Hosokawa clan
The domain was headed by a cadet branch of the Hosokawa clan of Kumamoto. The Uto Domain (30,000 "koku") was created in Higo Province when Hosokawa Tadaoki abdicated, so that Hosokawa Tatsutaka would have a fief to inherit upon his father's death. However, Tatsutaka died the same year, and rights of inheritance were transferred to his first son Hosokawa Yukitaka (1637-1690), so that he and his young siblings would be not be left impoverished. The child Yukitaka thus became the first lord of the newly created Uto Domain on the death of his father in 1646. He also became head of a cadet branch of the Hosokawa clan.