was a Japanese

daimyo 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 nominally to ...

and a monk during the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

.Uta de Megutta Shiro
. Gujo City. Accessed May 10, 2008.

Biography

Myōchin was the son of

Saitō Sōen Saitō, Saito, Saitou or Saitoh (written: or ) are the 10th and 11th most common Japanese surnames respectively. Less common variants are , , and . Notable people with the surname include: Notable people with the surname *, Japanese footballer * ...

(斎藤宗円), who served as the

guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unit ...

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, Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviated fo ...

, and the younger brother of Saitō Toshinaga. He began his training as a monk from a young age at Zene-ji (善恵寺). In 1450, Saitō Myōchin served as the guardian of upper

on behalf of the

Toki clan The is a Japanese kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Toki," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 61 retrieved 2013-5-9. History The Toki claim desce ...

. During his reign, he built Jōzai-ji in modern-day Gifu. The temple would later become the family temple for the

Saitō clan Saitō, Saito, Saitou or Saitoh (written: or ) are the 10th and 11th most common Japanese surnames respectively. Less common variants are , , and . Notable people with the surname include: Notable people with the surname *, Japanese footballer * ...

. When Yoshinaga died in 1460, Myōchin moved from Jōzai-ji and into nearby Kanō Castle. His grave is on the grounds of Zuiryū-ji in

Gifu is a Cities of Japan, 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. Durin ...

Gifu Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Gifu Prefecture has a population of 1,910,511 () and has a geographic area of . Gifu Prefecture borders Toyama Prefecture to the north; Ishikawa Prefecture ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saito, Myochin 1411 births 1480 deaths Daimyo Myochin