Momi Norinari (籾井教業)
Norinari MOMI (1527 - 1576) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the Sengoku period (period of warring states) in Tanba Province. He excelled at the martial arts as much as Naomasa AKAI (called the 'Red ogre of Tanba') and it has been said that he was called the 'Blue orge,' but his existence is uncertain.
The Momi clan was an emerging gozoku (local ruling family) who occupied the Sasayama basin in Taki-gun, Tanba Province and expanded its power of influence there in the 16th century. They resided in Momi Castle (located in the present-day Sasayama City area), which was located in a key spot near the Sasayama basin along the Sanin-do Road, a road which ran from Kyoto through Tanba to the Sanin region in ancient and medieval times. Norinari had marital relationships with the Hatano clan in Yagami Castle (within Sasayama City) which controlled the center of the Sasayama basin, and worked for Yoshiaki ASHIKAGA as the Hatamoto (direct retainer of the shogun) busho (warlord).
After Nobunaga ODA ousted Yoshiaki, he began to subdue several busho (warlords) in Tanba who opposed him, and instructed Mitsuhide AKECHI to govern Tanba in 1575. Momi Castle, serving as a gateway to Tanba, was heavily attacked by Akechi's forces, and collapsed in autumn of the following year, resulting in the downfall of the Momi clan. The final castellan of Momi Castle was Tsunatoshi MOMI, who was still in his twenties at the time of his position.
Conventional knowledge holds, however, that the last castellan of Momi Castle was Norinari MOMI, and he was a courageous warrior called the Blue ogre. It is believed that he died in war, because Momi Castle was destroyed by an attack from Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI rather than Mitsuhide AKECHI. However, this story is based on the "Momi-ke nikki" (Diary of Momi Family), as well as other sources etc. that may have been personally written by the descendents of former retainers of the Hatano clan and the Momi clan who survived as civilians through the Edo era, and may not be considered as historically accurate.