Mori Masachika (毛利正周)
Masachika MORI (毛利 正周, year of birth unknown - April 24, 1721) was a samurai of the Satsuma domain in the Edo period. He was a flower arrangement expert of Ikenobo school. He was the adopted son of Goemon MORI who was the fourth-generation descendant of Yozaemon MORI, a feudal retainer of the Satsuma domain. In fact, he was the younger brother of Shinemon Morikata YOSHII. He became a disciple of a flower arrangement expert Senyo IKENOBO, and he was initiated into a secret way of tatebana (standing flowers arrangement) and seika (fresh flowers arrangement) and was given two volumes of densho (records of the esoterica). Later, he became the kato (regional head in flower arrangement) of the Kyushu region. He was the great-grandfather of Masanao MORI who was the author of "OISHI Hyoroku Yumemonogatari" (the dream tales of Hyoroku OISHI).
His tsusho (common name) was Rihei while he belonged to the Yoshii family. But after he inherited the head of the Mori clan, his common name was changed into Gonbei and Sakuemon. His imina (personal name) was Yasuyuki while he belonged to the Yoshii family, but after he inherited the head of the Mori clan, it was changed into Masachika. Afterward, he retired and took a second name of Ishun.
His family temple was Nanrin-ji Temple on Mt. Matsubara. His hogo (posthumous Buddhist name) was Kasho-inden Sokushin Ishun-koji (華荘院殿即心為春居士).
He had four sons and one daughter, of whom the second son and the fourth son moved out and set up a new branch family. The second son Masaharu MORI who was also the grandfather of Masanao MORI became a doctor, and the fourth son Masatsune MORI was handed down the skills of kado (flower arrangement) from his father Masachika.
Chronological List of the Main Events
On May 15, 1689, as Genzaemon Shigeyoshi MURAO was dispatched to the Ryukyu Kingdom, Masachika followed Shigeyoshi and went overseas to Ryukyu.
In1695, Masachika went up to Kyoto, and became a disciple of Senyo, IKENOBO the 28th.
In April 1701, Masachika received a diploma for the kato of the Kyushu region.
On February 4, 1712, Masachika retired from the world. He took a second name of Ishun.