Omori Morinaga (大森盛長)
Morinaga Hikoshichi OMORI was a busho (Japanese military commander) of Seiwa-Genji (Minamoto clan) in the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan). He was the lord of Tobesho Seri-jo Castle in Iyo Province. He was the ninth generation as a descendent of MINAMOTO no Yorichika, who was the ancestor of Yamato-Genji (Minamoto clan). He was the fifth generation as a descendent of MINAMOTO no Chikaharu (Chikaharu UNO). He lived in present-day Tobe town in Ehime Prefecture and was described as a central character in a grotesque story of "Taiheiki" (The Record of the Great Peace).
Summary
There is a legend that, in 1336 in the Battle of Minato-gawa River, he killed Masashige KUSUNOKI, a great commander on the court's side, but this is uncertain. As an incentive award for the battle, he was given Sanuki Province (present-day Kagawa Prefecture). His group was called Iyo Omori clan and was prosperous in Bizen Province, Iyo Province, Inaba Province, and Izumo Province.
In 1340, the situation reversed due to the control of Shikoku by Yoshisuke WAKIYA (Yoshisada NITTA's younger brother) of the court's side, but the situation reversed again due to the invasion by Yoriharu HOSOKAWA of the samurai side. As a result, he was awarded the additional 2000 kan (a unit for the fields, which was determined on the basis of the yields and did not depend on the areas) of hunting fields in Tobe Nakayama.
There is a legend that, on the way to Konren-ji Temple in Masaki-mura in Kamusakigo (present-day Masaki Cho, Iyo County, Ehime Prefecture), he encountered "Kijo" (an ogress), an incarnation of a vengeful spirit of Masashige KUSUNOKI, at Yatori-gawa River that ran through the hamlet of Shigemitsu ("Taiheiki"). This story was made into a dance drama in the Edo period, and a historical drama called "Omori Hikoshichi" created by Ochi FUKUCHI was performed in the Meiji period as a specialty of new kabuki.
Moriyori OMORI, the descendant of Morinaga OMORI, entered Ogawa-mura, Kazahaya District, Iyo Province. His grandson Moriyasu OMORI was appointed as shoya (village headman) in Ogawa-mura in 1592. Over 300 years and ten generations thereafter, until the shoya system was discontinued in the Meiji period, the shoya Omori family in Ogawa-mura had continued without interruption ("Hikoshichi OMORI- a remarkable person in Iyo" by Naka KIMURA).
After the Omori family was abandoned, ancient documents from the period of domain duties to the early Meiji period were found in the underlining of the remaining Fusuma (Japanese sliding door). By the process of spraying folding screens of the Omori family with water, taking off sheets on the screens one by one, and drying them to read, a wanted poster of Shinpei ETO during the Saga War was found in the underlining of the folding screen.
Derived Stories
Taiheiki, Iwamoto Edition, Vol. 23, Hikoshichi OMORI
Taiheiki, Kanda Edition, Vol. 24, Vengeful spirit of Masashige KUSUNOKI appeals for ken (sword of sharpened two edges)
On the basis of these two stories, various grotesque stories have derived. Since these books are readily available, details of them are omitted herein, while stories of Hikoshichi OMORI in local areas, which are not readily available, will be described.
Yoshu Ozu ryo okaechi kokinshu
Once upon a time, when a salt salesman was taking a nap, a dragon appeared from the deep water, trying to swallow the man. There was a basket containing a sword having the same value as the salt, and the sword came right out of basket by itself and chased his dragon. Hikoshichi OMORI happened to passed by the man and came to know that the sword had a soul, and he ordered his retainer to obtain the sword, ended up possessing the sword. Accordingly, people call the place shiourifuchi (salt sales deep water).
Ditto
When Hikoshichi OMORI happened to pass by the bank of Yatori-gawa River, a beautiful woman came out of the Jizo-do Hall and told him to make her pass the river; so he carried her on his back and as he reached the middle of the river, he felt like he was carrying a huge rock; the surface of the water reflected an ogre. Suddenly, the ogre grabbed Hikoshichi and rose up to the sky. While the surprised retainer kept watching the situation, Hikoshichi said that a mountain appeared upside down, thereby calling it Mt. Sakazura, and as the water reflected the shape of the ogre, the river was called Kagami-gawa River.
Ozu Kyuki (The old record of Ozu), Shimoaso Village
Once upon a time, Buddha appeared with light on a mountain, thereby the mountain was called Mt. Raigo-yama. The mountain was also called Mt. Shakatsura-yama. It was eventually called Mt. Sakatsura-yama. Hikoshichi OMORI was grabbed by a specter and was held up into the sky, seeing the view upside down, calling the mountain Mt. Sakatsura-yama; however, as there already existed Mt. Raigo-yama, this mountain was erroneously called Mt. Shakatsura-yama.
Ditto Aso Village
There was a hollow place where a demon lived.
At Hikoshichi OMORI's residence, a specter appeared and
There was a place called Kokanezaka, where beautiful women supposedly showed up. Kagami-gawa River meant Yatori-gawa River. A beautiful woman became an ogre reflected on the water and thus was found. Hikoshichi was given a few territories in Daisho, which were called Tobesho Matsumae. The stage was Matsumae Konren-ji Temple.
Ditto Mitsuno Village
The Hannya-kyo Sutra at Ishigamiyama Komyo-ji Temple, which was read by Omori when a grotesque event happened, was adopted as a volume of Hannya-kyo Sutra.
Ditto Kamikarakawa Village
Inari Gosha Daimyojin Shrine
Territory in Shirataki Senri yada (Senri was home to the residence of Hikoshichi OMORI).
The sword which Hikoshichi asked the salt salesman to give in was enshrined in this shrine after effectively killing the specter; the left hall enshrining the sword was called hokenden. In the Oei era, a specter with three legs appeared in Seri-jo Castle; a Shinto priest Kuramochi dayu played a string in front of the god, thereby clearing out the specter.
Ditto Mannen Village
Omori was a huntsman in mountains in Doshu.
Ditto Gohonmatsu Village
There were fields of flowers owned by Hikoshichi OMORI two cho (approximately 218m) away from shoya (village headman). There used to grow Toranoozakura (cherry blossoms). The tree died down forty years later, while people telling various old grotesque stories.
Ditto Ohira Village
A mountain called Mine showed a fire every night. It was publicly called the fire of gold. When Seri-jo Castle fell, a gold chausu (tea grinding mortar) was buried.
Yoyo Seisuiki (Rise and Fall of Yoyo)
Hikoshichi Morinaga OMORI lived in Kume County. A person named Morinaga survived deep in Tosa and spent every night in mountains; he hunted deers, monkeys, and rabbits to make a living, being strong and fearless forever.
Iyo Onkoroku Konren-ji Temple
There was a huge stone in front of the hall, and the stone had a sign of Hikoshichi Morinaga OMORI.
Ditto Tagamiyama Hosho-ji Temple
The temple was destroyed by fire in the Bunsei era. Under the circumstances, a set of Kacchu (armor and helmet) placed by Hikoshichi OMORI survived the fire.
Ditto Seri-jo Castle, Shironushi Shrine
Seri-jo Castle was located in Senri, Kawanobori Village, where Hikoshichi Morinaga OMORI lived. Later, Hiraoka Minbu no jo (the third officer of tax and urban improvement department) lived. In the south of the castle, there was a chaya (tea house) built by Morinaga.
Shironushi Shrine was located in Senri, Kawanobori Village, where Hikoshichi OMORI and his relatives were enshrined. Omori's descendants had become the lord of Seri-jo Castle generation by generation; however they were defeated by the Hiraoka clan in Ebara, and built the shrine on February 18, 1480 when the castle fell.
Iyo Kosekishi
A residence with five pine trees became abandoned, and Nichihiko Shichinomiya Shrine and the old residence of Morinaga OMORI remained.