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| After changing his name to Kurando from the
childhood name Yakushimaru, Ryushin instructed Kukishin Ryu to his son
Umanosuke Takayoshi, and also to students such as Besho Shirosaemon
Tadaaki, Bessho Harimanokami Mitsuhira, Ouchi Minbu Yoshikane, and so on.
It is worthy of mention that Yoshitaka, the 9th head of the Kukis,
followed the banners of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, commanding
the Kumano Suigun Navy well-known for its tough naval battles, which was
one of the best in the era. |
The remains of Toba castle |
The site of Toba castle
(Toba primary school is on the site.) |
After the death of Kuki Moritaka, the 10th head
of the Kukis, a "household disturbance" concerning the headship
of the family sprang up, which led to the breaking-up of Toba han, which
was 5,6000 koku, into 20,000 koku worth of lands Ayabe han in Tanba and
36,000 koku worth of lands Sanda han in Sessyu. The family trouble
originated in the death of the second son Sadataka 1,
who was supposed to succeed to the head of the family instead of
Moritaka's bed-ridden oldest son Yoshitaka 2. The
third son Takasue should be an heir to the headship logically; however, Takasue
3 was not chosen as heir because of the shaky father-and-son
relationship between them. Instead, the fifth son Hisataka 4,
who had become a Buddhist priest under the holly name Juryo at Kongoshoji
Temple 5 , was made to come back to the worldly life and became
the head of the Kukis. Consequently, conflicts broke out between the
Takasue side and the Hisataka side. While each party lodge petition to the
Shogunate government, the conflict of claims to headship escalated into
physical violence involving some casualties. The situation got worse after
Moritaka passed away in the midst of the disturbance on September 15,
1632. Some documents 6 indicate that there were
some 40 to 50 people on Takasue's side who left the han during this
period, among whom was a martial arts teacher of the han. |
| In accordance with the decisions by the Hyojosho
(Council of State), Takasue was given 27 villages in the counties of Tanba
Ikaruga and Amada, which was 20,000 koku worth of lands in 1633. And Ayabe
han was established in April, 1634. It was Hosoya Shinpachiro Yukihisa,
who had learned Kukishin Ryu from Kuriyama Ukon Nagafusa, that was
appointed head teacher of Kukishin Ryu. |
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| [ Notes ] |
| 1 |
Later renamed Nagasuke. |
| 2 |
Later renamed Taro Goro. The first head of
Mita han / the junior grade of the fifth rank of honor/ Shimanokami |
| 3 |
The junior grade of the fifth rank of honor/ Shikibusyoyu |
| 4 |
Later renamed Nagasaku. The junior grade of
the fifth rank of honor/ Yamatonokami |
| 5 |
Located in Ise city, Asamayama. A family temple of the Kukis. |
| 6 |
Circular letters were delivered by Moritaka as of
September 2 just before his death to the effect that 26 renegades should
return, and that they would be given the same rank and premises if they
did. |
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