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Everywhere in Japan, there are prestigious families known as "local celebrities." It is not uncommon for people to say, "We are just an ordinary family," but if you trace their ancestry closely, you will find that they are actually descended from a distinguished samurai family
In this article, we look into the surnames of prestigious families in Akita Prefecture. If you have ever had a classmate with a surname like that, it's possible that they actually come from a good family
30 surnames in Akita Prefecture that are linked to prestigious families and prominent households (in alphabeticalorder)
Akita Prefecture seems to have many distinguished families with samurai roots. It also seems that many old families moved from Hitachi Province (around present-day Ibaraki Prefecture) due to the Satake clan being transferred to the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain)
Aoyagi
This is an old family from Kakunodate, Senboku County (Kakunodate Town, Senboku City) who were vassals of the Aizu Ashina clan, and after the Ashina clan became extinct, accompanied the Satake clan when they were transferred to Dewa. They served the Satake clan, and after the Meiji Restoration, they became successful in the financial industry and even produced a mayor of Kakunodate. The house is preserved and open to the public as one of the Kakunodate Samurai Residences
powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period Twelve Yuri clans,. They were local lords of Akaotsu, Yuri County, Dewa Province (present-day Yurihonjo City). It is said that they entered Yuri County during the Nanboku-cho period.
Asagi
A wealthy merchant from Tsuchizaki Port (Akita City). He started out as a kimono and fabric merchant, then expanded into sake brewing, pawnbroking, and money lending, quickly making a fortune. He also served as a merchant purveyor to the Akita Domain
Clams
A feudal lord of Hinai County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period. A member of the Asari clan of Kai, he became the local lord of Hinai County during the Kamakura period and developed into a feudal lord. His castle was Dokko Castle (Odate City)
Ando
The Akita clan was a powerful daimyo family of Mutsu and Dewa provinces during the Sengoku period, and is said to be a descendant of Abe Sadato, although the veracity of this claim is unknown. Originally a local lord of Tsugaru, they skillfully used sea routes to control the area around present-day Akita, Aomori, and Hakodate in Hokkaido, and also had a pirate-like side. At one point, they split into the Hiyama Ando and Minato Ando clans, but during the time of Ando Yoshisue, the two families were reunited,and they changed their name to the Akita clan,.
The lord of the Yajima Domain (present-day Yajimacho, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture). At the end of the Edo period, he sided with the new government forces and became a baron after the Meiji Restoration. His family was originally the lord of the Takamatsu Domain in Sanuki Province (present-day Kagawa Prefecture)
A local lord of Akita County, Dewa Province. The family of the lord of Taihei Castle (Akita City)
Iwaki
The family was the lord of the Kameda Domain (present-day Iwaki Kameda, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture). They were members of the Iwaki clan, a feudal lord in the Sengoku period of Iwaki County, Mutsu Province. After the Meiji Restoration, they became viscounts
powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period the Twelve Yuri clans. They were based near Iwaya in Yuri County (present-day Iwaya-cho, Yurihonjo City) and served the Mogami clan after the Battle of Sekigahara.
Uchikoshi
, powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period Twelve Yuri clans. They held power mainly in the vicinity of Uchikoshi in Yuri County (present-day Uchikoshi, Yurihonjo City).
Odano
Odano Naotake, a senior vassal of the Akita domain and a branch of the Tokiwa Satake family, served the eighth lord of the domain, Satake Yoshiatsu. He is also famous for illustrating Sugita Genpaku's Kaitai Shinsho (Anatomy New Book) and as the founder of Akita Western painting
A feudal lord in the Semboku region of Dewa Province during the Sengoku period. The Shimotsuke Onodera clan was appointed as the head of the Ogatsu County in Dewa Province for their achievements in the Oshu Wars, and during the Kamakura period they entered Inaniwa (Yuzawa City), Ogatsu County, Dewa Province, which is famous for its Inaniwa udon noodles. During the Sengoku period, they ruled the entire Semboku region from their base at Yokote Castle (Yokote City)
powerful local clans that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period The Yuri Twelve were. This clan held power mainly around Kataho in Yuri County (present-day Kataho, Nishime-cho, Yurihonjo City). They sided with the Mogami clan in the Battle of Sekigahara and later served the Sakai clan, becoming retainers of the Tsuruoka Domain.
Kawarada
An old family in Kakunodate, Senboku District (Semboku City). A hereditary family of the Ashina clan dating back to the Aizu period, they later served the Satake Kita clan. The family has produced many talented people, including a Sinologist, an Akita Prefectural Assembly member, and the mayor of Kakunodate Town. The mansion is preserved and open to the public as a Senboku City designated historic site
powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period the Twelve Yuri clans. This family held power mainly around Kutsusawa in Yuri County (present-day Tateishi, Yashima-cho, Yurihonjo City), and like the Yashima and Nikaho clans, their ancestors were known as the Oi clan.
Koyoshi
powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period Twelve Yuri clans. This family held power mainly around Koyoshi in Yuri County (present-day Umeda, Yurihonjo City). Like the Yajima and Nikaho clans, their ancestors were called the Oi clan, and after the Battle of Sekigahara they served the Mogami clan, and during the Edo period they served the Satake clan.
Satake
The lord of the Akita Domain (Kubota Domain). Originally a great feudal lord in Tokiwa Province, he was transferred to Kubota, Dewa Province (Akita City) after the war because he sided with the Western Army in the Battle of Sekigahara. However, in Akita, it is said that "Akita City was founded in 1602 when Satake Yoshinobu was transferred to another province," and he was such a prominent family that he laid the foundation for the domain's administration
, powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period Twelve Yuri clans. This family held power mainly around Shimomura in Yuri County (present-day Higashi-Yurikura, Yurihonjo City). Like the Yajima and Nikaho clans, their ancestors were called the Oi clan, and after the Battle of Sekigahara, they served the Mogami clan, and during the Edo period, they became vassals of the Satake clan (vassals of vassals of vassals).
Serita
, powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period the Twelve Yuri clans. This family held power mainly in the vicinity of Serita, Yuri County (present-day Serita, Nikaho City). After the Battle of Sekigahara, they served the Mogami clan.
Takizawa
powerful local clans that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period The Yuri Twelve were. The family held power mainly around Takizawa in Yuri County (present-day Takizawa-kan, Maego, Yurihonjo City). After the Battle of Sekigahara, they served the Mogami clan, and after the Mogami clan was dispossessed of their domain, they served the Rokugo clan and became chief retainers of the Honjo Domain, remaining there until the end of the Edo period.
Suda
Akita Domain Chief Retainer. During the Sengoku period, he was a senior vassal of the Nikaido clan in Sukagawa (Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture), and after the fall of the Nikaido clan, he became a vassal of the Satake clan. When the Satake clan was transferred to Akita, he moved to Yokote, Dewa
Toumai (rice balls)
powerful clan that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period The Yuri Twelve. This family held power mainly around Komai in Yuri County (present-day Higashi-Yurikanai, Yurihonjo City). Like the Yajima and Nikaho clans, their ancestors were called the Oi clan. After the Battle of Sekigahara, they served the Mogami clan, and after the Mogami clan's downfall, they served the Rokugo clan until the end of the Edo period.
Tozawa
Lord of the Shinjo Domain in Dewa. Originally a feudal lord in the Sengoku region of Akita Prefecture, he was transferred to Shinjo in 1622. He is famous for his brave and wise Tozawa Moriyasu, who was feared and nicknamed "Demonicuro" or "Yashakuro." Even today, this surname is common in Semboku City, Akita Prefecture, where his roots lie
A wealthy merchant in Kubota Castle (Akita City). As he was from Kai Province, he ran a pawn shop under the name "Kaiya."
Nikaho
powerful local clans that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period The Yuri Twelve were. They held power mainly in the vicinity of Yajima, Yuri County (present-day Yajima-cho, Yurihonjo City). Their ancestors were called the Oi clan, and they were closely related to the Yajima clan. Their family crest and other evidence suggest a connection to Oe no Hiromoto.
Due to his achievements in the Battle of Osaka, he established the Nikaho Domain with a fief of 10,000 koku. Today, it is a rare surname with only around 10 people, mainly in Akita
Also known as Neii. the Twelve Yuri clans,. Their power was centered around Naone in Yuri County (present-day Naone, Chokai-cho, Yurihonjo City), and their ancestor was a retainer of Kiso Yoshinaka, named Neii Yukichika. They belonged to the Yajima clan, but after the clan's downfall they joined the Nikaho clan, and from the Edo period onward they changed their name to Endo and served the Ikoma clan (Yajima Domain).
Main hall
A local lord of Senboku County, Dewa Province. Their base was Motohondou Castle (Misato Town, Senboku County). Currently, this surname is relatively common in Aomori and Iwate prefectures
Masaki
He was a chief retainer of the Akita Domain and a descendant of the Satake clan. He accompanied the Satake clan when they were transferred to Akita, and became a senior vassal of the Akita Domain from the Edo period onwards. During the Boshin War, he represented the domain and participated in the Imperial army
Yajima
powerful local families that existed in various parts of Yuri County, Dewa Province during the Sengoku period the Twelve Yuri clans. They held power mainly in the vicinity of Yashima, Yuri County (present-day Yashima-cho, Yurihonjo City). Their ancestors were known as the Oi clan and were closely related to the Nikaho clan.
Rokugo
He was a local lord from Rokugo, Yamamoto County, Dewa Province (Rokugo, Misato Town, Senboku County). After the Battle of Sekigahara, he was transferred to Tokiwa Province (present-day Ishioka City, Ibaraki Prefecture) and established the Hitachi Fuchu Domain. Later, Rokugo Masanori was granted an additional 20,000 koku and moved to Honjo (present-day Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture), where he founded the Honjo Domain
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
