# Tsuwano Domain

Tsuwano Domain (津和野藩, Tsuwano-han) was a feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan, in what is now western Shimane Prefecture. It was centered around Tsuwano Castle and was ruled by the tozama daimyō Kamei clan for most of its history. A number of influential persons in the early Meiji government came from Tsuwano, including Mori Ōgai and Nishi Amane.

## History

During the Sengoku period, the area of Tsuwano was ruled by the Yoshimi clan, who served the Ōuchi clan and subsequently the Mōri clan. Following the 1600 Battle of Sekigahara, the Tokugawa shogunate deprived the Mōri of two-thirds of their holdings, reducing the clan to the two provinces of Nagato and Suō. Western Iwami became part of the 30,000 koku holdings of Sakazaki Naomori, one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's generals, who established his seat at Tsuwano. Sakazaki laid the foundations of the domain by building a castle town, conducting land surveys, and making major renovations to the castle. In 1616, Sakazaka was either killed or committed seppuku over the "Senhime incident". He had been promised Ieyasu's daughter Senhime as his wife if he rescued her from Osaka Castle during the Siege of Osaka; however, afterwards Ieyasu gave her to Honda Takatoki instead. The incensed Sakazaka plotted to kidnap her, but the plot was discovered by the shogunate, and the Sakazaka clan was destroyed.
In 1617, the shogunate awarded the domain to Kamei Masanori with an increase in kokudaka to 43,000 koku. His descendants would continue to rule the domain until the Meiji restoration. Kamei Masanori was highly trusted by the shogunate, and there was talk of transferring Himeji Domain for a time, but he suddenly died in 1619. His son Kamei Masanori, succeeded him at a young age, resulting in a succession dispute in 1635, but under the initiative of his karō, Tago Masakiyo , he managed the internal strife. Since the sea route to Osaka was used by the domain for its sankin kōtai route to Edo, he negotiated an agreement with Hiroshima Domain which allowed Tsuwano to have its own exclave on the coast of the Seto Inland Sea to maintain a dock and warehouse. Through the middle of the Edo period, the clan's finances were prosperous, with washi paper being monopolized and new rice fields developed. However, in the late Edo period, natural disasters and poor harvests continued, and the finances deteriorated. Under such circumstances, the eighth daimyō, Kamei Norikata, founded the domain academy "Yorokan". The last daimyō, Kamei Koremi, carried out domain administration reforms and appointed talented personnel. He also believed in Shintoism and devoted himself to the development of Kokugaku. Although Tsuwano was a neighbor of Chōshū Domain, it maintained a policy of neutrality in its conflict against the shogunate. However, many retainers of Tsuwano Domain joined the sonnō jōi movement, and after the Meiji Restoration, many of these people joined the new Meiji government. During the Second Chōshū expedition, the high-handed behavior of the shogunate forces in the domain caused a change in policy, and after the shogunate army withdrew, he had the metsuke whom the shogunate lef behind to ensure his loyalty arrested and turned over to Chōshū.After that, he actively showed allegiance to the new government, and held numerous high posts, mainly with administrative affairs related to religion.
In July 1871, just prior to the abolition of the han system by imperial edict, Kamei Koremi voluntarily ordered the destruction of Tsuwano Castle, resigned from the post of imperial governor and asked that the domain be dissolved. After that, it was incorporated into Shimane Prefecture after merging with Hamada Prefecture.

## Holdings at the end of the Edo period

As with most domains in the han system, Tsuwano Domain consisted of several discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned kokudaka, based on periodic cadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields, g.
* Iwami Province
** 2 villages in Ōchi District
** 26 villages in Naka District
** 46 villages in Mino District
** 56 villages in Kanoashi District

## List of daimyō

    #NameTenureCourtesy titleCourt Rankkokudaka Sakazaki clan, 1601-1616 (Tozama) 1Sakazaki Naomori (坂崎直盛)1601 - 1616Tsushima-no-kami (対馬守Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)30,000 -> 40,000 koku Kamei clan, 1617-1871 (Tozama) 1Kamei Masanori (亀井政矩)1617 - 1619Buzen-no-kami (豊前守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 2Kamei Koremasa (亀井茲政)1619 - 1680Buzen-no-kami (豊前守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 3Kamei Korechika (亀井茲親)1680 - 1731Oki-no-kami (隠岐守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 4Kamei Koremitsu (亀井茲満)1731 - 1736Inaba-no-kami (因幡守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 5Kamei Korenobu (亀井茲延)1736 - 1743Buzen-no-kami (豊前守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 6Kamei Koretane (亀井茲胤)1743 - 1752Shinano-no-kami (信濃守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 7Kamei Norisada (亀井矩貞)1752 - 1783Noto-no-kami (能登守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 8Kamei Norikata (亀井矩賢)1783 - 1819Oki-no-kami (隠岐守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 9Kamei Korenao (亀井茲尚)1819 - 1830Osumi-no-kami (大隅守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 10Kamei Korekata (亀井茲方)1831 - 1839Noto-no-kami (能登守)Junior 5th Rank, Lower Grade (従五位下)45,000 koku 11Kamei Koremi (亀井茲監)1839 - 1871Oki-no-kami (隠岐守); Jijū (侍従)Junior 4th Rank, Lower Grade (従四位下)45,000 koku