Gamou Ujisato

A military commander during the Azuchi-Momoyama period. Born in Nakano Castle, Hino, Gamo County, Omi Province (Shiga Prefecture). His father was Gamo Katahide, the lord of the same castle. His childhood name was Tsuruchiyo. In 1568 (Eiroku 11), he was sent to Oda Nobunaga in Gifu as a hostage, and after coming of age he took the name Chuzaburo Yasuhide (he changed his name to Ujisato around 1585). In the winter of the following year, 1569, he married Nobunaga's daughter and returned to Hino. After that, he fought in various places as a vassal of Nobunaga, and in 1583 (Tensho 11), he followed Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and in the same year was appointed as the governor of Hida. In 84, he was awarded 120,000 koku of land in Matsugashima, Ise (Matsusaka City) and moved there due to his distinguished service in the Battles of Komaki and Nagakute. In 86, he was appointed chamberlain with the rank of Junior Fourth Rank. In 88, he was promoted to Junior Fourth Rank, Lower, and the rank of Left Guards Major General, and was allowed to use the surname Hashiba. In the same year, he built Matsusaka Castle and moved there. In 90, he participated in the Odawara Campaign, and in August of the same year, he was transferred to Aizu, where he was given 730,000 koku of land (920,000 koku in a land survey in 1592), and moved into Kurokawa Castle. In 92 (1 Bunroku 1), he renamed Kurokawa to Wakamatsu, and proceeded with the construction of the castle and castle town. In 94, he was appointed councilor with the rank of Junior Third Rank. In 93, while taking part in the campaign at Nagoya in Hizen, he developed a bloody bowel movement, but in October 94, after welcoming Hideyoshi to his residence in Fushimi, Kyoto, he fell ill and died on February 7, 95 (4th year of Bunroku). His grave is in Shorin-in Temple, Daitoku-ji Temple, Kyoto (now managed by Obai-in Temple). He was skilled in waka poetry and had a deep knowledge of the tea ceremony. He excelled in military bravery, and Sen no Rikyu is said to have praised him as one of the best feudal lords in Japan. He is also known for moving the merchants and industrialists of the castle town from Hino to Matsugashima to Matsusaka to Wakamatsu, along with his Rakuichi and Rakuza orders.

[Seiji Kobayashi]

"History of Aizu-Wakamatsu 2" (1965, Aizu-Wakamatsu City) ▽ "Gamo Ujisato, by Imamura Yoshitaka" (1967, Jinbutsu Oraisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

安土(あづち)桃山時代の武将。近江(おうみ)国（滋賀県）蒲生郡日野(ひの)中野城に生まれる。父は同城主蒲生賢秀(かたひで)。幼名鶴千代(つるちよ)。1568年（永禄11）人質として岐阜の織田信長のもとに送られ、元服して忠三郎賦秀(やすひで)（85年ころ氏郷と改名）と称し、翌69年冬、信長の娘と結婚し日野に帰った。以後信長の臣として各地に転戦、83年（天正11）豊臣(とよとみ)秀吉に従い、同年飛騨守(ひだのかみ)に補任(ぶにん)。84年小牧(こまき)・長久手(ながくて)の戦いなどの功により伊勢(いせ)松ヶ島（松阪市）12万石を与えられてここに移る。86年従四位下(じゅしいのげ)侍従。88年正四位下左近衛権少将(さこんえのごんのしょうしょう)に進み、羽柴(はしば)姓を許される。同年松坂城を築きここに移る。90年小田原征伐に従軍、同年8月会津に転封となり、73万石（文禄(ぶんろく)3年検地で92万石）を得て黒川城に入り、92年（文禄1）黒川を若松(わかまつ)と改名し、城と城下町の建設を進めた。94年従三位(じゅさんみ)参議に叙任。93年肥前名護屋(なごや)参陣中に下血(げけつ)を病んだが、94年10月秀吉を京都・伏見(ふしみ)邸に迎えてからまもなく病床に伏し、翌95年（文禄4）2月7日死去した。墓所は京都・大徳寺(だいとくじ)昌林院(しょうりんいん)（現在、黄梅院管理）。和歌をよくし、茶道のたしなみも深かった。武勇に優れ、千利休(せんのりきゅう)は彼を日本で一、二の大名と評したという。日野→松ヶ島→松坂→若松と城下町商工業者を引き移したことも、その楽市(らくいち)・楽座令とともに知られている。

［小林清治］

『『会津若松史2』（1965・会津若松市）』▽『今村義孝著『蒲生氏郷』（1967・人物往来社）』

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