Four historic sites related to Katakura Kagetsuna, a famous vassal of Date Masamune, and the Katakura family [Miyagi Prefecture]

Shiroishi City is located in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture.alongside""Katakura Kagetuna of Wisdom"was known asKatakura Kojuro KagetunaIt is famous for being the land ruled by

This time, I visited some historical sites related to Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna and the Katakura family, and would like to introduce them to you!

Katakura Kagetsuna and four historical sites of the Katakura family

first head of the Katakura clan of the Sendai DomaintheKatakura Kagetuna,Kojurois a famous figure known as a brilliant general who served as a military strategist for Date Masamune. Kagetuna's nickname,,was continued by successive heads of the clan after his death, and all heads of the Katakura clan have taken the name Katakura Kojuro XX.

At the end of the Edo period, the defeat of the Oshu-Uetsu Alliance in the Boshin War led the Katakura family to emigrate to Hokkaido to pioneer the area, but the history of the Katakura family continued to be woven in Shiroishi, both before and after that

The following article follows the subsequent events of the Date clan's retainers after the Boshin War

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

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]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/26656

As the title suggests, did you know that Miyagi Prefecture and Hokkaido actually have a deep connection? This article explores this relationship, dating back to the Boshin War and the history of Hokkaido's development during the Meiji period! Following the defeat in the Boshin War, the Sendai Domain's kokudaka (rice yield) was reduced 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, and after its defeat, its kokudaka was reduced from 620,000 koku to 280,000 koku in the postwar settlement. This, of course, had a ripple effect on its vassals. For example, there was the Watari-Date clan, who ruled the area around Watari Town in Miyagi Prefecture. They were a distinguished family whose founder was Date Masazane, a senior vassal of Date Masamune...

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Shiroishi Castle, the residence of the Katakura clan, was an exception to the one castle per province law

Castlebecame a subsidiary castle of Sendai Castle and the residence of the Katakura clan, vassals of the Date family. The fact that it was exceptionally allowed to remain even after the "One Castle Per Province" decree of 1615, issued by the shogunate to prevent rebellions against the shogunate and wars between provinces, reflects the close relationship between the Date family and the shogunate that Date Masamune had built.

During the Boshin Warthe Shiraishi Domain Conferencewas held here,led to the formation of the Ouetsu Domain Alliance, making it an important stage during a turning point in history.

The castle tower, Oteichinomon Gate, and Ninomon Gate were faithfully restored in 1995 and are now symbols of Shiroishi City

Details about the castle and its surroundings are summarized in the article below

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Miyagi Prefecture also has a castle with a castle tower! Shiroishi Castle, the residence of Katakura Kagetsuna, a senior retainer of the Date clan

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/26489

When we think of famous castles in the Tohoku region, we think of Hirosaki Castle in Aomori Prefecture, Aizuwakamatsu Castle in Fukushima Prefecture, and Sendai Castle in Miyagi Prefecture! Unfortunately, Sendai Castle no longer has a castle tower. However, that doesn't mean there aren't any castles with towers in Miyagi Prefecture. Located in the southern part of Miyagi Prefecture, Shiroishi City is home to Shiroishi Castle, which was once the residence of the Katakura clan, who served as senior vassals of the Date clan. This time, we'll be introducing Shiroishi Castle! What is Shiroishi Castle? Shiroishi Castle is a flatland castle located in Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, and is also known as Masuoka Castle. Historical documents related to Shiroishi Castle are extremely scarce, making it difficult to know when and by whom it was built.

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Shiroishi Castle <Information>

• Name: Shiroishi Castle Ruins
• Address: 1-16 Masuokacho, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, 989-0251
• Phone number:
• Official URL:http://www.shiro-f.jp/shiroishijo/

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Joeizan Ketsusanji Temple, home to a lone cedar tree said to be the gravestone of the first Katakura Kagetsuna

Templewas founded in 1608 by Katakura Kagetuna as the family temple of the Katakura family.

The first head priest, Kagetsuna, and the second head priest, Shigenaga, were buried at this temple, but the third head priest, Kagenaga, had his remains reburied at Mt. Atago (currently the Katakura family mausoleum)

Currently, the heads of the family up to the 10th generation are buried in the Katakura family mausoleum on Mount Atago, whilethe heads of the family from the 11th generation onward, along with their wives, are buried here at Ketsuzanji Temple.

Information board for the Katakura family graveyard. In addition to the Katakura family, Matsumae Yasuhiro, the seventh son of Matsumae Yoshihiro, the first lord of the Matsumae domain in Hokkaido, and his descendants, are also buried here

If you proceed further into the temple grounds and follow the signs up the mountain path,a 400-year-old cedar tree that is said to be the tombstone of the first Kagetunayou will come across

Ketsusanji Temple <Information>

• Name: Joeishan Jietshan Temple
• Address: 2-7-20 Minamimachi, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, 989-0248
• Phone number: 0224-25-9258
• Official URL:https://kessanji.jp/

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The Katakura family mausoleum, built by the third head of the family, Katakura Kagenaga

The Katakura family mausoleumwas built by Katakura Kagenaga, the third head of the family, on October 14, 1680, the anniversary of the death of the first head of the family, Kagetuna, when he relocated the graves of Kagetuna and the second head of the family, Shigenaga, from Kessanji Temple.

It is an impressive structure surrounded by a granite fence, with ten large stone statues lined up on the cobblestone floor and one gravestone, and is said to be a rare and valuable structure that can only be seen here as a mausoleum for subordinate vassals of the Tohoku region

Outside the Tamagaki fence, on the right side of the photo, there are gravestones for six vassals who died alongside the first Kagetsuna

By the way, a vassal is a "vassal of a vassal," with the Tokugawa Shogun at the top and the daimyo as vassals, and the daimyo's vassals as vassals of the vassals from the perspective of the Tokugawa Shogun

Lady Masako, the wife of Murakado Nanadai, was the daughter of DateYoshimura, and therefore, like the lord of the castle, she is buried in this mausoleum.

The grave marker is a seated statue of Amida Buddha, but only the 10th head priest, Munekage, has a square stone monument as his grave marker

Katakura Family Mausoleum<Information>

• Name: Katakura Family Mausoleum
• Address: Atagoyama, Fukuoka Kuramoto, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, 989-0231
• Phone number:
• Official URL:Shiroishi Tourism Navi - Katakura Family Mausoleum

Google Maps

The grave of Kita, the wet nurse of Date Masamune and the creator of the black bell flag

If you travel a short distance along National Route 113 towards Shichikashuku from Atagoyama, where the Katakura family mausoleum is located, you will findKatakurawetthe grave of.

She was a woman who excelled in both the arts and martial arts, and is thought to have had a great influence on the development of the personality of not only Kagetsuna, who was about 20 years older than her, but also Date Masamune during his childhood

After Date Masamune grew up, he became attached to Masamune's wife, Princess Mego, and together with Princess Mego, who was held hostage by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, they went to Kyoto in 1594. He served as a servant at the Date residence in Fushimi, and had an audience with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who is said to have been impressed by Kita's talent and praised him as a "shonoagon."

The Katakura family's banner, "white background with black bell,"was designed by Kita for Kagetuna, and is said to embody the wish that the Katakura family's name would resound throughout the land, as well as the meaning of mourning the souls of those who died in battle.

Kita's grave<Information>

• Name: Grave of Katakura Kita
• Address: Fukuoka Kuramoto Taira Yashiki, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture, 989-0231
• Phone number:
• Official URL:Shiraishi Tourism Navi - Kita's Grave

Google Maps

summary

Shiroishi City is famous for Shiroishi washi paper, Shiroishi onmen noodles, Yajiro Kokeshi dolls, and more recently Zao Fox Village, but it is also a castle town, as you would expect. There are also many historical sites that attest to its long history. Although it was just for research, I was deeply moved to be able to follow in the footsteps of Katakura Kagetsuna, who I have a personal attachment to

By the way, Shiraishi is also home to several historical sites related to Sanada Yukimura and his descendants, who had a strange connection with the Katakura family

I have summarized this in a separate article, so if you are interested, please take a look

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Three historical sites related to the Date clan's vanguard, "Oni Kojuro," Katakura Shigenaga, and Sanada Yukimura [Miyagi Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/32462

In Shiroishi City, there are historical sites connected to Sanada Yukimura and his descendants, who were enemies but united by a strange bond during the Summer Siege of Osaka, a battle that led to the Tokugawa Shogunate's annihilation of the Toyotomi clan. This time, we will introduce three such sites. Three Historical Sites Related to Sanada Yukimura: The Summer Siege of Osaka took place in 1615. Because Katakura's head, Kagetsuna, was bedridden and unable to participate, Katakura Kojuro Shigenaga, who would later become the second head of the family, led the Date forces as the vanguard. He defeated Goto Matabei, Susukida Kanesuke, and others at the Battle of Domyojiguchi, making the name "Oni Kojuro" known throughout the country...

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Aoiwa

Traveling around the Tohoku region, I enjoy drinking delicious sake and exploring the local history, traditions, and customs. I write articles based on my interests. I'm currently interested in folk performing arts, local toys, and folk beliefs