The aim of the present paper is to analyze the process by which one family, the Sasaki-Nagatas, took control of transportation points on Lake Biwa during the Japan's late medieval period. The discussion proceeds in terms of the idea of "transportation patterns", a concept for clarifying the formation and substance of inter-regional exchange. Beginning in the sengoku era and continuing into the regime of Oda Nobunaga, the Nagata family was able to control through its extended family ties the major points of water transportation. on the shores of Lake Biwa, including Katsuno 勝野, Funaki 舟木, Sugaura 菅浦, Okushima 奥嶋, Okishima 沖島. There are five reasons why. First, the families main estate, Otowa-no-Sho 音羽荘 in Takashima-gun 高島郡, had functioned from ancient times as the major point of transportation on the Lake. Secondly, the family belonged to the TakaShima-Shichigashira 高島七頭, an alliance of local powerful proprietors (kokujin 国人) based on the Lake's western shore. Thirdly, the family maintained strong ties with the such elite powers of the period as the Muromachi Bakufu, the Rokkaku 六角 family, which was the Bakufu's appointed protector of Omi province, Enryakuji 延暦寺 temple, Oda Nobunaga himself, and Honganji 本願寺 temple. Next, the family aggressively built contacts with the major transporters in Omi Province. Finally, despite all of the above affiations with various influential powers, the family, both its main line and branches, maintained very close internal ties. One very important point is the fact that one branch of the Nagata family became vassals of the Rokkaku family, which enabled the Nagatas to advance to the east end of the Lake and eventually expand its proprietary holdings and base of operations.. Also important is the fact that the branch who became Rokkaku vassals maintained mutual ties with the west end Nagata main family line (who had pledged allegiance to the Bakufu) throughout the Sengoku era. It was this set of circumstances that formed the means by which. the Nagata extended family could control water tranportation points on both the east and west shores of the Lake and thus consolidate its power in the region. It was in this manner that the Nagata family formed a network linking its extended members and various influential groups by means of water transportation on Lake Biwa. As a result, no superior, despotic political power was able to establish a hold on sengoku era Omi Province. Rather, the province was ruled by locally-based holders of proprietary rights (zaichi-ryoshu 在地領主) who were equipped with the ability to negotiate with each other for the purpose of maintaining multi-directional relationships and holding their rivals in check. These characteristics also seem to be Common to such early medieval period zaichi-ryoshu of the Kinai area and western Japan as the Watanabe family of Settsu Province and the Yuasa family of Kii Province, and those who Controlled wider areas of distribution, like the Ship owner/merchant of Ise, Shima Domyo. Therefore, the Nagata family represents a specific type of late medieval jocally based proprietor that expanded its area of influence by aggressive1y exploiting opportunities related to water transportation.

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