Toyotomi Hideyoshi—The Third Pirate King of Japan (0-5)

     Tokichika first governed Yoshida Manor in Aki Province remotely and indirectly as an absentee land lord.  He was such an able man as to make a member of the council of the Rokuhara Agency of the Kamakura Shogunate, which ruled Western Japan as well as Kyoto, where the agency was located, and its surrounding areas on behalf of the shogunate.  However, he was living in the last days of the shogunate, hated the chaos, and retreated to Yoshida Manor in 1336 after the collapse of the shogunate in 1333 with his great grandson, Motoharu (1323-?), but couldn’t enjoy a peaceful retired life.  It was a time of upheavals, the period of the Northern and Southern Courts.  His son, Sadachika (?-1351), and grandson, Chikahira (?-1375), were fighting for the Southern Court, which was losing.  Tokichika had Motoharu fight for the Northern Court, or for Ashikaga Takauji (1305-1358), calmed Takauji down, and invited his son and grandson to Yoshida Manor.  He built Koriyama Castle there, and ruled the manor.  At long last, Motoharu was guaranteed the proprietary of the manor in 1376 by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358-1408), the third shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate.

     From Tokichika’s time, the family generated branch families.  Through the competition and coordination among themselves, the families formed the base for the Mori Clan.  In addition, the fame as a nationally distinguished family enabled the Mori Family to lead other local families in Aki Province to form a union against warlords around them and against the central government as well.  It might have been during this process that the Kodama Family became dependent on and even subordinate to the Mori Clan.

     Kawanouchi Sea Guards were led and commanded by Kodama Narikata (1513-1586) and his son, Narihide (1544-1596).