Masuda clan
Encyclopedia
Masuda clan was one of Kunishū (国衆) in Iwami Province
(present-day Shimane prefecture
), Japan, from the 13th century until 1600. In the Middle Ages, Kunishū was the title given to a local lord or a leader of warriors (samurai
).
) in the 11th century (the end of the Heian period
).
However, the Fourth Lord Masuda, Kanataka (兼高) moved their base to Masuda
, a strategic point for the traffic and a suitable place for a port. He also changed his family name from Fujiwara to Masuda, the name of this area. Kanetaka Masuda decided to belong to the new power Genji
. He became a commander of the Genji military and fought against the Heike
.
His army belonged to Minamoto no Yoshitsune
and served in the Battle of Ichi-no-tani
(1184) and the Battle of Dan-no-ura
(1185), in which Heike was annihilated. Meanwhile, Kanetaka Masuda saved power steadily and ruled about a one-third of Iwami in the early days of the Kamakura era.
The 11th Lord Masuda, Kaneharu (兼見), was allied with the powerful Ōuchi clan in Yamaguchi. The 15th Lord Masuda, Kanetaka (兼堯), was involved in many battles, including the Ōnin War
(1467). However, he was also involved with culture. He invited the artist Sesshū Tōyō
to Masuda, and it is said that Sesshū drew his "Portrait of Kanetaka (益田兼堯像)" out of gratitude for Kanetaka's hospitality.
In those days, there were many small battles between clans, and warriors were not separated. Everybody was armored and protected their land. Masuda was opposed to neighboring powers, such as the Mori clan
, the Yoshimi clan,and the Amago clan
. Meanwhile the Mori family was becoming more powerful and the Ouchi clan less so. The Masuda clan allied itself with the Mori clan.
The 19th lord of Masuda, Fujikane (藤兼), made peace with the Mori clan. It is left in the Masuda’s document that he gave various kinds of gift to the Mori clan. It was written in the Korean book that Masuda had trade with other countries.
The Masuda clan got an important post from Mōri Motonari
, and the 20th lord of Masuda, Motoyoshi (元祥), was given a character "Moto" (元), from Motonari (元就), to his name.
Motoyoshi widened his territory from Nagato Province
in present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture
to Izumo Province
in present-day Shimane Prefecture
, and a part of Kyūshū
.
At the Battle of Sekigahara
(1600), the Mori and Masuda clans belonged to the Toyotomi group, but he did not send his army to the battle.
Although he was allowed to keep his territory by Tokugawa Ieyasu
, the Shogun of Edo
period, he chose to follow the Mori clan and left Masuda, as the Mori clan was bottled up into a small area, Susa in Nagato.
Masuda city had been a Nanao castle town for 400 years under Masuda administration.
Iwami Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today the western part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iwami bordered Aki, Bingo, Izumo, Nagato, and Suō provinces.In the Heian era the capital was at modern-day Hamada....
(present-day Shimane prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
), Japan, from the 13th century until 1600. In the Middle Ages, Kunishū was the title given to a local lord or a leader of warriors (samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
).
History
Fujiwara Kunikane started his new post as Iwami provincial governor (at that time, the Iwami government was in the city of HamadaHamada, Shimane
is a city located in Shimane, Japan. It is the third largest city in the prefecture and is located at the south-western end of the prefecture. It is a coastal city on the Sea of Japan and possesses beautiful white-sand beaches, which make the city a popular destination for local tourists in the...
) in the 11th century (the end of the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
).
However, the Fourth Lord Masuda, Kanataka (兼高) moved their base to Masuda
Masuda, Shimane
is a city located in Shimane, Japan.As of September 2010 the city has a population of 51,118 and the density of 69.7 person persons per square km². The total area is 733.16 km²...
, a strategic point for the traffic and a suitable place for a port. He also changed his family name from Fujiwara to Masuda, the name of this area. Kanetaka Masuda decided to belong to the new power Genji
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
. He became a commander of the Genji military and fought against the Heike
Taira clan
The was a major Japanese clan of samurai in historical Japan.In reference to Japanese history, along with Minamoto, Taira was a hereditary clan name bestowed by the emperors of the Heian Period to certain ex-members of the imperial family when they became subjects...
.
His army belonged to Minamoto no Yoshitsune
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
was a general of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Yoshitsune was the ninth son of Minamoto no Yoshitomo, and the third and final son and child that Yoshitomo would father with Tokiwa Gozen. Yoshitsune's older brother Minamoto no Yoritomo founded the Kamakura...
and served in the Battle of Ichi-no-tani
Battle of Ichi-no-Tani
' was a Taira fortress at Suma, to the west of present-day Kobe. It sat on a very narrow strip of shore, between mountains on the north, and the sea to the south. This made it quite defensible, but also made it difficult to maneuver troops inside the fortress. Minamoto no Yoshitsune split his force...
(1184) and the Battle of Dan-no-ura
Battle of Dan-no-ura
The ' was a major sea battle of the Genpei War, occurring at Dan-no-ura, in the Shimonoseki Strait off the southern tip of Honshū. On March 24, 1185, the Genji clan fleet, led by Minamoto no Yoshitsune, defeated the Heike clan fleet, during a half-day engagement.The Taira were outnumbered, but...
(1185), in which Heike was annihilated. Meanwhile, Kanetaka Masuda saved power steadily and ruled about a one-third of Iwami in the early days of the Kamakura era.
The 11th Lord Masuda, Kaneharu (兼見), was allied with the powerful Ōuchi clan in Yamaguchi. The 15th Lord Masuda, Kanetaka (兼堯), was involved in many battles, including the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
(1467). However, he was also involved with culture. He invited the artist Sesshū Tōyō
Sesshu Toyo
was the most prominent Japanese master of ink and wash painting from the middle Muromachi period. He was born into the samurai Oda family , then brought up and educated to become a Rinzai Zen Buddhist priest...
to Masuda, and it is said that Sesshū drew his "Portrait of Kanetaka (益田兼堯像)" out of gratitude for Kanetaka's hospitality.
In those days, there were many small battles between clans, and warriors were not separated. Everybody was armored and protected their land. Masuda was opposed to neighboring powers, such as the Mori clan
Mori clan (Genji)
The was a family of Japanese people descended from the Seiwa Genji. Their line descended from Minamoto no Yoshiie through his seventh son, Minamoto no Yoshitaka, proprietor of Mori-no-shō in Sagami Province...
, the Yoshimi clan,and the Amago clan
Amago clan
The , descended from the Emperor Uda by the Sasaki clan .Sasaki Takahisa in the 14th century, having lost his parents at the age of three years, he was brought up by a nun...
. Meanwhile the Mori family was becoming more powerful and the Ouchi clan less so. The Masuda clan allied itself with the Mori clan.
The 19th lord of Masuda, Fujikane (藤兼), made peace with the Mori clan. It is left in the Masuda’s document that he gave various kinds of gift to the Mori clan. It was written in the Korean book that Masuda had trade with other countries.
The Masuda clan got an important post from Mōri Motonari
Mori Motonari
was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
, and the 20th lord of Masuda, Motoyoshi (元祥), was given a character "Moto" (元), from Motonari (元就), to his name.
Motoyoshi widened his territory from Nagato Province
Nagato Province
, often called , was a province of Japan. It was at the extreme western end of Honshū, in the area that is today Yamaguchi Prefecture. Nagato bordered on Iwami and Suō Provinces....
in present-day Yamaguchi Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Yamaguchi, in the center of the prefecture. The largest city, however, is Shimonoseki.- History :...
to Izumo Province
Izumo Province
was an old province of Japan which today consists of the eastern part of Shimane Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province is in the Chūgoku Region.- History :It was one of the regions of ancient Japan where major political powers arose...
in present-day Shimane Prefecture
Shimane Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is Matsue. It is the second least populous prefecture in Japan, after its eastern neighbor Tottori. The prefecture has an area elongated from east to west facing the Chūgoku Mountain Range on the south side and to...
, and a part of Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
.
At the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
(1600), the Mori and Masuda clans belonged to the Toyotomi group, but he did not send his army to the battle.
Although he was allowed to keep his territory by Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
, the Shogun of Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
period, he chose to follow the Mori clan and left Masuda, as the Mori clan was bottled up into a small area, Susa in Nagato.
Masuda city had been a Nanao castle town for 400 years under Masuda administration.