[Sagae City, Yamagata Prefecture] One of Minamoto Yoritomo's wisdom bag "13 people of Kamakura-dono", relationship between Oe Hiromoto and Yamagata

Hiromoto Oe, who appears as one of the main characters in the taiga drama ``The Thirteen People of Kamakura Palace'' currently airing on NHK, was a person who supported the Kamakura Shogunate with his clear mind.
The system of ``shugo jito'' that appears in history classes is said to have been conceived by Hiromoto Oe and recommended to Minamoto no Yoritomo.
Did you know that Oe Hiromoto, who was indispensable to the Kamakura Shogunate, was actually a person with deep ties to Yamagata Prefecture, which was far away from Kamakura?
This time we will introduce the relationship between Minamoto no Yoritomo's confidant, Oe Hiromoto, and Yamagata.

Who is Hiromoto Oe?

It is estimated that Oe Hiromoto was born in 1,148 (Kyuan 4) at the end of the Heian period.
(There are some theories about his origins.) He originally served the imperial court as a lower-ranking aristocrat, but at the age of 37 he was invited to Kamakura by Hiromoto's older brother, Chikayoshi Nakahara, who had a close relationship with Minamoto no Yoritomo. Around this time, he began to serve as Yoritomo's advisor.

Eventually, Yoritomo destroyed the Taira clan and established the Kamakura shogunate, but at that time Hiromoto was appointed as a betto (similar to the current chief minister) of Kumonsho (later Mansho), which was in charge of general government affairs and finances, and was in charge of the shogunate. He played an active role on the front lines as an important figure.

It is said that during the Jokyu Rebellion, in which Retired Emperor Gotoba raised an army to overthrow the Kamakura Shogunate, he supported the second regent Hojo Yoshitoki, along with Yoritomo's legal wife Masako Hojo, and greatly contributed to the victory of the Shogunate army. .

After the fall of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, he ruled Yamagata.

In 1,189 (Bunji 5), Yoritomo invaded Oshu Hiraizumi (present-day Iwate Prefecture) for harboring his younger brother Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and drove the Oshu Fujiwara clan, the northern king who ruled the Tohoku region, into ruin.

As a reward for the war, Hiromoto was appointed as the head of land in Yamagata Prefecture, such as Sagae Manor (present-day Sagae City and Nishimurayama District) and Nagai Manor (around present-day Nagai City).

Build the foundation of Sagae City

The Oe clan ruled the Sagae region for about 400 years for 18 generations until it was overthrown by Mogami Yoshimitsu during the Sengoku period, and built the foundation of the current Sagae city.
During the era of the 8th head of the castle, Tokiuji, and the 9th head of the castle, Mototoki, Sagae Castle was surrounded by a triple moat and extensive renovations and renovations were carried out. Samurai residences were built one after another around the castle, and Sagae became a thriving castle town.

Spots related to the Oe clan

Jionji Temple

It is a venerable temple with a history of 1,300 years. It is said that the fifth head of the temple, Motoaki, contributed to the restoration of the temple when it suffered a fire in the late Kamakura period. During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate granted it a temple territory of 2,812 koku, making it famous as one of the largest temple complexes in the Tohoku region.

Jionji Temple Terrace

This is a new facility that just opened in May 2021. It clearly conveys the old precincts of Jion-ji Temple, which has been designated as a national historic site.

Hontatekan ruins

It is said that Hiromoto, who held important positions in the shogunate and owned several manors mainly in the Kanto region, left the administration of Sagae to his wife's father, Hitotsuna Tada. Hontatekan is said to be the first building built by Hitotsuna Tada.

The Mogami River once flowed nearby, but now only traces of earthworks can be seen.

Sagae castle ruins

It was the home base of the Oe clan when they ruled Sagae.
One theory is that it was built by Chikahiro, Hiromoto's eldest son.

During the Jokyu War, Chikahiro, who was serving as the guardian of Kyoto, separated from his father, Hiromoto, and sided with the imperial court.
After losing the battle, Chikahiro relied on his grandfather, Hitotsuna Tada, and fled to Sagae, where he lived in hiding until the shogunate pardoned him for his crimes.

Sagae Castle was abandoned during the Edo period and no buildings remain, only a monument. A part of the main enclosure remains is the site of an elementary school.

in conclusion

In Sagae City, there is a spot in the heart of the city where you can feel the traces of the Oe clan.
Now that the Taiga drama ``13 People of Kamakura-dono'' has been aired, the image of Hiromoto Oe has become much more familiar, so why not visit some spots associated with the Oe family to prepare for or review the drama? Is it?

Reference: “History of Hometown Sagae” by Tokio Abe/Kei Ui (Sagae City Board of Education, Yamagata Prefecture)