Are there many areas in Hokkaido that have ties to Miyagi? The migration of Sendai feudal lords and the history of Hokkaido's development [Miyagi Prefecture]

As the title suggests, did you know that Miyagi Prefecture and Hokkaido actually have a deep connection? This article will unravel that connection, going back to the Boshin War and the history of Hokkaido's development during the Meiji period!

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After the defeat in the Boshin War, the Sendai domain's rice yield fell from 620,000 koku to 280,000 koku

The Sendai domain participated in the Boshin War as a central player in the Oshu-Uetsu Alliance, but was defeated. In the post-war settlement, the domain's kokudaka was reduced from 620,000 koku to 280,000 koku

The effects of this naturally extended to the retainers as well. For example, the Watari Date family, who ruled the area around Watari Town in Miyagi Prefecture. This was a prestigious family whose founder was Date Shigezane, a senior retainer of Date Masamune, but their assessed yield of approximately 24,000 koku was reduced to a mere 58 koku , and the territory they ruled was transferred to the control of the Nanbu domain by order of the Meiji government.

While the monetary value fluctuates over time and therefore cannot be generalized, it is generally believed that one koku is equivalent to the amount of rice an adult eats in a year

In other words,the Watari Date family went from being able to feed 28,000 people to being able to feed only 58.

This is not limited to the Watari Date family,

• Shiraishi Katakura family:Shiraishi Castle confiscatedandtheir fiefdom reduced from 18,000 koku to 55 koku.
• Iwadeyama Date family:Iwadeyama Castle confiscatedandtheir fiefdom reduced from 14,000 koku to 65 koku.

Severe punishment was handed down to all of the prominent families connected to the Sendai domain

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Retainers scattered across Hokkaido in search of new lands

Unable to withstand the harsh punishment imposed by the Meiji government, the senior vassals of the Sendai domain decided to emigrate in order to support their retainers, and petitioned the Meiji government for permission to emigrate to Hokkaido to develop the region

The Meiji government also agreed to this, as the development of Hokkaido was an urgent matter. The Sendai samurai scattered across Hokkaido with their respective lords in search of new lands

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Muroran City (Ishikawa Kunimitsu and his vassals)

Kunimitsu Ishikawa, the 14th head of the Tsunoda Ishikawa family, the leading branch of the Sendai Domain,was granted the right to govern Muroran County in Iburi Province (present-day Muroran City, Hokkaido), and on April 6, 1870, he entered Muroran with the first group of 51 immigrants.

However, in order to facilitate the subsequent relocation, the retainers who had been entrusted with managing Kakuda were deceived into believing that they would be allowed to return to their former territory if they donated 100,000 ryo , and as a result, they lost the funds needed to relocate the remaining 1,300 households of their retainers.

As a result, Kunimitsu was dismissed from his rule of Muroran County, and the jurisdiction was divided and delegated to Date Kuninari and Katakura Kuninori

Google Map (Muroran City)

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Date City (Date Kuninari and his vassals)

Date Kunishige, the 14th head of the Watari Date family, a branch of the Sendai Domain,moved to Usu District in Iburi Province (present-day Date City, Hokkaido) in several stages starting in 1870 and engaged in pioneering work.

In 1892, he was awarded the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class , and granted the title of Baron in recognition of his contributions to the pioneering efforts

Currently, Date City in Hokkaido has a "Hometown Sister City" relationship with Watari Town, Yamamoto Town in Miyagi Prefecture, and Shinchi Town in Fukushima Prefecture, which were formerly territories of the Watari Date clan, and has a "Historical Friendship City" relationship with Shibata Town in Miyagi Prefecture

Google Map (Date City)

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Noboribetsu City (Katakura Kuninori and his vassals)

Katakura Kuninori, the twelfth head of the Shiraishi Katakura family and ancestor of Katakura Kojuro Kagetuna, a senior retainer of Date Masamune, was ordered by the Meiji government in 1869 to govern Horobetsu District in Iburi Province (present-day Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido), and the relocation and settlement of his retainers began the following year, 1870.

The following year, the deity of Shiratori Daimyojin, the guardian deity of Katta County, Miyagi Prefecture, where he was born, was enshrined at a local shrine, and the name of the shrine was changed to Katta Shrine. In other words, the roots of Katta Shrine in Noboribetsu lie in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture

Katakura Kuninori later contributed to the development of Noboribetsu, and in 1886 he returned to his former territory of Shiroishi, where he met his end

Due to this history, Noboribetsu City and Shiroishi City have been sister cities since 1983

Google Map (Noboribetsu City)

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Tobetsu Town (Date Kuninao and his vassals)

Date Kuninao, the tenth head of the Iwadeyama Date family, a branchof the Sendai Domain, was initially ordered to govern Sorachi District in Ishikari Province. However, because Sorachi District was located quite far inland, making the transportation of goods difficult, he requested to be relocated.

In 1870, Kuninao personally visited the area to conduct an investigation, and was granted permission to change the settlement to the coastline. However, the soil on this land was also poor, making it difficult to grow crops, and even the transportation of food was delayed, making the settlement difficult. He again requested a change of settlement site, and was granted permission to move to Tobetsu

He was subsequently appointed Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant , concurrently serving as a Seventh-Class Official in the Development Department, and was granted the Junior Sixth Rank . He rose steadily through the ranks due to his contributions to the development of the area, and passed away in 1891.

However, even after his death, his grandson Masatobaronandthe peerage, and in November 1915, Kuninao was posthumouslythe rank of Senior Fifth Rank, demonstrating that his achievements were highly valued.

In 1940, to commemorate the 2600th anniversary of the founding of Japan, it was enshrined together with the Hokkaido Kaitaku Shrine

Google Map (Tobetsu Town)

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Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo (Katakura Kuninori's vassals)

Some of the retainers of Kuninori Katakura, the twelfth head of the Shiraishi Katakura family, also moved to the Sapporo area

The story goes that a magistrate of the Hokkaido Development Commission was impressed by the quick work of the people who built their homes in the area between what is now Shiroishi Park ( then called Motsukisappu) and Shiroishi Shrine , and named the area "Shiroishi Village" after their hometown. This name has remained the basis for the current Shiroishi Ward in Sapporo City

Due to this history, Shiroishi Ward in Sapporo and Shiroishi City in Miyagi Prefecture have had a friendship city partnership since 1976

Google Maps (Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo)

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summary

I had vaguely heard that Date City in Hokkaido had a connection to Miyagi Prefecture due to its place name, but when I looked into it I was surprised to find out that there are so many places with ties to the prefecture

Of course, Hokkaido has a history of being developed by immigrants from all over Japan, but due to the history of the Boshin War mentioned above, it seems that there are a relatively large number of immigrants from the Tohoku region

If you visit Hokkaido, knowing these trivia facts might make your experience even more enjoyable!

Reference:Hokkaido Historical Village <The Development and Immigration of Hokkaido>

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