Sakai clan

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The Sakai clan (酒井氏, Sakai-shi^?) was a Japanese clan branching off from the Matsudaira clan. Due to this fact, the Sakai served the Matsudaira as senior vassals throughout the Sengoku Period. The Sakai soon on became chief retainers under Tokugawa Ieyasu, and split into many different branches in the subsequent decades.

The Sakai of Shonai han (Dewa Province, 170,000 koku) were prominent in the late Edo period as a military power. Charged with the safety of Edo, they were patrons of the Shinchogumi police force, and were very effective in their duties. Following the surrender of Edo, the Sakai withdrew and returned north to their domain, where they were active in the northern theater of the Boshin War, as well as becoming signatories to the pact that created the Ouetsu Reppan Domei in 1868.