Virtual North Settsu 33 Kannon Pilgrimage #28 Kissho-ji Temple

 

     Kissho-ji Temple was founded in 1577.  The Buddhist memorial tablet of Aoki Shigenao (1528-1614) is said to be kept in the temple.  Why not in Butsunichi-ji Temple, which is the family temple of the Aoki Family?

     In 1551, Kazushige was born to Shigenao as his eldest son in Mino Province.  Shigenao was subject first to Toki Yorinori (1502-1582) and then to Saito Dosan (1494-1556), who overpowered Yorinori.  Shigenao, however, ran off to Suruga Province and fought for Imagawa Ujizane (1538-1615).

     In December, 1568, the Takeda Clan of Kai Province invaded Suruga Province.  Ujizane escaped to Kakegawa Castle in Totomi Province and Kazushige followed him.  The Tokugawa Clan of Mikawa Province invaded Totomi Province from the west and surrounded Kakegawa Castle.  After half a year, Ujizane surrendered to the Tokugawa Clan.  In 1570, Kazushige became subject to Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616).

     Ieyasu was based in Hamamatsu Castle, but it was surrounded by the Takeda Clan in 1573.  Then, Kazushige fled to Owari Province and became subject to Niwa Nagahide (1535-1585), to whom his father, Shigenao, was subject.

     As a vassal of Nagahide, he participated in the Battle of Yamazaki in 1582 and the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583.  Upon Nagahide's death in 1585, he became subject to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), becoming a messenger, and he was granted a fief in Teshima County, Settsu Province, and received additional stipends in Bitchu and Iyo Provinces.  His total income became 10,000 koku, which is the floor of daimyo, and he became the lord of Asada Domain.

     In the meantime, Shigenao died in Osaka.

     When the Toyotomi Clan and the Tokugawa Clan clashed against each other in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Kazushige was one of the garrisons of Osaka Castle, in which the Toyotomi Clan was based.  He continued to serve at Osaka Castle after the war.

     The Siege of Osaka was fought between the 2 clans on and off from 1614 to 1615.  

     During the Winter Siege of Osaka in 1614, Kazushige was a member of its garrisons again.  Peace negotiations began in December, and were concluded on the 20th of the same month.  On March 15th, 1615, Toyotomi Hideyori (1593-1615) sent a thank-you envoy for the peace agreement to Ieyasu in Suruga Province.  Kazushige was a member of the envoy.  However, Ieyasu was already preparing for the next battle, and delayed his reply.  He was heading to Owari Province when the envoy arrived at Suruga Province.  He met with them in Nagoya Castle on April 10th, but criticized them for allowing so many jobless and masterless samurai to remain in Osaka, claiming that "Osaka has not yet fired them."  He sent Kazushige and others to return to Osaka first with a letter.  Ieyasu met them again to hear their reply, but, on the 24th, after all the others had been sent back to Osaka, Kazushige was ordered to stay.  While there, Kazushige received a warning from Kyoto Magistrate, Itakura Katsushige (1545-1624), stating that if he returned to Osaka, his younger brother, Yoshinao (1561-1622), who was Ieyasu's attendant, would be executed.  Kazushige did not return to Osaka.  Just 2 days later, on the 26th, fighting broke out between the 2 clans, and, as such, Kazushige did not take part in the Summer Siege of Osaka.  Upon hearing of the fall of Osaka Castle, Kazushige was devastated, shaved his head, took the Buddhist name Sosa, and went into seclusion.  Kazushige was then summoned to Nijo Castle and returned to serve Ieyasu.  His fief was not reduced.

     Kazushige retired from service in 1619.  Perhaps out of consideration for the shogunate, Masashige (1581-1664), who was the adopted son of Kazushige, and who took part in the Summer Siege of Osaka for the Toyotomi Clan in place of Kazushige, was disinherited on the pretext of being ill, and, instead, Yoshinao's son, Shigekane (1607-1682), was adopted and made the successor.  Yoshinao's family was inherited by his second son, Naosumi (1616-1700).

     Shigenao wasn't regarded as the founder of the Asada Domain.  He could have been too close to the Oda and Toyotomi Clans.

Address: 4 Chome-22-14 Hata, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0021

Phone: 072-753-5941

Kakegawa Castle

Address: 1138-24 Kakegawa, Shizuoka 436-0079

Phone: 0537-22-1146

Hamamatsu Castle

Address: 100-2 Motoshirocho, Chuo Ward, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 430-0946

Phone: 053-453-3872

Nagoya Castle

Address: 1-1 Honmaru, Naka Ward, Nagoya, Aichi 460-0031

Phone: 052-231-1700