Uwajima Domain (2/2)Ruled by the Date family

Also, while he was the lord of the domain, the Great Kyoho Famine occurred, and at that time he helped the poor people, enacted the Frugality Ordinance, and reformed the finances. Furthermore, he made improvements to the domain's administration, enacting the 25 Articles for Vassals and reforming the military system. This reform, which focused on civil administration, was a great success, and the monopoly on paper, which had been started around the time of the second feudal lord, Date Munetoshi, was also successful.

For this reason, Date Murako is still popular as the founder of the Uwajima clan's revival.
However, in his later years, the Great Tenmei Famine occurred, and finances worsened again, and peasant uprisings began to occur one after another within the domain.

Datemura Hisashi, the 6th lord of the domain, tries to continue his reforms in his father's footsteps, but there is a conflict between the roju Jintazaemon Inai and the head clerk, Hirotsuna Hagimori, who breaks into Inai's mansion and gets stabbed. The Hagimori turmoil, which was said to be widespread, occurred, and the reform was difficult to implement.

However, Munenori Date, the seventh lord of the domain, succeeded in pushing for reform in a somewhat forceful manner, negotiating with Osaka merchants to have the debt repaid in 200 years without interest, and establishing a monopoly on goby wax.
It also protects the production of specialty salt and squid, and recommends improvements in agricultural technology.

He succeeded in amassing a fortune of 60,000 ryo by the time he handed over the headship of the family to Muneki Date, the 8th lord of the domain.
Furthermore, it is said that after Munenori Date handed over the headship of the family to Muneki Date and retired to the Edo domain residence, he proposed to the shogunate the opening of the country when Perry arrived on the voyage.
Date Munejo had the longest lifespan of anyone in the Uwajima clan, and survived in good health until the Meiji era, receiving gifts from Emperor Meiji.

It is said that although the 9th lord of the domain, Muneki Date, was handed over the headship of the family, the real power was held by his father, Munenori Date, and he remained in a position of decoration until the end.
After the Meiji period, he became a member of the House of Peers and became involved in national politics.
Even after the 9th lord of the domain, the lineage of the Uwajima Date family has continued, and they have intermarried with the Tokugawa family and the imperial family.
Akira Date, born in 1905, joined the Ministry of Finance and served as secretary to the prime minister.

The current pitcher, Munenobu Date, is the grandson of Akira Date, and currently serves as the 13th generation head of the Uwajima Date family and the chairman of the Uwajima Date Culture Preservation Society.

Summary of Uwajima Domain

The Uwajima Domain was ruled by the Uwajima Date family, which branched off from the Sendai Date family, and continued until the Meiji era, despite suffering from financial difficulties and relations with the Sendai Date family. Although the Tosa clan and the Marugame clan, which were very active at the end of the Edo period, are nearby, they were not involved in the battles at the end of the Edo period and have quietly entered the Meiji era.
Even now, the 13th generation feudal lord manages the historical sites and real estate that remain on Uwajima, striving to pass on the culture and history.