Nabeshima Naotora
Encyclopedia
was the 11th and final daimyō
of Ogi Domain
in Hizen Province
, Kyūshū
, Japan
. Before the Meiji Restoration
, his courtesy title was Kii-no-Kami and junior 5th, lower grade court rank (ju go i no ge 従五位下).
, the daimyō of Saga Domain
. As the 10th daimyō of Ogi, Nabeshima Naosuke had no son, he adopted Naotora, who married his only daughter Haruko. Naotora became daimyō on the death of his father-in-law in 1864.
The Boshin War
of the Meiji Restoration
began only four years later, and he was called upon to lead Ogi’s forces against the Tokugawa
remnants at Akita
in northern Japan. For his loyalty to the new government and efforts in the war, the revenues of Ogi domain were raised by 5,000 koku
in August 1869. However, this reward was only nominal, as with the abolition of the han system
, the title of daimyo had been abolished and Naotora became "domain governor". This title was abolished as well in 1871, when Ogi domain became part of the new Saga Prefecture
.
Naotora departed Japan with his elder brother Nabeshima Naohiro
in 1873 for studies in Great Britain
, returning to Japan only in 1882. During his stay in England, many of his former retainers perished in the Saga Rebellion
and he found himself in disfavor with the new Meiji government. However, through the efforts of his brother Naohiro after his return to Japan, he was awarded the peerage title of viscount
(shishaku) under the kazoku
system.
He later served as an advisor to the Foreign Ministry and as a member of the House of Peers in the Diet of Japan
.
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
of Ogi Domain
Ogi Domain
' was a tozama feudal domain of Edo period Japan, located in Hizen Province, Kyūshū. Its territory was roughly equivalent to the areas covered by modern-day Ogi District and portions of Saga District and Matsuura District in Saga Prefecture.-History:...
in Hizen Province
Hizen Province
was an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...
, 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....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Before the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, his courtesy title was Kii-no-Kami and junior 5th, lower grade court rank (ju go i no ge 従五位下).
Biography
Naotora was born as the 7th son of Nabeshima NaomasaNabeshima Naomasa
was the 10th and final daimyō of Saga Domain in Hizen Province, Kyūshū, Japan. His honorary title was Hizen-no-Kami, and he was occasionally referred to as “Prince Hizen” in western accounts during the Bakumatsu period.-Biography:...
, the daimyō of Saga Domain
Saga Domain
Saga Domain was a han, or feudal domain, in Tokugawa period Japan. Largely contiguous with Hizen Province on Kyūshū, the domain was governed from Saga Castle in the capital city of Saga by the Nabeshima clan of tozama daimyō...
. As the 10th daimyō of Ogi, Nabeshima Naosuke had no son, he adopted Naotora, who married his only daughter Haruko. Naotora became daimyō on the death of his father-in-law in 1864.
The Boshin War
Boshin War
The was a civil war in Japan, fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and those seeking to return political power to the imperial court....
of the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
began only four years later, and he was called upon to lead Ogi’s forces against the Tokugawa
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
remnants at Akita
Akita, Akita
is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of...
in northern Japan. For his loyalty to the new government and efforts in the war, the revenues of Ogi domain were raised by 5,000 koku
Koku
The is a Japanese unit of volume, equal to ten cubic shaku. In this definition, 3.5937 koku equal one cubic metre, i.e. 1 koku is approximately 278.3 litres. The koku was originally defined as a quantity of rice, historically defined as enough rice to feed one person for one year...
in August 1869. However, this reward was only nominal, as with the abolition of the han system
Abolition of the han system
The was an act, in 1871, of the new Meiji government of the Empire of Japan to replace the traditional feudal domain system and to introduce centralized government authority . This process marked the culmination of the Meiji Restoration in that all daimyo were required to return their authority...
, the title of daimyo had been abolished and Naotora became "domain governor". This title was abolished as well in 1871, when Ogi domain became part of the new Saga Prefecture
Saga Prefecture
is located in the northwest part of the island of Kyūshū, Japan. It touches both the Sea of Japan and the Ariake Sea. The western part of the prefecture is a region famous for producing ceramics and porcelain, particularly the towns of Karatsu, Imari, and Arita...
.
Naotora departed Japan with his elder brother Nabeshima Naohiro
Nabeshima Naohiro
was a Japanese daimyo of the mid-Edo period, who ruled the Hasunoike Domain in Hizen Province .-References:...
in 1873 for studies in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, returning to Japan only in 1882. During his stay in England, many of his former retainers perished in the Saga Rebellion
Saga Rebellion
The was an 1874 uprisings in Kyūshū against the new Meiji government of Japan. It was led by Etō Shimpei and Shima Yoshitake in their native domain of Hizen.-Background:...
and he found himself in disfavor with the new Meiji government. However, through the efforts of his brother Naohiro after his return to Japan, he was awarded the peerage title of viscount
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
(shishaku) under the kazoku
Kazoku
The was the hereditary peerage of the Empire of Japan that existed between 1869 and 1947.-Origins:Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the ancient court nobility of Kyoto regained some of its lost status...
system.
He later served as an advisor to the Foreign Ministry and as a member of the House of Peers in the Diet of Japan
Diet of Japan
The is Japan's bicameral legislature. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives, and an upper house, called the House of Councillors. Both houses of the Diet are directly elected under a parallel voting system. In addition to passing laws, the Diet is formally...
.