Inaba Michito (稲葉道通)
Michito INABA (1570 - January 29, 1608) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the Sengoku period (period of Warring State). The second lord of the Ise Iwate Domain in the early Edo period. The first lord of the Ise Tamaru Domain. His father was Shigemichi INABA (Michito was the fifth son). His mother was the daughter of Jochu YOSHIDA. He was the grandson of Ittetsu INABA. He used names of Shigeichi and Michishige. His common name was Kanemon. His official court rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). Sakon no Kurodo (Chamberlain of the left).
When the oldest brother Toshisada MAKIMURA (the adopted son of Masatomo MAKIMURA) died in 1593 and the son of Toshisada, Ushinosuke MAKIMURA, was very young, Michito took over as the lord of the Iwate domain and governed an estate of 20,300 koku. In 1594, since he performed well in the construction of Fushimi Castle, he was given an additional territory of 5,700 koku and the surname of Toyotomi from Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI. He was invested with a rank by Hideyoshi.
He joined the East squad at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and fought against Yoshitaka KUKI (the West squad) along with Mitsuyoshi WAKEBE and Nobutaka TOMITA. Michito was on bad terms with Yoshitaka and they had been arguing over the taxes for the maritime transport of lumbers. After the battle, Michito was granted an additional 20,000 koku for his excellent performance at the battle. He was moved to Ise Tamaru and became the lord of the domain there governing the estate of 45,700 koku. However, Michito did not let Ushinosuke, the son of late older brother Toshisada, take over as the head of the family even when he turned 15 years old and Michito attempted to let his own son Norimichi INABA take over instead; therefore, Ushinosuke began to feel disaffected. Thus, Michito sent an assassin to have Ushinosuke killed.
However, on January 29, 1608, right after the assassination, Michito died in Fushimi. His son Norimichi took over as the head of the family. Grave: Zakke-in Temple in the Myoshin-ji Temple in Kyoto. Died at the age of 38.
Since Michito died about six months after the assassination of Ushinosuke, it is said that he was cursed to death. Incidentally, the Inaba clan was extinguished for the suspicions of a rebellion during the period of Norimichi.