Hayashi Narinaga
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was a
samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...
during the
Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
, retainer of the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
and was a
ji-samurai The were lower-ranking provincial samurai that emerged in 15th-century Japan Muromachi period. The definition was rather broad and the term ''jizamurai'' included landholding military aristocracy as well as independent peasant farmers. They alt ...
(''koku-jin-ryōshū'') of southern
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
. He held many positions including ''
karō were top-ranking samurai officials and advisors in service to the ''daimyōs'' of feudal Japan. Overview In the Edo period, the policy of ''sankin-kōtai'' (alternate attendance) required each ''daimyō'' to place a ''karō'' in Edo and anothe ...
'' (clan elder) serving
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
and his father
Mōri Hiromoto was a local warlord (jizamurai) of Aki Province in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Muromachi period and Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto, an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. ...
in
diplomatic mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually denotes ...
s with
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
. Narinaga was a ''
bugyō was a title assigned to ''samurai'' officials in feudal Japan. ''Bugyō'' is often translated as commissioner, magistrate, or governor, and other terms would be added to the title to describe more specifically a given official's tasks or jurisdi ...
'' under
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
. From Hideyoshi he received the rank of Hizen-no-
kami are the Deity, deities, Divinity, divinities, Spirit (supernatural entity), spirits, mythological, spiritual, or natural phenomena that are venerated in the traditional Shinto religion of Japan. ''Kami'' can be elements of the landscape, forc ...
(肥前守). He served as
diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...
between the Mōri and
Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innov ...
. Later he was bestowed the 5th court rank, junior grade '' Ju go-i-no-ge'' (従五位). The character "nari, 就" came from his lord
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
and "naga, 長" from his father Kikuchi Takenaga. Narinaga was one of the few to live through all the
Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
.


Early life and background

Hayashi Narinaga was born 1517 in Doi (土), Kawajiri (川尻),
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
, today part of Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture. Narinaga's childhood name is unknown. His birth year is only known from his recorded age at death which was 89 years. In
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
an infant is one year old at birth so in Western years he was 88 years old. His father was Kikuchi Takenaga (菊池武長) and his mother is unknown but there is a tradition that she was a daughter of the Hayashi clan of Kawajiri. His father Takenaga was a descendant of the powerful
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
that ruled
Higo Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Hizen Province. Higo bordered on Chikugo, Bungo, Hyūga, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Provinces. History The cas ...
since the 11th century. The
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
is believed to be descended from the kings of
Baekje Baekje or Paekche (; ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BCE to 660 CE. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the h ...
, one of the
Three Kingdoms of Korea The Three Kingdoms of Korea or Samhan (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) competed for hegemony over the Korea, Korean Peninsula during the ancient period of History of Korea, Korean history. During the Three Kingdoms period (), many states and statele ...
. His father, Takenaga, came from a branch of the
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
that were koku-jin-ryōshū (
ji-samurai The were lower-ranking provincial samurai that emerged in 15th-century Japan Muromachi period. The definition was rather broad and the term ''jizamurai'' included landholding military aristocracy as well as independent peasant farmers. They alt ...
) in
Hōki Province was a former province in the area that is today the western half of Tottori Prefecture in the San'in region of Japan. Hōki was bordered by Inaba, Mimasaka, Izumo, Bitchū, and Bingo Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of ...
. The relationship with the
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
of
Higo Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyūshū. It was sometimes called , with Hizen Province. Higo bordered on Chikugo, Bungo, Hyūga, Ōsumi, and Satsuma Provinces. History The cas ...
is unclear but in the Hayashi clan genealogy Takenaga is the son of Kikuchi Takekuni (菊池武国) of Higo but this is impossible because of the years of birth. Scholars now believe he must have been a grandson of Takekuni. The
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
in Higo were overthrown by the
Ōtomo clan The was a Japanese samurai family whose power stretched from the Kamakura period through the Sengoku period, spanning over 400 years. The clan's hereditary lands lay in Kyūshū. Origins The first family head, Ōtomo Yoshinao (1172–1223), ...
, another powerful family of
Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...
. The
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
of
Hōki Province was a former province in the area that is today the western half of Tottori Prefecture in the San'in region of Japan. Hōki was bordered by Inaba, Mimasaka, Izumo, Bitchū, and Bingo Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of ...
were based at Odaka-jō (尾高城) and were retainers of the Yukimatsu clan of
Izumo Province was an Old provinces of Japan, old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku region. History During the early Kofun period (3rd century) this reg ...
. The Yukimatsu were vassals of the
Yamana clan The was a Japanese samurai clan which was one of the most powerful of the Muromachi period (1336–1467); at its peak, members of the family held the position of Constable ('' shugo'') over eleven provinces. Originally from Kōzuke Province, an ...
. One famous figure from the
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
of
Hōki Province was a former province in the area that is today the western half of Tottori Prefecture in the San'in region of Japan. Hōki was bordered by Inaba, Mimasaka, Izumo, Bitchū, and Bingo Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of ...
was Kikuchi Otohachi (菊池音八) who is remembered as a "''moshō''" (a strong bushō) who was killed by
Yamanaka Yukimori , also known as Yamanaka Shikanosuke (山中 鹿の介) or Shikasuke (鹿の介), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He served the Amago clan of Izumo Province. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Yamanaka Shikanosuke"in ''Japan Encyc ...
. In 1560 the
Amago clan The , descended from the Emperor Uda (868–897) by the Kyogoku clan, descending from the Sasaki clan (Uda Genji). Kyogoku Takahisa in the 14th century, lived in Amako-go (Izumo Province), and took the name 'Amago'. The family crest is also t ...
launched a campaign against the
Yamana clan The was a Japanese samurai clan which was one of the most powerful of the Muromachi period (1336–1467); at its peak, members of the family held the position of Constable ('' shugo'') over eleven provinces. Originally from Kōzuke Province, an ...
and took control of their land so Narinaga along with his father joined the
rebellion Rebellion is an uprising that resists and is organized against one's government. A rebel is a person who engages in a rebellion. A rebel group is a consciously coordinated group that seeks to gain political control over an entire state or a ...
to
secede Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal is the c ...
from their grasp.


Retainer of the Mōri

In 1562 Odaka-jō fell to Sugihara Morishige (杉原盛重), a general of the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
. The
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
of
Hōki Province was a former province in the area that is today the western half of Tottori Prefecture in the San'in region of Japan. Hōki was bordered by Inaba, Mimasaka, Izumo, Bitchū, and Bingo Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . In terms of ...
were vassals of the Yukimatsu clan so after their downfall they left to
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
to become retainers of the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
under
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
. At this time it seems that his father, Takenaga, was adopted into the Hayashi clan of Kawajiri and became known as Hayashi Moku-no-jō Michiaki (林木工允道明). The title Moku-no-jō (secretary of the Bureau of Carpentry) is passed down in the Hayashi clan for a few generations. There is a family tradition that Takenaga married the daughter of the Hayashi clan but there are no records to justify this. There is a record from a tombstone that Hayashi Yajirō (林弥二郎) of Kawajiri died in 1552 and may be the father of his wife. The Hayashi clan of Kawajiri were powerful in the area. Narinaga may have been known at this time as Hayashi Saburōzaemon Shigesato (林三郎左衛門重眞). A man with this name was lord of Matsuoka Castle (松岡城) and it is known that later Narinaga was lord of this castle. He became a
vassal A vassal or liege subject is a person regarded as having a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch, in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. While the subordinate party is called a vassal, the dominant party is called a suzerain ...
of
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
and was given the position of
karō were top-ranking samurai officials and advisors in service to the ''daimyōs'' of feudal Japan. Overview In the Edo period, the policy of ''sankin-kōtai'' (alternate attendance) required each ''daimyō'' to place a ''karō'' in Edo and anothe ...
and also as the ginzan-
bugyō was a title assigned to ''samurai'' officials in feudal Japan. ''Bugyō'' is often translated as commissioner, magistrate, or governor, and other terms would be added to the title to describe more specifically a given official's tasks or jurisdi ...
(mining official) of
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
, a position he held until ca.1585. Other officials at the mine whom Narinaga would have known were Hirasa Nariyuki (平佐就之) and Ōhashi Hachizō (大橋八蔵).' After the death of his father in 1576 he inherited his title and became known as Hayashi Moku-no-jō (林木工允).


Siege of Toda Castle

In July 1562 at the First Siege of Toda Castle,
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
ordered Hayashi Narinaga to go as a messenger to Honjō Etchū-no-kami Tsunemitsu (本城常光). Honjō Tsunemitsu held Yamabuki Castle (山吹城) in
Iwami Province was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces. In the Heian period (794–1192) the capital was at moder ...
and was originally a vassal of the
Amago clan The , descended from the Emperor Uda (868–897) by the Kyogoku clan, descending from the Sasaki clan (Uda Genji). Kyogoku Takahisa in the 14th century, lived in Amako-go (Izumo Province), and took the name 'Amago'. The family crest is also t ...
, but defected to
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
in 1563. Yamabuki Castle was strategically important for control of the
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
.
Two years later in April, 1564, Narinaga attended the Second Siege of Toda Castle.


Siege of Kōzuki Castle (1578)

The
Siege of Kōzuki Castle The occurred in 1578, when the army of Mōri Terumoto attacked and captured the castle of Kōzuki in Harima Province. Kōzuki had been taken by Toyotomi Hideyoshi the previous year and entrusted to Amago Katsuhisa. When it fell to the Mōri, ...
occurred in 1578, when the army of
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
attacked and captured Kōzuki Castle (上月城) in
Harima Province or Banshū (播州) was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tanba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji. During th ...
. Terumoto ordered his uncle,
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
, to bring reinforcements and he showed up with a force 30,000 strong. Narinaga and his first son, Motoyoshi, who was 21 years old at the time were present at the battle and helped bring down the castle. At Hiroshima Museum there is a letter of thanks from
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
to Narinaga for his son's participation in the battle. Kōzuki Castle had been taken by
Hashiba Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innov ...
the previous year and entrusted to
Amago Katsuhisa was a remnant of the Amago clan, a powerful feudal clan in the Chūgoku region of Japan, backed up by Yamanaka Yukimori, a vassal of the clan. He was born to Amago Masahisa in 1553. In the following year, Katsuhisa's father and grandfather were ...
. When it fell to
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
, Katsuhisa committed suicide (
seppuku , also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...
) and his loyal and heroic general
Yamanaka Yukimori , also known as Yamanaka Shikanosuke (山中 鹿の介) or Shikasuke (鹿の介), was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He served the Amago clan of Izumo Province. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Yamanaka Shikanosuke"in ''Japan Encyc ...
was captured and killed in the battle. Yukimori was the samurai who had killed Narinaga's family member, Kikuchi Otohachi, many years before.


Diplomat between Mori and Hideyoshi (1582)

In 1582 with the death of
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...
at the
Incident at Honnō-ji The Incident Command System (ICS) is a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response providing a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can be effective. ICS was initially develope ...
,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
became the most powerful man in Japan. Hideyoshi rewarded Narinaga for his allegiance and merit in battle by making him lord of Mukaiyama Castle (''Mukaiyama-jō'', 向山城) in Gocho-gun,
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
(today
Mitsugi District, Hiroshima was a district in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 29,682 and a density of 181.49 persons per km2. The total area was 163.55 km2. Former towns and villages * Kui * Mitsugi * Mukaishim ...
) and Matsuoka Castle (''Matsuoka-jō'', 松岡城) in Kōzan-cho, Sera-gun,
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
. Matsuoka Castle originally belonged to the Matsuoka clan. In December, 1583 Narinaga was ordered by Hideyoshi to work on communications with the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
of the
Chūgoku region The , also known as the region, is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. As of the 2020 census, it has a population of 7,328,339 ...
. In 1584 Narinaga donated a statue depicting a seated
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
to Chōan Temple (Chōan-ji) at
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine The was an underground silver mine in the city of Ōda, in Shimane Prefecture on the main island of Honshu, Japan. It was the largest silver mine in Japanese history. It was active for almost four hundred years, from its discovery in 1526 to it ...
. The statue was moved to its current location at the Mōri family home in Bofu,
Yamaguchi Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Yamaguchi Prefecture has a population of 1,377,631 (1 February 2018) and has a geographic area of 6,112 Square kilometre, km2 (2,359 Square mile, sq mi). ...
.


Hideyoshi's Kyūshū Campaign (1586–1587)

In 1586
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
sent a letter of thanks to his army in
Chikuzen Province was a province of Japan in the area of northern Kyūshū, corresponding to part of north and western Fukuoka Prefecture. Chikuzen bordered on Hizen to the east, and Buzen east, and Bungo to the southeast. Its abbreviated form name was (a ...
during the
Kyūshū Campaign The Kyūshū campaign of 1586–1587 was part of the campaigns of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who sought to dominate Japan at the end of the Sengoku period. Having subjugated much of Honshū and Shikoku, Hideyoshi turned his attention to the south ...
. It was addressed to several
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...
and generals who had succeeded in a great victory attacking a castle. One of the people he addressed was Hayashi Tosa-no-kami Narinaga (林土佐守就長) meaning at this time he held the title "Tosa-no-kami" (an honorary court office) but it is unknown when he had received it. In 1587 he was part of
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
's Mapping Committee (毛利輝元 惣国検地) which he worked with until 1591. In 1588 it is recorded that Hayashi Tosa-no-kami is promoted to the position where he receives direct orders from Hideyoshi on strategies in
Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...
. The reason Hideyoshi chose Narinaga for this was because he held extensive knowledge of
Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...
where his ancestors from the
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
had ruled. This year Hideyoshi bestowed the Toyotomi uji (豊臣朝臣, ''Toyotomi-no-asomi'', courtier of Toyotomi) upon his closest followers including Narinaga. In July, 1588 of the same year Narinaga is given the new title of "Hizen-no-kami" (肥前守) in accordance with the Junior Fifth Rank, Junior Grade ( Ju go-i-no-ge, 従五位下). The same month,
Emperor Go-Yōzei was the 107th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Yōzei's reign spanned the years 1586 through to his abdication in 1611, corresponding to the transition between the Azuchi–Momoyama period and the Edo period ...
visited
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
's mansion and the
Sword hunt Several times in Japanese history, the new ruler sought to ensure his position by calling a . Armies would scour the entire country, confiscating the weapons of all potential enemies of the new regime. In this manner, the new ruler sought to ensur ...
Edict was declared. Three years later in 1591
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
began the construction of
Hiroshima Castle , sometimes called , is a Japanese castle, castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was largely destroyed by the Atomic bom ...
.


Hideyoshi's Korean Campaign (1592–1594)

In April and December 1592 Narinaga was sent as a diplomatic
envoy Envoy or Envoys may refer to: Diplomacy * Diplomacy, in general * Envoy (title) * Special envoy, a type of Diplomatic rank#Special envoy, diplomatic rank Brands *Airspeed Envoy, a 1930s British light transport aircraft *Envoy (automobile), an au ...
between
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
and the
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
along with
Ankokuji Ekei was a military monk and descendant of the Takeda clan of Aki province. He served the Mōri clan and later the Toyotomi clan. Biography Although it is certain that he was from the Aki Takeda clan, there are various theories about his birth yea ...
(安國寺惠瓊). One of the reasons they were sent was to deliver a letter of thanks from Hideyoshi to
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
for the hospitality he had received when he was visiting
Hiroshima Castle , sometimes called , is a Japanese castle, castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was largely destroyed by the Atomic bom ...
Also this year, Hideyoshi ordered the
Invasion of Korea Invasion of Korea may refer to: *Mongol invasions of Korea (1231, 1232, 1235–1239, 1251, 1254, 1255, 1257, 1290–1291) *Red Turban invasions of Goryeo (1359–1360) *Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) *Later Jin invasion of Joseon (1627) ...
. Narinaga was already 75 years old when he was sent to war across the
Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it ...
. There is a letter held at the Hiroshima Museum addressed to
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
from
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
and in it he expresses worry for his "old friend" Hayashi Hizen-no-kami who was old and at war.


Retirement and death (1594–1605)

In 1594 Hayashi Hizen-no-kami returned from
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
's
invasion of Korea Invasion of Korea may refer to: *Mongol invasions of Korea (1231, 1232, 1235–1239, 1251, 1254, 1255, 1257, 1290–1291) *Red Turban invasions of Goryeo (1359–1360) *Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598) *Later Jin invasion of Joseon (1627) ...
after fighting for two years. He was 78 years old and requested retirement to
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
who accepted so Narinaga gave his son Motoyoshi Matsuoka Castle and built Aka Castle (''Aka-jō'', 赤城) as a retirement castle. It may have been red because the name literally means "red castle". His son, Motoyoshi, received an annual stipend of 2,290 koku which was twice as much as the Hayashi clan had before they left to the
Chōshū Domain The , also known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.Deal, William E. (2005) ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81 The Chōshū Domain was based ...
. Narinaga took the life of a Buddhist monk and took the name Dōhan (道範). Today there are only ruins of Aka Castle with only the walls and moat remaining. It is measured that it was 480 meters by 57 meters in size and is considered a "yama-shirō" (mountain castle) or "residence hall". In September, 1597 Narinaga who was residing at Aka Castle rebuilt Hijiri Shrine (Hijiri-jinja, 聖神社) which had burned down. The shrine was near his retirement castle and Matsuoka Castle where his son lived. In front of the shrine which still stands today there are town stone dogs and one is believed to be donated by Narinaga. The next year,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
died at Fushimi Castle (伏見城) at the age of 63. After the
Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...
in 1600 both Matsuoka Castle and Aka Castle no longer belonged to the Hayashi clan who were transferred to
Hiroshima Castle , sometimes called , is a Japanese castle, castle in Hiroshima, Japan that was the residence of the ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the Hiroshima Domain. The castle was originally constructed in the 1590s, but was largely destroyed by the Atomic bom ...
and
Mihara Castle was a ''hirajiro''-style Japanese castle located in what is today the city of Mihara in Hiroshima Prefecture. Its ruins have been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1957. History In 1552, Kobayakawa Takaka ...
.
Narinaga died on July 19, 1605, at the age of 89 (88 in Western counting) outliving most of his contemporaries of the
Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...
. Where he is buried is unknown. The temple sacred to Narinaga today is Mannen-ji (萬年寺) in Kue,
Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...
(today Hiroshima Prefecture).


Family

*Father: Kikuchi Takenaga (菊池武長, 1489–1576) *Uncle?: Kikuchi Otohachi (菊池音八) *Mother: unknown, possibly a daughter of the Hayashi clan of Kawajiri (川尻林氏). **Brother: Hayashi Genjirō Motonao (林源次郎元尚), Zenuemon (善右衛門尉). **Brother: Hayashi Umanosuke (林右馬允), lived at Aka Castle. ***Wife(s): unknown ****Son: Hayashi Shima-no-kami Motoyoshi (林志摩守元善, 1558–1609), retainer of
Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利 輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...
, moved to the
Chōshū Domain The , also known as the , was a domain (''han'') of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871.Deal, William E. (2005) ''Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan,'' p. 81 The Chōshū Domain was based ...
when Terumoto was transferred by
Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...
. Lord of Matsuoka Castle (松岡城) which he received from his father. ****Son: Hayashi Tamba-no-kami Nagayoshi (林丹波守長吉, ? –1636), retainer of
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
,
Kobayakawa Hideaki (1577 – December 1, 1602) was the fifth son of Kinoshita Iesada and a nephew of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was gained the rank of ''Saemon no Kami'' (左衛門督) or in China ''Shikkingo'' (執金吾) at genpuku and held the court title of ...
and
Kobayakawa Hidekane was a Japanese people, Japanese samurai, the ninth son of Mōri Motonari. His mother was Motonari's concubine, Nomi no Ōkata . Originally he was named Mototsuna and given to Ōta Hidetsuna but later his childless half-brother Kobayakawa Taka ...
. He moved to Nuta (沼田) and changed his surname to Ishibashi (石橋) after the
Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...
and the end of the
Kobayakawa clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Taira clan. Their holdings were in the Chūgoku region. They were a powerful clan during the Sengoku period but were disbanded during the Edo period after the Battle of Sekigahara. H ...
. Also known as Hayashi Jirōuemon Nagayoshi (林次郎右エ門長由) or (林次郎兵衛長早). Lord of Tomita-Matsuyama Castle (''Tomita-Matsuyama-jō'', 富田松山城). ****Daughter: name unknown (入江元親室, ? – ? ), wife of Irie Motochika.Hurusato (Old Country) Tokushu Sengoku Jidai Sera-gun de Katsuyaku shita Shitobito (People of Sera-gun in the Sengoku Era). Kosan-cho Culture Association, 722-0411, Sera-gun, Kosan-cho, Utsu-do 2296-2 Kurahashi Sumio's House. Report Hurusato #3 Published March 1, 2000.


Popular culture

* Named in the 1997
NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...
Taiga drama is the name NHK gives to the annual year-long historical drama television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white ''Hana no Shōgai'', starring kabuki actor Onoe Shoroku II and Awashima Chikage, the network regul ...
TV series ''
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
''.


See also

*
Kikuchi clan The of Higo Province was a powerful daimyō family of Higo, Kyūshū. The lineage was renowned for valiant service in defense of the emperor and against foreign invaders. They initially distinguished themselves during the Jürchen invasion o ...
*
Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...
*
Mōri Motonari was a prominent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the western Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Mōri clan claimed descent from Ōe no Hiromoto (大江広元), an adviser to Minamoto no Yoritomo. Motonari w ...
*
Amago clan The , descended from the Emperor Uda (868–897) by the Kyogoku clan, descending from the Sasaki clan (Uda Genji). Kyogoku Takahisa in the 14th century, lived in Amako-go (Izumo Province), and took the name 'Amago'. The family crest is also t ...
*
Mihara Domain The was a Han (country subdivision), feudal domain of Japan in the Edo period. Located in what is now Mihara, Hiroshima, Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, it encompassed the southern part of Bingo Province. Its headquarter was Mihara Castle (三 ...
*
Kobayakawa Takakage was a samurai and daimyō (feudal military lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of ...
*
Aki Province or Geishū () was a province in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, comprising the western part of what is today Hiroshima Prefecture. History When Emperor Shōmu ordered two official temples for each province (one for male Buddhist prie ...
*
Bingo Province was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, comprising what is today the eastern part of Hiroshima Prefecture. It was sometimes grouped together with Bizen and Bitchu Provinces as . The 備 ''bi'' in the names of these ...
* Hayashi clan *
Ankokuji Ekei was a military monk and descendant of the Takeda clan of Aki province. He served the Mōri clan and later the Toyotomi clan. Biography Although it is certain that he was from the Aki Takeda clan, there are various theories about his birth yea ...


Notes


References

* Family Lists of Hayashi, Hori, Wakimoto and Nishikawa put together by Hayashi Seitaro. * Hurusato (Old Country) Tokushu Sengoku Jidai Sera-gun de Katsuyaku shita Shitobito (People of Sera-gun in the Sengoku Era). Kosan-cho Culture Association, 722-0411, Sera-gun, Kosan-cho, Utsu-do 2296-2 Kurahashi Sumio's House. Report Hurusato #3 Published March 1, 2000. * Hayashi Family Scroll in possession of Victor Larsson, California, US * Berry, Mary Elizabeth. Hideyoshi. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1982. * Mori family documents * Fukuhara Masatoshi (2004) - article * Yoshida-monogatari * Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook. London: Cassell & Co.


External links


Môri Motonari biography, samuraiarchives.com

NHK docudrama with Hayashi Narinaga (Japanese)Samurai Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hayashi, Narinaga 1517 births 1605 deaths Samurai People of the Muromachi period People of the Edo period People of the Azuchi–Momoyama period People from Hiroshima Prefecture