Chapter 21: Survey of Daimyo in the Era of Nobunaga
Advancements made towards greater political stability, economic prosperity, and trade expansion across the entire realm under Nobunaga’s unified rule were strongly aided by the different administrations of various daimyo across Japan’s feudal landscape.
The clan that undoubtedly prospered the most was the Shimazu clan, which was blessed with both a direct connection with the Oda clan through Nagahisa and the political savvy of not just Yoshihisa and Nagahisa but also the former’s younger brother Yoshihiro (島津義弘). They successfully positioned themselves as the premier daimyo in Kyushu by presenting themselves as the main alternative to northern Kyushu clans like the Otomo and Arima who were seen as a bit too pro-Catholic for many in Azuchi. The Shimazu, particularly Nagahisa, took advantage of the clan’s geographic location and heavily invested in the expansion of Kagoshima as a maritime port and a rising rival to Nagasaki. This was particularly boosted with the establishment of a Shimazu trading outpost, Mamezaki, on Bireitou and the forging of strong bilateral trade relations with the Dutch when they first arrived.
Meanwhile, the Mōri surprisingly recovered from their monumental territorial loss in 1582, retaining only 4 of 9 provinces. Fortunately, area they held were their core and valuable territories, from the profitable silver mines in Iwami province (石見国) to the cultural splendor of Yamaguchi, referred to as the “Kyoto of the West'' as it acted as a haven for many nobles during the chaos of the Sengoku period. Mōri Terumoto would also build up Shimonoseki as a maritime port especially after Yamaguchi came under direct control of Azuchi. Shimonoseki would rapidly boom as it oversaw all trade flowing into the Seto Inland Sea towards Sakai from the north, including ships coming from Nagasaki, Hakata, and Joseon. With the Sou clan’s (宗氏) and Azuchi’s assistance, trade between the Joseon kingdom and both Yamaguchi and Shimonoseki also began around this time, with silver particularly prized as exports. Mōri’s regional maritime power was bolstered by arguably Japan’s strongest daimyo navy, composed of former Murakami navy (村上水軍) sailors and the pre-existing Mōri-Kobayakawa navy.
Sketch of Shimonoseki in the 17th century
Mōri Terumoto also created 3 subdomains, or shiryou (支領) controlled by cadet branches of the Mōri clan to help accommodate numerous Mōri vassals whose lands had been ceded to the Oda and better administratively govern his lands especially in key areas: the Iwami subdomain (石見支領) controlled by his cousin Kikkawa Hiroie (吉川広家), the Mihara subdomain (三原支領) controlled by his uncle Kobayakawa Takakage (小早川隆景), and the Shimonoseki subdomain (下関支領) controlled by another uncle, Hoida Motokiyo (穂井田元清). These administrative decisions assisted with practical governance and eased the burden of the landless vassals, aiding the Mōri’s rebounding power and prestige.
On the other side of Azuchi lay the lands of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Nobunaga’s greatest ally in his unification wars. After the fall of the Takeda clan, Ieyasu had successfully recreated the old Imagawa clan domain prior to the famous Battle of Okehazama (桶狭間の戦い) through the acquisition of Suruga province and would move the old Imagawa capital of Sunpu (駿府). Ieyasu proved to an able administrator, focusing his efforts on developing the Tokaido (東海道) road through his three provinces, which linked the Kanto region and Kamakura with Oda lands and Kyoto entirely through his territories. The road had its origins in the 7th century, but it was under Ieyasu when it began to develop as a major economic and cultural pipeline with its famous inns regulated by the Tokugawa clan. The Tokaido came to be utilized for sightseeing Mt. Fuji and pilgrimages to Ise Shrine (伊勢神宮). It also linked together the collective military strength of the Tokugawa, allowing for swift mobilization if necessary.
Beyond the Tokaido, Ieyasu also invested in maritime trade expansion to take advantage of the sea route between Sakai and Kamakura with some success, Hamamatsu (浜松) in particular becoming an important midpoint between the two major urban centers.
Ukiyo-e depiction of a part of the Tokaido near Mt. Fuji
Finally, in the furthest north in Ezo lay the Kakizaki clan, led by clan head Kakizaki Yoshihiro. In the aftermath of the 1585 Northern Expedition and the establishment of Oda presence at Hakodate, the Kakizaki clan continued a gradual expansion up north, with small scale expeditions and settlement growth taking place with the assistance of Hakodate magistrate Mōri Yoshikatsu. By 1600, the entirety of Oshima Peninsula (大島半島) was either loosely or directly under their control, with Ainu tribes in the area either conquered and wiped out or submitting to Yoshihiro as tributary vassals. Influence also extended outwards towards other Ainu tribes to the north and east, who started gaining access to Japanese goods coming all the way from Sakai and Nagasaki, reflecting an expanded commercial nature of the increasingly connected realm. Furs, fish, seal blubber, and exotic Ainu products, meanwhile, traveled southwards from Kakizaki lands, and Yoshihiro would start nurturing a timber industry in Ezo. Ezo would continue to be an ever-enticing northern frontier for many and the Kakizaki clan was there to take full advantage of that, putting them in a powerful position among the various Oshu daimyo.
