Kamakura Mochiuji ki (鎌倉持氏記)
Kamakura Mochiuji ki is a military diary depicting the Eikyo Rebellion and Yuki Battle during the Muromachi period. The sole copy is owned by the National Diet Library.
Summary
According to the okugaki (postscript), a person called Asaba Minbu shoyu (Junior Assistant Minister of Popular Affairs) scribed the book as the last diary of Kamakura kubo (Governor-general of the Kanto region) Mochiuji ASHIKAGA in September 1451. It is assumed that Asaba Minbu shoyu belonged to the same family as Mochiuji's close advisors, Asaba Shimosa no kami (the governor of Shimosa Province).
It records the events of the Eikyo Rebellion and Yuki Battle in Mana (Chinese characters) starting with the dispute between Kamakura kubo Mochiuji ASHIKAGA and Kanto kanrei (shogunal deputy for the Kanto region) Akimitsu UESUGI, and ends with the execution of Mochiuji's remaining children, Shuno and Ano,
The writing is sympathetic to Mochiuji ASHIKAGA compared with the "Eikyo ki" (Yuji Battle Record), written based on the Kamakura Mochiuji ki, but like the Eikyo ki, it finds Mochiuji guilty of causing the Eikyo Rebellion and strongly criticizes Mochiuji's actions that led to the Rebellion as "the acts of a devil".
On the other hand, it praises the Mochiuji-side advisors, Naokane ISSHIKI and Norinao UESUGI, who were related with the author and opposed the Kanto kanrei Uesugi clan, as 'very committed people.'
Related military records
Masaaki KAJIWARA classified the military records related to the Eikyo Rebellion and Yuki Battle into two types, 'those that recorded facts centering on the Eikyo Rebellion' and 'those that were story-like and embellished centering on the Yuki Battle.'
"Kamakura Mochiuji ki" is an example of the first type, and it has become almost definite from the research of Kajiwara and later Riku SATO, that it was the basis of all military records that depict the Eikyo Rebellion and Yuki Battle. The various military records influenced each other and their relationship is not sufficiently clear yet, but the military records that are known to have been directly influenced or strongly affected by "Kamakura Mochiuji ki" are the following.
"Yukisenjo ki" (Yuki Battle Record)
A representative example of a factual military record. See "Eijunki" for more details.
"Record of the Decline of Mochiuji Ashikaga"
Classified as a factual military record. The contents cover the time from discord of the kubo and kanrei to the point when the wet nurses of Shuno and Ano become nuns after the brothers' execution and it is suggested that the Eikyo Rebellion part was based on "Kamakura Mochiuji ki" and the Yuki Battle part was based on "Yukisenjo ki." It was formerly designated as the missing middle volume of "Kamakura Daizoshi" (Military chronicle written during the Muromachi period), but is currently considered as a separate document.
"Yukisenjo bekki"
The first and foremost example of a story-telling military record. The contents begin with Norizane UESUGI becoming a priest after the Eikyo Rebellion and ends with the wet nurses of Shuno and Ano becoming nuns, suggesting an influence by "Yukisenjo ki" and "Eikyo ki." The okugaki describes it as a copy of the diary of Yuki clan Karo (chief retainer) Mizutani Nyudo in September 1451.