• • Period: Muromachi Period / Azuchi-Momoyama Period / Edo Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: –
  • Birth: –
  • Death: 1610

Amago Yoshihisa

Amago Yoshihisa (尼子 義久) was a member of the Amago Family who died in 1610.

In 1566 he was defeated by the Mōri Family, which led to the Amago Family losing most of their power, as well as the loss of Tomito Castle.

Following on from this, in the same year, he then became a Buddhist monk under the name of Yurin (友林).¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• • Period: Muromachi Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family:-
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Amago Haruhisa

Amago Haruhisa (尼子 晴久) was a member of the Amago Family.

His death, coupled with the defeat of Amago Yoshihisa in 1566 against the Mōri, ended most of the families power; with Tomito Castle falling into Mōri hands.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• • Period: Muromachi Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Amago Mochihisa (grandfather)
  • Birth: 1458
  • Death: 1541

Amago Tsunehisa

Amago Tsunehisa (尼子 経久) was a member of the Amago Family living from 1458-1541.¹

He extended the families power into Aki and Bingo Provinces fighting against the Mōri and Ōuchi Families.¹

The families power additionally grew considerably during the Ōnin War thanks to Tsunehisa who also conquered Izumo Province and Oki Island in 1486.²

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• • Period: Muromachi Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Amago Tsunehisa (grandson)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Amago Mochihisa

Amago Mochihisa (尼子 持久) was a member of the Amago Family, grandfather of Amago Tsunehisa.

In 1392 he became shugodai (deputy military governor) of Izumo Province.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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• • Period: Muromachi Period / Azuchi-Momoyama Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family:
  • Birth: 1553
  • Death: 1578

Amago Katsuhisa

Amago Katsuhisa (尼子 勝久) was a member of the Amago Family living from 1553-1578.

Katsuhisa made attempts during his life to revive the families power with the aide of Yamanaka Shikanosuke as a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. There was a brief success militarily, however, Katsuhisa would later commit suicide after coming under seige by the Mōri in 1578¹ at Kōzuki Castle in Harima Province.²

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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• • First Ruler:-
  • Final Ruler: Amago Katsuhisa
  • Dissolution: –
  • Parent House: Kyōgoku Family
  • For a full list of Clans: See Japanese Clans.

Amago Family

The Amago Family (尼子氏) was a daimyo clan of the Sengoku Period, descended from the Kyōgoku Family.¹ They resided in the Chūgoku Region.²

In 1392 Amago Mochihisa became shugodai (deputy military governor) of Izumo Province with his grandson Tsunehisa extending the families power into Aki and Bingo Provinces fighting against the Mōri and Ōuchi Families.¹

The power grew considerably during the Ōnin War thanks to Tsunehisa’s who also conquered Izumo Province and Oki Island in 1486.²

The death of Amago Haruhisa² and the defeat of Amago Yoshihisa in 1566 against the Mōri ended most of the families power, with Tomito Castle falling into Mōri hands.²

An attempt was later made by Amago Katsuhisa to revive the families power with the aide of Yamanaka Shikanosuke as a vassal of Oda Nobunaga. There was a brief success militarily however Katsuhisa would later commit suicide after coming under seige by the Mōri in 1578¹ at Kōzuki Castle in Harima Province.²

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

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Hear about Izumo Province on Episode 9 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

• • See also: List of Provinces

Izumo Province

Izumo Province (出雲国), also known as Unshū (雲州), was an old Province of Japan, located in what is now Shimane Prefecture.¹ It formed one of the eight Provinces of the San’indō.¹²

The Province was formed of several districts, two known as Ou and Aika. Miyake no Omi Kanatari and Izumo no Omi Hiroshima came from these districts and were the compilers of the Izumo Fudoki.⁴

Mythological Accounts

There is a story concerning how this area was originally too small and so a Shinto kami made it larger. The tale is known as the ‘kunibiki shinwa‘ (国引神話 – Land Pulling Myth) and can be found in the Izumo Fudoki.

The tale relates how the kami Yatsukamizu Omitsuno finds this place too small, comparing it to a strip of narrow cloth. And so he looks across the ocean and finds places whose land is in excess.

First he sees Silla, and taking land from it using a hoe and dragging it with rope to Izumo he ties it to Kozu, which becomes Kidzuki Cape. He ties the rope to Sahime Mountain, the rope became Sono Long Beach.

Next he took from Saki Country, and tying it to Taku is became Sada Country. Then was Yonami Country, which he took from and tied to Unami, which became Kurami Country. Finally he took from the Tsutsu Cape in Koshi Province. The land he tied to Izumo became Miho Cape, and the rope he used became Yomi Island, the rope he tied to Hikami High Mountain.

Now satisfied he shouted ‘Owe!’ which is apparently why one district in Izumo Province was called Ou. He then thrusts he staff into the ground on an earthern mound to the north-east of the District Office in Ou.⁴

The burial place of Izanami, known as Hibayama, is purported to be located on the boundry of this province and Hahaki. Additionally, the Ifuya Pass is located here. This being the fabled location for the entrance of Yomi. The kami known as Takehiratori is said to be the ancestor of the Royal Representatives here.³

Yamato Takeru

The kojiki says that after Yamato Takeru defeated the Kumaso (Kumaso Rebellions) he returned to the Capital subduing every kami of the mountains and rivers on his way. And venturing through Izumo he decides he wished to slay the ‘Izumo Brave’.

He achieves this by making a friend of him, and crafts a copy of the Braves sword.

Together they bathe in the River Hi and after getting out Yamato Takeru takes the real sword. He then asks to spar together and kills him.

Afterwards making a song which goes as follows:

Alas that the sword girded on the Izumo brave, and wound round with many a creeper, should have had no true blade!

Yayoi and Kofun Periods

This area has been shown to have had a unique culture all the way back in the Yayoi Period. Late Yayoi evidence of an Izumo Alliance which branched east from Izumo to the Hokuriku Region and north to the Oki Islands. In the Kofun Period, this unique culture left behind special distinct tombs, and can be traced up to the Nara Period.⁴

Muromachi / Azuchi Momoyama Period

The area was once though as an area which rivalled the Yamato Court as a religious and political center. Overtime it was successivley controlled by the Sasaki, Yamana, Kyōgoku and Amago families until the 16th Century.¹

One member of the Amago Family, Amago Mochihisa became shugodai (deputy military governor) here in 1392² with Amago Tsunehisa conquering Oki Island and Izumo Province in 1486 during the Ōnin War.¹

Edo Period

In the early Edo Period, the Horio family built a castle here at Matsue and by 1634 it had passed to the Kyōgoku, who were later surplanted by Matsudaira in 1638.

The Matsudaira served as daimyo in this area until the Meiji Restoration. They ruled over the Matsu, Hirose and Mori domains which this province was divided into in 1684.¹

Haji Clan

This family emphasised ties to Izumo, their ancestral home, likely due to the importance it had gained in the kojiki and so they consilidated their geneology with the Izumo Magistrates.

They claimed to originally have held the title of Omi, but this was usually left for Izumo Magistrate family. It is perhaps their ties to this family which made them state this claim. Reliable sources show us they held title muraji which was appropriate to their status.

It is likely they came from Izumo to Yamato during the 5th century as the Yamato Court arose here. Legends say they came directly, but archaeological evidence shows they slowly emmigrated leaving settlements in Mimasaka and Harima Province.⁵

Nature

The Izumo Fudoki, and other contemporary sources, talks of a possible vine known as the ‘frosty kurodazura’ (霜黒葛) however no known modern equivelant is known.¹

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
3. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
4. Carlqvist, A. (2010) “The Land Pulling Myth and Some Aspects of Historical Reality”. Japanese Journal of Religious Studies, Vol. 37, No.2, pp.185-222.
5. Borgen, R. (1975) “The Origins of the Sugawara. A History of the Haji Family”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.30 No.4 pp.405-422

Former Provinces of Japan
Kinai	Izumi * Kawachi * Settsu * Yamashiro * Yamato
Tōsandō	Dewa * Hida * Kōzuke * Mino * Mutsu * Omi * Shimotsuke * Shinano
Hokurikudō	Echigo * Echizen * Etchū * Kaga * Koshi * Wakasa
San’indō	Hōki * Inaba * Izumo * Tajima * Tamba * Tango
Tōkaidō	Ise * Kai * Kazusa * Mikawa * Owari * Sagami * Shimōsa * Suruga * Tōtōmi
Nankaidō	Awa * Iyo * Kii * Sanuki * Tosa
San’yōdō	Aki * Harima * Mimasaka
Saikaidaō	Bungo * Chikuzen * Hizen * Hyūga * Iki * Tsushima
Pre-Taihō Code	Kibi

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