Nagato 1550

Greetings,

I'm working on a project concerning the Ouchi-Mori conflict starting about
1550, a year before Ouchi Yoshitaka was deposed by Sue Harukata. I'm
really interested in some pretty specific information, any references
would be much appreciated:

The town of Hagi: Anyone know of a good resource on this town before the
Mori clan took over the area? I know a castle was built there after Mori
took control and that it was a center for fine pottery much later. I've
parsed all the official websites concerning Hagi, I think, but what I'm
really looking for is a detailed map, preferably topographical, and
information on the minor daimyo that controlled that area and any of the
outlying areas of Nagato.

Any information on Yamaguchi while Yoshitaka kept court there. Maps
preferably. I found a great resource detailing Francis Xavier's time in
Yamaguchi (he actually left only a few weeks before Yoshitaka was
overthrown). It had some specific info on Yamaguchi, but really need more
detail on the city in that era.

I am aware of the work by Arnesen concerning the Ouchi rule of Nagato and
Suo, but I haven't trucked down to the library to peruse that. I've gotten
some information from that work through a third party, however. I have a
few of the Turnbull samurai books that shed a little light on that
situation as well. I also have parsed websites detailing the Mori clans
activities before and after Yoshitaka's fall, the few sites concerning
Harukata and some other general information. I guess I'm really looking
mostly for obscure political information on that area and physical
information on the land and towns.

Anyway. Anything you have, online preferably. Much appreciated.

--
RgB

"To become the enemy" is to think yourself into into the enemy's position.
-- Miyamoto Musashi

Gentle Persons,

I am not at all aware of any maps or info of Hagi in 1550, but you may be
interested in a very good article in a "National Geographic" issue of quite some
years ago about Hagi in the Bakumatsu period. I recall a map of that time was
also in the article. I do have the particular issue in my archives but it would
take me some time to find it!! You may be rewarded by searching the National
Geographic site for HAGI and also YOSHIDA SHOIN, who features prominently in the
article if I remember correctly. Also MORI as the Mori castle was pictured - or
rather, its ruined foundations after it was burnt on the Daimyo's orders after
the Meiji Restoration.

Finally, if reference cannot be found please get back to me - offlist or
onlist - and I'll search for the issue.

Best regards,

Barry Thomas
(Melbourne, Australia)

----- Original Message -----
From: <ragboy@...>
To: <samuraihistory@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2003 3:27 PM
Subject: [samuraihistory] Nagato 1550


Greetings,

I'm working on a project concerning the Ouchi-Mori conflict starting about
1550, a year before Ouchi Yoshitaka was deposed by Sue Harukata. I'm
really interested in some pretty specific information, any references
would be much appreciated:

The town of Hagi: Anyone know of a good resource on this town before the
Mori clan took over the area?

> You may have this info already but Yamaguchi City Office has a very good bookshop (if you read Japanese). The phone number of the International Affairs Office is 0839 25 7116 - they should be able to put you on to the bookshop.

There is quite a good website on Yamaguchi Prefecture in Japanese and English

http://www.oidemase.or.jp

with several references to the Ouchi. Again, this may not be in the depth you are looking for.

I've seen maps of Hagi from the late 18th and mid 19th century, but nothing earlier. I've got a (not very good) photo of one from about 1850, from the Takasugi Shinsaku museum near Shimonoseki.

I was in Yamaguchi prefecture for three months last year and spent quite a lot of time in both Hagi and Yamaguchi, visiting some of the Ouchi sites, but my main interest was in the bakumatsu period. But if you want any other information about the landscape, seasons etc, let me know.

The Ouchi are a fascinating clan and Yamaguchi in their era must have been a vibrant and interesting place.

Gillian