Yagyu Munenori

The founder of the Yagyu clan in Yamato Province (Nara Prefecture). Known as a representative swordsman in the early Edo period, he was the first head of the Shinkage-ryu Edo Yagyu family. He was the fifth son of Yagyu Sekishusai Muneyoshi, originally named Shinzaemon, commonly known as Mataemon, and later became Tajima no Kami. He received sword training from his father Muneyoshi from an early age, and showed his talent. In 1594 (Bunroku 3), at the age of 23, he was invited by Tokugawa Ieyasu to demonstrate the Shinkage-ryu at the camp in Takagamine, west of Kyoto, where he was praised for his skills and adopted as a Hatamoto samurai. During the Battle of Sekigahara, he was given the special mission of keeping the Ishida forces in check from the rear, and worked with the powerful clans of the Yamato region. After the war, as a result of his efforts, Yagyu's former territory of 2,000 koku was restored. He was also ordered to serve as military tactics instructor to the heir to the shogun, Hidetada, and was given an additional 1,000 koku. Eventually, he established a foundation for the Shinkage Yagyu school to be used for many years as the official style of the shogun's family. During the Winter Siege of Osaka in 1614 (Keicho 19), he served as a guide for the Tokugawa side, and after the subsequent Summer Siege, he successfully put an end to the rebellion led by Sakazaki Dewa no Kami Narimasa, which was involved in the rescue of Princess Senhime.He also came to be highly regarded for his political skills, as he formed friendships with various families, including the outside daimyo Date Masamune, as well as the Hosokawa, Nabeshima, and Mori families.

In 1621 (Genwa 7), when Munenori was 50 years old, he was entrusted with the role of military tactics instructor to the Shogun's heir, Iemitsu, and continued to enjoy great trust even after Iemitsu became Shogun, and in 1629 (Kan'ei 6), he was appointed to the rank of Tajima no Kami with a rank of Junior Fifth Rank and was promoted to a large position with an additional stipend of 6,000 koku and was permitted to use the "Gonoji" (five-letter) flag, the symbol of the Shogun's close aide, the Otsukabangumi Gashira. In 1632, he was appointed Soumetsuke (later Oometsuke), and became an inspector of the various daimyo. On the other hand, he took this opportunity to establish the Shinkage Yagyu transmission system with the cooperation of such distinguished lords as Nabeshima Motoshige and Hosokawa Tadatoshi, and made efforts to obtain the pardon of the monk Takuan, who had been exiled to Kaminoyama in Ushu after the Shie Incident. With the help of Takuan, who was pardoned and returned to Edo, he completed the Heiho Kadensho (Heiho Kadensho) (3 volumes). He continued to be a close aide to Iemitsu as one of the Otogishu, and in 1636, his stipend was increased to 10,000 koku, and he was added to the ranks of daimyo, further increasing his stipend to 12,500 koku. He died in March of the third year of Shoho, and the following April, he was posthumously awarded the exceptional rank of Junior Fourth Rank.

[Ichiro Watanabe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大和(やまと)国（奈良県）柳生藩の祖。江戸初期の代表的な剣術家として知られ、新陰(しんかげ)流江戸柳生家の初代。柳生石舟斎宗巌(せきしゅうさいむねよし)の五男で、初名新左衛門、通称又右衛門(またえもん)、のち但馬守(たじまのかみ)。幼少のころから父宗巌に剣の手ほどきを受けて、その英才を表し、1594年（文禄3）23歳のとき、徳川家康の招きを受けた父に伴われて、京都西郊鷹峯(たかがみね)の陣屋において新陰流を披露し、その技を嘉賞(かしょう)され旗本の士に採用された。関ヶ原の役には石田方の後方牽制(けんせい)の特命を帯して大和地方の豪族工作にあたり、戦後その功によって柳生の旧領2000石を回復し、さらに将軍世子秀忠(ひでただ)の兵法指南を命ぜられて1000石を加増され、やがて新陰柳生流が将軍家の御流儀(ごりゅうぎ)として長く用いられる地歩を築いた。1614年（慶長19）の大坂冬の陣には徳川方の嚮導(きょうどう)役を勤め、続く夏の陣後には千姫(せんひめ)救出に絡む坂崎出羽守成政(さかざきでわのかみなりまさ)の反抗事件を収拾することに成功し、また外様(とざま)大名の伊達政宗(だてまさむね)をはじめ、細川、鍋島(なべしま)、毛利(もうり)などの諸家と親交を結ぶなど、その政治的手腕も高く評価されるようになった。

　1621年（元和7）宗矩50歳、将軍世子家光(いえみつ)の兵法師範を託され、その将軍就任後も引き続き厚い信任を受け、1629年（寛永6）には従(じゅ)五位下但馬守に任じ、さらに加増を受けて高6000石の大身に栄進し、将軍側近の御使番組頭(おつかいばんぐみがしら)のシンボルである「五の字(ごのじ)」の旗指物(はたさしもの)の使用を許された。1632年には総目付(そうめつけ)（後の大目付）に補せられて、諸大名の監察役となった。一方、これを機に鍋島元茂(もとしげ)、細川忠利(ただとし)ら大名門人の協力を得て、新陰柳生の伝授体系の確立を図り、紫衣(しえ)事件で羽州上ノ山(うしゅうかみのやま)に謫居(たっきょ)中の僧沢庵(たくあん)の赦免に尽力し、許されて江戸へ帰着した沢庵の助力を得て、『兵法家伝書(へいほうかでんしょ)』（3巻）を完成させた。その後も御伽衆(おとぎしゅう)として家光の側近にあり、1636年には加増されて総高1万石を領し、大名の列に加えられ、さらに1万2500石に上った。正保(しょうほう)3年3月死去、翌4月破格の従四位下を追贈された。

［渡邉一郎］

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