#118
118. IMAGAWA RYO-SHUN'S LETTERS TO SHIBUYA SHIGEYORI,
                                 1375-1385

                         (Iriki-in docs.; also KK, III.)
IRIKI-IN Shigeyori and other men of the Shibuya family, who had till lately fought on the Southern
side, were seen from 1375 to follow the armies of the tan-dai and serve on the field in Osumi and
Higo against the supporters of Prince Kanenaga. At the same time, during the dozen years ending
in 1387, the lords of Shimadzu vacillated between the two sides with painful frequency. The chief
reason for all this seeming lack of principle must be found in the personal relations of men on the
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scene in Kyu-shu. The Shimadzu were always loyal at heart to the suzerain, but disliked his deputy
Ryo-Shun. If they several times went over to the opposite side, that signified neither a loss of de-
votion to the sho-gun nor a new loyalty to the Southern Court, but was due mainly to Ujihisa's
implacable hatred of the tan-dai; When the Shimadzu again returned to his side, their support of
him was half-hearted, though their fealty to the Ashikaga was unchanged. As for the Iriki-in and
other Shibuya, it would seem that the main motive that decided their choice of sides was their un-
willingness to serve under the banners of the Shimadzu shu-go. Those valiant warriors were and
had always been direct vassals of the sho-gun, and, in that capacity, on an equal footing with the
Shimadzu; if they conceived no ambition to oust the latter, we may imagine how chagrined they
must have been to see them seeking gradually to assume an overlordship in all Satsuma, first as
shu-go, but latterly as chief n the provincial feudal hierarchy that grew up by degrees under the
needs of the times. Whichever way the Shimadzu turned, the Shibuya would run to the other side,
though the latter shifted the less often.
  The Shimadzu's dislike of Ryo-Shun would at all events have been natural, for it was the latter's
deeply conceived plan to weaken their power as well as that of the Otomo and the Shoni. He greatly
increased the difficulty of his task, in 1375, when, in his haste to accomplish his ends, he resorted
to assassination: violating the law of hospitality; he invited the Shoni lord to his camp at Midzu-
shima, Higo, and saw him killed before him in the midst of a banquet. This act of treachery
alienated the feelings of great local chieftains, and created in the breast of Shimadzu Ujihisa an un-
dying abhorrence of the man, who never succeeded in placating him with all the arts of urbane
diplomacy which he employed. When Ryo-Shun tried to explain the deed to Ujihisa at Midzu-
shima, the latter tersely expressed his disapproval of the act, and returned to Satsuma, where he
declared himself on the Southern side.1 From that time, Ryo-Shun was compelled to divide his
attention between the soh-gun's enemy and his own, and for twenty years till his departure from
Kyu-shu in 1395 the Shimadzu remained, now actually and then potentially, his bitterest foe.
  The murder of Shoni took place in 29 September 1375. On 8 October Ryo-Shun again wrote to
Iriki-in Shigeyori, asking him to join his side, and offering a promise of reward for service (A);
and Shigeyori at last yielded. It was probably the defection of Shimadzu, rather than the tan-dai's
call, that caused a change of heart in Shigeyori. On 3 December of the same year, Ryo-Shun wrote
him, praising his service near Yatsu-Shiro, Higo, against the Prince's adherents (B).2
  In 1377, Ryo-Shun's son Imagawa Mitsunori waged an unsuccessful war with the Shimdzu
about Miyako-no-zho, in southwestern Hiuga. Among the fallen of the former's army was Shibuya.
Hisakiyo, probably of the Keto-in branch.3 In the battles which ensued near the provincial capital
of Osumi, also, Shibuya warriors seem to have participated.3 It would appear that the Shibuya
families were largely united and fought together under the Imagawa, another circumstance that
lends force to the assumption that the entire stock was actuated by family pride and keenly desired
to contest the ascendency of the Shimadzu.
  In 1385, again, we find the Shibuya and the Shimadzu arrayed on the opposite sides, and Iriki-in
Shigeyori was praised for the services in arms which he did for the tan-dai at Futami, Sashiki and
Minamata, Higo (D and E).
  It is probable that the Shibuya were the only reliable supporters that Ryo-Shun had in Satsuma
at that time.4 Already in 1382, as will be seen in the following document (C), he treated the two
Shibuya lords as his executive agents, when he ordered them to invest no less a person than
Shimadzu Korehisa, who had lately turned to his side, with a shiki of a domain in the south. Is
this not suggestive of the position in Satsuma to which the Shibuya, especially their strongest
branch, the Iriki-in, might have legitimately aspired, had Ryo-Shun succeeded in crippling the
power of the Shimadzu?




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#118-A A "SINCE Ujihisa has attached himself to the rebels, if you render loyal service, you will be rewarded. Therefore, it is hereby ordered that your party(ikki) shall with one mind render loyal service. "Ei-wa 1 y. 9 m. 13 d. [8 October 1375]. Shami, (Ryo-Shun's monogram ). "Shibuya Tora-goro dono."

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#118-B B "[It is reported] that you have rendered loyal service at the border of Yastushiro, Higo kuni. That was most excellent. It is hereby ordered that you shall evermore do distinguished service in the kuni [Satsuma]. "Ei-wa 1 y. 11 m. 10 d. [3 December 1375]. Shami, (Ryo-Shun's monogram). "Shibuya Tora-goro dono."

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#118-C C "Although the ji-to shiki of Kawanabe sho has been given in trust5 to Taniyama and Same-zhima,6 as reward for service, since it had been successively invested with the shu-go,7 [it is hereby restored to Shimadzu Korehisa].8 You shall, in accordance with the order, execute it, together with Shibuya Kuruma-uchi,9 and obtain and for- ward a letter of acknowledgment from Korehisa's deputy. As for Taniyama and Same- zhima, they will be ordered that, as a domain in lieu [of Kawanabe] will be granted them, they shall vacate [Kawanabe]. For this purpose, a copy of the regulations 10 is despatched herewith. Ordered thus. "Ei-toku 2 y. 5 m. 30 d. [10 July 1382]. Shami, (Ryo-Shun's monogram). "Shibuya Kiyoshiki11 dono."

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#118-D D "From the camp of Futami to Sashiki you have patiently rendered loyal service, which I admire both for the sake of sho-gun and Personally. Accordingly I have reported [concerning you] to Kyoto. Therefore, I should be glad if you would ever- more support the commanding general in such manner as would surely be commended [by the sho-gun]. I shall shortly consult you in regard to the conduct of men of the Shimadzu. You will continually apprize me of all events. Since at this juncture I depend wholly upon you, there shall be no misgiving. Respectfully. "(Shi-toku 2 y.) 1 m. 28 d. [9 March 1385]. Ryo-Shun, (monogram). "Shibuya Goro dono."

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#118-E E "[Ryo-Shun] has heard with admiration the report from the commander that you have assisted him at the fortress of Mina-mata. If henceforth you support him with firm resolve, when you evermore render loyal service, [Ryo-Shun] will recommend you to Kyoto, and you will certainly be praised. It is hereby stated that [Ryo-Shun] will act in your behalf according to further reports [from the commander]. "Shi-toku 2 y. 2 m. 7 d. [18 March 1385]. Shami, (Ryo-Shun's monogram). "Shibuya Goro dono."
1Yamada Sho-Yei zhi-ki; Shimadzu koku-shi, vii, 5-6. 2As if concealing his adherence to the tan-dai, however, Shigeyori exchanged with Shimadzu Korehisa pledges of mutual help under solemn oath, on 20 January 1376: Shimadzu koku-shi, vii, 7. These documents have been lost. 3Yamada Sho-Yei z. k. 4Ryo-Shun wrote to Shibuya Satsuma no kami, on 10 June 1386: ". . . Meanwhile, as regards your part [of Kyu-shu], I depend wholly on your family." Iriki-in docs.; also KK,III; SK, XXII. 5Adzuke-oku. 6Because of the defection of the Shimadzu. 7The ji-to shiki of Kawanabe sho was one of the hereditary domains of the successive Shimadzu P278 shu-go. One should not wonder that a ji-to shiki was held by a shu-go, for in this period even an imperial personage was vested with ji-to shiki; (see,e. g., the ex-Emperor Hanazono's will dated Ko-ei 1 y. 11 m. 12 d. [10 December 1342]). 8Now that Korehisa had returned to the side of the sho-gun. 9Kuruma-uchi is a place-name in Togo. It here refers to a Togo lord. 10Koto-gaki. 11Iriki-in Shigeyori, called Kiyoshiki, because that was the name of the central Irikiin where his family always lived.