PDA

View Full Version : Sasaki family.



fifthchamber
14th December 2001, 16:47
Hello all,
I am asking for any informtion at all regarding the descendants or family of Sasaki Shiro Takatsuna. (Involved most famously in the Ujigawa race in the 12th century Genpei wars)
I would appreciate anything on the man himself or on his line of descent. I am aware that he was the fourth son of five and was awarded areas in Omi, and Kyushu by Yoritomo...And that the Kyushu line became famous under another name but details are lacking for me at present.
Any help is appreciated.
My thanks.

shugyosha
26th December 2001, 12:46
i know very few about his family but i have read the book on musashi by kenji tokitsu, the most complete book i have found for now.
so, sasaki life seems to be not realy known as there are very few official record on him in japan.
accord differents official japan sources (quote in tokitsu book)
sasaki was 17 when he fight against musashi, or he was 60
(yes i know i looks stupid but in fact his date of birth was unkown)
so many prefer say that he was very young, but tokitsu think i was closer to 60 because he was impossible for him to meet his master so young and been accepted as master of kenjutsu by the a daimyo at this age too.
anyway my memori is not very accurate on his life so the best is to read the book written by Tokitsu

fifthchamber
26th December 2001, 16:46
Hello Jimi,
No, Sorry but the Sasaki that I would like the information on was not an ancestor of 'Sasaki Kojiro' -the founder of the'Ganryu' style of Kenjutsu (alive during the start of the Edo period-1600 to 1868)..The name is identical but is not a direct link to 'Shiro (fourth son of..)Takatsuna' (who lived during the Genpei wars-1180 to 1185!!).
I believe that Sasaki Shiro Takatsuna had land-holdings in Omi, Nagato, Iwami, and Oki, given to him by Minamoto no Yoritomo for his performance during the Gempei wars.
The family already had extensive holdings in Bizen, Aki, Suo, Inaba, Hoki, Izumo, and Hyuga.
Another possible family link is to the Kuroda clan of Kyushu.. The ancestor of the Kuroda clan was Sasaki Genza Hideyoshi, descendant of the Emperor Uda in a direct line through the Omi Genji through to the Clan founder Kuroda Josui Yoshitaka and his son Nagamasa who domnated the Kyushu region.
Sasaki Hideyoshi was the father of Shiro Takatsuna, Taro Sadatsuna (from whom came the Rokkaku and Kyogoku clans), Jiro Tsunetaka, and Saburo Moritsuna.
Anything on any one of these names would be appreciated

Karl Friday
26th December 2001, 17:37
Originally posted by fifthchamber
I am asking for any informtion at all regarding the descendants or family of Sasaki Shiro Takatsuna.

The Sasaki were a relatively prominent warrior house throughout the Kamakura period and beyond. You can find snippets of information on them in several of Jeffrey Mass' books (The Kamakura Bakufu, The Development of Kamakura Rule, Lordship and Inheritance, The Origins of Japan's Medieval World,) and elsewhere. Jeff's books also include sections of translations of many of the documents used in the studies; so you can leaf through these sections for more information. There are also a couple of references to the Sasaki in Hall and Toyoda's Japan in the Muromachi Age anthology. Just check the indexes in any of these sources (and in other books on medieval Japan).

Happy hunting!

fifthchamber
26th December 2001, 17:47
Hello Dr. Friday,
Thanks for the information on the books..I have 'The Bakufu' essays but will search Amazon for the rest.
I appreciate the help.
Domo Arigato Sensei. (In the truest sense of the word!)
Abayo.
(Have a great new year also!)