🤩❤🥰【GO to KASHII Campaign】 "The Two Kashii Families: Shiiyama and Sekiya"
In addition to the Shiiyama Kashii family, the current masters of the mountain, there is the Sekiya Kashii family, and both 'Kashii families' claim to be the main line.
From the Sengoku period to the early Edo period, there was only one Kashii family at Shiiyama Castle, but a major incident involving the split of the family occurred on March 22, the 9th year of Kan'ei.
According to the 'Kashii Family Picture Diary,' on the sunny day of March 22, the 9th year of Kan'ei, the then-head of the Kashii family, Sanemomi Kashii, and his eldest son, Saneta, said,
Let's take rice balls and sake and go enjoy the cherry blossoms.
It is recorded that they said, 'Let's take some rice balls and sake and go enjoy the cherry blossoms.'
They took a few of their favorite retainers to go cherry blossom viewing by the river in Sekiya, and it is noted that the head of the family, Sanemomi, was particularly excited, wearing armor and a helmet, and even dressing as a woman to dance and frolic.
However, the second son, Sanetsugu, who had woken up late, was furious, his face turning bright red and tears streaming down his face, because his father Sanemomi and older brother Saneta had left him behind to go play.
Why would you go cherry blossom viewing without me? Father, Brother, since it has come to this, I will never let you cross the threshold of Kashii Castle again.
He went mad and made it so they could not return to the castle.
It is written that by the time the excited head of the family, Sanemomi, and his eldest son, Saneta, realized what had happened, the second son, Sanetsugu, had already fortified Kashii Castle with soldiers.
However, when night fell, the head of the family, Sanemomi, still dressed as a woman, secretly begged his second son, Sanetsugu, for forgiveness because he was 'cold' and wanted to go home, and he returned to Kashii Castle.
Not only that, but it is recorded that the very next day, he was threatened by the second son Sanetsugu's faction and abdicated, handing over the family headship to the second son, Sanetsugu.
Meanwhile, many of those who served the eldest son, Saneta, who had been left behind in Sekiya—the original legitimate successor—left the castle and headed to Sekiya.
Then, wearing the armor and swords that those serving Saneta had brought out, on May 22, the 9th year of Kan'ei, Saneta Kashii raised an army to recapture Kashii Castle.
The Saneta army initially struggled with the siege, but fueled by their anger, especially toward his father Sanemomi, everyone raised their voices, and the anger was so intense that the fall of the castle seemed imminent 10 days later.
However, on the very day the castle was expected to fall, a messenger arrived on horseback with news:
It seems this new Shogun, Iemitsu, is a dangerous man who will ruthlessly 'abolish houses' if there is any trouble like a succession dispute, and just the other day, even the child of Kato Kiyomasa was stripped of his rank.
Upon receiving this information, even though the second son, Sanetsugu, was already sobbing and the former head, Sanemomi, had sent a messenger saying, 'Please, just forgive me,' it is recorded in the 'Main Line Kashii Family Picture Diary' that they could not let the castle fall in order to protect the 10,000 koku of Kashii.
Saneta had no choice but to return to Sekiya, and while calling himself the 'Main Line,' that lineage has continued to the present day as the 'Sekiya Kashii family.' On the other hand, the 'Original Kashii Family Picture Diary' of the Shiiyama Kashii family states,
We counterattacked the rebel Saneta and chased him back to Sekiya while he was crying.
It is written that 'We counterattacked the rebel Saneta and chased him back to Sekiya while he was crying.'
The Shiiyama and Sekiya factions are still on very bad terms, and if you accidentally mention which one you prefer or which helmet looks cooler, you might incur unexpected resentment, so it is best to exercise extreme caution when sightseeing.
