Mr. Aso - Asouji

A powerful clan that developed the Aso region of Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture), the family was the head priest of Aso Shrine, which worships Takeiwatatsu no Mikoto, the ancestor deity who is a combination of a volcano god and a development god. In the pre-Taika period, they were kuni no miyatsuko (provincial governor) and called Aso no kimi (Lord of Aso). In the Heian period, they became a lord who combined religion and politics as a priest and Aso county governor, and in the early 12th century, they began to call themselves Daigūji (Great Shrine Master). Since then, the main family has taken the surname Uji, and with many branch families, they formed a large samurai group on a par with the Kikuchi clan. During the Nanboku-chō period, the family split into the Southern Court side, with Korezumi, Koretake and others, and the Northern Court side, with Koremura and others, and the conflict continued until the Muromachi period. In 1451 (the 3rd year of the Hotoku era), the area was unified by Koretada, and he attempted to establish his daimyo's power from his mansion in Hama, Mashiki County, but failed to do so. In 1585 (the 13th year of the Tensho era), the area was defeated by the Shimazu clan, and Koremitsu was killed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, bringing an end to the era of the samurai Daigūji. Thereafter, the area continued to exist solely as a family performing religious services, and in the Meiji era, Koreatsu was made a baron.

[Keiichi Kudo]

"Research on Medieval Shrines and Shrine Lands" by Naoo Sugimoto (1959, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

肥後（熊本県）阿蘇地方の開発豪族で、火山神と開発神の結合した祖神健磐竜命(たけいわたつのみこと)を祀(まつ)る阿蘇神社の神主家。大化前代には国造(くにのみやつこ)で阿蘇君(あそのきみ)と称す。平安時代には神主兼阿蘇郡司として祭政一致の領主となり、12世紀初頭には大宮司と称するようになった。以来、宗家は宇治姓を称し、多くの庶家を擁して菊池氏と並ぶ大武士団を形成した。南北朝期には、惟澄(これずみ)、惟武(これたけ)らの南朝方、惟村(これむら)らの北朝方に分裂し、室町時代まで対立が続いた。1451年（宝徳3）惟忠(これただ)によって統一され、益城(ましき)郡浜(はま)の館(やかた)にあって大名権力の確立を意図したが果たせず、1585年（天正13）には島津氏に敗れ、さらに豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉によって惟光(これみつ)が殺され武家大宮司の時代は終わり、以後はもっぱら祭祀(さいし)家として存続、明治に至り惟敦(これあつ)は男爵に叙せられた。

［工藤敬一］

『杉本尚雄著『中世の神社と社領の研究』（1959・吉川弘文館）』

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