Tachibana clan ( samurai ) " This article is about the Tachibana ( 立花 ) samurai clan . For the Tachibana ( 橘 ) court noble family 、 see Tachibana clan ( kuge ) . " The Tachibana clan ( 立花氏 ) was a Japanese clan of daimyo ( feudal lords ) during Japan ' s Sengoku and Edo periods . Originally based in Tachibana castle in Kyūshū , the family ' s holdings were moved to the Yanagawa Domain in the far north - east of Honshū in the Edo period . The clan , which bore no direct relation to the Tachibana clan of the Heian period , originated with Ōtomo Sadatoshi ( d . 1336 ) , who took on the name and assigned it to the family of Ōtomo vassals who held Tachibana castle . For a time , the Tachibana served as loyal retainers under the Ōtomo clan , regularly battling the Shimazu , rivals to the Ōtomo . In the mid - 16th century , a conflict between Ōtomo Akitoshi and Ōtomo Sōrin led to the former splitting from the family , and taking the name Tachibana Dōsetsu . Dōsetsu had no sons , and nominated his daughter , Tachibana Ginchiyo , to succeed him . Shortly afterwards , she would marry Takahashi Munetora , a vassal of Toyotomi Hideyoshi , who helped defeat the Shimazu in Hideyoshi ' s Kyūshū Campaign . Upon inheriting the clan leadership , Takahashi took a new name , and became known as Tachibana Muneshige . Muneshige then fought for Hideyoshi in the Japanese invasions of Korea ( 1592 - 1598 ) , and was granted the " han " ( fief ) of Yanagawa ( Chikugo Province , 132 , 000 " koku " ) , the land surrounding Tachibana castle . He fought against the Tokugawa , however , during the decisive Battle of Sekigahara of 1600 , and was dispossessed of his holdings when the Tokugawa shogunate was established . Ultimately , he proved his loyalty to the shogunate in 1611 , and was granted a fief in Mutsu Province , far from Kyūshū . This fief , the Tanakura Domain , was only worth 20 , 000 " koku " , but when the Tanaka family holding Tachibana castle and Yanagawa died out , due to a lack of heirs , the Tachibana were restored to their old territory . Their income remained around 20 , 000 " koku " , however . Holding onto this fief continuously through the rest of the Edo period , the Tachibana were granted the title of " Hakushaku " ( Count ) during the Meiji period , when the feudal system and samurai class were abolished . Meanwhile , Muneshige ' s younger brother , Takahashi Munemasu ( 1573 - 1617 ) , fell into much the same situation . His domain was reduced from 18 , 000 " koku " to 5000 as a result of his opposition to the Tokugawa at Sekigahara . He changed his name to Tachibana Naotsugu , and passed on the Miike Domain to his heirs . Tachibana Takachika , one of that line , was awarded the government post of " wakadoshiyori " , gaining power and prestige for the clan even though he was soon demoted to " hatamoto " . This branch of the family was granted the title of Viscount following the Meiji Restoration . Three tales surround Ginchiyo ' s life as a samurai . One states that she summoned Toyotomi Hideyoshi to her home and scared him witless by the sight of her heavily armed maids . A second tale states that she was equipped to defend her home with her maids whilst her husband was away . The third takes place after Sekigahara and the Eastern Army reportedly began to march towards her doorstep . She faced them whilst dressed in armor and many of her enemies were said to have felt threatened by the sight . However , there is little historical evidence to validate any of these events and some historians believe that these stories are romanticized fables from the Edo period .