The was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Nitta branch of the

Minamoto clan was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during th ...

, who were in turn descendants of Emperor Seiwa. Serata (Nitta) Arichika, a samurai of the 14th century, was the common ancestor of both the Sakai clan and the Matsudaira clan, which the Sakai later served. In the

Sengoku period The was a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga shogunate. Variou ...

, under

Tokugawa Ieyasu was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fel ...

(who was the head of what was formerly the main

Matsudaira The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of ...

family line), the Sakai became chief retainers. In the

Edo period The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional ''daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was character ...

, because of their longstanding service to the

Tokugawa clan The is a Japanese dynasty that was formerly a powerful '' daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji) through the Matsudaira clan. The early history of this cl ...

, the Sakai were classified as a '' fudai'' family, in contrast with the '' tozama'' ("outsider clans").

Clan branches and histories

The ''fudai'' Sakai clan originated in 14th century

Mikawa Province was an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Mikawa''" in . Its abbreviated form name was . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces. M ...

. They claim descent from

Minamoto no Arichika was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...

. Arichika had two sons; one of them, Yasuchika, took the name of Matsudaira, while the other son, Chikauji, took the name of Sakai. Chikauji is the ancestor of the Sakai clan. Sakai Hirochika, Chikauji's son, had two sons as well, and the descendants of these two sons gave rise to the two principal branches of the clan. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)
"Sakai" at ''Nobiliare du Japon'', pp. 50-51
retrieved 8 August 2013. The senior branch was founded by Sakai Tadatsugu (1527–1596). Tadatsugu, a vassal of

, was charged with the defense of Yoshida Castle in Mikawa Province. In 1578, Sakai Ietsugu (1564–1619) succeeded to his father's role as defender of Yoshida Castle. The ''Ie-'' in the beginning of ''Ie''tsugu's name was a special honor bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who intended to emphasize bonds of loyalty with those who were allowed to share in any part of his name. When Ieyasu's holdings were transferred to the Kantō region in 1590, Ietsugu was installed at Usui Domain (30,000 '' koku'') in Kōzuke Province, but, in 1604, he was moved to Takasaki Domain (50,000 ''koku''). In 1616, he was again moved to Takada Domain (100,000 ''koku''), this time in

Echigo Province was an old provinces of Japan, old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen Province, Uzen, Iwashiro Province, Iwashiro, Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Shinano Province, Shinano, and Etchū Province, ...

. In 1619, he was moved to Matsushiro Domain in

Shinano Province or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture. Shinano bordered on Echigo Province, Echigo, Etchū Province, Etchū, Hida Province, Hida, Kai Province, Kai, Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Mikawa Province, Mikawa, Mino Province, Mi ...

; and then, from 1622 to 1868, he was installed at Tsuruoka Domain (120,000 ''koku'') in Dewa Province. The Sakai of Tsuruoka (which later grew to 170,000 ''koku'') in Dewa Province were prominent in the late Edo period as a military power. Charged with the safety of

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

, they were patrons of the Shinchogumi police force, and were very effective in their duties. Following the surrender of Edo, the Sakai withdrew and returned north to their domain, where they were active in the northern theater of the Boshin War, as well as becoming signatories to the pact that created the

Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei The was a Japanese military-political coalition established and disestablished over the course of several months in early to mid-1868 during the Boshin War. Its flag was either a white interwoven five-pointed star on a black field, or a black ...

in 1868. The head of this clan line was ennobled as a "Count" in the Meiji period.Papinot
p. 50.
/ref> A cadet branch was created in 1647. These Sakai were installed from 1647 through 1868 at Matsumine Domain (20,000 ''koku'') in Dewa Province; the castle at Matsumine was constructed in 1779. The head of this clan line was ennobled as a "Viscount" in the Meiji period. Another cadet branch was founded by Sakai Masachika (+1576). Vassal of the Tokugawa – Tokugawa Nobutada, Tokugawa Kiyoyasu and Tokugawa Hirotada. In 1561, he was installed at

Nishio Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Nishio, eastern Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Nishio Castle was home to the Ogyu Matsudaira, ''daimyō'' of Nishio Domain. The castle was also known as , , or . History Nish ...

in Mikawa Province, and the security of the castle was confided in him. In 1590, Sakai Shigetada, the son of Masachika, received the

Kawagoe Domain Kawagoe Castle daimyō residence, administrative headquarters of Kawagoe Domain was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. It is located in Musashi Province, Honshū. The domain was centered at Kawagoe Castle, locate ...

(15,000 ''koku'') in

Musashi Province was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama. Musashi bordered on Kai, Kōzuke, Sagami ...

; then in 1601, he was installed at Umayabashi Domain (35,000 ''koku'') in Kōzuke Province.Papinot
p. 51.
/ref> In 1749, the descendants of Sakai Tadakiyo (1626–1681) were transferred to Himeji Domain (150,000 ''koku'') in Harima Province ; and they remained daimyō at Himeji until the

Meiji period The is an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868 to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonization ...

. This cadet branch of the Sakai had been created in 1590. The head of this clan line was first ennobled as a "Count" and in the Meiji period. Yet another cadet branch of the Sakai had been created in 1668, These Sakai were installed from 1668 through 1868 at Katsuyama Domain (12,000 ''koku'') in Awa Province. The head of this clan line was ennobled as a "Viscount" in the Meiji period. A further cadet branch of the Sakai had been created in 1681, These Sakai were installed in 1681 through 1868 at Isezaki Domain (20,000 ''koku'') in Kōzuke Province. The head of this clan line was ennobled as a "Viscount" in the Meiji period. Sakai Tadatoshi (1562–1627) received the fief of Tanaka Domain (10,000 ''koku'') in Suruga Province in 1601; then his holding was transferred in 1609 to

(30,000 ''koku'') in Musashi province. Sakai Tadakatsu (1587–1662) was installed in 1634 through 1868 at Obama Domain (103,500 ''koku'') in Wakasa Province . This cadet branch of the Sakai had been created in 1590. The head of this clan line was ennobled as a "Count" in the Meiji period. Finally, another cadet branch of the Sakai had been created in 1682. These Sakai were installed in 1682 through 1868 at Tsuruga Domain (10,000 ''koku'') in Echizen Province. The head of this clan line was ennobled as a "Viscount" in the Meiji period.

Family heads

Shōnai

* Sakai Tadatsugu (1527–1596) * Sakai Ietsugu * Sakai Tadakatsu (1594–1647) * Sakai Tadamasa * Sakai Tadayoshi * Sakai Tadazane * Sakai Tadayori * Sakai Tadaatsu * Sakai Tadaari * Sakai Tadakata * Sakai Tadaaki * Sakai Tadatomo * Sakai Tadazumi * Sakai Tadamichi

Dewa-Matsuyama (branch of the Shonai Domain)

* Sakai Tadatsune * Sakai Tadayasu * Sakai Tadayoshi * Sakai Tadataka * Sakai Tadanori * Sakai Tadamichi * Sakai Tadayoshi * Sakai Tadamasa

Tsuruga

* Sakai Tadashige * Sakai Tadagiku * Sakai Tadatake * Sakai Tadaka * Sakai Tadanobu * Sakai Tadae * Sakai Tadamasu * Sakai Tadatsune * Sakai Tadakatsu (1587–1662) *

Sakai Tadanao The was a '' Fudai'' feudal domain of the Edo period of Japan. It is located in Wakasa Province, in the Hokuriku region of the island Honshū. The domain was centered at Obama Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Obama in ...

(1630–1682) *

Sakai Tadataka The was a '' Fudai'' feudal domain of the Edo period of Japan. It is located in Wakasa Province, in the Hokuriku region of the island Honshū. The domain was centered at Obama Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Obama in ...

(1651–1686) *

Sakai Tadasono The was a '' Fudai'' feudal domain of the Edo period of Japan. It is located in Wakasa Province, in the Hokuriku region of the island Honshū. The domain was centered at Obama Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Obama in ...

(1671–1706) *

Sakai Tadashige was the 8th Japanese Daimyō of the Sakai clan, Himeji Domain and the last Tairō (Chief Minister) of the Tokugawa Shogunate,. He was appointed Tairō on 26 February 1865 after the assassination of Ii Naosuke, until his dismissal on 29 December ...

(1691–1735) *

Sakai Tadaakira The was a '' Fudai'' feudal domain of the Edo period of Japan. It is located in Wakasa Province, in the Hokuriku region of the island Honshū. The domain was centered at Obama Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Obama in ...

(1720–1740) * Sakai Tadamochi (1725–1775)Meyer, Eva-Mari
"Gouverneure von Kyôto in der Edo-Zeit."
Universität Tübingen (in German). * Sakai Tadayoshi (1813–1873) *

Sakai Tadatsura The was a '' Fudai'' feudal domain of the Edo period of Japan. It is located in Wakasa Province, in the Hokuriku region of the island Honshū. The domain was centered at Obama Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Obama in ...

(1752–1806) *

Sakai Tadayuki was the 10th ''daimyō'' of Obama Domain in mid- to late Edo period Japan.Meyer, Eva-Mari"Gouverneure von Kyôto in der Edo-Zeit". University of Tübingen (in German). Biography Tadayuki was the seventh son of Sakai Tadaka of Tsuruga Domain and ...

(1770–1828) * Sakai Tadayori (1791–1853) * Sakai Tadaaki (1813–1873; formerly Tadayoshi) Beasley, William G. (1955). ''Select Documents on Japanese Foreign Policy, 1853–1868,'' p. 339. * Sakai Tadauji (1835–1876) * Sakai Tadatoshi (1813–1873)

Himeji

Maebashi domain

The successive leaders at

Maebashi is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, in the northern Kantō region of Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 335,352 in 151,171 households, and a population density of 1100 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . It ...

were: * Sakai Tadayoshi (1549–1617) * Sakai Tadayo (1572–1636) * Sakai Tadayuki (1599–1636) * Sakai Tadakiyo (1626–1681) *

Sakai Tadataka (Maebashi) The was a '' Fudai'' feudal domain of the Edo period of Japan. It is located in Wakasa Province, in the Hokuriku region of the island Honshū. The domain was centered at Obama Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Obama in ...

(1648–1720) * Sakai Tadami (1667–1708) * Sakai Chikayoshi (1694–1733) * Sakai Chikamoto (1705–1731)

Himeji domain

The successive leaders at Himeji were: * Sakai Tadazumi (Himeji) (1710–1772) * Sakai Tadazane (1756–1790) * Sakai Tadahiro (1777–1837) * Sakai Tadamitsu (1779–1848) * Sakai Tadanori (1809–1844) * Sakai Tadatomi (1829–1853) * Sakai Tadateru (1836–1860) * Sakai Tadashige (1827–1895) * Sakai Tadatō (1839–1907) *

Sakai Tadakuni is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...

(1854–1879)

Notable members

: * Saburō Sakai (1916-2000) *

Sakai Chikauji is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...

* Sakai Hirochika * Sakai Tadatsugu (1527–1596) * Sakai Ietsugu (1564–1619) * Sakai Masachika * Sakai Shigetada * Sakai Tadakiyo (1626–1681) * Sakai Tadatoshi (1562–1627) * Sakai Tadakatsu (1587–1662) *

Sakai Tadakatsu (Shōnai) was a Sengoku period samurai and early Edo period ''daimyō'' under the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. His courtesy title was ''Kunai-no-taifu''. Biography Sakai Tadakatsu was the sixth son of Sakai Ietsugu, castellan of Yoshida Castle and son ...

(1594–1647) *

Sakai Tadamasa (Shōnai) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...

* Sakai Tadamochi (1725–1775), 21st Kyoto ''shoshidai'' *

(1770–1828), 37th Kyoto ''shoshidai'' *

Sakai Tadazumi was the 11th ''daimyō'' of Shōnai Domain during Bakumatsu period Japan. His courtesy title was ''Saemon-no-jō''. Biography Sakai Tadazumi was the fifth son of Sakai Tadaaki, the 5th ''daimyō'' of Shōnai. When his elder brother, the 10th ' ...

, Himeji Castle *

, ''

Rōjū The , usually translated as ''Elder'', was one of the highest-ranking government posts under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council of Elders as a whole; under the first two '' sh� ...

'' (1863–1864), '' Tairō'' (1865–1866). *

Sakai Tadasuke is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...

(also known as

Sakai Tadamasu was a '' fudai'' feudal domain of Edo period Japan. It is located in Echizen Province, in the Hokuriku region of Honshū. The domain was centered at Tsuruga '' jin'ya'', located in the center of what is now the city of Tsuruga in Fukui Prefect ...

), '' Wakadoshiyori'' (1853–1862, 1863, 1864–1866) * Sakai Tadaaki (1813–1873), also known as Sakai Tadayoshi 49th Kyoto ''shoshidai'' *

Sakai Tadakatsu (Meiji era) was a Sengoku period Japanese samurai, and early Edo period ''daimyō'' and served in several important positions within the administration of the Tokugawa shogunate. Papinot, Edmund. (2003)''Nobiliare du Japon'' Sakai. pp. 50–51 Biography T ...

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New Yor ...

, House of Peers (1925) "Nobility, Peerage and Ranks in Ancient and Meiji-Japan," p. 13.
/ref> *

Sakai Tadamasa (Meiji era) is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its keyhole-shaped burial mounds, or kofun, which date from the fifth century and inclu ...

, Count, House of Peers (1925) *

Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...

, House of Peers (1925)Japan peers, p. 14.
/ref>

References

External links

Nikko Tourist Association. {{DEFAULTSORT:Sakai Clan Japanese clans Meiji Restoration