Oda Tomoharu (小田友治)
Tomoharu ODA (1548 - March 3, 1604) was a regional lord and military commander of Hitachi Province who lived from Sengoku period (period of Warring States) into the Edo period. He was the first son of Ujiharu ODA of the main branch of the Oda clan. He was Moriharu ODA's illegitimate brother. He was also known as Sakyo no suke. Tomoharu's other names included Kotaro, Sakon HATTA, and Kian. His wife was the daughter of Haga Hoki no kami (the governor of Hoki province). For sons, he had Yoshiharu ODA, vassal to Hideyori TOYOTOMI, and Tomoshige ODA (the adopted child of Tameaki UTSUNOMIYA).
Though recognized as Ujiharu's son, he was also an illegitimate child, and as such, when Ujiharu concluded his alliance with Ujiyasu HOJO, Tomoharu was sent to the Hojo clan as hostage, eventually becoming a vassal of the Hojo clan; Tomoharu also served as the replacement for Ujinao HOJO. Following the destruction of the Hojo clan in 1590, Tomoharu served Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI and after him, began working for Hidetsugu TOYOTOMI at the rate of 1000 koku. Under the pretense of "going home," Tomoharu went back and forth from the eastern provinces, reporting to Hideyoshi on the movements and circumstances of the eastern daimyo (regional lords), engaging in what could well be described as spying. During Hideyoshi's invasion of Korea, Tomoharu earned distinction as fune bugyo (naval commander), receiving 3100 koku of land in Ako in Harima province and Haneda in Ise province. He renamed the village of Hachimura in Haneda district in Ise province 'Hatta,' also changing his family name to 'Hatta' after his own ancestor's name. When Hidetsugu was stripped of his rank, Tomoharu continued to flee until his excitement wore down, whereupon he was stripped of his samurai status and his territory was confiscated. Through the kind intercession of Yoshiharu HORIO, Tomoharu was able to have an audience with Ieyasu TOKUGAWA in 1598, and worked for a time under Hideyasu YUKI. During the battle of Sekigahara, Tomoharu advanced past (stole a march on) Hideyasu, earning him Ieyasu's displeasure, and when Hideyasu's fief was transferred to Echizen, Tomoharu was hounded to become a vassal of Kamisada (the heir of the Oda clan), Hideyasu's younger brother who was also in service to him, and left the service of the Yuki family. Thereafter, he did indeed rely on his connection to the Oda and Yuki families in order to serve Sadakatsu MATSUDAIRA, but left his service almost immediately, going to live in retirement in Nara; when he moved to Kyoto's Higashiyama district he took the tonsure and became a Buddhist monk, taking "Kian" as his Buddhist name. Tradition holds that he passed away in Kyoto on March 3, 1604. He was 57 years old. His posthumous title was "Nangakuin denmasendo andaikyoshi" (Great Grhapati Masendoan (the polished tiled way of peace) of the South Slope Temple).