Kaga Rebellion
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The Kaga Rebellion or Chōkyō Uprising was a large-scale revolt in
Kaga Province was a province of Japan in the area that is today the south and western portion of Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Kaga bordered on Echizen, Etchū, Hida, and Noto Provinces. It was part of Hokurikudō Circuit. Its abbr ...
(present-day southern
Ishikawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu island. Ishikawa Prefecture has a population of 1,140,573 (31 October 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,186 km2 (1,616 sq mi). Ishikawa Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to ...
), Japan, in late 1487 through 1488. Togashi Masachika, who ruled Kaga Province as ''
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 ...
'', had been restored to power in 1473 with aid from the
Asakura clan The is a Japanese kin group. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 7 of 80">"Asakura", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 3 DF_7_of_80">"Asa_...
_as_well_as_the_Ikkō-ikki.html" ;"title="DF 7 of 80/nowiki>">DF 7 of 80">"Asa ...
as well as the Ikkō-ikki">DF 7 of 80/nowiki>">DF 7 of 80">"Asa ...
as well as the Ikkō-ikki, a loose collection of lesser nobility, monks, and farmers. By 1474, however, the Ikkō-ikki grew discontent with Masachika, and launched some initial revolts, which were easily quelled. In 1487, when Masachika left on a military campaign, between 100,000 and 200,000 Ikkō-ikki revolted. Masachika returned with his army, but the Ikkō-ikki, backed by several disaffected vassal families, overwhelmed his army and surrounded him in his palace, where he committed ''seppuku''. The former vassals of Masachika granted the position of ''shugo'' to Masachika's uncle Yasutaka, but over the next several decades, the Ikkō-ikki increased their political hold on the province, eventually abolishing the ''shugo''. They effectively controlled Kaga for almost a century.


Background and initial revolts

During the 15th century in Japan, peasant revolts, known as ''ikki'', became much more commonplace. During the turmoil of the
Ōnin War The , also known as the Upheaval of Ōnin and Ōnin-Bunmei war, was a civil war that lasted from 1467 to 1477, during the Muromachi period in Japan. ''Ōnin'' refers to the Japanese era during which the war started; the war ended during the Bunmei ...
(1467–1477) and subsequent years, these rebellions increased in both frequency and success. Many of these rebels became known as
Ikkō-ikki were rebellious or autonomous groups of people that were formed in several regions of Japan in the 15th-16th centuries; backed up by the power of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, they opposed the rule of governors or ''daimyō''. Mainly con ...
, a collection of peasant farmers, Buddhist monks, Shinto priests, and
jizamurai The were lords of smaller rural domains in feudal Japan.Harold Britho, 'The Han', in John Whitney Hall, ed., ''The Cambridge History of Japan, volume 4: Early Modern Period'' (Cambridge UP, 1988), 183–234, They often used their relatively sma ...
(lesser nobles) who all espoused belief in the
Jōdo Shinshū , also known as Shin Buddhism or True Pure Land Buddhism, is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Shin Buddhism is the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan. History Shinran ( ...
sect of Buddhism.
Rennyo Rennyo (, 1415–1499) was the 8th Monshu (head priest) of the Hongan-ji Temple of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, and descendant of founder Shinran. Jodo Shinshu Buddhists often referred to as the restorer of the sect ( in Japanese). He w ...
, the
Hongan-ji , also archaically romanized as Hongwanji, is the collective name of the largest school of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhism (which further sub-divides into the Nishi and Higashi branches). 'Hongan-ji' may also refer to any one of several actual temple bui ...
abbot who led the Jōdo Shinshū movement, attracted a large following in Kaga and
Echizen Province was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga, Wakasa, Hida, and Ōmi Provinces. It was part of Hokurikudō Circuit. Its abbreviated form ...
, but distanced himself from the political goals of the ''ikki'', advocating violence only for self-defense or defense of one's religion. During the mid-15th century, a civil war broke out among the Togashi clan over the position of ''
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 ...
''. Togashi Masachika had been driven out of Kaga by his younger brother, Kochiyo. When the Ōnin War broke out in 1467, Masachika sided with Hosokawa and Kochiyo with Yamana. In 1473, Masachika requested aid from Asakura Toshikaga, the lord of Echizen and ally of Hosokawa, as well as from the priests of Yoshizaki, who were associated with Rennyo. Masachika promised the ''ikki'' that if restored to power, he would lift his supporters out of their poverty. Further motivating the ''ikki'' to support Masachika were the religious policies of Kochiyo: Kochiyo patronized the Takada school of Jōdo Shinshū, a fierce rival to the Hongan-ji for control of the Shinshū sect, and persecuted followers of the Hongan-ji. Toshikaga pledged his support, as did the Yoshizaki priests, the latter prior to any approval from Rennyo. Rennyo eventually granted his approval to the actions of the Yoshizaki priests, and with Toshikaga providing military aid and the Ikkō-ikki rioting throughout Kaga, Masachika quickly overthrew his brother. But Ikkō-ikki support of Masachika was short-lived. By 1474, the Ikkō-ikki were in dispute with Masachika as they claimed that he did not fulfill his promises of economic reward, and they attempted a rebellion. Rennyo refused to support their actions and the rebels were quickly defeated and forced to take refuge in
Etchū Province was a province of Japan in the area that is today Toyama Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Etchū bordered on Noto and Kaga Provinces to the west, Shinano and Hida Provinces to the south, Echigo Province to the east and the Sea ...
. In 1475, Shimotsuma Rensu, a disciple of Rennyo, falsely claimed that Rennyo supported a renewed uprising in Kaga. The revolt failed, and Rennyo excommunicated Rensu. Tiring of his efforts to restrain the unruly Ikkō-ikki, Rennyo left Yoshizaki for the capital region.


1488 revolt

Despite the previous revolts having been easily suppressed, unrest continued to simmer in Kaga under Masachika's governance. The Ikkō-ikki who remained in Kaga grew bolder, refusing to pay taxes and even seizing tax revenue and land, despite Rennyo's continued protestations. In 1487, Masachika left with a large army for
Ōmi Province was a province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. Its nickname is . Under the ''Engishiki'' classification system, Ōmi was ranked as one of the 13 "great countrie ...
in response to a call for aid from ''shōgun''
Ashikaga Yoshihisa was the 9th ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1473 to 1489 during the Muromachi period of Japan.Ackroyd, Joyce. (1982) ''Lessons from History: The Tokushi Yoron'', p. 331. Yoshihisa was the son of the eighth ''shōgun'' Ashi ...
, who was attempting to suppress the robber baron Rokkaku Tokoyori. In Masachika's absence, the Ikkō-ikki, led by Rengo, Renkō, and Rensei, three sons of Rennyo, launched their revolt and between one hundred thousand and two hundred thousand members took up arms. Masachika quickly returned from his military expedition, and defeated the rebels in several battles. However, several vassal families, discontent with Masachika, joined with the rebels. The rebels cut off Masachika from reinforcements from his allies in the bordering Echizen, Etchū, and
Noto Province was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern part of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, including the Noto Peninsula (''Noto-hantō'') which is surrounded by the Sea of Japan. Noto bordered on Etchū and Kaga provinces to the so ...
s, and besieged his castle. Masachika, trapped in a burning castle and faced with certain defeat, committed ''seppuku.'' In his place, the vassal families who rebelled against Masachika put forward his uncle and ex-''shugo'', Yasutaka, as a candidate to be the new ''shugo''.


Aftermath

Following the overthrow of Masachika, Kaga became known as "''hyakusho no motaru kuni''" ("the kingdom of peasants", or "province ruled by peasants"). ''Shōgun'' Yoshihisa, a friend and ally of Masachika, demanded that Rennyo excommunicate the Kaga ''ikki''. However,
Hosokawa Masamoto was a deputy-''shōgun'' of the Hosokawa clan of Japan, and son of Hosokawa Katsumoto. Masamoto was appointed to this rank during 1486. For a brief period this title was lost by Hatakeyama Masanaga but was regained in time. When Ashikaga Yosh ...
, an influential political figure who was also a close friend and patron of Rennyo, negotiated a deal which permitted Rennyo to merely reprimand the ''ikki'' while Masamoto would join the Hongan-ji. In Kaga, Togashi Yasutaka took power as ''shugo'', ruling the province until his death in 1504. Afterward, under the rule of his son, Taneyasu, the ''ikki'' began to assert their influence over the vassal families that supported them in the uprising. The ''ikki'' soon split into rival political factions and initiated a series of political struggles which culminated in a civil war in 1531. The heads of the three predominant Hongan-ji temples in Kaga, as well as Taneyasu, were defeated when Renjun, a son of Rennyo, brought in Ikkō-ikki troops from
Mikawa Province was an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Mikawa''" in . Its abbreviated form name was . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces. Mik ...
. Upon Renjun's victory, the office of ''shugo'' was abolished and the leaders of the opposition were exiled. The Ikkō-ikki would control Kaga until 1580, when forces loyal to
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
defeated them.


Citations


References

* * * * * * * * * Battles of the Sengoku period Rebellions in Japan 1488 in Asia 1487 in Asia Conflicts in 1487 Conflicts in 1488 15th-century rebellions Peasant revolts Medieval rebellions Ikkō-ikki Incidents in the history of Buddhism in Japan Buddhism in the Azuchi–Momoyama period {{Good article