Takemitsu Kikuchi

According to the Kikuchi family tree, he was a military commander in Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture) during the Nanboku-cho period. He was the tenth son of Taketoki, and his childhood name was Toyoda Juro. He was originally based in Toyoda-sho, Mashiki County, Higo Province, which was the territory of the Hachijo-in Emperor (the area from the southern part of Kumamoto City to the northern part of Uki City, Kumamoto Prefecture). With the help of Era Korezumi, a branch of the Aso clan, in March 1343 (Koku 4, Koei 2), he recovered Fukagawa Castle (Fukagawa, Kikuchi City), the base of the Kikuchi clan, which had been occupied by Goshi Yukitaka, and became the head of the Kikuchi clan, and was appointed as Higo no Kami. In January of 1348 (Shohei 3, Sadawa 4), he welcomed Prince Kaneyoshi, the Seisei Shogun, to Kumabeyama Castle (Kumafu, Kikuchi City), and thereafter played an active role as the commander of the Kyushu Imperial Court. In 1353 (Shohei 8, Bunwa 2), he defeated Kyushu Tandai Isshiki Noriuji at Chikuzen Harisuribara (Chikushino City, Fukuoka Prefecture), and in July of 1359 (Shohei 14, Enbun 4), he defeated Shoni Yorihisa at Chikugo Ohobara (Kurume City) (Battle of Chikugo River), conquering Dazaifu and Hakata, and establishing the heyday of Seiseifu. In 1371 (Kentoku 2, Oan 4), he was defeated by the new tandai Imagawa Ryōshun and retreated to Kōrayama in Chikugo (Kurume City), but his whereabouts after that are unknown. According to legend, he died on November 16, Bunchū 2 (Oan 6). His posthumous name was Seigan, and his grave is at Shokan-ji Temple (Kikuchi City), which was founded by Takemitsu.

[Keiichi Kudo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

南北朝時代の肥後（熊本県）の武将、菊池系図によると武時(たけとき)の十男、幼名を豊田(とよだ)十郎といい、もと八条院領肥後国益城(ましき)郡豊田荘(しょう)（熊本県熊本市南部から宇城(うき)市北部の一帯）を本拠としていたものらしい。阿蘇(あそ)氏庶家の恵良惟澄(えらこれずみ)の援助を得て、1343年（興国4・康永2）3月、合志幸隆(ごうしゆきたか)に占領されていた菊池氏の本拠深川城（菊池市深川）を回復し、菊池氏惣領(そうりょう)となり、肥後守(ひごのかみ)に補された。1348年（正平3・貞和4）正月、征西将軍懐良(かねよし)親王を隈部山城(くまべさんじょう)（菊池市隈府(わいふ)）に迎え、以後九州宮方の主将として活躍。1353年（正平8・文和2）筑前針摺原(ちくぜんはりすりばら)（福岡県筑紫野(ちくしの)市）に九州探題一色範氏(いっしきのりうじ)を、1359年（正平14・延文4）7月には少弐頼尚(しょうによりひさ)を筑後大保原(ちくごおおほばる)（久留米(くるめ)市）に破り（筑後川の戦い）大宰府(だざいふ)、博多(はかた)を制し、征西府の全盛時代を築いた。1371年（建徳2・応安4）新探題今川了俊(いまがわりょうしゅん)に大宰府を落とされ、筑後高良(こうら)山（久留米市）に退いたが、その後の消息は不明。所伝では文中(ぶんちゅう)2年（応安6）11月16日没。法名聖巌(せいがん)、墓所は武光開基の正観(しょうかん)寺（菊池市）にある。

［工藤敬一］

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