▕ Bloody Ending

Although there is no record of the bloody end of the incident in our library's collection, we have some documents of the government's disciplinary actions for the incident. This is a transcription of the government's announcement of Munekatsu and Muneyoshi's punishment. The government declares that the previous disorder in the family and the recent misbehavior of Harada Kai are blamed on the two guardians' carelessness. Munekatsu was sent to Tosa Kochi and his son Ichimasa Muneoki to Chikugo Ogura, and both were detained. Muneyoshi was sentenced to domiciliary confinement.

Transcription of the document in which the government informs Matsudaira Mutsunokami (Daté Tsunamoto, later Tsunamune) of his punishment. The government states that Mutsunokami is not to be blamed because he is too young and the incident has been caused by his guardians and house elders. The government also declares the end of the guardianship as Mutsunokami has become of his age. This document tells how each article was transmitted, with Sekai Tadakiyo being responsible for the second article.

Letter from grown-up Daté Tsunamura to Okuyama Tsunetoki. Although the precise date is unknown, it was written after 1674 (Empo 2) when Tsunetoki retired and changed his name to Oi. Tsunamura writes about himself and his father Tsunamune, and expresses his concern for Tsunetoki, presenting him with a kimono. Although Tsunetoki stepped down from the center stage of the domain's politics after his resignation as a magistrate, this letter tells how he continued to interact closely with Tsunamura afterward.

One of the notes written by Okuyama Tsunetoki about the Rokkajo Problem. It describes the situation from about June to December 1662 (Kambun 2). Although largely based on Tsunetoki's perspective, this recollection tells the responses of the parties involved in the Rokkajo Problem. The part shown in this image describes Tsunetoki's visit to Daté Munekatsu in Ichinoseki. Tsunetoki was determined to take action for resolution and visited Munekatsu before going to Edo to ask him about his thoughts on the matter.

'In 1699 (Genroku 12), 28 years after the bloody affair, the Sendai domain had to check the map before the dispute while making a map of its land. Then the older map proved that the boundary between the Toda and Monou district was as Muneshige claimed, leading the domain to revise the decision made in 1669 (Kambun 9). The Wakuya-Daté family was greatly pleased with the revision of the boundary and compiled a record of the dispute. Its introduction shows the Wakuya-Daté family's recognition of the dispute.

Needless to say, the change of the boundary between Monou and Toda affected the Toyoma-Daté family’s land as well. This is a petition by officers of the Kita, Okubo, and Fukuda villages neighboring yachi(*1). They requested the continuing right of "kusakai" (right to collect grass and trees) on Fukaya, which was on the west of yachi(*1) and became a part of the Toda district. To assert their right, they are explaining the process of the dispute over yachi(*1)  and kusakai.

Nishiki-e(*2) by Utagawa Kunisada III (Utagawa Kunimasa IV). They depict the famous scenes from the kabuki(*3) play "Meiboku Sendai Hagi," based on the Daté House Factional Dispute. The play was written by Nagawa Kamesuke and was performed in Osaka in 1777 (Anei 6), depicting the dispute in the context of Oshu in the Kamakura period.

[Notes]

*2 nishiki-e: Colored woodblock prints.

*3 kabuki: A form of theater that was popular in the Edo period.

“Daté Kurabe Okuni Kabuki” describes the plot of the Daté House Factional Dispute in the Muromachi period setting. It was written by Sakurada Jisuke and Kasanui Sensuke, and first performed in Edo in 1778 (Anei 7). This nishiki-e(*2) by Utagawa Hiroshige depicts the last climax scene of the play, where Niki Danjo slashes Watanabe Gekizaemon.

Gokan(*4) of kabuki(*3) and joruri(*5) play “Daté Kurabe Okuni Kabuki.” Its text is by the playwright Santei Shumba and illustrations by Ichiransai Kunitsuna. The part shown in this image is the front cover of each of the first and second volumes. The first volume gorgeously depicts Tsunamune and the prostitute Takao.

Notes

*4: gokan: A book that combines several volumes into one.

*5: joruri: Puppet theater accompanied by shamisen music.

Nishiki-e(*2) of the kabuki(*3) play,  “Hototogisu Daté no Kikigaki,” illustrated by Toyohara Kunichika. This scene is known as "Okugoten no Ba," depicting the parting between Kamechiyo’s nanny Asaoka and her son Chiyomatsu. The play was written by Kawatake Mokuami and was first performed in 1876 (Meiji 9). Also called “Jitsuroku Sendai Hagi” meaning a documentary story, it is set in the context of the actual incident and the names of the characters are taken from the actual people involved.

Documentary story of the Daté House Factional Dispute. It was not published in the Edo period but was circulated in manuscripts and lent-out copies. The part shown in this image is a letter from Munesuke and Munekatsu to their chief vassals. It tells about Tsunamune’s misbehaviors but its contents are completely false. Although it was intended to be a documentary story, it contains fictitious settings and fake documents, which influence the understanding and image of the incident.

Documentary story of the Daté House Factional Dispute. Although the precise date of publication is unknown, it is supposed to be published in the Meiji period. It consists of three volumes. Unlike manuscripts, it has a large number of illustrations. The part shown in this image is the scene where the chief vassals are holding a council, summoned by the letter from Munesuke and Munekatsu informing them of Tsunamune’s misbehaviors.

Gokan(*4) written by the playwright Shinoda Senka II and illustrated by Utagawa Kunisada III (Utagawa Kunimasa IV). Gokan is a type of kusazoshi(*6) that was popular from the late Edo period to the beginning of the modern era. The part shown in this image is the front cover of each volume and depicts a tense scene where Harada Munesuke slashes Daté Muneshige.

[Note]

*6 kusazoshi: A type of popular fiction book with illustrations published in the Edo period.

Gokan(*4) edited by Sekine Takasuke and illustrated by Utagawa Kunisada III (Utagawa Kunimasa IV). Among other similar books, only this book illustrates Hachiya Roku-Zaemon, who slashed each other with Harada Kai and later died from serious wounds during the actual incident.

Gokan(*4) edited by Onishi Shonosuke, the book wholesaler in Tokyo. This is the scene in which Itakura Naizennokami Shigemune, the government’s chief vassal, informs Kamechiyo and Katakura Kojuro of the Daté house's relief after the bloody affair. Although different from the historical facts, the story reaches its epilogue, symbolizing the end of the dispute and the future of the Sendai domain.

Map of Okubo village, Monou district (Higashi Matsushima City, Miyagi Prefecture). Its style is similar to the one in the Bunsei era (1818-1830) in the late Edo period. By the change of the boundary in the Genroku era (1688-1704), the western boundary of the village on this map was set along the mountains, which had been set much further west in the Kambun era (1661-1673).