Toda Tadato (戸田忠寛)

Tadato TODA (October 17, 1739 - March 14, 1801) was a daimyo (feudal lord) in the middle of the Edo period. His common name was Kajuro. He was the ninth family head of the Tahara-Toda family of the Toda clan. He was the 20th descendent of the Toda clan. His official court rank and position was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), Jiju (a chamberlain), and Inaba no Kuni no kami (Governor of Inaba Province). He was the second lord of Shimabara Domain, Hizen Province, and the first lord of Utsunomiya Domain of Shimotsuke Province. He was the seventh family head of the Toda family of Utsunomiya Domain.

He was born as the fourth son of Tadami TODA, the fifth family head of the Toda family of Utsunomiya Domain and as the 18th descendent of the Toda clan. His legal wife was a daughter of Masayoshi HONDA. His children were Tadanaka TODA (the oldest son), Tadakiyo TANAKA (the second son) and a daughter (Naosuke NAGAI's legal wife). His adopted daughters were Tadataka TODA's legal wife (Tadamitsu TODA's daughter) and Naokata HORI's legal wife (Toshitsune KINOSHITA's daughter).

When he inherited the family estate, he served in a variety of high-ranking government posts, including Osaka jodai (the keeper of Osaka-jo Castle) and Kyoto shoshidai (The Kyoto deputy).

Biography
Because of the premature mortality of the son of his older brother, Tadamitsu TODA, Tadato became the heir on June, 1754. On August, the same year, he inherited the territories to become the lord of Shimabara Domain, Hizen Province and was given the status of Jugoinoge Inaba no kami. The following year, in 1756, he returned to his castellany for the first time.

In 1770, he became Sojaban (an official in charge of the ceremonies). In 1774, he was transferred to Utsunomiya Domain in Shimotsuke Province and resided in the Utsunomiya-jo Castle. He borrowed 5,000 ryo (currency unit) from Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) to build a castle, appointed to jisha-bugyo (magistrate of temples and shrines) in 1776, and then in October, 1782, he also served additional position as Osaka jodai.

In the same year, he was transferred to Kawachi and Harima Provinces and on June, 1784, he was appointed as Kyoto Shoshidai and Jiju. In October, the same year, he was transferred to Kawachi and Settsu Provinces and in January, 1788, he resigned the post of Shoshidai and was transferred to his old territory, Utsunomiya Domain. In that year, although Tadato dealt with a lawsuit between merchants in Fushimi, Kyoto, his dealings were considered insufficient and he was prohibited from attending the Imperial Court.

Soon he was excused from it then resigned the service and retired on August 3, 1798. He passed away on February 13, 1801. Died at the age of 63. His grave was located in Eigen-ji Temple, Utsunomiya. His posthumous Buddhist name was Reihoinden Kihozentoku Daikoji.

[Original Japanese]