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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Asano Nagaakira
Asano Nagaakira (March 18, 1586 – October 16, 1632) was a Japanese samurai and daimyō of the early Edo period. He initially ruled Wakayama Domain before being transferred to the Hiroshima Domain, where his family would remain until the Meiji Restoration.
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Takigawa Kazumasu
Takigawa Kazumasu (1525 – October 21, 1586), also known as Takikawa Sakon or Sakonshogen, was a prominent samurai and daimyō of the Sengoku period. He served as a loyal retainer and military commander under Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the elder brother of Maeda Toshiie, and Kazumasu served alongside Toshiie in Nobunaga’s campaigns.
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Sanada Yukitaka
Sanada Yukitaka (c. 1512 – June 8, 1574) was a renowned samurai warrior of the Sengoku period, best known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen." He was the father of Sanada Nobutsuna and Sanada Masayuki, as well as the grandfather of the legendary Sanada Yukimura, who later served the Toyotomi clan.
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Torii Mototada
Torii Mototada (1539 – September 8, 1600) was a Japanese samurai and daimyo who lived through the Sengoku and late Azuchi–Momoyama periods. A loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he is best remembered for his heroic last stand at the Siege of Fushimi, an event that played a crucial role in shaping Japanese history.
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Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori (August 28, 1593 – June 4, 1615) was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first unified Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was Oda Nobunaga's niece.
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Okubo Tadanori
Okubo Tadanori (January 13, 1842 – August 10, 1897) was the 9th daimyo of Odawara Domain in Sagami Province (modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture) during the late Edo period. Before the Meiji Restoration, he held the courtesy title of Kaga no Kami.
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Okubo Tadayo
Okubo Tadayo (1532 – October 28, 1594) was a samurai general who served Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and later became the daimyo of Odawara Domain in the early Edo period.
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Araki Murashige
Araki Murashige (1535 – June 20, 1586) was a samurai and retainer of Ikeda Katsumasa, the head of the powerful Settsu-Ikeda clan in Settsu Province. Initially serving under Katsumasa, he aligned himself with Oda Nobunaga after Nobunaga’s successful campaign to establish control over Kyoto.
