Mito Domain

The Mito clan was based in Hitachi Province (Ibaraki Prefecture) and was one of the Gosanke (three branches of the Tokugawa clan), along with Owari and Kii. After the Satake clan was transferred to Akita in 1602 (Keicho 7), Ieyasu's fifth son Takeda Nobuyoshi, his tenth son Tokugawa Yorimasa (Yorinobu), and his eleventh son Yorifusa became the lord of the castle with a fief of 250,000 koku in 1609. It was a newly established clan to serve as a base in northern Kanto and to prepare for the Tohoku clans, and its foundations were solidified around the time of the third shogun, Iemitsu. Unlike the Owari and Kii clans, the Mito clan was exempt from alternate attendance and lived in Edo as a permanent residence in the Koishikawa residence, which is thought to be where the colloquial name of vice shogun came from.

The Mito Domain had an unbroken line of descendants from Yorifusa, including Mitsukuni, Tsunaeda, Munetaka, Munemoto, Harumori, Harutoshi, Narinobu, Nariaki, Yoshiatsu, and Akitake, and never had a transfer of domain. However, the domain was on the border between Hitachi and the Tohoku region, with little arable land and low productivity. In 1622 (Genwa 8), the domain was increased by 30,000 koku, bringing the total to 280,000 koku, but in 1641 (Kan'ei 18), the first land survey of the entire domain was conducted, revealing a kokudaka of over 360,000 koku, and the domain was officially declared to have a kokudaka of 350,000 koku from the time of the third domain lord, Tsunaeda. The second feudal lord, Mitsukuni, gathered many scholars to compile the Dai Nihonshi (History of Japan), and also launched cultural projects, laying the foundations for a unique teaching method known as Mitogaku. However, after Mitsukuni's death, the Mito fell into financial difficulties due to rising expenses and the impoverishment of rural areas, and the Mito Hoei Reforms, which were an attempt to overcome this, also failed. Starting during the time of the sixth feudal lord, Jiho, local scholars began to emerge, and calls for reform of the feudal domain, as represented by Fujita Yukoku, gained momentum. The ninth feudal lord, Nariaki, appointed capable people such as Fujita Toko and Aizawa Seishisai, who were disciples of Yukoku, and implemented the Tenpo Reforms ahead of the shogunate and other feudal domains. The reforms, along with Mitogaku, had a major impact nationwide, but the feudal domain was divided over the reforms, and in 1844 (Koka 1), Nariaki and the other reformists were executed by the shogunate. The radical faction of the reformists later attacked the chief advisor, Ii Naosuke, outside the Sakuradamon Gate, intensifying party strife. After Nariaki's death, the internal conflict within the domain became even more intense and fell into chaos, leading to the domain losing its leadership position and ushering in the Meiji Restoration. In 1871 (Meiji 4), the domain was abolished, and it was incorporated into Ibaraki Prefecture, via Mito Prefecture.

[Yoshio Sakuma]

"Mito City History" 4 volumes (1964-76, Mito City)" ▽ "Mito Tokugawa Family Compilation: Mito Domain Historical Materials" 5 volumes (1915-17, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

常陸(ひたち)国（茨城県）水戸を本拠にした徳川親藩で、尾張(おわり)・紀伊とともに御三家(ごさんけ)の一つ。1602年（慶長7）佐竹氏の秋田移封後、家康の第5子武田信吉(のぶよし)、第10子徳川頼将(よりまさ)（頼宣(よりのぶ)）を経て、1609年第11子頼房(よりふさ)が25万石の城主となったのに始まる。北関東の一拠点として、東北諸藩に備えるための新規取り立ての藩であり、その基礎が固まるのは3代将軍家光(いえみつ)のころである。水戸家は尾張・紀伊家と異なり参勤交代を免除され、江戸の小石川邸に常住する定府(じょうふ)制で、ここから、俗称としての副将軍の名がおこったと考えられる。

　水戸藩は頼房の子孫が断絶することなく光圀(みつくに)、綱条(つなえだ)、宗堯(むねたか)、宗翰(むねもと)、治保(はるもり)、治紀(はるとし)、斉脩(なりのぶ)、斉昭(なりあき)、慶篤(よしあつ)、昭武(あきたけ)と続き、また一度も国替がなかった。しかし領地は常陸と東北地方の境で、耕地は少なく生産力も低かった。1622年（元和8）3万石加増で、28万石となるが、1641年（寛永18）初めて全領検地を実施して、36万石余の石高(こくだか)を検出し、3代藩主綱条時代から35万石を公称した。2代藩主光圀は『大日本史』の編纂(へんさん)のため多くの学者を集め、また文化事業をおこして、独特の教学＝水戸学のもとを開いた。だが光圀の死後は出費増大と農村疲弊のため財政難に陥り、これを打開しようとした水戸宝永(ほうえい)の改革も失敗した。6代藩主治保時代から在地の学者が輩出し、藤田幽谷(ゆうこく)に代表される藩政改革論が高まる。9代藩主斉昭は幽谷門下の藤田東湖(とうこ)・会沢正志斎(せいしさい)ら有能な人材を登用し、幕府・諸藩に先駆けて天保(てんぽう)の改革を実施した。改革は水戸学とともに全国的に大きな影響を与えたが、改革をめぐって藩論が分裂し、1844年（弘化1）斉昭以下改革派は幕府から処断された。改革派中の激派はのちに大老井伊直弼(なおすけ)を桜田門外に襲撃し、党争の激化を招く。藩内抗争は斉昭の死後一段と激しく混乱状態に陥って時勢の指導権を失い、明治維新を迎えた。1871年（明治4）廃藩、水戸県を経て茨城県に編入された。

［佐久間好雄］

『『水戸市史』全4冊（1964～76・水戸市）』▽『水戸徳川家編『水戸藩史料』全5冊（1915～17・吉川弘文館）』

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