Nawa Nagatoshi (名和長年)
Nagatoshi NAWA (? - August 15, 1336) was a military commander during the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan). The governor of Hoki Province. Matataro Nagataka. The father was Yukitaka NAWA. The sons were Yoshitaka NAWA, Motonaga NAWA, and Takamitsu NAWA. The Nawa family includes Takanao UWAGAMI, who first built Ishiyama-jo Castle (Okayama-jo Castle).
Career
Nagatoshi NAWA was the head of the Nawa clan who ran a shipping business in Nawa, Hoki Province (Nawa, Daisen-cho, Saihaku District, Tottori Prefecture). Like the Akamatsu clan, the Nawa clan called themselves the descendants of Masakane of Murakami-Genji (Minamoto clan), but it is said that Nagatoshi was the largest shipping agent (adapted from "Zenso Nikki" (diary of the zen priest)), or that he was samurai called a scoundrel. Emperor Godaigo planned an anti-Shogunate movement to attack the Kamakura shogunate government, but the plan was disclosed and Emperor Godaigo was caught and subsequently exiled to Oki no shima Island in 1331 in the Genko War; when he escaped from the island in 1333, Nagatoshi welcomed Emperor Godaigo to Mt. Senjo (Kotoura-cho, Tohaku District, Tottori Prefecture) and joined the anti-Shogunate movement.
After the destruction of the bakufu, Emperor Godaigo inaugurated the Kenmu Restoration, where Nagatoshi became a samurai retainer to serve the emperor together with Masashige KUSUNOKI, a local ruling family in Kawachi Province, and served as officers at the Land Record Office, the warrior's office, the office of rewards, and the court of pleas; he was awarded a family crest which featured a sailboat. Meanwhile, he was appointed as an officer of the Eastern Market Office, the head of the institution managing markets of Sakyo in Kyoto. It is presumed that this appointment was due to the Nawa clan's familiarity with trading. In 1335, Kinmune SAIONJI conspired with the remnants of the Hojo clan to overthrow the Restoration but they were arrested when the conspiracy was revealed; Nagatoshi sentenced Kinmune to death while he was being banished to Izumo Province. In addition, Nagatoshi opposed Takauji ASHIKAGA, who defeated the official agency of the shogunate government in Kyoto in the anti-Shogunate movement, and captured Imperial Prince Morinaga, who had a feud with Godaigo, together with Chikamitsu YUKI.
When Takauji ASHIKAGA deserted the Kenmu Government after suppressing the Nakasendai War in which Tokiyuki HOJO uprose in Shinano Province and temporarily occupied Kamakura, Nagatoshi battled against Takauji, supporting the court with Masashige KUSUNOKI and Yoshisada NITTA, but was defeated by Takauji who entered Kyoto after the Battle of Minatogawa in 1336, and was killed in the battlefield of Sanjo Inokuma.
Buddhist name: Shakua
Graveyard: Choko-ji Temple in Nawa, Daisen-cho, Tottori Prefecture. Hosai-jinja Shrine: He is enshrined as the main enshrined deity in Nawa-jinja Shrine located in Nawa, Daisen-cho, Tottori Prefecture.
As Nagatoshi was the Governor of HOKI province, he was collectively called the 'Three trees and one plant' (three Ki and one Gusa) as one of four meritorious retainers Masashige KUSUNOKI, Chikamitsu YUKI, and Tadaaki CHIGUSA.
He was awarded Senior Third Rank in 1886, and Junior First Rank in 1935. In 1884, Nagayasu NAWA, the descendant of Nagatoshi and a chief priest of Nawa-jinja Shrine in Fukuoka Prefecture, was awarded baron.