Jōzai Domain

Nihongo|Jōzai|請西藩|"Jōzai-han" was a domain of Edo period Japan, located at a jin'ya in Kazusa Province (modern-day Kisarazu, in Chiba Prefecture). Relatively small in size, its only moment of fame came at the end of its existence, during the Boshin War.

Origins in Kaibuchi-han

Jōzai, originally known as Nihongo|Kaibuchi|貝淵藩|"Kaibuchi-han", was created in the fourth month of Bunsei 8 (1825), when the shogun Tokugawa Ienari's attendant ("osobashu") Hayashi Tadafusa was promoted to wakadoshiyori, or junior councilor. Receiving an addition of 3,000 "koku" on top of his 7,000 "koku" stipend, he became a daimyo of a 10,000 koku small "fudai" domain. In the 12th month of Tenpo 5 (1834), he received 3,000 "koku" more, and in the 8th month of Tenpo 7 (1836), when Ienari moved to the Western Citadel ("Nishi no Maru") of Edo Castle, he remained in the main citadel ("honmaru") as a wakadoshiyori, and continued his job as ordered. In the 6th month of Tenpo 8 (1837) and the 3rd month of Tenpo 8 (1838), he was assigned to construction efforts at Edo Castle, and in the 3rd month of Tenpo 9 (1839), was granted another 5,000 "koku", bringing his income up to 18,000 "koku". However, in the first month of Tenpo 12 (1842), Ienari died, and as part of the administrative shakeup that followed, Tadafusa was stripped of his position and residence and forced into retirement, with his income reduced to 10,000 "koku". In the 11th month of Ka'ei 3 (1850), during the headship of Tadafusa's son Tadaakira, the family moved its seat within its landholdings, from Kaibuchi Village to Jōzai Village, and for the rest of its time under Hayashi rule, it was known as Jōzai. [ Adapted from "Hanshi Daijiten", Kimura Motoi, et al. ed.s, Tokyo: Yuzankaku, 1998, pp. 528-529]

Developments after the Perry Mission

After Hayashi Tadaakira's relocation of the domain seat from Kaibuchi to Jōzai, the domain found itself in a strategic position with the arrival of Commodore Perry and the American fleet. On June 4, 1853, coastal defenses at Kaibuchi, which lay on Edo Bay, were strengthened, and were kept at that level of preparation until March 23, 1854. [Ibid, p. 527] . The focus for the Hayashi family then shifted once more to positions in the Shogunate, with Tadaakira's successor Tadakata first becoming Captain of the Guard "ōbangashira", and then Fushimi Magistrate. With Tadakata's death, the domain headship passed into the hands of his brother and adopted heir, Masanosuke, or as he as more often known, Nihongo|Tadataka|忠崇 [Ibid.]

Boshin War

When the Boshin War broke out, Hayashi Tadataka was in Jōzai, and though he was not able to take part in the Battle of Toba-Fushimi, he set himself apart from all other "fudai" lords in that he invoked his hereditary obligation to the Tokugawa house in going to war. Taking part in the guerilla warfare efforts of Hitomi Katsutarō, Tadataka formally returned his domain to the Imperial Government, left it with his entire retainer force, and fought from Izu all the way north to Aizu and Sendai, finally surrendering when he received news that the main Tokugawa family had been given a fief at Sunpu (modern-day Shizuoka), in Suruga Province. However, in punishment for Tadataka's actions, Jōzai was taken over by the new government. Tadataka himself was placed in confinement at the Edo residence of the Ogasawara family of Karatsu, of which his family was a branch line. ["Hanshi Daijiten", p. 526] He was later released, and held several government positions before his retirement. Rather notably, Hayashi Tadataka was the last daimyo to die, in 1941.

Aftermath

Following Tadataka's departure from Jōzai, the domain was given to Matsudaira Nobutoshi (head of the Takiwaki branch of the Matsudaira clan), and renamed Nihongo|Sakurai-han|桜井藩 [Ibid, p. 528]

List of Daimyo

* Hayashi clan (13,000->18,000->10,000 koku, 1825-1868)

#Tadafusa
#Tadaakira
#Tadakata
#Tadataka

* Takiwaki-Matsudaira clan (10,000 koku, 1868-1872)

"(as "Sakurai Domain")"

#Nobutoshi

Notes

Further reading

*Nakamura Akihiko, "Dappan Daimyō no Boshin Sensō: Kazusa-Jōzai hanshu Hayashi Tadataka no Shōgai" Tokyo: Chuokōron-shinsha, 2000. (ISBN 4121015541)

External links

* [http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~me4k-skri/han/kantou/jozai.html Genealogy of the lords of Jozai]
* [http://www.bakusin.com/hayashi.html Biography of Hayashi Tadataka]