Tokugawa Yoshinao, the ninth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was born in Osaka Castle on January 2, 1601. At the tender age of six, he was appointed as the master of Kiyosu Castle in Aichi Prefecture. In 1612, with the completion of Nagoya Castle nearby, eleven-year-old Yoshinao rose to become the Lord of Owari Domain and Nagoya Castle. Among the Tokugawa clans—the Kii, Mito, and Owari—Yoshinao's Owari Tokugawa clan held the most political and financial significance, positioning him favorably within the family.
Renowned for his swordsmanship, Yoshinao began training in the Yagyu Shinkage style under Yagyu Hyogonosuke. By the age of 21, he had risen to the rank of Soke, alongside Hyogonosuke, pioneering the distinctive Owari Yagyu Shinkage Ryu style with original techniques.
During the 1620s, the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi visited Owari, introduced by Yagyu Hyogonosuke. Meeting Yoshinao at Nagoya's Ni-no-Maru Palace, Musashi showcased his Enmei Ryu two-sword style upon Yoshinao's request. After engaging in several bouts, Musashi emerged victorious in each encounter, earning Yoshinao's admiration and permission to establish a dojo in Nagoya. The dojo flourished, attracting over 3,000 samurai from Nagoya Castle until the mid-Meiji period.
The tradition of elaborate wedding parades in Nagoya traces back to Yoshinao and his wife, Haruhime's splendid procession through the city streets and into Nagoya Castle. The opulent Taimenjo living quarters of the Honmaru Palace were adorned with paintings depicting scenes of Wakayama, Haruhime's homeland, commissioned by Yoshinao to ease her transition to Nagoya.
Yoshinao's legacy also includes his role in co-creating the esteemed Ofuke-yaki pottery style. Collaborating with potters from Seto, he established a kiln within Nagoya Castle's Ofuke-maru precinct, producing exquisite white glazed pottery items such as tea bowls and caddies. These wares, presented by Nagoya Castle's lords to various daimyo across Japan, enhanced their prestige and value.
At the age of 49, Yoshinao passed away, likely due to a stroke, on June 5, 1560. His unique grave and mausoleum were established at Joko-ji in Seto, commemorating his significant contributions to the arts and culture of Nagoya.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
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Hojo Ujinao
Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
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Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
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Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
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Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
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Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
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Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
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William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
