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Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021)
Minamoto no Yorimitsu (源頼光, 948-1021), also widely known by the name Minamoto no Raikō (頼光), was a prominent military commander during the mid-Heian period (平安時代, 794-1185). He was the eldest son of...
View ArticleKatsunuma Clan Residence
The Katsunuma Clan Residence (勝沼氏館) was a fortified manor constructed in what is now Kōshū City (甲州市), Yamanashi Prefecture. Katsunuma was located at the eastern edge of the Kōfu Basin (甲府盆地), serving...
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Yamanashi Travel Guide
Yamanashi Prefecture (山梨県 Yamanashi-ken) is located in central Honshū and bordered by Tōkyō, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Nagano, and Saitama prefectures. It is one of only eight landlocked prefectures in...
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Fushimi Castle
Fushimi Castle (伏見城 Fushimi-jō) is located in the Fushimi district of Kyōto. It is also known as Momoyama Castle (桃山城 Momoyama-jō) or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle. Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the castle as a...
View ArticleYamana Sōzen (1404-1473)
Yamana Sōzen (山名宗全, 1404-1473), originally known as Yamana Mochitoyo (山名持豊), was a notable military leader in the Muromachi period (1333-1568), a time of conflict within the shogunate. He was born into...
View ArticleShimazu Clan
The Shimazu clan (島津氏) were powerful regional leaders and later daimyō (大名) who ruled over southern Kyūshū from the late 12th century until the abolition of the feudal system in 1868. Their rise began...
View ArticleShimazu Nariakira (1809-1858)
Shimazu Nariakira (島津斉彬, 1809-1858), the 28th head of the Shimazu clan and daimyō of the Satsuma domain (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture), played a decisive role in laying the foundations for Japan's...
View ArticleShimazu Yoshihiro (1535-1619)
Shimazu Yoshihiro (島津義弘, 1535-1619) was a powerful daimyō of the late Sengoku and Azuchi–Momoyama periods (1568-1600), whose life and career were closely tied to the rise and survival of the Shimazu...
View ArticleShimazu Hisamitsu (1817-1887)
Shimazu Hisamitsu (島津久光, 1817-1887), the third son of Shimazu Narioki (島津斉興, 1791-1859), exercised de facto control over the powerful Satsuma domain (薩摩藩), located in present-day Kagoshima Prefecture,...
View ArticleŌtomo Clan
The Ōtomo clan (大友氏) were prominent warlords active from the 12th to the 16th century. They played a significant role in the political and military affairs of northern Kyūshū; however, the lineage...
View ArticleŌtomo Sōrin (1530-1587)
Ōtomo Sōrin (大友宗麟, 1530-1587), also known by his name Ōtomo Yoshishige (大友義鎮), was a prominent daimyō during the late Sengoku period (戦国時代, 1467-568) and the early Azuchi–Momoyama period (安土桃山時代,...
View ArticleRyūzōji Clan
The Ryūzōji clan (龍造寺氏) emerged as influential provincial leaders in western Kyūshū from the late 12th century until the end of the 16th century, rising from estate stewards to daimyō. The origins of...
View ArticleMinamoto Clan
The Minamoto family (源氏), one of the four major aristocratic houses alongside the Taira (平), Fujiwara (藤原), and Tachibana (橘) families, held significant sway over court politics during the Heian period...
View ArticleMatsudaira Ietada (1555-1600)
Matsudaira Ietada (松平家忠, 1555-1600), also known by his official title Tonomo no Suke, was a samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period (安土桃山時代, 1568-1600) and a senior retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川 家康,...
View ArticleMatsudaira Sadanobu (1758-1829)
Matsudaira Sadanobu (松平定信, 1759-1829) was a daimyō of the Shirakawa domain (now part of Fukushima Prefecture) and served as senior councillor (rōjū) of the Tokugawa shogunate. He is best remembered as...
View ArticleMatsudaira Tadanao (1595-1650)
Matsudaira Tadanao (松平忠直, 1595-1650) was a prominent daimyō (大名) of the early Edo period (江戸時代, 1603-1868), and a grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康, 1543-1616), the founding shōgun (将軍) of the Tokugawa...
View ArticleYūki Clan
The Yūki clan (結城氏) was a prominent warrior family that rose to the status of daimyō (大名), with its influence spanning from the Kamakura period (1185-1333) through to the Edo period (1600–1868). The...
View ArticleMatsudaira Tadayoshi (1580–1607)
Matsudaira Tadayoshi (松平忠吉, 1580-1607), the fourth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康, 1543-1616), grew up in the shadow of one of Japan's most formidable political architects—the man who would go on to...
View ArticleHōjō Tokiyori (1227-1263)
Hōjō Tokiyori (北条時頼, 1227-1263), the fifth shikken (執権), or regent, of the Kamakura shogunate (鎌倉幕府, 1192-1333), played a decisive role in strengthening the authority of the Hōjō clan during a time of...
View ArticleMaruyama Ōkyo (1733-1795)
Maruyama Ōkyo (円山応挙, 1733-1795), born Maruyama Masataka (円山政常) and also known as Maruyama Mondo (円山文度), was an Edo-era painter and the founder of the Maruyama school (円山派). He is celebrated for...
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