#92
92. LETTERS CONCERNING THE DEFECTION OF THE SHIBUYA,
                                          1346
THE advent of Prince Kanenaga had won to the Southern side many who had been wavering, and
greatly heartened all the opponents of the Shimadzu. Two important events occurred in 1346.
Early in the year, Kimotsuki Kaneshige and his confederates gained a control of the sea along the
coast of south Satsuma, and, toward July, even threatened a concerted attack upon Kagoshima.1
While that seemed to be impending, an even more immediate danger for Shimadzu Sadahisa was
created by the renewed revolt, after a recent capitulation, made by his powerful kinsman Tadakuni,
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in Izhu in, a region in close proximity to Taniyama and within a striking distance of Kagoshima.
The following documents narrate the events which ensued; they also reveal how little the Shibuya
feared the Shimadzu lord and how undependable their allegiance was.




#92-A
                   A. REPORT BY NIKAIDO AND ISAKU
                         (Nikaido-uji sei-to hikae-gaki. )
           "REPORT.
     "When Osumi Suke-zaburo nyu-do Do-Nin2 came down [to his domain3], he
again turned enemy of the lord, and attacked the fortress of Wakamatsu, Hioki;1
several relatives and younger retainers(waka-do)  at Waka-matsu were killed, and the
fortress fell on the night of 8th month 27th day [12 September 1346]. Since on the
28th day [13 September] the Hioki domain4 of Do-Ye5 was seized and the road was
cut off [by Do-Nin], it has been impossible to communicate with the seat of the
Commander. Next, as men of the Shibuya family had built defenses at No-zaki mura,6
in Yukinaka's domain,7 and [guarded them] as an aid to the present fortress,8 the
rebels came in a large force on the 7th month 3rd day [21 July], and, in order to take
that fortress [No-zaki] by assault, established a counter-fortress at Kai-gara-zaki9
near-by. On the 4th day of this (9th) month [19 September], at the hour of the hare,10
all the men of the Shibuya, without leaving a single soul, deserted the fortress and
withdrew. Since the present fortress8 is inadequately manned, [it is rumored that]
Same-zhima Hiko-zhiro nyu-do,11 Suke-zaburo nyu-do,2 and others of the enemy,
would surely attack this fortress in great force on the coming 6th day. Though the
desertion of the fortress [of No-zaki] by the men of the Shibuya family affords no
small ground for suspicion [of their loyalty], yet a stringent order for support might
perhaps be issued to them. As for Shibuya Shimo-osa Rokuro,12 a separate order might
be addressed to him, as he contends that he would not follow the direction of Iwami
no gon no kami.13
   "Next, since Hirayama sa-kon sho-gen,14 of Osumi kuni, calling himself a man of
the temple,15 would not go to [besiege] the fortress of Taniyama, it is petitioned that
he be ordered to go to the fortress of Ikebe.8
   "As it has been stated previously, since this8 is the only fortress that is holding its
own in the midst of the enemy west of the mountains,16 if it should fall, the conse-
quences would be grave; and, therefore, [the signers] presume to offer a counsel.
[They believe that] the present state of war in this kuni will never subside, for the
reason that, whereas victory would be easy if the two commanders17 deployed at dif-
ferent points the entire forces of the three kuni, at present [the shu-go] gathers [his
forces] at one point, and consequently the western enemy can rise at will. If at last
the present situation was altered and the forces were distributed in various fortresses,
[the end] would be near. Especially as this fortress8 has ever since the lord's visit to
Kyoto defended itself for ten long years against numerous enemies, the means of pro-
curing supplies has been exhausted; it has therefore been resolved that shortly the
crops should be cut and a last battle be given, to certain death. Therefore, it is prayed
that, not only for the pacification of the kuni, but also for the succor of this fortress,8
orders be speedily issued, inspiring the [defenders'] courage to achieve loyal services.
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Since the roads are difficult, [the signers] beg leave to write on half sheets. It is
desired that the import of this letter be presented [to the lord]. With reverence.
                                          "Kii no gon no kami Yukinaka7 petitions;
                                                              monogram on the reverse.
                                          "Shami Do-Ye5 petitions;
                                                              monogram on the reverse.
"Presented to the Commissioner's place. "18




#92-B
                B. LETTER FROM ASHIKAGA TADAYOSHI TO SHIMADZU SADAHISA
     (A copy in Shimadzu docs. , cited in SK, XVI; also Dai Ni-hon shi-ryo, VI, x, 220. )
    Your frequent reports on the war in Satsuma have been read. [You report that]
Osumi Suke-zaburo nyu-do Do-Nin,2 Same-zhima Hiko-zhiro nyu-do Ren-Do,11 and
others, have allied themselves with the rebels. They should quickly be subdued. Next,
[you report that] men of the Shibuya family and others deserted the camp and re-
turned home. If this is true, it is exceedingly wrong. They should again be called forth
by strict order. If they are still obdurate, we shall, on receiving a renewed report, con-
fiscate their domains. Other men who do not respond to your call will be dealt with
likewise. As regards the services rendered by those who led the van in the battles about
the Taniyama fortress, they have been taken cognizance of; they were excellent.
Henceforth all affairs of the Chin-zei are entrusted to Sho-yu Taro nyu-do Do-Yu.19
You shall bear this in mind, and speedily subdue [the enemy]. Ordered thus.
 "Jo-wa 2 y. 11 m. 21 d. [3 January 1347].     [Tadayoshi's] monogram
        "Shimadzu Katsusa20 nyu-do dono. "
                                         "(Imagawa Sadayo's monogram). "21
    As regards the offense of deserting the field of battle, it will be seen that the shugo's power was
limited to reporting the case to the sho-gun, if the offender was a go ke-nin who followed the
shu-go in war merely because he happened to be living in the kuni over which the latter was the
military commissioner. The lord might, however, make a personal disposition of a similar guilt
committed by his own vassal, though the former would naturally be guided by custom and by
expediency. The following letter addressed by him to a warrior who might be regarded as his
hereditary vassal will illustrate the situation:-

   "Despite our orders relative to those who desert the field of battle and return home in the midst
of a campaign, [ your men] have left proxies and returned home, an exceedingly unreasonable act.
You shall command all the returned members of the family to hasten back before the 25th day of
this month. If they should be in default, you should report their names with an oath, and we
would give directions according to the circumstance. Therefore, the order is conveyed thus.
  "Reki-o 3 y. 12 m. 18 d. [6 January 1241].                Shami, (Sadahisa's monogram).
    "Hishi-zhima Hiko-ichi dono. "
                                                                 -Hishi-zhima docs. , V.


1Sadahisa's letters dated 2 m. 12 d. and 6 m. 1 d. , in Hishi-zhima docs. , V and VI; also Dai Ni- hon shi-ryo, VI, ix, 795, 946. 2Izhuin Tadakuni. 3Izhu in 4Sho-nai, Hioki. 5Isaku Munehisa nyu-do Do-Ye, one of the signers of this report. 6In Yoshitoshi, Hioki, not far from Wakamatsu. 7Nikaido Yukinaka. 8The Mure fortress which Yukinaka had built at Ikebe mura, Tafuse P248 9At Miyazaki, near Tafuse. 10Six o'clock A.M. The hare (u)is the 4th of the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac. 11Same-zhima Munefuji nyu-do Ren-do. 12Probably Taki Yoshi-shige. 13Iriki-in Shigekado. From this, it would appear that men of the other branches of the Shibuya who had been at No-zaki followed the leadership of the Iriki-in lord. 14Hirayama Takenori. 15Takenori followed the Zen-bo-zhi branch of the Hachiman temple of Iwa-skimidzu, near Kyoto. 16The mountains that longitudinally divide in two a large part of Hioki. 17Probably referred to Shimadzu Sadahisa and Hatakeyama Nao-aki. The mutual jealousy and the lack of cooperation between the two were indeed the bane of the situation. 18This document is undated, but probably is of the 9th month of this year, namely October- November 1346. 19Isshiki Noriuji, the tan-dai, deputy of the sho-gun, for Kyu-shu. 20Shimadzu Sadahisa, who was Katsusa no suke, that is, titular assistant (civil) governor of Katsusa. 21Imagawa Sadayo, who was the tan-dai from 1371, put his monogram on this copy certifying its authenticity; the original letter had been lost.