Can you guess how was “the Amago clan”, a Sengoku Daimyo who followed Sanin and Sanyo 11 countries at their peak, centered on Gassan Toda Castle, Hirose Town, Yasugi City?

The Amago clan was originally the guardian of Izumo Province, but he became independent as a Sengoku Daimyo  against the guardian Kyogoku Masatsune. The Amago clan has been forced out of Toda Castle by Mr. Kyogoku, but the Amago succeeded in retaking Toda Castle and built a huge force in the Sanin and Sanyo area.

Amago Clan Genealogy

• Mochihisa, the founder of Izumo Amago

  Mochihisa entered Gassan Toda Castle as a substitute for the guardian Kyogoku Takanori and became the founder of Izumo Amago.

   

• Tsunehisa Sanin Sanyo Juju no Tasyu

  Tsunehisa took Gassana Toda Castle from Mr.Kyogoku and he extended his sphere of influence.

   

• Kunihisa , leader of the Shingu Party, a family that has been long-lasting

  It was called “Shingu Party” because it set up a house in Shingudani at the foot of Toda Castle. Kunihisa was brave and good at military tactics and took an attitude that gradually cursed because it was active in the outside march, etc., and created a feud between Haruhisa and Kunihisa. It is said that Mouri Motonari planned to trigger the conflict between Haruhisa and Kunihisa. The Amago clan was avanged by Haruhisa.

• Haruhisa Amago becomes the best Daimyo in the Chugoku region, but it stalls

  Haruhisa Amago became the guardian of six Chugoku countries, and the Amago’s territory flourished the most. However, he attacked Yoshida Koriyama Castle that is in Mouri territory and was defeated by Mr. Ouchi and Mr. Mouri, and later put a lot of effort into domestic affairs to stabilize the governance of the provinces. Although he has been struggling to make his achievements while feeling not good about the violent behavior of the Shingu Party, he was plotted by Motonari Mouri and destroyed the Shingu Party, leading to further weakening of the Amago clan.

   

• Yoshihisa  Amago The closed Gassan Toda Castle due to the invasion of Mr. Mouri

  In response to the invasion to Izumo by Mouri Motonari, he fought at the castle at Toda Castle, but four years later he received an offer from Mr. Mouri to make a peace  Gassan Toda Castle gave to Mr. Mouri.

• Katsuhisa Amago  The last general general of Mr. Amago

  At the time of the destruction of the Shingu Party, he escaped some difficulties and spent time as a monk in Kyoto, but he stood up for the Amago clan rebuilding, including Shikanosuke, and became the general of the Amago clan revitalization. Although he restored his temporary power, that was not good. He followed Hideyoshi Hashiba’s expedition to China, but was surrounded by Mr. Mouri and Mr. Ukita.

• Yukimori Yamanaka  The warlord of the misfortune who devoted to the revival of the Amago

  He is commonly known as Yamanaka Shikanosuke. He had a brave battle with the Mouri clan, but when Gassan Toda Castle was closed, and Yoshihisa surrendered by Mr. Mouri, and wandered around the countries. After that, Katsuhisa was held as the general of the Revitalizing Amago clan, and he fought hard to retake the territory. Shikanosuke was caught and killed, and Katsuhisa committed suicide. It is said that Shikanosue prayed to the moon, “I would rather sustain all kinds of troubles myself than see the clan of my lord fall into ruin.” 

   

Prosperity and Decline of the Amago Clan

In 1395, he entered Toda Castle as a guardian of Eshu Kyogoku, and decided to rule both Izumo and Oki.
And, the child of Mochihisa, Kiyosada inherits the Amago governor, and the independence from The Kyogoku was tried, but it ended in failure.

Two years later, the heir of Kiyosada, Tsunehisa attacked Toda Castle and succeeded in taking over Toda Castle. In addition to the neighboring countries following them and makushita, the system under controlling by Tsunehisa has been strengthened.
However, Masahisa, the heir Tsunehisa, in Eisho 15 (1518), was killed in Ayo (Daito-cho).
In 1521, Mr. Amago reached its full prime, holding the Sanin and Sanyo 11 countries, such as Aki, Bigo, Bichu, Bizen, Mimasaka, Harima, Inaba, Hauki, Izumo, Iwami, and Oki.
In 1537, Tsunehisa, who built the foundation for the Amago, also handed over the family governor to his grandson, Haruhisa. In 1540, Haruhisa sent his clan to Kooriyama Castle to restrain increasing rebellion by Motonari Mouri.

In 1554, Tsunehisa second son, Kunihisa was set up the head, and Motonari Mouri planed to have a disagreement between Kunihisa and Haruhisa. As a result, Kunihisa and Sanehisa (father and son) were killed by Haruhisa.
Thus, the Shingu party was destroyed, and only one Sanehisa’s third son, Sonshiro could escape.

In 1560, after destroying the Shingu Party, the Amago clan, whose battle ability decreased dramatically, did not reach the success of the Amago Ten Warriors, mainly Yamanaka Shikanosuke, and finally surrendered to the Mouri clan in 1566.

At the time of the fall of the Shingu Party, Yamanaka Shikanosuke and others looked up to Katsuhisa who could escape alone as a general, and with the help of Oda Nobunaga in 1569, he fulfilled the wish of reviving the Amago clan, but he was not able to help. In 1578, Katsuhisa died of self-harm at Kouzuki Castle, and Shikanosuke was also killed in the Bicchu Kobe River.

Thus, the story of the Amago clan revival stopped, and the prosperity of the Amago clan for 180 years was ended.