The Making and Development of the Documents of Feud in the Himeji Domain

Abstract

In July 10, 1751 or the fourth year of the Kan’en Period Kawai-Kageyuzaemon, the chief retainer of the Sakai family in the Himeji Domain, committed suicide after killing Inuzuka-Yūnai and Honda-Minbuzaemon at his home. This incident was recorded in Kiyō-ingo. There were originally three variants of the regional document which were further supplemented and revised into other editions. Chūshin-Kawai-jikki is another record of the incident made independently of Kiyō-ingo. This document must have been written by a local writer because of its rich references to the domain’s places, persons, and traditions. It represented Kawai as a person who cared for the local people so much that he came into collision with Inuzuka and Honda and couldn’t help solving it in such a tragic way. Both Kiyō-ingo and Chūshin-Kawai-jikki provide a glimpse into the way regional events were recorded and revised in early modern times.