Kobori Masamichi (小堀政方)
Masamichi KOBORI (1742 - October 23, 1803) was the sixth (the last) lord of Omi Komuro Domain. His father was the fifth lord, Masamine KOBORI (Masamichi was the seventh son). His mother was Shinjuin. His lawful wife was a daughter of Yasuchika MAKINO. His official court rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade) of Bicchu Province and Izumi Province. His go (pen name) was Munetomo.
He was born in 1742, in Fushimi. His original name was Masaya. His father died in January 1761, and he took over as head of the family on March 13. During the time of Okitsugu TANUMA, he participated in shogunate government as pro-Tanuma group, and successively worked in important post such as Oban gashira (captains of the great guards) and Fushimi bugyo. However in 1785, 7 people including Kusuke MONJU, the ex-machi-doshiyori (ward head) of Fushimi, appealed directly about Masamichi's villainy. Moreover, it was revealed that Masamichi illegally collected goyokin (the money the Edo bakufu charged temporarily on farmers and merchants) as much as 110,000 ryo in total due to the clan's financial problems and his own spending and he was dismissed on January 26, 1786. Kusuke MONJU died in prison (Fushimi Riot).
Next year Okitsugu TANUMA was overthrown, and Sadanobu MATSUDAIRA, anti-Tanuma group, purged Masamichi as pro-Tanuma group. June 9, 1788 he was deprived from official of his post and forfeited the territories by the reason of illegality during his office of Fushimi bugyo. His son, Masato KOBORI, was also deprived from official of his post and forfeited the territories.
In 1828, Masayasu KOBORI, Masamichi's nephew, was awarded with 300 bales and Kobori Family was restored as hatamoto (direct retainers of the bakufu, which is a form of Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun).
He died on October 23, 1803 at the age of 62. Hogo (a Buddhist name): Shuzenan. Graveyard: Kotoku-ji Temple in Sakuradai, Nerima Ward, Tokyo.
In Enshu's Tea Ceremony, the sixth iemoto (the head family of a school) was Masahisa KOBORI (Soen KOBORI), who was a son of Koreaki KOBORI who was a descendant of Masaharu KOBORI who was a younger brother of Masakazu KOBORI, and an adopted son of Masamine, while Masamichi was the seventh iemoto.