Japanese Pirates’ Medieval Times (7) ——Kobayakawa Clan: A Case of Samurais from the East (2)——

Kobayakawa Clan lasted from the beginning of Kamakura Period to the beginning of Edo Period for 17 generations; 1 Tohira, 2 Kagehira, 3 Shigehira, 4 Masahira, 5 Tomohira, 6 Nobuhira, 7 Sadahira, 8 Haruhira, 9 Mochihira, 10 Hirohira, 11 Takahira, 12 Sukehira, 13 Okihira, 14 Masahira, 15 Shigehira, 16 Takakage, and 17 Hideaki. As you may guess from their names, the last 2 heads were adopted to Kobayakawa Clan from other clans; the second last one, Takakage, from Mori Clan, the most powerful clan around the Seto Inland Sea then, and the last one, Hideaki, from Toyotomi Clan, the ruling clan in Japan at the time, so, by blood, the clan continued for 15 generations to the end of the Warring State of Period. The first head of newborn Kobayakawa Clan, Tohira, came to Nuta Manor, Aki Province, with his father, Sanehira (?-1191.11.25?). Tohira’s grandson, Shigehira, inherited the patrimony from his father, Kagehira, in 1206, and built Takayama-jo Castle in the same year, which would be the clan’s stronghold until 1552 for 13 generations. Shigehira also further exploited Nuta Manor in cooperation of Saionji Clan, an ancient noble clan. They built embarkments at the mouth of the Nuta River, and developed extensive rice fields called Nuta 1000 Cho Da, nominally (about) 1000-hectare rice fields in Nuta. He laid the foundations for the growth of Kobayakawa Clan thereafter.