Toyotomi Hideyoshi—The Third Pirate King of Japan (0-9)

     Tomohira’s grandson, Sadahira (?-1375), started crossing the Seto Inland Sea with a reminder from the Muromachi Shogunate in his hand.  He and his brothers occupied Ikuchi-jima and Yuge-jima Islands, and invaded Inno-shima Island.  They put Setoda Port on Ikuchi-jima Island under their rule.  The port used to be one of the most important ports  in the Seto Inland Sea to wait for the changes of tidal currents.  The rule over the port enabled the family to keep the hegemony over the control of the transportation structures in the sea, and to trade even with Korea.  They later went further down to Osaki-Kami-jima, Osaki-Shimo-jima Islands, and even advanced to O-shima Island in Ochi County, Iyo Province.

     Kobayakawa Ujihira (?-?), Sadahira’s younger brother and the 5th son in the family, came to be based originally in Koizumi Village in the mountains between Nuta and Takehara, and called his family Koizumi.  He repeatedly intruded O-shima Island, and misappropriated annual land taxes.  His son, Munehira (?-?), was finally authorized to be a steward samurai in the island.  Munehira’s son, Okihira (?-?), organized convoys of armed merchant ships, and smuggled with China and Korea.

     Kobayakawa Ujizane (?-?), Sadahira’s another younger brother and the 7th son in the family, came to be based in Ura District in Toyota County, Aki Province, and called his family Ura.  The area included Tada-no-umi Village, where Tada-no-umi Sea Guards was based.  The sea guards were directly supervised by the Kobayakawa Family.