[Iwate Prefecture during the Boshin War] What was the decision of the Morioka and Ichinoseki clans?

Daiwa Consilio
2022.07.12
Last updated: 2024.07.9

table of contents

1 Morioka domain, southern territory until the crescent moon becomes round
- 1.1 Divisive domain theory, two chief retainers, Sado Narayama, and Toseizu
- 1.2 Sado Narayama, who came into contact with new government officials, decided to overthrow the Satchoshu.
2 Akita War and Morioka Domain
3 From a branch domain of the Sendai domain to the Tamura clan, a Tozama daimyo, Ichinoseki domain
- 3.1 Ichinoseki Castle＜Information＞
4 summary
5 “Boshin War and Ou-etsu Domain Alliance” Articles from other prefectures

During the Boshin War, where the entire Tohoku region became a battlefield, Iwate Prefecture did not become a battlefield.

At that time, slightly more than half of Iwate Prefecture in the north belonged to the Morioka clan of the Nanbu clan, and a little less than half in the south belonged to the Ichinoseki clan, which had close ties to the Sendai clan.Both Morioka and Ichinoseki clans were part of the Ouuetsu clan alliance, so the battle was fought. There wasn't.

Morioka domain, southern territory until the crescent moon becomes round

The Nanbu clan, which descended from the Seiwa-Genji to the Kai-Genji, reached its peak during the Sengoku period, during the reign of Harumasa, the 24th head of the clan.

At that time, the phrase ``southern territory until the crescent moon becomes round'' was used to refer to the vast territory.

This means that if you walk from one end of the southern territory to the other, it would take as many days as a full crescent moon.

Although it was a large territory, Tsugaru became independent and was divided into the Hachinohe domain, so on the surface it was only a Tozama daimyo with 100,000 koku, but later it was reduced to 200,000 koku by Takanao, but the inner reality of the domain's administration was It is said to have been extremely painful.

Divisive domain theory, two chief retainers, Sado Narayama, and Toseizu

Toshihisa, the 40th head of the Nambu clan and the 15th lord of the Morioka domain, was active in promoting literature and martial arts, and because of his mild-mannered personality and dislike of conflict, he entrusted political decisions to senior vassals.

This is said to have intensified the conflict between the chief retainers, Narayama Sado and Higashi Masamichi, with the Narayama faction insisting on joining the feudal alliance, and the Azuma faction insisting on joining the government army. It was divided into sects and the theory of the domain could not be settled.

When the Ou Chinpu government-general's party escaped from the Sendai domain's house arrest and arrived in Morioka, the lord of the domain, Toshitake, donated 10,000 ryo to the group, but sent the group to Akita with an ambiguous flag.

Sado Narayama, who came into contact with new government officials, decided to overthrow the Satchoshu.

In 1868, Sado Narayama was assigned to guard the imperial palace in Kyoto, where the Battle of Toba and Fushimi had just ended.

Therefore, he felt bitter about the actions of the feudal retainers of Satsuma and Choshu, who appeared to be selfish, and evaluated Takamori Saigo, whom he interviewed, as ``a man who lacked etiquette, lacked formality, and was not a person who would take on the politics of the nation.''

Furthermore, he met Tomomi Iwakura and said, ``The Imperial Court, which does not have an armed force, has entrusted it to the Satchos, but I am worried about the future.'' ``The only ones who can fight against them are the Ou clans, and if they stand up, other opportunistic clans will respond.'' It is said that he was advised to do so and decided to oppose the new government.

Furthermore, on his way back to Japan, he met with Tosa Tadaki, the chief retainer of the Sendai domain, and after returning to Japan, he suppressed the pro-Imperial faction that was dominant and unified the domain's opinion toward joining the Ou-etsu clan alliance.

Sankei Ikki, Narayama Sado and Sendai Domain

In 1853, when Sado Narayama became chief retainer at the young age of 22, the ``Sankei Ikki'' broke out on the coast of Iwate Prefecture.

In order to quell this uprising, which was said to be the largest in the Edo period, Sado Narayama borrowed the help of the Sendai clan and saved the Morioka clan by asking them not to report it to the shogunate. From this, it is believed that participating in the alliance was meant to respond to the debt of gratitude to the Sendai domain.

Akita War and Morioka Domain

On August 9th of the lunar calendar in 1868, the Morioka clan declared war on the Kubota clan, gathered soldiers in the Kazuno area (Kazuno City, Akita Prefecture), and marched towards Odate Castle with Sado Narayama at the head of the battle, and established the domain boundaries. Drop the twelve places of the district.

An all-out attack on Odate Castle began at 5 a.m. on the 22nd, and after a fierce battle, the Kubota clan's soldiers were completely destroyed, and Yamato Satake, the lord of Odate Castle, set fire to the castle and escaped, leaving the Morioka clan soldiers. stormed into the castle and fell.

Battle of Kimimachi Saka

In response to the Morioka clan aiming for Kubota Castle, the Kubota clan set up a defense base at Kimimachi-zaka, a fortress in a difficult area, and prepared to attack with the arriving vanguard of Saga clan soldiers.

The current Byobu Rock in Kimimachisaka Park

On August 25th, the Morioka clan attacked the stronghold from the main road and the main road, but was unable to overtake it and retreated.

Furthermore, the 300-man main force of the Saga Domain arrived with the latest Armstrong cannons and guns, and the Morioka Domain suffered a major setback.

Battle of Iwase, Battle of Odate, and surrender

The Battle of Iwase, which began early in the morning on September 2nd, was the fiercest battle of the Morioka clan.

The Morioka clan fought hard under the command of Sado Narayama and at one point cornered the Saga clan on the verge of retreating, but they were gradually pushed back by the government army with the latest weapons and retreated in the afternoon.

After that, a fierce battle unfolded around Odate Castle, but the Morioka clan, fearing that it would be cut off from retreat, retreated to the domain's borders and defended it until surrendering on the 22nd.

Morioka Castle Ruins＜Information＞

Name: Morioka Castle Ruins
Address: 1-37 Ichimaru, Morioka, Iwate 020-0023
URL: Morioka City HP

Google Map

From a branch domain of the Sendai domain to the Tamura clan, a Tozama daimyo, Ichinoseki domain

The Ichinoseki clan began as an internal division of the Sendai clan (a branch of the Date family), and later the Tamura clan also separated from the Date family and established their own domain, so they acted together with the Sendai clan during the Boshin War.

The Tamura clan is said to be a descendant of Sakanoue Tamuramaro, and is also the home of Aihime, Date Masamune's legal wife.

Ichinoseki Castle＜Information＞

Name: Ichinoseki Castle (Takasaki Castle/Tsuriyama Castle) ruins
Address: Tsuriyama, Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture 021-0874
URL: Iwate Cultural Information Encyclopedia

Google Map

summary

Before joining the Ouetsu Domain Alliance, the new government faction was dominant in the Morioka Domain.

Defeated, Sado Narayama returned to the Morioka domain, but was captured by the loyalists who took control of the domain while he was away, and the following year, he was blamed for the defeat and executed at Hoon-ji Temple in Morioka City.

His death poem was ``Flowers are blooming, willows are waning, and what doesn't move on a spring night is the path of the samurai.''