Is there a lot of land in Hokkaido that has a connection to Miyagi? The migration of Sendai samurai and the history of Hokkaido 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 Watari Date clan, which ruled the area around Watari Town in Miyagi was a prestigious clan whose Date Masamune a senior vassal of Date Masamune. their kokudaka (rice yield) of around 24,000 koku 58 koku , and the territory they ruled was transferred to the control of the Nanbu clan at the direction of the Meiji government.

The monetary value of koku varies over time, so it is difficult to generalize, but it is generally believed that equivalent to the amount of rice an adult would eat in a year

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

This is not limited to the Watari Date family,

• Shiraishi Katakura family : Shiraishi Castle was confiscated and their fief was reduced from 18,000 koku to 55 koku
• Iwadeyama Date clan : Iwadeyama Castle was confiscated and their fief was 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 to various parts of Hokkaido with their respective lords in search of new lands

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Muroran City (Ishikawa Kunimitsu and his vassals)

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

However, for the subsequent additional migration, the vassals who had been entrusted with Kakuta deceived by the words "If we donate 100,000 ryo, we will be allowed to return to our former territory," and as a result, the remaining 1,300 vassals lost the migration expenses.

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 Kuninari, the 14th head of the Watari Date clan, a branch of the Sendai domain, emigrated to Usu County, Iburi Province (present-day Date City, Hokkaido) in several installments from 1870 and began developing the area.

In 1892, the Sacred Treasure, Fourth Class , and made a baron

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 12th head of the Shiraishi Katakura family and ancestor of Katakura Date Masamune, was ordered by the Meiji government in 1869 to take control of Horobetsu County, Iburi Province (present-day Noboribetsu City, Hokkaido), and the following year, in 1870, his vassals began relocating and developing the area.

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 10th head of the Iwadeyama Date clan, a branch of the Sendai domain, was initially ordered to rule Sorachi County in Ishikari Province. However, Sorachi County was located quite inland, making it difficult to transport supplies, so he requested a relocation.

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

later appointed a second lieutenant in the army, concurrently served as a seventh-class pioneer officer , the rank of Junior Sixth Rank . He rose steadily in the ranks due to his achievements in pioneering, and passed away in 1891.

However, even after his death, his grandson Masato awarded Kuninao the title of baron the peerage , and in November 1915, Kuninao was posthumously awarded the rank of Shogoi (Senior Fifth Rank) . His achievements were highly recognized.

In 1940, to commemorate the 2,600th anniversary of the founding of the Imperial Era, it was enshrined at Hokkaido Kaitaku Shrine

Google Map (Tobetsu Town)

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Shiroishi Ward, Sapporo (Katakura Kuninori's vassals)

Some of the vassals of Katakura Kuninori, the twelfth head of the Shiraishi Katakura family, also migrated to the Sapporo area

At the time, the area was called Motsukisappu, and a judge from the Hokkaido Development Commission was so impressed by the people's efforts to build homes in a short space of time between the area around present-day Shiroishi Park and Shiroishi Shrine that he named it "Shiroishi Village" is said to have remained the current Shiroishi Ward

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 <Development and Immigration in Hokkaido>

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