Toyotomi Hideyoshi—The Third Pirate King of Japan (0-7)

     As their name “Kawanouchi” (literally Among-Rivers) suggests, the sea guards were composed of local powerful families living in the Ota River Delta, and of Butsugo-ji Temple, which was located in the delta.  The temple had been founded in 1459 by the former lord of Kusatsu Castle as a Tendai-Buddhism temple, and had turned to Jodo Shinshu Buddhism in 1496.  Such as they were, the sea guards were much less efficient in naval strength and mobility than the Murakami Clan, who were pirates born and living in the sea.  That was why the Mori Clan had to struggle to win the support of the Murakami Clan when they sought the naval supremacy in the Seto Inland Sea.  Nevertheless, the sea guards were very loyal to the Mori Clan, and were the most reliable sea forces for the clan.

     Now let’s move on to the second type of the Mori Sea Forces: the Kobayakawa Sea Forces, whose main unit was the Tada-no-umi Sea Guards.

     The Dohi Family was living in Dohi County, Sagami Province.  Dohi Sanehira (?-?1191) was the second son and started living in Kobayakawa Village in Dohi County.  His son, Tohira (?-1237), started calling his family Kobayakawa.  When Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-1199) took up arms against the Taira Clan in 1180, the father and son followed him and fought against the Taira Clan.  Tohira was later appointed as a manorial steward samurai of Nuta and Takehara Manors in Aki Province.