* Asano Takakatsu (浅野高勝, 1538–1613) - adopted by Asano clan, formerly Horita Takakatsu (堀田高勝) * Asano Takakana (浅野高英) * Asano Takatsugu (浅野高次) * Asano Takanao (浅野高尚) * Asano Takakata (浅野高方) * Asano Shunso (浅野俊峰) * Asano Takaaki (浅野高明) * Asano Michiyasu (浅野道寧) * Asano Takakage (浅野高景) * Asano Takamichi (浅野高通) * Asano Takahira (浅野高平) * Asano Michihiro (浅野道博) * Asano Michioki (浅野道興) * Asano Michitoshi (浅野道敏) * Asano Morio (浅野守夫, 1856–1938) - 6th son of Asano Nagaatsu of the Hiroshima-Shoden Domain.

Significant Members

* Asano Nagamasa (1526–1610), brother-in-law of

, fought for him in Japan and

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...

(1556–1613), 1st son of Nagamasa. Also served under Hideyoshi, in both Japanese campaigns, and the Korean invasions * Asano Nagaakira (1536–1632), brother of Yukinaga, first Asano lord of the Hiroshima Domain. * Asano Naganori (1647–1701), lord of the Forty-seven ''rōnin''

In popular culture

The Asano clan of 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 ...

led by Sōju Asano, and his daughter Sara from the anime of ''

Inuyasha is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Sunday'' from November 1996 to June 2008, with its chapters collected in fifty-six '' ...

''.

References

External links

*Hiroshima Castle Visitors Guide (flier received at the castle) {{Authority control Japanese clans