18 Facts About Matsudaira Katamori

Matsudaira Katamori was a samurai who lived in Bakumatsu period and the early to mid Meiji period Japan.

Matsudaira Katamori was the 9th daimyo of the Aizu Domain and the Kyoto Shugoshoku.

Matsudaira Katamori initiated and established the Shinsengumi in 1863.

Consequently, Matsudaira Katamori was in a very good position to be adopted out to a senior member of the Tokugawa house.

Matsudaira Katamori was presented to the reigning shogun, Tokugawa Ieyoshi, as well as to the Tairo Ii Naosuke, four months after his adoption, and at the end of the year was invested with the courtesy title of Wakasa-no-kami, which was traditionally held by the heir to the house of Aizu.

Matsudaira Katamori received the additional title of Sakonnoe-gon-shosho from the Imperial court, and formally sent his thanks to the Emperor later that year.

Furthermore, Matsudaira Katamori inherited the family's traditional seat in the tamari-no-ma chamber, of Edo Castle where important matters of state were discussed in conjunction with the Senior Council.

However, our lord Matsudaira Katamori is still young, and our men are in the north and unfamiliar with conditions in the Capital.

Two of the domain-based councilors, Saigo Tanomo and Tanaka Tosa, were particularly opposed to the position, not only for the reasons that Matsudaira Katamori initially had opposed it, but from a financial stance: Aizu, having been recently charged with both coastal defense at Edo Bay and supervision in eastern Ezo, was heavily burdened by expense, and could not afford to do any more without risking total financial ruin.

On September 23,1862, Matsudaira Katamori was formally summoned to Edo Castle and presented with the assignment.

Matsudaira Katamori then sent a group of seven men under the previously mentioned Tanaka Tosa ahead to Kyoto, in order to begin forming the necessary connections with domains already in Kyoto, as well as the Imperial court.

The first difficulty that Matsudaira Katamori faced after taking office was the unfamiliarity of the locals with Aizu and its ability to get the job done.

Matsudaira Katamori served as Shugoshoku from 1862 through 1864; and he served again from 1864 through 1868.

Matsudaira Katamori disagreed with the Tokugawa policy of isolation and subscribed to the political notion of "Eastern ethics and Western Science".

Matsudaira Katamori employed Prussian diplomat John Henry Schnell as an advisor and trader to procure and train his troops in western firearms.

Sadly, with the forfeit of the Aizu domain, Matsudaira Katamori would be unable to continue his patronage of the colony and it would fail two years later.

Matsudaira Katamori abandoned his efforts by 1871 despite an influx of new immigrants in 1870; his adherents either returned to Japan or drifted away.

Matsudaira Katamori died on December 5,1893, and was buried by Shinto rites, receiving the posthumous Shinto name of Masane-reishin.