Ōmi-Miyagawa Domain
History. Hotta Masamori was a general under Tokugawa Ieyasu and a high-ranking retainer of Tokugawa Iemitsu. He rose to the position of "daimyō" of Sakura Domain (110,000 "koku"). However, his son, Hota Masanobu came into conflict with the "rōjū" and his domain was confiscated in 1660. Masanobu's son, Hotta Masayasu, was pardoned in 1682 and allowed to return to the ranks of the "daimyō", albeit as "daimyō" of Yoshii Domain in Kōzuke Province with a "kokudaka" of only 10,000 "koku". He was transferred to Miyagawa in northern Ōmi Province in 1698, which marks the start  of Ōmi-Miyagawa Domain. Under the 3rd "daimyō", Hotta Masanobu, in 1748 the domain gained an additional 3000 "koku". Under the 5th "daimyō", Hotta Masatane 3600 "koku" in Ōmi were exchanged for an equivalent fief in Harima Province; however, the lands in Harima proved to be far more productive and the domain benefitted from this exchange. The 6th "daimyō", Hotta Masatami with a cultural figure and a noted painter. During the Bakumatsu period, the domain initially sided with the shogunate, but facing pressure from all surrounding domains who supported the Emperor, quickly changed sides at the start of the Boshin  War. As with all domains, Miyakawa Domain was abolished in 1870 with the abolition of the han system. It subsequently was incorporated into Nagahama Prefecture, Inukami Prefecture, and then Shiga Prefecture. Hotta Masayasu, the final "daimyō", was subsequently ennobled with the "kazoku" peerage title of viscount and served in the Meiji government as Minister of Communications. Bakumatsu period holdings. As with most domains in the han system, Miyagawa Domain consisted of a discontinuous territories calculated to provide the assigned "kokudaka", based on periodic cadastral surveys and projected agricultural yields.