Kakuta Haruo---Decoding Japan---

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Location: Sakai, Osaka, Japan

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Sulfur, One of the Most Important Smuggled Goods (1)

     Daijo-in Temple in Nara, stored many diaries dated from1065 to 1504.  One diary recorded the tribute cargo of the mission to Ming in 1543, which was the largest mission with 9 ships and 1200 members.  They carried 238.5 tons of sulfur, 92.7 tons of copper, 63.6 tons of red dye, 9500 Japanese swords, 417 Japanese halberds, 1250 fans, etc. in total.

     Sulfur accounted for the largest portion of the cargo.  Each of 9 ships carried 26.5 tons of sulfur in average.  However, Mission Ship No.6, which was owned by the Otomo Clan, loaded the largest amount of sulfur; 54.1 tons.  The amount shows the superiority of the clan’s procurement power over sulfur.


     What was sulfur for?  If you make gunpowder with 75 percents of niter, 15 percents of sulfur, and 10 percents of charcoal, 54.1 tons of sulfur alone can enable you to produce 360 tons of gunpowder.  In Japan, they used to use about 3 grams of gunpowder to make a shot.  120,000,000 shots!  If you can kill one person by shooting a couple of times, you can cause the death of tens of millions of people.  It’s more than massacre.  The sulfur was offered to Ming government as the mission was approved by them as an official one.  If not, the mission had to sail south to sell, or smuggle, the sulfur to someone else along the Fujian coast.

Monday, March 28, 2016

The Matsura Clan and their Smuggling (3)

     Matsura Historical Museum stores a draft of a letter written by Matsura Shigenobu (1549-1599) to the king of Siam in January, 1577.

     According to the letter, in 1576, Guo Liuguan sailed his Chinese junk to Hirado with a Siamese ambassador aboard.  And, this time, in 1577, Wu Laobao sailed his junk to Hirado with another ambassador.  Shigenobu thanked the king for his gifts, asked him to send an ambassador annually, and presented back a set of Japanese armor.


     The Matsura Clan didn’t seem to have had their own ship.  The Siamese might not have had their own.  Their diplomatic relations were mediated by Chinese traders.

Saturday, March 26, 2016

The Matsura Clan and their Smuggling (2)

     The Matsura Clan started as the Matsura People, as the Murakami Clan started as the Murakami People.  The Matsura people were sea people, and later became sea samurais, or pirates in short.  In the battle of Dan-no-ura in 1185, they fought for the Taira Clan.  They fought against the Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 for the Kamakura Shogunate.  Under the Muromachi Shogunate, they worked as escorts for missions to Ming.  In the latter half of the 15th century, one family became more powerful than others, and formed the Matsura Clan.  In the 16th century, the Hirado Family, one of the branch families of the Matsura Clan, became powerful.  When the family was riding the boom, Takanobu (1529-1599) succeeded the headship of the family in 1543.  In 1565, he forced the head family of the Matsura Clan to adopt his third son, practically took over the Matsura Clan, and called himself Matsura Takanobu.  In 1568, his eldest son, Shigenobu (1549-1599), succeeded the headship of the clan.

     The Hirado Family became powerful through trading with foreign countries, or through smuggling from the official point of the view of the central government.

     In 1550, a Portuguese ship first visited Hirado.  From 1553, one or two Portuguese ships came to Hirado annually.  That brought prosperity to Hirado, but Takanobu didn’t like their missionary work.  Under the tension, the captain and 13 other crews of a Portuguese ship were killed in 1561, and Portuguese merchants moved to Nagasaki.

     In 1609, 2 Dutch ships visited Hirado, and opened a trading house, although it moved to Dejima, Nagasaki, in 1641.

     In 1613, an English ship came to Hirado, and set up a trading house, which was closed in 1623 because of their poor trading performance.


     Anyway, Hirado enjoyed its prosperity through trading, or smuggling, with western countries for more than half a century.  But what about trading, or smuggling, with Asian countries?

Friday, March 25, 2016

The Matsura Clan and their Smuggling (1)

     We can know what the ancient Matsura area was like through the Records of the Three Kingdoms, a Chinese historical text which covers the history of the Late (East) Han Dynasty (BC184-AD220) and the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280).  The 3 kingdoms included Wei, Shu, and Wu.  Volume 30 of Book of Wei has Biographies of the Wuhan, Xianbei, and Dongyi.  The Dongyi biography has the entry about Wa, today’s Japan.

     Himiko, the queen of Wa, sent ambassadors to Wei in 238, 243, 245, and 247.  The return ambassadors of Wei described Japan.


     To reach the Yamatai Country, where Himiko lived, they crossed the Korea Strait via Tsushima and Iki Islands, and arrived at the north-west coast of Kyushu.  The area was called Matsura Country.  The country was covered with weeds and trees so dense that they could not see people walking in front of them.  The people living there were good at catching fish and abalones not only in the shallow sea but even by diving into the deep sea.

Thursday, March 24, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (12)

     The letter from Otomo’s side in 1573 reads that the Otomo Clan had already established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Cambodia before the letter, but it is not clear whether the ship mentioned in the letter accidentally could not come back to Bungo or the Shimazu Clan intentionally blocked it.  In 1579, Shimazu Yoshihisa interrupted the ship mentioned in the letter on purpose, misappropriated the royal letter and tribute, and wrote a reply to the king of Cambodia for his loser, Otomo Yoshishige, obviously disregarding him.

     The tribute in 1579, which was grabbed by the Shimazu Clan, included an elephant, an elephant trainer, 2 mirror makers, a copper gun, and 60 kilograms of beeswax.


     Thus, the Shimazu Clan’s smuggling with South-East Asia started, which would be taken over by red-seal ships introduced by the central government which unified the whole country around the turn of the century.

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (11)

     Reiun-in Temple in Kyoto stores a his topical record on Setsushin Shinko (?-?), who was a zen priest and who also worked as a diplomat of the Shimazu Clan.  He kept the copy of a letter written by Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533-1611) to the king of Cambodia in November, 1579.

     “We have a trading ship of your country here.  It drifted and showed itself in front of a port in Satsuma Province, Kyushu, Japan.  Through an interpreter, we asked the captain of the ship, the ambassador, and the vice-ambassador about what had happened to them.  They all said that they tried to bring a royal letter and tribute to Otomo Yoshishige across the ocean.  However, they heard that Bungo army invaded Satsuma only to be completely defeated with over ten thousand of their soldiers killed in the previous winter, that the Otomo Clan almost collapsed, and that Kyushu all belonged to Satsuma.  So the 3 handed the royal letter and tribute to me.

     “From now on, our country shall be a partner country for your country, and our friendship should last for generations to come.”


     Previously, Otomo Yoshishige invaded Hyuga Province, deploying a troop strength of 30,000, to attack Shimazu Yoshihisa.  On November the 9th-12th, they clashed around Taka-jo Castle in Koyu County, Hyuga Province.   3,000 of Otomo’s were reported to have been killed in the battle, and Yoshishige retreated to Bungo.  After the battle, the Otomo Clan almost collapsed, and the Shimazu Clan consolidated their ruling over 3 provinces in Kyushu; Satsuma, Osumi, and Hyuga.

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (10)

     On August the 25th, 1573, 4 managers of the Otomo Clan wrote a letter signed jointly to 6 managers of the Shimazu Clan, which was stored by the Shimazu Clan.

     “This time, we sent out a ship to the Kingdom of Cambodia.  It sailed back and moored in your domain.  A typhoon came, and we heard that the ship got some problems.  We sent a messenger to you to ask about the ship.  However, we have not got a reply yet, and are worried about it.

     “As you know, your clan and ours have enjoyed friendship for generations.  Why on earth you betray us?  Other countries will laugh at it as it must not happen.  Be sensible right away, and it will be appreciated.

     “Even in Cambodia, when our ship got some problems, the king knew that the ship had been sent by Yoshishige, treated it fairly, and even sent a messenger to inform us.  If you do not behave properly quickly, how does that big country think of you?  Consider that and show your reserved attitudes, and we will be glad.  We are waiting for a good news.


     “With best regards,”

Monday, March 21, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (9)

     Through their south gate, Bungo Channel, where were the Otomo Clan’s ships heading to?  As the clan collapsed at the end of the Warring State Period, we have no written records left on their side, but from fragments of information left in Kyoto or from documents of the Shimazu Clan, who not only survived from Kamakura Shogunate through the Warring State Period to Tokugawa Shogunate but also played an important role in overthrowing the Tokugawa Clan and in accomplishing the Meiji Restoration, we can make a guess or two.

     In some year in the late 1560’s, on November the 5th, Otomo Yoshishige (1530-1587) wrote a letter to Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533-1611):

     “As we live far from each other, I have not heard from you for long.  Your shields and spikes have not reached here so long.  You should show how you are.  Our bows and arrows are always all ready.  Please do not worry about me.

     “By the way, I am sending people to Ryukyu.  When they sail off your domain, please pay attention to them as usual.  I appreciate it and send 5 rolls of silk in advance just to make up for this short letter.

     “With best regards,”


     It is obvious that the Otomo Clan was trading with Ryukyu at the time as the Sagara Clan did.

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (8)

     The Otomo Clan was not only looking east toward China and Korea, but also seeing southward.  They struggled for the command of the sea in the Bungo Channel between Kyushu and Shikoku Islands, their south gate to the Pacific Ocean.

     In 1435, for example, Otomo Mochinao (?-1445) fought against Kono Mochimichi (?-1435), the guardian samurai of Iyo Province, Shikoku, and killed him in a battle in Mt. Himedake near Usuki Manor, Bungo Province, Kyushu.

     Otomo Chikashige (1411-1493) married his daughter to Kono Michinobu (?-1519) to settle the dispute over Usuki Manor.  And then, in 1546, Otomo Yoshishige  (1530-1587) invaded the Saionji Clan’s manor in Uwa County, Iyo Province, Shikoku, this time.

     Just an aside, between Usuki and Uwa, in the middle of Bungo Channel, there lies Hiburi-jima Island, which was the base of Fujiwara Sumitomo (?-941), the first pirate king in Japan.


     Just another aside, the Saionji Clan had replaced the Tachibana Family in Uwa against all reason in 1236.  One legend says that the Tachibana Family were descendants of Tachibana Toyasu (?-944), who subdued Fujiwara Sumitomo.

Sunday, March 20, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (7)

     Seeing the development of the situation from Otomo Yoshishige’s angle, Yoshishige grabbed a good chance to organize an official mission to Ming almost a century after the mission to Ming in 1453.  However, Ming government considered that Yoshinaga usurped the Ouchi Clan, and refused to issue a tally.

     From 1555, the Mori Clan started invading the Ouchi Clan’s provinces, and, in the early spring of the year1557, Ouchi Yoshinaga was forced into the westernmost corner of Nagato Province, the westernmost province in the mainland of Japan, was cheated by Fukubara Sadatoshi (1512-1593), a vassal of the Mori Clan, let Naito Tokoyo (1536-1557), a vassal of the late Sue Harutaka (1521-1555), commit harakiri suicide on April the 2nd, and then was forced to kill himself on the 3rd in Kozan-ji Temple.  Otomo Yoshishige left Yoshinaga in the lurch, and captured the Ouchi Clan’s Chikuzen and Buzen Provinces in Kyushu Island through luck.


     After the fall of Ouchi Clan, the Japanese western warlords as well as the Otomo Clan lost a prospect for sending an official mission to Ming and devoted themselves to smuggling more than ever.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (6)

     According to a Chinese record dated August the 20th, 1557:

     In 1556, Hu Zongxian, the supreme commander in Zhejiang Province, Ming, sent Chen Keyuan and Jiang Zhou to Japan.  The two first visited Goto Islands in Japan, and met Wang Zhi and Mao Haifeng, famous Chinese Wokou chiefs who were based in the island.  Keyuan returned to Ming to report, but Zhou stayed in Japan and kept visiting other islands.

     Jiang Zhou went to Bungo Province, and stayed there.  He sent his priest messenger to “Yamaguchi Island” and admonished  “the military governor of Yamaguchi, Minamoto Yoshinaga,” to crack down on Wokou.  Yoshinaga dispatched an official document with the seal of the King of Japan, and sent captives back.

     “The governor of Bungo Province, Minamoto Yoshishige,” sent Tokuyo, a priest, with local products, offered an apology document, asked for a tally to offer tribute, and sent Zhou back with guards.


     Obviously, Minamoto Yosjinaga was Ouchi Yoshinaga, and Minamoto Yoshishige was Otomo Yoshishige.

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (5)

     In 1552, the situation changed dramatically for the Otomo Clan.  Ouchi Yoshitaka (1507-1551), who had organized the missions to Ming in 1540 and in 1549 in place of the eclipsed central Muromachi Shogunate government, was overthrown by Sue Harutaka (1521-1555) in the previous year, and Otomo Harufusa (?-1557), a younger brother of Yoshishige (1530-1587), was adopted to the Ouchi Clan, and succeeded Yoshitaka.  Harufua followed the legend of Imseong-taeja, who had been professed to be the Ouchi Clan’s first ancestor in Japan, landed the Tatara Beach in Bofu Province on February the 29th, 1552, and entered the mansion of the Ouchi Clan on March the 3rd.  He was recognized as the clan’s successor by Muromachi Shogunate next spring, and changed his name to Ouchi Yoshinaga.  3 years later, in November, 1556, Jiang Zhou visited both Otomo Yoshishige and Ouchi Yoshinaga to admonish the two to crack down on Wokou.

Friday, March 04, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (4)

     Although the mission to Ming in 1453 brought a lot of profit to the Otomo Clan, accepting the mission with 9 ships and about 1200 members was an enormous burden on Ming.  In 1453, ming set a rule which allowed Japan to send only one mission every 10 years with no more than 3 ships and 300 members.  The restriction made it impossible for the clan to manage its own ship within a mission.  After the mission to Ming in 1468, all the clan could do was to send guard samurais and provide suffer as exports.


     To break the commercial deadlock, the Otomo Clan started sending out “false” missions to Ming.  In the middle of the 16th century, Otomo Yoshiaki (1502-1550) sent out 2 “false” missions to Ming with Juko and Seiryo as ambassadors respectively.  You can regard those “false” missions to Ming as private missions to Ming against official national missions to Ming.  Some of the Ming government called them Wokou smugglers.  Whatever those ships may be called, they didn’t have valid tallies nor good letters offered from the king of Japan.  In many cases, they had out-of-date old tallies which had been sold out by Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1436-1490).  When they were not admitted to be official national missions, they just sailed south as far as Fujian, where coastguard was insufficient.

Wednesday, March 02, 2016

The Otomo Clan and their Smuggling (3)

     The mission to Ming in 1453, for example, had 9 ships.  Mission Ship No. 6 was managed by the Otomo Clan.  Although there is no official record left about the ship, Shoun Zuikin, a priest on Mission Ship No. 1, kept his diary, and he mentioned Mission Ship No. 6 several times.  The ship arrived at Ningbo Port on April the 23rd along with the other ships, and landed their tributes on June the 2nd.  When the mission sent out their delegation to Beijing, Shiryu Koto, who embarked on Mission Ship No. 6, was included.  The delegation arrived at Hang-zhou on August the 12th, at Beijing on October the 8th, and was finally presented to the Jingtai Emperor on October the 10th.


     Chikashige was wise enough to place stress on foreign trade, sent missions to Joseong and Ming actively, and made enormous profit.  Some of the false missions to Joseong during the 15th century might have included those by the Otomo Clan.