Mikami Domain (三上藩)
The Mikami Domain was in Mikami, Yasu-cho, Yasu City, Shiga Prefecture. The government building of the domain was in Mikami jinya (regional government office) (governors of castles).
History of the Domain
The family of lord of the domain was the Endo clan. The Endo clan ruled over the Gujo Domain of the Mino Province, and Tsunehisa ENDO was poisoned to death by his vassal at seven years old, in addition to the recurrence of trouble concerning reigns of the family among vassals; therefore, the Endo clan had its properties confiscated by the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) since Tsunehisa did not have an heir. However, in 1692 in praise of the achievements by Yoshitaka ENDO the original forefather of the domain, Tanechika ENDO was granted 10,000 koku crop yields in Hitachi Province and Shimotsuke Province; thus, the restoration of the Endo clan was accepted. On April 17, 1698, Tanechika was transferred in his territory to four counties of Omi Province, resulting in the establishment of the Mikami Domain.
On February 3, 1853, the fifth lord of the domain Tanenori ENDO (wakadoshiyori) received additional 2,000 koku crop yields in appreciation of his achievement in constructing a castle compound to the west of the main compound of Edo-jo Castle. On June 4, 1860 in the end of the Edo period, he held the status of daimyo (feudal lord) who was allowed to live in a castle. On November 17, 1863, Tanenori retired, and his grandson Taneki ENDO succeeded him. Taneki took office as a magistrate of Kobusho (military training institute), and he played an active part in the Choshu Expeditions. Under the rule of Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA Taneki, appointed as soshaban (officer telling shogun about daimyo who came for greetings), became a close adviser of shogun, and he held onto his standpoint as Sabaku-ha (supporters of the shogun). However, due to this he was regarded as an enemy by the new government, and he had his territory confiscated in January 1868. On July 18 in the same year Taneki was released from the punishment to recover his territory, and on July 31 in the following year he assumed office as governor of the Mikami Domain. Subsequently because Taneki transferred the government building of the domain to Yoshimi of Izumi Province on May 14, 1870, the Mikami Domain continued to exist as the Yoshimi Domain afterwards.
Existing Buildings
Back gate (according to legend) was dismantled and reconstructed in an individual residence in a village of Mikami. Nagahara Goten (palace) was dismantled and reconstructed in shoin (reception room) of Ashiura Kannon-ji Temple in Kusatsu City (important cultural heritage). In 1686 the palace fell into disuse by the order of the bakufu. One of the palaces used by the shogun going to Kyoto. Other palaces includes Kashiwabara Goten, Iba Goten and Minakuchi-jo Castle Goten in Omi region.
Gate (according to legend) was dismantled and reconstructed in Josen-ji Temple in Yasu City.