Imagawa clan

Imagawa clan (今川氏, Imagawa-uji) was a Japanese noble military clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Kawachi Genji. It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.

Origins

Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the 13th century at Imagawa (Mikawa Province) and took its name.

Imagawa Norikuni (1295–1384) received from his cousin the shogun Ashikaga Takauji the province of Tōtōmi, and later that of Suruga.

Located at

Ounami no Kori, Mikawa (modern day Nishio, Aichi) mainly Suruga Province and Tōtōmi Province during the Warring States period

Crests

• Two hikiryou
• Yoshimoto's version of the akaitori (pictured)
• Two hikiryou and a paulownia planted in white soil

Major figures

Imagawa Sadayo, Ujichika, Yoshimoto, Ujizane

Sengoku era

After the death of Yoshimoto at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, many Imagawa officers defected to other clans. Within a decade the clan had lost all of its land holdings to the Tokugawa and Takeda clans. The Imagawa subsequently became masters of ceremonies in the service of the Tokugawa clan.^[1]

Clan castles

Separated by province name.

• Suruga Province: Imagawa Kan (later known as Sunpu Castle), Shizuhatayama Castle, Mochifune Castle, Tanaka Castle
• Tōtōmi Province: Kakegawa Castle, Takatenjin Castle (ja), Futamada Castle, Inui Castle, Hamamatsu Castle, Utsuyama Castle.
• Mikawa Province: Yoshida Castle, Tahara Castle, Okazaki Castle, Anshō Castle
• Owari Province: Katsukake Castle, Ōtaka Castle, Narumi Castle

Edo period

Imagawa Norinobu, an Imagawa of the late Edo period, was a wakadoshiyori in the Tokugawa administration.

Key genealogies

Suruga

Tōtōmi

Tōtōmi (Horikoshi branch)

Tōtōmi (Sena branch)

Notable retainers

Popular culture

Imagawa is a playable nation in Europa Universalis IV.

Notes

References

• (in Japanese) "Suruga Imagawa-shi" on Harimaya.com (12 July 2008)