Nagayasu Okubo

He was a Daikan Gashira (chief magistrate), Kanayama Bugyo (magistrate of gold mines), and one of the Shogunate's magistrates in the early Edo period. He was born as the second son of Okura Tayu, a Sarugaku performer of the Takeda clan of Kai, and was originally called Tojuro, and later became a Kuramaeshu (major official). After the downfall of the Takeda clan in 1582 (Tensho 10), he became a retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was given the surname Okubo by Okubo Tadachika, and took the name Okubo Jubei, and was in charge of civil administration in Kai (Yamanashi Prefecture). During the land survey in Kai in 1589, he assisted Ina Tadatsugu and achieved great success. After Ieyasu entered the Kanto region, he was selected to become the head magistrate, and together with his subordinates, the magistrates of Hachioji, he played an active role in local governance in areas such as finance, transportation, and industry during the early days of the shogunate. In particular, the land surveys he carried out (Iwami Land Survey and Okubo Rope) were representative of his methods.

After the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 (Keicho 5), his rule extended to Kanto, Shinano, Kai, Mino, Suruga, Yamato, Iwami, Echigo, Sado, and Izu (one theory says it was 1.2 million koku), and he had many subordinate elders, magistrates, and shidai stationed in each region. After the establishment of the Edo Shogunate in 1803, he was appointed to the rank of Junior Fifth Rank and Iwaminokami, and was added to the Shogunate's magistrates (old officials). Due to his incredible achievements in the development of the gold and silver mines in Iwami, Sado, and Izu, he was placed at the center of the Shogunate's cabinet and played a part in Ieyasu's inner circle politics. He frequently gave instructions from Sunpu, Edo, and other places, and took control of the entire territory. He participated in the establishment of the towns of Hachioji and Kiryu, the establishment of the post stations on the Tokaido and Nakasendo roads, the construction of mileposts, and the construction of castles in Edo, Sunpu, and Nagoya. He died of an illness in Sunpu in April 1603. He was 69 years old.

After his death, his seven children were sentenced to death for the discovery of his hidden gold and silver during his lifetime and his plot to overthrow the shogunate, and some feudal lords and magistrates were implicated and fell from grace, but the truth is unknown. Rather, it is more likely to be seen as a political measure by Ieyasu, who feared Chang'an's unrestrained nature, its enormous local control and wealth, and its approach to the western feudal lords. Currently, there is a Gyakushu tower at Daian-ji Temple in Edozawa-cho, Aikawa, Sado City, Niigata Prefecture, a gravestone at the site of Daian-ji Temple in Omori-cho, Oda City, Shimane Prefecture, and an egg tower at Sontai-ji Temple in Joto 1-chome, Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture. There are remains of jinya camps in Omori-cho, Sado City, and Hachioji City, Tokyo.

[Nao Murakami]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸前期の代官頭(だいかんがしら)、金山奉行(かなやまぶぎょう)および幕府奉行衆の一人。甲斐(かい)武田氏の猿楽師(さるがくし)大蔵大夫(おおくらたゆう)の次男に生まれ、初め藤十郎と称し、のち蔵前衆(くらまえしゅう)（代官）となる。1582年（天正10）武田氏滅亡後、徳川家康の家臣となり、大久保忠隣(ただちか)より大久保姓を授けられ、大久保十兵衛と称して、甲斐（山梨県）の民政を担当する。89年の甲斐国内の検地では伊奈忠次(いなただつぐ)を補佐し実績をあげる。家康の関東入国後は、抜擢(ばってき)されて代官頭となり、配下の八王子代官らとともに財政、交通、産業など、幕府創業期の地方(じかた)支配に活躍する。とくに彼の実施した検地（石見(いわみ)検地・大久保縄(なわ)）は代表的な仕法であった。

　1600年（慶長5）関ヶ原の戦い後、その支配は関東、信濃(しなの)、甲斐、美濃(みの)、駿河(するが)、大和(やまと)、石見、越後(えちご)、佐渡(さど)、伊豆に及び（一説には120万石）、各地に駐在する配下の家老、代官、下代も多数に及んだ。03年江戸幕府開設後、従(じゅ)五位下、石見守(いわみのかみ)に叙任、幕府奉行衆（老職）に加えられ、石見、佐渡、伊豆の金山、銀山の開発の驚異的成果により、幕閣の中枢に位置し、家康の側近政治の一翼を担うことになった。駿府(すんぷ)、江戸などから頻繁に指示を与え、全支配領域を掌握し、八王子や桐生(きりゅう)の町立(まちたて)、東海道、中山道(なかせんどう)宿駅制の確立、一里塚の築造、江戸、駿府、名古屋築城にも参画している。慶長(けいちょう)18年4月、駿府で病死。69歳。

　死後、生前の金銀隠匿、幕府転覆の陰謀露見を理由に遺子7名が死罪に処せられ、大名や代官で連座し失脚した者もいたが、その真相は不詳。むしろ長安の奔放性、巨大な在地支配力と財力、西国大名への接近を危惧(きぐ)した家康の政治的措置とみなされるふしが強い。現在、新潟県佐渡市相川江戸沢町の大安寺に逆修(ぎゃくしゅう)塔、島根県大田市大森町の大安寺跡に墓碑、山梨県甲府市城東1丁目の尊躰(そんたい)寺に卵塔がある。大森町、佐渡市や東京都八王子市に陣屋跡がある。

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