Shrines and temples

The One-Eyed Dragon's Right Hand Man, Kojuro Katakura, and Shiraishi [Part 1] | The Lineage of Trustees Who Continuously Supported Date Masamune and the Sendai Domain

Introduction

There are many warlords who left their mark on history during the Sengoku period, but behind them, there was almost always the presence of capable and trustworthy lieutenants or strategists

Some generals are even said to have been unable to achieve their goals without them, and it would not be an exaggeration to call them inseparable partners, sharing the same fate

Among them, one of the most famous samurai, who served as a senior retainer of Date Masamune, the one-eyed dragon who ruled the Tohoku region,Katakura Kojuro.

In various media adaptations, he is often depicted as a trusted confidant of Masamune, almost like an older brother, and is known as an important figure who is sometimes likened to a military strategist

Despite his reputation, Kojuro Katakura and his descendants left behind many legends about the territory they ruled for generations, including some little-known historical episodes that have been passed down through generations

In this article, we will unravel the story of "Kojuro" and his territory, Shiraishi

Who is "Katakura Kojuro"?

A monument commemorating Lord Katakura Kojuro Kagetuna, located on the site of the main keep of Shiroishi Castle
A monument commemorating Lord Katakura Kojuro Kagetuna, located on the site of the main keep of Shiroishi Castle

It is well known that Katakura Kojuro was a close confidant of Date Masamune, but in fact, "Kojuro" was a nickname used by successive heads of the Katakura clan of the Sendai Domain

The first person to serve as Masamune's close attendant wasKatakura Kagetuna, and he is arguably the most famous of the Kojuro.

His son,the second Kojuro, "Katakura Shigenaga," was also famous, and in particular, during the Siege of Osaka, he achieved military feats such as killing Goto Mototsugu, a fierce general of the Toyotomi side, and became renowned as a warrior who was just as strong as, if not stronger than, his predecessor.

The achievements of the first and second Kojuro are often confused, but during the Siege of Osaka, Kagetuna was unable to participate due to illness, and it was Shigenaga who distinguished himself in battle at that time

Therefore, the nickname "Oni Kojuro" (Demon Kojuro) refers to the second generation, and it is said that he was reprimanded by his father for fighting on the front lines himself as a general of the army

Who were the successive Kojuro Katakura?

Historically, the Katakura clan of the Sendai Domain bore the name "Kojuro" for thirteen generations as their heads of the family

Let's go over its name and a brief explanation below

The successive heads of the Katakura family who called themselves "Kojuro"

  • First generation... Kagetuna: A close retainer of Date Masamune
  • Second generation... Shigenaga: He was known as Oni Kojuro (Demon Kojuro)
  • Third generation... Kagenaga: Not Shigenaga's son, but the first generation's grandson
  • Fourth generation... Village headman: Common name Sannosuke, original name Masanaga
  • Godai... Murayasu: Common name Sannosuke, original name Kageaki
  • The sixth generation... Muranobu: Later became Date Murashige, the fourth head of the Miyatoko Date family
  • Seventh generation... Murasada: Initially adopted into another family, his first name was Endo Sadatoshi
  • Yatsushiro... Murakado: His great-uncle was Katakura Kagenaga, the third Kojuro
  • 9th generation... Muratsune: His childhood name was Shigegoro, and his initial name was Kagenaka. "Kishi" is his pen name as a haiku poet
  • The tenth generation... Kagesada: He served as head of the family for approximately one year. His haiku name was "Onisongyo" (Demon Grandson)
  • Eleventh generation... Munekage: Cousin of Date Narikuni, the eleventh lord of the Sendai domain
  • Twelfth generation... Kuninori: After the defeat in the Boshin War, he became involved in the development of Hokkaido
  • Thirteenth generation... Kagenori: Followed his father, Kuninori, to Hokkaido and served as a village headman in various parts of Sapporo

Why did the first Kojuro serve as a close confidant of Date Masamune?

When examining the long history of successive generations of the Katakura Kojuro family and their relationship with the Sendai domain, it is impossible not to mention the relationship between the first Kojuro, Katakura Kagetuna, and Date Masamune

Katakura Kagetuna Source: Wikimedia Commons
Katakura Kagetuna Source:Wikimedia Commons

Kagetuna was exactly 10 years older than Masamune and was born the son of a Shinto priest at the Hachiman Shrine in Yonezawa (present-day Narushima Hachiman Shrine in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture), which was part of the Date family's territory at the time

His half-sister, Kita, was about 20 years older, and it is known that she served as Masamune's nanny

Kita is sometimes described as a "wet nurse," but she is actually believed to have been single, and therefore is thought to have served in a role similar to a "nanny" or caregiver

She is said to have been a remarkable woman who loved military treatises and was also skilled in martial arts, and she was like a parental figure to Kagetuna, who lost both of his parents at a young age

The grave of Kita Katakura (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)
The grave of Kita Katakura (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)

Therefore, although they were not foster brothers in the strict sense, it is possible to view Kagetuna and Masamune as being very close, almost like brothers

Kagetuna initially served Date Terumune, Masamune's father, and it is said that he was taken in after his actions during a major fire that occurred in Yonezawa, which was then the castle town of the Date family, during the Tensho era (1573-1592)

It was Terumune's senior retainer, Endo Motonobu, who recommended Kagetuna as Masamune's close attendant. Thus, the 18-year-old Kagetuna served Masamune like a tutor, and remained his close confidant for the rest of his life

The story of the first and second generations of Kojuro Katakura, father and son

The name Katakura Kojuro was used by thirteen generations until the beginning of the Meiji era, but as already mentioned, when people simply say "Kojuro," they are mainly referring to the achievements of the first generation, Kagetuna, and the second generation, Shigenaga

There are countless legends about this father and son, but I would like to share some episodes that give us a glimpse into their character

The tomb of the first Kojuro, whose will stated, "No tombstone is needed."

There are two graves of Katakura Kagetuna, the first Kojuro, who served as a close confidant of Masamune

The first is a hilly area at the back of the grounds of Ketsuzanji Temple (Rinzai sect, Myoshinji branch) in Minami-cho, Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture

Statue of Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna and the main hall of Kessanji Temple
Statue of Katakura Kojuro Kagetuna and the main hall of Ketsuzanji Temple (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)

The most striking feature of this burial site is the absence of tombstones

A lone cedar tree said to be the grave marker of Katakura Kojuro Kagetsuna
A single cedar tree believed to be the tombstone of Katakura Kojuro Kagetuna (Shiroishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)

This was Kagetuna's own last wish, and a cedar tree was planted in place of a tombstone. This cedar tree still stands today, seemingly watching over Shiraishi in his territory even after his death

While many warlords inscribed their names on stone monuments that would last for generations and erected tombstones and memorial towers, Kagetuna's refusal to even do so may be a manifestation of his unwavering belief in protecting the Date clan

Another example is the Katakura family's ancestral mausoleum on Atagoyama Mountain, also located in Fukuoka Kuramoto, Shiroishi City

Katakura family mausoleum
Katakura Family Mausoleum (Shiraishi City, Miyagi Prefecture)

This was placed here by Katakura Kagenaga, the grandson of Kagetuna and the third Kojuro, by taking some of the ashes from the first Kojuro's grave

It's also possible that there was a wish for successive generations of Kojuro to rest together in one place, serving as a symbol of Shiraishi's spiritual protection

Here you will find the gravestones of the Kojuro family, from the first generation Kagetuna to the tenth generation Munekage, as well as Masako, the wife of the seventh generation Murakado

Seated statue of Amida Buddha, a grave marker at the Katakura family mausoleum
Seated statue of Amida Buddha, a grave marker at the Katakura family mausoleum

An interesting point is that only the tombstone of the tenth Kojuro is rectangular, while the rest are ten stone statues of Amida Buddha

While Amida Buddha is typically associated with the Jodo and Jodo Shinshu sects of Buddhism, the Katakura family's ancestral temple, Kessanji Temple, belongs to the Myoshinji branch of the Rinzai school, and its principal deity is Shakyamuni Buddha

From these observations, it could be said that he possessed a flexible view of Buddhism that was not bound by any particular sect, and a strong determination to watch over his people

Behind the scenes of history: The relationship between the second Kojuro and Sanada Yukimura

Taiheiki Shūi 42: Katakura Kojūrō Shigetsuna Source: Wikimedia Commons
Taiheiki Shūi 42: Katakura Kojūrō Shigetsuna Source:Wikimedia Commons

the second generation Katakura Shigenaga"Oni Kojuro" (Demon Kojuro), and it seems that this was also a well-known reputation among his enemy warlords.

Among them, the most striking is the strange connection he had with Sanada Yukimura (Nobushige), with whom he crossed swords during the Siege of Osaka

The decisive battle between the Tokugawa and Toyotomi took place in the Summer Campaign of Osaka in 1615, and it was the Katakura unit, which served as the vanguard for the Date clan, that engaged in battle with Sanada Yukimura (Nobushige), who was praised as "the greatest warrior in Japan."

A scene from the "Oni Kojuro Festival," which recreates the "Battle of Domyoji-guchi."
A scene from the "Oni Kojuro Festival," which recreates the "Battle of Domyoji-guchi."

Thisthe "Battle of Domyoji-guchi,"and it is said that Yukimura, impressed by the intelligence, courage, and character of the second Kojuro, entrusted his own daughter and son to Katakura Shigenaga, who was supposed to be on the enemy side.

While some historical documents state that they were not entrusted to him but were taken prisoner, it is considered a fact that Yukimura's daughters, Oume and Oshobu, and his son, Daihachi, survived and were taken into Shigenaga's care

Yukimura's children were raised in Shiroishi Castle and within his territory, and when Oume grew up, she became Shigenaga's concubine

Ayame became the wife of Tamura Sadahiro, a retainer of the Katakura family, and Daihachi became a samurai of the Sendai domain under the name "Katakura Morinobu."

Furthermore, during the time of Morinobu's son, Tatsunobu, the family name was restored to its original Sanada surname

For the Tokugawa shogunate, the lineage of Sanada Yukimura, who is said to have cornered Ieyasu after a fierce resistance, must have been a dangerous element that could not be allowed to continue

It can be inferred that Date Masamune's trust in and understanding of Katakura Kojuro, whom he secretly raised knowing the circumstances, was truly profound

The person whom Sanada Yukimura had placed his trust in truly understood his feelings

The armor of the first Kojuro, the helmet of the second Kojuro

Kojuro Kagetuna, the first Kojuro, dedicated his life to serving as a close confidant of Masamune, but it is believed that he suffered from diabetes in his later years, and it is said that he was obese as a result

There is an anecdote that around that time, Lord Masamune bestowed a lightweight suit of armor upon Kagetuna. According to the "Genealogythe Date Family Retainers,".

Rather than truly meaning that he should serve until the very end, this was probably meant more as a cheer to encourage the ailing Kagetuna

Since none of the armor belonging to the first Kojuro survives, the details are unknown, but in any case, it suggests a strong and deep bond between master and servant

On the other hand, there is a suit of armor that is said to have belonged to Shigenaga, who was known as Oni Kojuro (Demon Kojuro)

A replica of Katakura Kojuro's armor, displayed inside Shiroishi Castle (second from the left in the photo)
A replica of Katakura Kojuro's armor, displayed inside Shiroishi Castle (second from the left in the photo)

The armor is uniformly black, typical of the Date clan, and the helmet's crest features a gold-leafed crescent shape called a "yokazuki" (eight-day moon) and a talisman of Atago Gongen, a deity revered by the Katakura family

Atago Gongen is famous as the god of fire prevention, but during the era of syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, the "Shogun Jizo" was worshipped as its principal deity

Although this Buddha is called Jizo, it is sculpted as a mounted figure clad in armor, and for that reason, it was also revered by samurai warriors. Its valiant and dashing warrior appearance must have been so magnificent that even its enemies couldn't help but admire it

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