What Were Smuggled to Japan (7)

     The Noshima Murakami Clan’s silver and carpets were of little effect, or might not have benn sufficient enough.  They had to leave their base, Noshima Island in Iyo Province along the Seto Inland Sea, and move to Kafuri, Chikuzen Province.

     Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) forced pirates along the Seto Inland Sea and around Nagasaki into submission, gained naval supremacy on the waters between Kyoto and the East China Sea, and controlled the water transportation there.  He established the claim on imported silk to purchase it first.

     An entry dated December, 1480, of Daijo-in Temple’s notebooks wrote, “Nothing is more profitable for trading ships to China than silk.  You can purchase the amount of copper a horse can carry for 10 thousand copper coins in Bizen Province or Bicchu Province.  If you exchange the copper with silk at Ningbo in China, you can sell the silk for 40 to 50 thousand coins.”  Another entry dated April, 1495, of the notebooks wrote, “3 big ships are to come back to Japan this year.  Sakai merchants loaded each ship with goods worth 10 million copper coins.  those goods will sell for 30 to 40 million coins.  A profit of tens of thousands of coins in total!”  Kuzuha Sainin (1395-1486) was even reported to have said, “As I buy 600 grams of silk in China for 250 coins, I can sell the silk for 50 thousand coins.  A profit of 20 times.”  Sainin’s father was said to come from “Tenjiku” (Indai, Java, or Arabia) while his mother was from Kuzuha, Kawachi Province.  Considering the international smuggling networks he had had, a profit of 20 times might not have been exaggeration.

What Were Smuggled to Japan (6)

     In 1588, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) usurped Nagasaki from the Society of Jesus, put it under the direct control of his clan, and destroyed the fortress there.  The Fukahori Clan might have been “taxing” trading ships.  Fukahori Sumitaka (?-?) was accused of his piracy, had his estate confiscated, and had his castle demolished.  He moved to Kase Manor, Saga County, Hizen Province.  Later, in 1592, he became a vassal of the Nabeshima Clan, and his descendant family provided chief retainers for the clan during the Edo Period.

     At the same time, the Noshima Murakami Clan was accused of their piracy, and it was then that they presented, in vain, their silver and carpets as bribes to some chief vassals of Hideyoshi; such as Mashita Nagamori (1545-1615), Toda Katsutaka (?-1594), and Asano Nagamasa (1547-1611).  Nagamasa’s great-great-grandson was Asano Naganori (1667-1701), who drew his sword and attempted to kill Kira Yoshinaka (1641-1703) in the Corridor of the Pines at Edo Castle, which caused the Ako Vendetta, or the Revenge of the Forty-seven Ronin.  If Naganori had been disliked by Yoshinaka for his insufficient presents (bribes?) as some half-fictionalized stories tell us, it’s an irony of fate.

What Were Smuggled to Japan (5)

     Nagasaki had been made up of just remote fishing villages.  However, since the bay was suitable for big ships to be anchored in, Omura Sumitada (1533-1587) decided to open the area for foreign traders in 1570, and started building a port town there.  The first Portuguese ship visited the port as early as in 1571.  From that time on, Fukahori Sumitaka (?-?), who had been adopted by the Fukahori Clan from the Saigo Family in 1565, kept attacking Nagasaki.

     In 1570, Saigo Sumitaka (?-?), Fukahori Sumitaka’s biological brother, attacked Omura Sumitada, and Fukahori Sumitaka attacked Nagasaki Sumikage (1548-1622), who was subordinate to the Omura Clan and was ruling Nagasaki,  in response to his brother’s military operation.  In 1572, Fukahori Sumitaka attacked the Omura Clan with Saigo Sumitaka, Goto Takaakira (1534-1583) and others at Sanjo Castle, and burned down the fortress and church in Nagasaki.  In 1573, he made a night raid on Nagasaki at high tide with 60 boats, and burned churches down.  In 1574, he burned down the fortress, the port town, and Todos os Santos Church.  From 1577 till 1580, he attacked Nagasaki every year.  In 1580, Omura Sumitada, at last, gave up defending Nagasaki, and contributed the town to the Society of Jesus.

What Were Smuggled to Japan (4)

     In 1586, the Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) mounted a massive campaign to bring Kyushu Island under control.  Most pirates along the Seto Inland sea, including the Noshima Murakami Clan, were mobilized for the campaign as naval forces.  In 1587, Hideyoshi conquered the island.

     After the conquest, in 1588, Hideyoshi ordered that there should not be any piracies or robberies in any province.  It was his first prohibition order on piracy.  The Fukahori Clan was one of those who were punished for violating the order.

    The Fukahori Clan descended from one of the branch families of the Wada Clan, which used to be one of the good clans at the beginning of the Kamakura Period.  The family moved to Fukahori, Iumi-no-sho Manor, Kazusa Province, and called themselves Fukahori since then.  After Jokyu War in 1221, the family was appointed as a steward samurai in Tohachi-ura, Sonogi Manor, Hizen Province, Kyushu.  This time, Tohachi-ura came to be called Fukahori.  Later, during the Warring States Period, the Fukahori Clan came to collect taxes from trading ships which visited Nagasaki.  If a ship refused to pay, they attacked the ship and robbed its loads.  That is, the clan became pirates.

What Were Smuggled to Japan (3)

     The Murakami Clan, who commanded the Seto Inland Sea as pirates, could gain silver, which used to be not only the large-denomination currency in Japan but also the international currency, and imported goods such as carpets.  During the Warring States Period, each warlord could assure merchants of the freedom and security of their economic activities only within his domain.  For some merchants who were trading in wider areas, pirates were, ironically enough, indispensable for their secure commerce.  Once those warlord domains were unified under the Toyotomi Clan, however, the Murakami Clan had to give some of their silver and carpets to officers of the Toyotomi Regime as bribes to secure their business, or their goodwill.  That is, pirates were to be “pirated” this time.

     In 1585, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598) brought Shikoku Island under control, and allocated the island to his vassals.  He demanded to demolish some castles and fortresses too.  In the process, the Noshima Murakami Clan lost their rights and interests one after another.

     First, in November, 1585, Kobayakawa Takakage (1533-1597), one of Hideyoshi’s vassals and the new ruler of Iyo Province under the Toyotomi Regime, ordered the Noshima Murakami Clan to demolish Mushi and Nakato Fortresses, 2 strategic points along Kurushima Strait.

What Were Smuggled to Japan (2)

     The Nabeshima Clan took over the Ryuzoji Clan, who had been ruling Hizen Province in Kyushu Island during the Warring States Period, in 1607.  The Hirayoshi Family, who used to be a charted merchant for both the clans, has kept their own historical texts, and one of them reads as follows:

     “In the middle of Tensho years (in 1580’s), on our way to Kyoto in the Seto Inland sea, around No-shima, Kuru-shima, and Inno-shima Islands, pirates formed gangs, killed those who were sailing up or down along the sea corridor.  Everyone who came or went along the corridor was suffering.  We could not even meet the requires and orders of Lord Naoshige (Nabeshima Naoshige, 1538-1618).

     “The judicial officer sent out a ship, and sent a messenger to a pirate boss to take the complaint to him.  The boss replied, ‘Let’s put other provinces’ ships aside.  If you would like your ships from Nabeshima’s domain in Hizen Province pass through the area with no problems, you should hand over one kan (about 4 kilograms) of silver as a reward.’  The both sides consented, and handed in signed documents to each other.  They gave us 20 ship banners, and we handed over one kan of silver.  Thereafter, the clan’s couriers and the domain’s trading ships as well can now sail through the area with the ship banners.  Lord Naoshige seems more than satisfied.”

     Thus, some of the silver which were circulating along the smuggling over the East China Sea found their way to the Japanese pirates along the Seto Inland Sea, namely the Murakami Clan.

What Were Smuggled to Japan (2)

     The Nabeshima Clan took over the Ryuzoji Clan, who had been ruling Hizen Province in Kyushu Island during the Warring States Period, in 1607.  The Hirayoshi Family, who used to be a charted merchant for both the clans, has kept their own historical texts, and one of them reads as follows:

     “In the middle of Tensho years (in 1580’s), on our way to Kyoto in the Seto Inland sea, around No-shima, Kuru-shima, and Inno-shima Islands, pirates formed gangs, killed those who were sailing up or down along the sea corridor.  Everyone who came or went along the corridor was suffering.  We could not even meet the requires and orders of Lord Naoshige (Nabeshima Naoshige, 1538-1618).

     “The judicial officer sent out a ship, and sent a messenger to a pirate boss to take the complaint to him.  The boss replied, ‘Let’s put other provinces’ ships aside.  If you would like your ships from Nabeshima’s domain in Hizen Province pass through the area with no problems, you should hand over one kan (about 4 kilograms) of silver as a reward.’  The both sides consented, and handed in signed documents to each other.  They gave us 20 ship banners, and we handed over one kan of silver.  Thereafter, the clan’s couriers and the domain’s trading ships as well can now sail through the area with the ship banners.  Lord Naoshige seems more than satisfied.”

     Thus, some of the silver which were circulating along the smuggling over the East China Sea found their way to the Japanese pirates along the Seto Inland Sea, namely the Murakami Clan.