Togo Chui (東郷重位)
Chui (also known as Shigekata) TOGO (1561 - August 11, 1643) was a samurai in the Satsuma clan and the founder of the Jigen school of swordsmanship. Togo's childhood name was Yajuro but went by the name of Tobei. Togo was later referred to as Nagato no kami, Izumi no kami, Echizen no kami or Hizen no kami.
Togo's real name was Shigekata but, at the Jigen School, he was referred to as 'Chui.'
Togo was the third son of Shigetame SETOGUCHI. The Setoguchi family was a distant relative of the Togo clan, the powerful local clan in Satsuma, and Togo was mentioned as Tobei SETOGUCHI or Setoguchi Hizen no kami in historical papers covering that period. During the Tensho era, Togo, along with his older brother Shigeharu TOGO, adopted the surname of Togo upon the approval of Shigetora TOGO who was the 17th head of the main line of the house of Togo. Additionally, according to the genealogy of Tokisada TANEGASHIMA who was Chui's grandson and the founder of Kojigen school entitled "種子島氏支族美座対馬守時里二男国上氏系図" (the historical data found in 諸家系図文書四 of the 'Collection of the Writings of Sueyoshi Ijichi, Volume 3'), Chui's name was written as "Togo Hizen Shigenobu."
Career
Togo studied Taisha School in his youth.
Togo went on his first campaign to the battle against the Otomo clan in December 1578 in which he severed the head of the main man Kaneshige YAKUMARU.
In 1587, the Shimazu clan, Togo's lord, was defeated by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI and Chui (TOGO) followed Yoshihisa SHIMAZU to Kyoto. It seems that the real purpose of Togo's trip to Kyoto was to get trained on gold work to work on the side. A chance encounter with Zenkichi Osho of Tennei-ji Temple, however, opened Togo's eyes to swordsmanship (Tenshinshojiken School) and he returned to Satsuma after training under Zenkichi Osho.
After returning to Satsuma, Togo went back to Torigoe in Kokubu go in 1589. Togo added his own ingenuity to swordsmanship by combining the techniques of Tenshinshojiken School and Taisha School that he had studied earlier.
By the time the Shonai War broke out in 1599, Togo already had numerous pupils in the house of Shimazu. Before long, Tadatsune SHIMAZU came to hear about Togo's reputation and, in 1640, Togo won the competition against the grand master of the Taisha School of swordsmanship performed before Tadatsune whereby becoming the grand master of the art of warfare for the Shimazu family. There is an anecdote that Chui beat the raging Tadatsune with a single sweep of sword at that time.
Bunshi NANBO subsequently named Togo's art of swordsmanship 'Jigen School.'
In 九満崎御宮作ニ付すすめ日記 entered on November 7, 1610, it is written, 'Likewise (Rice) 1.8 liters, Togo Nagato no kami.'
It is said that Chui was a polite and gentle person of integrity often sought to be consulted by the chief retainer of the Satsuma clan on sensitive matters within the Shimazu family. Considering that Chui was made the jito (manager and lord of manor) of Bonotsu (present-day Bonotsu-cho, Minami-Satsuma City), which was later to become known as a smuggling center of the Satsuma clan, there is no doubt that he was more than just an excellent swordsman. Additionally, as it was recorded in 平姓東郷氏支族系図 that 'when Chui assumed the position of the jito of Bonotsu, he was given approximately 2400 square meters (or 0.24 hectare) of land near Kagoshima-jo Castle by his lord,' it is presumed that Chui left Kokubun when he became the jito.
Kokudaka (stipend) Chui earned was 400 koku. Tadatsune SHIMAZU initially gave Chui 1000 koku but, for some reason, Chui returned 600 koku. After retiring, Chui was given 100 koku.
Chui's grave site is located on the grounds of Nanrin-ji Temple, Soto sect (Kagoshima City). Chui's posthumous Buddhist name is Nogakushungei anju.
Family and relations
Brothers: Yazaeemon SETOGUCHI and Shigeharu TOGO
Wife: the daughter of Iyo MATSUMOTO (also known as MATSUMOTO written in different kanji)
Children: 1 son and 3 daughters (the wife of Hisatoshi HONGO, the wife of Masasada WADA, Shigemasa TOGO and the wife of Okinobu HORI)