The relationship between Oe Hiromoto, one of the "13 Lords of Kamakura" and Minamoto no Yoritomo's wise man, and Yamagata Prefecture

Oe no Hiromoto, who appeared as one of the main characters in the NHK historical drama "The 13 Lords of Kamakura," was a man who supported the Kamakura shogunate with his brilliant mind

The "Shugo-Jito" system, which appears in history lessons, is said to have been conceived by Oe no Hiromoto and recommended to Minamoto no Yoritomo

Did you know that Oe Hiromoto, who was an indispensable figure for the Kamakura shogunate, actually had deep ties to Yamagata Prefecture, far from Kamakura?

This time, we will introduce the relationship between Oe no Hiromoto, a close confidant of Minamoto no Yoritomo, and Yamagata

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Who is Oe Hiromoto?

It is presumed that Oe no Hiromoto was born in 1148 (Kyu'an 4) during the late Heian period. (There are various theories regarding his origins.)

He originally served the Imperial Court as a lower-ranking aristocrat, but was invited to Kamakura because Hiromoto's older brother, Nakahara Chikayoshi, was on friendly terms with Minamoto no Yoritomo, and at the age of 37, he began serving as Yoritomo's advisor

Eventually, Yoritomo defeated the Taira clan and established the Kamakura shogunate. At that time, Hiromoto was appointed betto (similar to today's chief director) of the Komonsho (later the Mandokoro), which was in charge of general government affairs and finances, and he played an active role on the front lines as an important figure in the shogunate

During the Jokyu War, in which Emperor Gotoba raised an army to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate, he supported the second regent, Hojo Yoshitoki, together with Yoritomo's wife, Hojo Masako, and is said to have made a significant contribution to the victory of the shogunate forces

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The Oe clan came to rule Sagae Manor after the fall of the Oshu Fujiwara clan

In 1189 (Bunji 5), Yoritomo attacked Hiraizumi in Oshu (present-day Iwate Prefecture) on the grounds that it had sheltered his younger brother, Minamoto no Yoshitsune, and drove the Oshu Fujiwara clan , the rulers of the north who controlled the entire Tohoku region, to ruin

As a reward for his service in this battle, Hiromoto was granted the position of jitō (land steward) in Yamagata Prefecture, including Sagae Manor (present-day Sagae City and Nishimurayama District) and Nagai Manor (around present-day Nagai City)

Hiromoto, who also possessed many other territories, divided them among his children and relatives, entrusting them with governing. This is howthe Sagae Oe clan.

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Laying the foundations of Sagae City

Initially, Tada Hitotsuna, the father of Hiromoto's wife, was dispatched to Sagae Manor as the deputy (local administrator). Later, Hiromoto's eldest son, Oe Chikahiro, inherited the position of jitō (land steward) of Sagae Manor from his father

However, since he held an important position in the Kamakura shogunate, the Sagae region was left in the care of the deputy governor, Tada Hitotsuna. Chikahiro's arrival in Sagae came as a form of seclusion after his defeat in the Jokyu War, in which he fought on the side of Emperor Go-Toba (his father, Hiromoto, fought on the side of the shogunate) due to his position as Kyoto Shugo (guardian of Kyoto)

Because his father, Hiromoto, had served the shogunate, Chikahiro was later pardoned. However, due to these circumstances, it is said that the first official entry of the Ooe clan into Sagae was made by Chikahiro's great-grandson, Ooe Motoaki

Subsequently, the Sagae Oe clan ruled the Sagae region for approximately 400 years, spanning 18 generations, until they were destroyed by Mogami Yoshiaki during the Sengoku period, laying the foundation for the present-day city of Sagae

The relationship between Oe no Hiromoto and the Sengoku daimyo Mori Motonari

The Mori clan, including Mori Motonari , a famous warlord of the Chugoku region during the Sengoku period , were descendants of Oe Hiromoto. It is said that the clan began when Hiromoto's fourth son, Oe (Mori) Suemitsu, inherited the Mori estate in Aiko District, Sagami Province from his father and adopted the surname "Mori."

When Mori Motonari was granted an official rank by the imperial court,Ooe no Motonari. (From "Mori Family Documents," No. 297, dated February 15, 1560, Imperial Decree of Emperor Ogimachi)

For these reasons,"Ichimonji Mitsuboshi"family crest of the Oe family, which is now famous as the family crest of the Mori family, can be seen in various places throughout Sagae City.

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Spots in Sagae City related to the Oe clan

Jionji Temple

Jionji Temple is a venerable temple with a history of 1,300 years since its founding

It is said that when the temple and shrine were destroyed by fire in the late Kamakura period, the fifth head of the family, Motoaki, contributed to their reconstruction

During the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate granted the temple 2,812 koku of land, and it became famous as one of the largest temple complexes in the Tohoku region

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Jionji Temple Terrace

Jionji Terrace is a facility that opened in May 2021, and it clearly conveys the history of the "former grounds of Jionji Temple," which are designated as a national historical site

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Gravestones of successive generations of the Ooe family

The "Gravestone of the Ooe Family Generations" is located within the grounds of Nagaoka Kannon Chōnenji Temple in Sagae City

Here you will find the gravestones of figures such as "Lord Oe Hiromoto," the founder of Sagae; "Oe Takamoto," the last lord of Sagae Castle, and the sixteen people who committed suicide to follow him in death; their chief retainer "Hashima Kanjuro"; and the Grand Elder "Wada Kyuemon."

However, this is not actually the place where they were buried. It is said that during the Taisho period, a descendant of the chief elder "Wada Kyuzaemon," who lived next door to Chonenji Temple, used his private funds to erect this monument because he felt that "the history of the Ooe family, who left a significant mark on this region, had been forgotten."

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Hontatekan ruins

Hiromoto, who held an important position in the shogunate and owned several estates mainly in the Kanto region, is said to have initially entrusted the administration of Sagae to his father-in-law, Tada Hitotsuna, as his deputy

The Honjokan is said to be the first residence built by Tada Hitotsuna

The Mogami River once flowed nearby, but now only remains of earthworks and other structures can be seen

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Sagae Castle Ruins

This was the base of operations for the Oe clan when they ruled Sagae. According to one theory, it was built by Chikahiro, the eldest son of Hiromoto

During the reigns of the 8th head of the family, Tokiuji, and the 9th head, Mototoki, Sagae Castle was surrounded by a triple moat, and extensive renovations and reconstructions were carried out

Samurai residences were built one after another around the castle, and Sagae became a bustling castle town

Sagae Castle was abandoned during the Edo period, and now only a monument remains

Part of the site of the former castle keep is now the grounds of Sagae Elementary School

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Conclusion

Sagae City has many spots where you can feel the remnants of the Oe clan era

Now that the NHK historical drama "The 13 Lords of Kamakura" has made the figure of Oe no Hiromoto feel much more relatable, why not visit some spots associated with the Oe clan?

Reference: "History of Hometown Sagae" by Abe Torikio and Ui Kei (Sagae City Board of Education, Yamagata Prefecture)

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