Former Manor House Of A Great Director 'Nagayasu Okubo' In Samurai Era

I kept writing about Japanese Samurai era history recently, and let's continue it since there are more historic sites relating to Samurai era in West Tokyo area. The photos above are showing a former manor house in Samurai era, specifically Tokugawa Shogunate era. Tokugawa Shogunate era started in 1603 and continued until Japan got the first modern government in 1868. The Shogunate government was established by a Samurai Lord "Ieyasu Tokugawa" and the Tokugawa family ruled Japan as Shogun for 265 years. 

The refugee Samurai princess Matsu who I introduced in my previous posts died in 1616 after the Tokugawa Shogunate era started. Although she was a refugee princess and most of her family were killed, she was not alone in her later days. Actually former Takeda troopers were around her during her last years. How it was possible?

Even though Lord Takeda family and their troopers were defeated and Takeda family lost their land, some Samurai vassals and Samurai soldiers survived the disaster. Moreover some of the competent men among them were re-hired by other lords. 

One of the re-hired survivor from Takeda troopers is Nagayasu Okubo. He must have been a very capable person because after he started working for Lord Ieyasu Tokugawa who became the first Shogun later, he rose by leaps and bound and at the and he became one of the senior councilor of Tokugawa Shogunate government. As a refugee Samurai survivor who lost his lord it was really a rare case.

After Tokugawa shogunate government was established, Nagayasu Okubo took up a administrative director position of the greater Tokyo area which was under Shogun's direct control. Thus Nagayasu Okubo was called "Great Chief Secretary of Shogun" later. By the way, in those days local areas were entrusted to local lords who were appointed by Shogun. 

As one of his famous works, Nagayasu Okubo proposed to form a security squid for Shogun's direct control area. It was named "Thousand Troopers" and stationed in Hachioji. He hired many of survived Takeda troopers for the squid, then they were gathered in Hachioji where Princess Matsu was living. It is said that she became the source of emotional support for the survived Takeda troopers and because of her they were united to work as the "Thousand Troopers".

Today, only a small shrine and an old well were remaining on the ground of the former manor house of  Nagayasu Okubo in Hachioji City. However there are lots of buried historical episodes there.