The Naval Forces under the Direct Supervision of Toyotomi Hideyoshi

 

     Hideyoshi not only invited native sea samurai but also had his own long-time subordinate land samurai master maritime affairs.

     Wakizaka Yasuharu (1554-1626) was born in Omi Province.  He was hired by Hideyoshi in 1569.  In October 1585, he was given Sumoto Castle in Awaji Province.  After that, along with Kato Yoshiaki (1563-1631), he served as the commander of the naval forces, and joined the Kyushu Campaign of 1586-1587 and the Third Siege of Odawara in 1590, mainly transporting military supplies.

In the Imjin War (1592–1598), he was ordered to mobilize 1,500 soldiers in 1594, and 1,200 soldiers in 1597.  He was initially in charge of sea transportation from Kyushu to Busan, but later fought in naval battles sometimes.  Yasuharu's navy of 1,500 soldiers was defeated by Yi Sun-shin (1545-1598) in the Battle of Hansan Island on July 8th, 1592.  Yasuharu also fought the Battle of Myeongnyang on October 26th, 1597.

     Kato Yoshiaki (1563-1631) was born in Mikawa Province.  His father, Noriaki, was subject to Matsudaira Hirotada (1526-1549).  When the Battle of Azukizaka broke out in 1564, Noriaki belonged to a league of monks, samurai, and peasants who believed the Pure Land Buddhism, and who were strongly against samurai rule.  The league lost to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616), and Noriaki lost his job.  He wandered from a province to another with his baby, Yoshiaki (1583-1631).  Noriaki was hired by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598), who was the lord of Nagahama Castle at the time.  Yoshiaki was named by Hideyoshi as a page of Hashiba Hidekatsu (1569-1592), Hideyoshi’s nephew, but became Hideyoshi’s warrior in 1576.  On November 2nd, 1586, Yoshikai was awarded Tsuna and Mihara Counties in Awaji Province, and became the lord of Shichi Castle.

In 1587, he took part in the Kyushu Campaign of 1586-1587, leading the Awaji Naval Forces.  His forces entered Satsuma Province by sea and assisted in crossing the Sendai River. During the Third Siege of Odawara in 1590, he succeeded in attacking Shimoda Castle from the sea and besieging it.

In 1592, he led 1,000 soldiers and went to Korea.  He engaged in many naval battles and often fought against the Korean naval forces commanded by Yi Sunshin.  In July, Yoshiaki first encountered a battle ship which looked like a turtle in the Battle of Angopo.  When Yasuharu was defeated in the Battle of Hansan Island on July 8th, 1592, Yoshiaki rescued Yasuharu's naval forces.

In January 1594, peace negotiations began between Konishi Yukinaga (1558-1600) and Shen Weijìng (?-1597) of Ming China, and some of the generals, including Yoshiaki, temporarily returned to Japan.  In July of the following year, he was awarded more territories in Iyo Province and moved to Masaki Castle there.

The peace negotiations broke down, and in March 1597, Yoshiaki went to war again, leading 1,600-strong naval forces.  In July of the same year, he took part in the Battle of Chilcheonryang.

     Hideyoshi also hired non-pirate sea merchant as a samurai.  Konishi Ryusa (?-1592) was a wealthy merchant in Sakai, which was the most prosperous international port city in the Warring States Period (1467-1568).  His second son, Yukinaga (1558-1600), was hired by Hideyoshi when he laid siege to Miki Castle in Harima Province from 1578 to 1580.  In 1585, he led the naval forces in the Kishu Campaign, but was defeated by the Saika Family, but was awarded Shodoshima Island.  In 1588, he played an active role in suppressing the uprising of the people of Higo Province, and was given the three counties of Uto, Mashiki, and Yatsushiro in the southern half of the province.

     In the Imjin War (1592–1598), he mainly fought on land.

     All in all, the naval forces under the direct supervision of Hideyoshi functioned as no more than cargo units.