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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 Iwate 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 Iwate Prefecture that are linked to prestigious families and prominent households (in alphabeticalorder)
It seems that the prominent families of Iwate Prefecture in the north are families related to the Nanbu clan, while in the south there are many families of local clans belonging to either the Date clan or the Kasai clan
Aso Swamp
The Ashikaga clan, descendants of Fujiwara no Hidesato, traces its roots to Asonuma Shiro Hirotsuna, the fourth son of Ashikaga Aritsuna, who ruled Asonuma in Aso County, Shimotsuke Province (present-day Asanuma-cho, Sano City, Tochigi Prefecture), which it called Asonuma or Asonuma
Asonuma Shiro Hirotsuna distinguished himself in the Oshu War of 1189 and became the lord of Tono no Yasu (the twelve districts of Tono) in Hei County, Mutsu Province, but he ruled as a magistrate without actually going to the area. Hirotsuna's second son, Chikatsuna, later built Yokota Castle on Mount Gomado (present-day Matsuzaki-cho, Tono City), and his descendants subsequently settled in Tono
Anetai (elder belt)
A local lord from Nukabe County, Mutsu Province (present-day eastern Aomori Prefecture to northern Iwate Prefecture). Based in Aneobi Castle, which was located in Aneobi-jikan, Ichinohe Town, Ninohe County, Iwate Prefecture, he belonged to the Kunohe clan
of 1591the "Kunohe Masazane Rebellion", he fought on the side of the Kunohe clan against the Toyotomi army. He committed suicide when Anetai Castle fell.
Ichinohe
The Nanbu clan began when the eldest son of the first head of the Nanbu clan, Mitsuyuki, Yukitomo, was an illegitimate son (a child born to someone other than the legal wife) and was therefore unable to inherit the family headship, and was based in Ichinohe-go (present-day Ichinohe Town, Ninohe County). During the reign of the second head, Yoshizane, the family built Ichinohe Castle and used it as their base, dominating the southern part of Nukabe County
Similar to the Anetai clan mentioned above,Kunohe Masazane RebellionIchinohe Castle fell to Nanbu Nobunao after siding with the Kunohe clan during the
It is said that the main line of the Ichinohe clan was cut off in this way, but there are many branches of the Ichinohe clan, such as Arakida, Hiradate, Yoriki, Horikiri, Sentoku, Yagisawa, Tsugaruishi, Enatsunagi, Neisawa, Enatsunagi, Noda, Heiguchi, Taneichi, Choushi, Taniuchi, Nakamura, Asaseishi, and Juuniya, and some of these are said to have reverted to their original surname of Ichinohe after the Meiji period
Iwabuchi
A local lord of Iwai District, Mutsu Province, with roots in Iwabuchi, Sarushima District, Shimosa Province (present-day Sarushima District, Ibaraki Prefecture).the "Battle of Kiumi"War, from the Kamakura period onward.
From then on, the clan spread throughout Iwai County and prospered, but it is said that the clan was dispersed when Toyotomi Hideyoshi carried out the Oshu Punishment in 1590
Esashi
A local lord of Esashi County, Mutsu Province. A branch of the Kasai clan, they ruled Esashi County for generations, based in Iwayado Castle (present-day Iwayado Tateshita, Esashi, Oshu City). In 1590, Toyotomi Hideyoshi confiscated their territory during the Oshu Shioki (political punishment) and fell into decline. After the Edo period, they became samurai of the Nanbu Domain
which lists the number of people with the surname nationwide based on government statistics and national telephone directory data Myoji Yurai Net , there are currently about 1,400 people with the surname Esashi throughout Japan, with approximately 30%, or about 600 people, distributed in Miyagi Prefecture.
Oikawa
The Oikawa clan were local lords of Iwai District, Mutsu Province (present-day Ichinoseki City, Hiraizumi Town in Nishiiwai District, and part of Oshu City). The Oikawa clan, who belonged to the Kasai clan and ruled the Iwai District, were based in Okita-ho in Iwai District andthe "Okita Oikawa Party"were known as
In 1559, he clashed with Chiba Saburo Nobuchika and had his territory confiscated, but this was meted outrage,the "Kashiwagi Castle Incident." The Ohara clan suppressed the Kashiwagi Castle conflict, and the Oikawa clan was defeated.
Ota
The Okutama foundry was located in Kamiokutama Village, Iwai District (present-day Senmaya-cho, Ichinoseki City). They are considered to be descendants of the Tenmei era foundry workers and had a sales network extending from northern Kanto to the Shin'etsu region. After the Meiji Restoration, theyKamikanaya, manufacturing pots and kettles.
Otsuki
He was originally a descendant of the Terazaki clan, a branch of the Kasai clan, and a vassal of the Kasai clan, but returned to farming in Yamame Village, Iwai County (present-day Ichinoseki City) during the Edo period
The main family passed on the position of chief physician for generations, while the branch family became a medical family and produced doctors for the Ichinoseki domain, and subsequently produced many talented people, including Chinese scholars and Japanese linguists
Kasai
A large local lord (a local feudal lord with an area of several counties) who ruled central Mutsu Province (the area stretching from the Sanriku coast of Miyagi Prefecture to the southern part of Iwate Prefecture today)
The family was founded by Kasai Kiyoshige, the third son of Toshima Kiyomoto (Kiyomitsu), head of the Toshima clan, a vassal of the Musashi and Shimousa provinces during the Kamakura period, who took the name Kasai and owned the territory of Kasai Mikuriya in Shimousa province (currently the area around Katsushika, Edogawa, and Sumida wards in Tokyo). After distinguishing himself in the Oshu Wars and the downfall of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, he was appointed as the Oshu Magistrate and settled in Mutsu province, where he was granted a territory
During the Sengoku period,seven districts of Kasai:, with Teraiike Castle (present-day Tome City, Miyagi Prefecture) as their base. However, their territory was confiscated during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's pacification of Oshu (1590), and the Kasai clan as a daimyo clan ended in 1597 with the death of the 17th head of the family, Kasai Harunobu.
Kashiyama
A local lord from Isawa County, Mutsu Province. There are various theories about his origins, but they are unclear. He served the Kasai clan for generations and based his base in Obayashi Castle (present-day Kanegasaki Town, Isawa County, Iwate Prefecture). He was a senior vassal of the Kasai clan, on a par with the Esashi clan, and at one point boasted power exceeding that of his lord's family by siding with Date Harumune during the Tenbun Rebellion of the Date clan
However, a succession dispute arose and the family gradually weakened, and as a result of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Oshu Shioki, they were stripped of their titles along with their master, the Kasai family, and during the Edo period they became samurai of the Nanbu domain
Kaneko
in Shiwa-gun, Hizume (present-day Shiwa-cho), whoMinoya. They were successful as a kimono merchant and later ventured into the financial industry. The fourth generation was appointed as the accounting magistrate of the Nanbu domain, and as a samurai, he used the name Kaneko, and as a merchant, he used the name Seki.
In 1849, when Nanbu Toshitsugu, the feudal lord, became the governor of Mino Province, theKikyuyafamily changed its name from Minoya to
Kikegawa River
They were local lords from Iwai County, Mutsu Province. They originated in Kamegawa Village, Senda-sho, Shimousa Province (present-day Chiba Prefecture), and are said to have accompanied Kasai Kiyotoki, the first head of the Kasai clan, on his journey to Oshu
Resisting Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Oshu Shioki (1590), the Kamegawa clan, including head Kamegawa Nobuhide and his children, fought against the rebel army made up of vassals from Kasai and Osaki, and fought against the army of Kimura Yoshikiyo at Wafuchimura in Fukaya Showa, and were all killed in battle, leading to the demise of the Kamegawa clan
Kuji
A local lord of Kuji County, Mutsu Province. A branch of the Nanbu clan, it is said that the lineage of the clan traces back to the third son of Nanbu Mitsuyuki, but some say that the lineage of the "Mutsu Abe clan" is also traceable to them
of 1591 andthe "Kunohe Masazane Rebellion"was defeated. Both Naoharu and Masanori were executed, and the main line of the Kuji clan became extinct.
Harumitsu, the younger brother of Kuji Naoharu and lord of Settai Village in Miyako, Hei District (present-day Taro, Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture), did not side with the Kunohe family, thus theSettai Kuji familycontinued to exist, and he was known as Kuji Dewa-no-kami.
Kuzumaki
A local lord from Nukashin County, Mutsu Province, who was based at Kuzumaki Castle in Tako, Kuzumaki Town, Iwate County, Iwate Prefecture
It is said that the Kudo clan descended from the Southern Fujiwara family, and that the family originated when a branch of Kudo Yukimitsu, who was given the position of land steward of Iwate County in 1189, moved to Kuzumaki Village during the Onin era
the "Kunohe Masazane Rebellion,"he refused the Kunohe clan's invitation and sided with the Nanbu clan, becoming a samurai of the Nanbu domain during the Edo period.
Kunohe
A Sengoku period daimyo based in Nukano District, Mutsu Province.Kunohe Masazaneis a famous figure. The Nakano, Takada, Sakamoto, Ueno, Kokarume, Esashi, Esashiya, and Anetai families are said to belong to this clan.
There are various theories about his origins, and for many years it has been believed that he was Kunohe Yukitsura, the sixth son of Minamoto Mitsuyuki (Nambu Mitsuyuki), the ancestor of the Nanbu clan. However, it has been pointed out that Nanbu Mitsuyuki may not have traveled to Mutsu Province, and there is also doubt as to whether Kunohe Yukitsura owned Kunohe County
The "Ogasawara Genealogy" (no longer extant) of Kunohe Shrine in Kunohe village is said to contain a description that the Ogasawara clan, who were the commander-in-chief under Yuki Chikatomo, the first head of the Shirakawa Yuki clan, were the ancestors of the Kunohe clan
In 1591, along with the Shinohe, Shichinohe, and Kuji clans, they launched what is commonly known asthe "Kunohe Masazane Rebellion." This was interpreted as a rebellion against the pacification of Oshu, and was suppressed by the pacification army led by Gamo Ujisato, resulting in the downfall of the Kunohe clan.
A local lord of Iwai County, Mutsu Province. Kiyotane Kasai, the fourth son of Harushige Kasai, the lord of Mutsu Hiyoriyama Castle (present-day Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture), based himself in Konashi Castle (present-day Konashi, Senmaya-cho, Ichinoseki City) and took the name Konashi. After the downfall of the Kasai clan, he followed the Date clan and became a samurai of the Sendai domain during the Edo period
Shiba
The Takamizudera Shiba clan was a prestigious family based at Takamizudera Castle in Shiwa District, Mutsu Province (present-day Shiwa Town, Shiwa District). They were a branch of the Shiba clan, who served as shogunal deputies during the Muromachi period, and"Shiba Gosho" and "Oku no Shiba-dono."were also known as
They allied with the Hienuki and Waga clans to oppose the Sannohe Nanbu clan, but were defeated by Nanbu Nobunao in 1588 and were destroyed
Torihata
A local lord of Iwai County, Mutsu Province. They are said to be a branch of the Oshu Chiba clan, a descendant of the Kanmu Heishi clan
The Chiba clan took the name Torihata when Tanemochi, a member of the Kasai clan, was appointed as a trusted vassal of the Kasai clan and based himself in Torihata Castle (present-day Matsukawa, Higashiyama-cho, Ichinoseki City). It is said that his descendants later returned to farming
which lists the number of people with the surname nationwide based on government statistics and national telephone directory data Myoji Yurai Net , there are currently about 700 people with the surname Torihata throughout Japan, with approximately 150 of them located in Iwate Prefecture.
Nakamura
A wealthy merchant from Shinkokumachi in Morioka Castle town (present-day Morioka City). HeItoyaand dealt in kimono fabrics and used clothing, and"shikon-zome,"prospered by taking on the exclusive responsibility
The family residence, built around 1861, was relocated to the grounds of the Morioka City Central Community Center anda nationally designated important cultural propertystill exists today as
A local lord of Iwai County, Mutsu Province. A member of the Kasai clan, they lived in Narasaka-go, Iwai County (present-day Hanaizumi-cho, Ichinoseki City), hence the name Narasaka. They served the Kasai clan for generations, but after the demise of the Kasai clan, they became vassals of the Date clan. During the Edo period, they became samurai of the Sendai domain
which lists the number of people with the surname nationwide based on government statistics and national telephone directory data Myoji Yurai Net , there are currently about 400 people with the surname Narasaka throughout Japan, with approximately 170 of them residing in Miyagi Prefecture.
Narayama
A family that served as chief retainers for generations within the Nanbu clan.members of the Nanbu clan's Kochi-shu(hereditary high-ranking samurai), they had their residence in the inner citadel of Morioka Castle for generations.
the chief retainer of the Nanbu Domain during the late Edo period,Sado Narayamaunited the domain's opinion in favor of the shogunate and joined the Ouetsu Reppan Alliance. He was beheaded after the defeat. The Narayama family then lived under house arrest in Kawai, Miyako City, but in 1889, they were granted the privilege of restoring their family name by the government and returned to Morioka.
Nanbu
was a daimyo family during the Sengoku period and later became a noble family during the Meiji era. Their founder is said to be Nanbu Mitsuyuki, the third son of Kagami Tomomitsu, who was descended from theKaiGenji clan. They adopted the name Nanbu because they lived in Nanbu-go, Koma-gun, Kai Province (present-day Nanbu-cho, Minamikoma-gun, Yamanashi Prefecture).
In Nukanobu Districtthe Kunohe-Shimon systemwas established, with Mitsuyuki's eldest son, Yukitomo, becoming the Ichinohe clan; his second son, Sanemitsu, becoming the later main branch of the Sannohe Nanbu clan; his third son, Sanenaga, becoming the Hakii Nanbu clan and the Nejo Nanbu clan; his fourth son, Asakiyo, becoming the Shichinohe clan; his fifth son, Munekiyo, becoming the Shinohe clan; and his sixth son, Yukitsura, becoming the Kunohe clan. The family is said to have spread to various regions and wielded considerable power in northern Mutsu Province. (There are also alternative theories.)
During the Edo period, they became the lords of Morioka Domain, and after the Meiji Restoration, they became a noble family with a count's title
They were local lords of Kesen County, Mutsu Province. They are said to be a branch of the Chiba Yahagi clan of Kesen County. Three brothers split into Hamada, Takada, and Nagabe, and expanded their influence around Takada Bay (present-day Rikuzentakata City). During the Sengoku period, the Hamada clan became related to the Kasai clan, and with the Kasai clan's influence they further expanded their influence, but later betrayed the Kasai clan and continued to fight with the Kumagai clan and Motoyoshi clan
It is said that he fell into decline due to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Oshu Punishment and later became a vassal of the Nanbu clan
Hienuki
The clan of Hienuki County, Mutsu Province. There are various theories about their origins, but in recent years it is said to have begun when the Nakajo clan, a vassal of the Tokugawa Shogunate whose main base was Onoho in Saitama County, Musashi Province, was awarded Hienuki County in the Kitakami River basin after the Oshu War
Following Toyotomi Hideyoshi's pacification of Oshu, the Hienuki clan was stripped of their lands and, together with the Waga clan,the "Waga-Hienuki Rebellion,"but it was suppressed by the pacification army, and the Hienuki clan was destroyed.
However, their descendants are said to have maintained their bloodline as the Hienuki and Makime families of the Sendai domain, and the Segawa family of the Nanbu domain
Maekawa
A wealthy merchant from Kirikiri, Hei County (present-day Otsuchi Town), he traded with Shirakoya in Nakaminato, Tokiwa Province. He became a merchant for the Morioka Domain, shipping products to Edo (present-day Tokyo), and also became an excavation contractor for the Osarizawa Mine, thriving through diversified business ventures
Murai
A wealthy merchant in Morioka Castle (present-day Morioka City). He started out as an oil merchant, and during the second generation he was promoted to the position of treasurer of the Morioka domain. During the fourth generation, Mohei, he was forced to shoulder the Nanbu domain's debt of 700,000 ryo, which led to his downfall
Murakami
Tono. Their founder is said to be Murakami Aiko, a retainer of the Kasai family who later returned to farming. They were successful as tea merchants and also ran a pawnshop and sake brewery.
Yaehata
A local lord of Hienuki County, Mutsu Province. He is said to be a member of the Hienuki clan. He was based in Yaehata-yakata (present-day Ishidoriya-cho, Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture) and belonged to the Hienuki clan. He fell into decline along with his master, the Hienuki clan, due to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Oshu Shioki
which lists the number of people with the surname nationwide based on government statistics and national telephone directory data Myoji Yurai Net , there are currently about 300 people with the surname Yaehata throughout Japan, and more than half of them, about 190 people, are distributed in Iwate Prefecture.
Absent
The Rusu clan was a samurai family whose ancestor wasIzawa Iekage, who claimed to be a great-great-grandson of Fujiwara no Michikane of the Northern Fujiwara clan. In 1190, after the conquest of Oshu, Iekage was appointed to the position of Rusu (governor) of Mutsu Province by Minamoto no Yoritomo, and his descendants inherited this position, thus adopting the title as their surname and calling themselves the Rusu clan.
From the 13th generation, Rusu Mochiie, onward, the family successively received adopted sons from the Date clan, bringing them under their influence. During the Edo period, they changed their name to Date as a branch of the Date family, ruled Mizusawa, andthe "Mizusawa Date family." After the Meiji Restoration, they reverted to the Rusu surname and became samurai.
A local lord of Waga County, Mutsu Province. There are various theories about his origins, but the "Oku-Nan Rakuhoshu" states that his distant ancestor was Minamoto no Yoritomo, the "Minamoto-sei Waga Keizu" states that he was Tada Shikibu no Daifu Tadaaki, and the "Kiyanagi Documents" of the Waga clan and the Kiyanagi clan state that he was Shigeki, the second son of Kamakura vassal Nakajo Yoshikatsu (Hobashi Narihiro)
During the Sengoku period, they fought against the Sannohe Nanbu clan along with the Kasai and Hienuki clans, but were dispossessed of their lands by Toyotomi Hideyoshi's pacification of Oshu.the "Waga-Hienuki Rebellion", but were suppressed and destroyed by the pacification army. Later, their descendants became samurai of the Sendai domain.
which lists the number of people with the surname nationwide based on government statistics and national telephone directory data Myoji Yurai Net , there are currently about 2,900 people with the surname Waga throughout Japan. The largest distribution, with 420 of them, is in Yokote City, Akita Prefecture. This is because, after the "Waga-Hienuki Rebellion," the Waga clan is said to have fled to the Nishiwaga area, and it is thought that this group crossed the Ou Mountains and settled in Yokote City.
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
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