The late Muromachi period, also known as the Sengoku period, was an era of continuous conflict and upheaval, often likened to periods of chaos in Chinese history. This turbulent era was brought to an end by Tokugawa Ieyasu, who, with the support of loyal retainers, established the Edo Shogunate and became the ruler of Japan. Among Ieyasu’s descendants, Naomasa Matsudaira, his grandson, played a significant role during the Osaka Siege. He earned praise from his adversary, Nobushige Sanada (Yukimura Sanada), for his valor as a young warrior and maintained strong relations with successive Tokugawa shoguns.
Naomasa was born on August 5, 1601, in Nakagouchi, Ika District, Omi Province, as the third son of Hideyasu Yuki, lord of Echizen Kitanosho, and Gesshoin. His father, the second son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was estranged from Ieyasu and denied the opportunity to become his heir. At birth, Naomasa was named Kawachimaru, later changed to Kunimaru.
In 1605, at the age of four, he was entrusted to Shigemasa Asahi, a loyal retainer, who raised and mentored him. Two years later, in 1607, Naomasa’s father, Hideyasu, passed away, leaving him under the guardianship of his elder half-brother, Tadanao Matsudaira, Hideyasu’s successor.
On April 17, 1611, Tadanao arranged for Naomasa to meet their grandfather, Tokugawa Ieyasu, at Nijo Castle in Kyoto. As Naomasa matured, he adopted parts of his brother Tadanao’s name, "Nao," and his guardian Asahi Shigemasa’s name, to become Naomasa Matsudaira.
During the Osaka Winter Siege in 1614, Naomasa, despite his youth, displayed exceptional courage. His bravery in combat at Sanada Maru, defended by Nobushige Sanada, earned him admiration even from his adversary. Yukimura reportedly praised Naomasa’s skill as a young samurai and gifted him a military fan, a token that became a treasured artifact in Naomasa’s family.
The following summer, Naomasa participated in the Osaka Summer Campaign alongside Tadanao, achieving military success, including contributing to the defeat of Yukimura Sanada. For his valor, Ieyasu personally commended Naomasa and gifted him a prized uchai-bukuro (a bag for food and money). Tadanao also rewarded him with 10,000 koku of land.
In May 1616, Naomasa received another 10,000 koku from the Kazusa Anegasaki domain, and by June, he held the Junior Fifth Rank Lower court title, Dewa no Kami, officially becoming a daimyō. These honors marked an extraordinary rise for someone initially considered unlikely to succeed in his family.
In 1623, Tadanao Matsudaira was forced to step down as family head due to misconduct and tensions with their uncle, Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada. This allowed Naomasa to further ascend. In 1624, he was granted the Echizen Ono Domain with a stipend of 50,000 koku. That same year, he was promoted to Junior Fourth Rank and appointed Chamberlain, demonstrating continued favor from the shogunate.
Naomasa relocated to the Shinano Matsumoto Domain in 1633 with an increased income of 70,000 koku. As lord of Matsumoto Castle, he undertook significant projects, such as repairing castle gates and turrets, minting Kanei Tsuho coins, and instituting tax reforms that benefited local craftsmen and townspeople. His leadership earned him a reputation as a wise ruler, and his transfer to the Izumo Matsue Domain in 1638 was met with regret by his former subjects.
In Izumo, Naomasa was assigned 186,000 koku, along with 14,000 koku in Oki Province, solidifying his position as a prominent daimyō. He implemented strict governance, including the suppression of Christianity within his domain, aligning with shogunate policies. Despite his harsh measures, he effectively managed the domain’s resources, encouraging economic growth through monopolies on key commodities such as wax, ginseng, cotton, and iron.
Naomasa’s achievements were recognized by the shogunate, and in 1663, he was entrusted with escorting Emperor Reigen’s enthronement envoy to Kyoto. However, his health began to decline that year, and he passed away on February 3, 1666, at the age of 66. His posthumous Buddhist name was Kōshinin Kinyoichiku Dozen, and he was interred at Gesshoji Temple in Matsue, which became the family mausoleum.
See also
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Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
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Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
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Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
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Asakura Yoshikage
Yoshikage was the eldest son of Asakura Takakage. He began ruling in 1548 at the age of fifteen, and during his reign he twice defeated the Ikko-ikki forces, in 1555 and 1564. Yoshikage supported the Saito family in their struggle against Oda Nobunaga in 1561–1567. When Ashikaga Yoshiaki fled Kyoto in 1565 after the assassination of his older brother, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Yoshikage gave him refuge. However, he was unable to provide sufficient support for Yoshiaki's claim to the title of shogun, and Yoshiaki had to seek help from Oda Nobunaga.
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Asakura Norikage
Norikage came from the ancient samurai clan of Asakura, whose members considered themselves descendants of Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). He was the eighth son of daimyo Asakura Takakage and was named Kotaro in childhood. Over time, Asakura Norikage became the pillar of the Asakura clan and was undoubtedly its most talented commander during that difficult period when the clan was experiencing internal difficulties, uprisings by the Ikko-ikki sect, and instability in the lands surrounding the capital. Although Norikage himself was never a daimyo, he served as an advisor to three generations of Asakura clan leaders. He spent his entire life on military campaigns. After his father's death in 1481, Norikage entered the service of his brother, Asakura Ujikage.
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Asai (Azai) Nagamasa
Asai Nagamasa inherited power from his father, Asai Hisamasa, when he was only fifteen years old. Both brave and impulsive, he proved himself a capable commander, managing to regain lands from the Rokkaku clan that had previously been lost by his father. After a territorial dispute with Oda Nobunaga over the province of Mino, Nagamasa formed an alliance with Nobunaga and married his sister Oichi, who was famous for her beauty. In 1570, when Oda Nobunaga declared war on the Asakura family, Nagamasa sided with the Asakura because he had long-standing ties with them. This unexpected move threatened Nobunaga's invasion of the Asakura lands by threatening him from the rear. Oda managed to save his army, not without the help of Tokugawa Ieyasu, but relations between Nobunaga and Asai were permanently damaged.
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Amano Yasukage
Yasukage was born into the family of the samurai Amano Kagetaka and was given the name Matagoro at birth. He later changed his name to Kageyoshi, and then to Yasukage. From an early age, Yasukage served Tokugawa Ieyasu and accompanied him when he was held hostage by Imagawa Yoshimoto. His loyalty and devotion to Ieyasu from a young age laid the foundation for Yasukage's future military and administrative career.
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Amago Tsunekisa
The Amago clan (also spelled Amako) was founded in 1392, when Sasaki Takahisa, who was orphaned at the age of three, took the new surname Amago, meaning “son of a nun,” in honor of the nun who raised him. Since the Sasaki family descended from Emperor Uda (866–931), the Amago clan traced its lineage back to this emperor. From around 1396, the Amago clan's headquarters was the mountain castle of Gassan-Toda in Izumo Province. Until the start of the Onin War, the Amago clan remained a minor clan in the service of the Kyogoku clan, which was also a descendant of the Sasaki clan. The Amago clan historically held the position of vice-governor of Izumo Province.
