英語訳
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Toyohashi Historical Discussion (Makino Shigekazu and the Place Name Yoshida) 28
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Study" places this around the first year of Taiei (1521). I too believe without doubt that it was in the early years of Taiei,
and my reason is found in the previously mentioned "Sōchō Memoir," in the entry for the third month of Taiei 6, which states: "Mikawa Province Imahashi, Makino Tamizō, who has been an acquaintance since his father and grandfather's time,
when the provincial borders were troublesome, many people came with arms and equipment to welcome him, which seemed quite grand. Staying here one day, Kumagai Echigo no Kami came and
we talked stories until late at night." Also in the entry for the fourth month of Taiei 7: "Imahashi Makino Tamizō's lodging, one day's entertainment. This place has been one of gracious favors year after year
since Kohaku's time. The entertainment was so moving, recalling the past, that it seemed to make one forget old age. Today again, a lodging of May's last flowers."
These passages overflow with deep emotion. From this we can see that Sōchō's annual visits to the Makino family were a tradition since Kohaku's time,
and since he mentions being an acquaintance "since his father and grandfather's time," we can deduce that the grandfather refers to Kohaku and the father
refers to Shigekazu, so now it is the era of Tamizō Nobushige. Therefore, since Nobushige had already succeeded by Taiei 6, if we assume that Shigekazu transferred leadership to Nobushige after only three or four years, then Shigekazu's recapture of this castle would have been in Taiei 2 or 3, exactly when Shigekazu was twenty-one or twenty-two years old. Incidentally, the aforementioned Kumagai Echigo no Kami
Uzuyama was the lord of Uri Castle, and furthermore, in the continuation of "Sōchō Diary" for Taiei 7, it states: "Reached the border castle Uzuyama. This Uzuyama
mansion is at the border of Owari, Mikawa, and Shinano, where there are always competing factions, making it a castle where guard units maintain constant vigilance day and night. From east, south, and north, Lake Hamana
circles around, and like water flowing into mountain valleys and moats, it encircles the castle's banks. (omitted) At the enemy borders of three provinces, drums day and night, night watch
voices are heard without a moment's rest." However, since this Uzuyama is within Tōtōmi Province at the Mikawa border,
calling it a "border of three provinces" seems somewhat odd, but in any case, this account vividly conveys the actual conditions during that era of competing warlords,
which I find quite fascinating.
Yoshida Place Name Thus Makino Shigekazu recaptured Imahashi Castle, but what I want to discuss here is the matter of the place name Yoshida,
and I am convinced without doubt that this renaming to Yoshida was actually carried out in the early years of Taiei, when Shigekazu recaptured this castle.
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San'yō Shinpō No. 3717 Supplement (Published April 28, Meiji 44 [1911])
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Indeed, "Ushikubo Secret Discussions" states:
"When Imahashi Castle was lost by Kohaku, his son who had hidden in Owari, now after years have passed, is known as Makino Denzaemon Shigekazu, and his son Denzō
Nobushige (actually his brother). Father and son waited for their time, rose up in Sanshū, rebuilt Imahashi Castle as before, and named it Yoshida."
This I believe provides excellent reference material. Also in "Mikawa Chronicles":
"Taiei 2, Year of the Water Horse, Makino Denzō Nobushige changed Imahashi's name to Yoshida."
However, in Taiei 2, as I mentioned before, it was not yet Nobushige's era but must have been Shigekazu's time. But I completely agree regarding the period when Imahashi was
renamed to Yoshida. There have been various theories about this from ancient times: some say it was renamed when Kohaku built the castle in Eishō 2. Others say it was much later, around the middle of the Tenbun era, when Imagawa Yoshimoto
named it because "Imahashi" sounded like "Imawashi" (now terrible), so they avoided this name. The earlier Eishō 2 theory has no deep
basis, but the later Imagawa Yoshimoto renaming theory has reasonable grounds. Namely, around Taiei 7, "Sōchō's
Memoir" still refers to this place as Imahashi. Also, the later "Priest Sonkai's Travel Record" from Tenbun 2 still uses the name Imahashi, but particularly in the Amano documents from Tenbun 16, in Imagawa Yoshimoto's commendation letter:
"When approaching the outer defenses of Imahashi Castle, orders were given to move to Ryōnenji temple, and [soldiers] rushed in immediately, etc."
And in the same year, in documents given to this Amano by Yoshimoto's strategist, Elder Sesshū, the name "Yoshida"
appears for the first time. Also, Seigenji temple in Hanada Aza Hada, Toyohashi city, had a donation certificate from Yoshimoto, which similarly recorded the name Yoshida
and was from the Tenbun period. From this, the argument for Yoshimoto's renaming theory is that the place name Yoshida first appeared around that time. However, what requires attention here is that the temple called Ryūnenji in Yoshiya, Toyohashi city,
《Marginal note: Yoshidasan Ryūnenji》 as acknowledged in "Kansei Chōshū Shokafu," was built by Makino Shigekazu, but from that time it was called Yoshidasan, and
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Toyohashi Historical Discussion (Makino Shigekazu and the Place Name Yoshida) 29