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mazu family of the Satsuma domain in Now that I have at last had Odawara tightly down. At a later date the letter was cut in
Kyushu, and the Later Hôjô family, who besieged, I control eighty percent of what half along the crease and rejoined so that
controlled the Kanto from their garrison goes on in the provinces, and even sum- both parts are right side up. YK
town of Odawara. After these tremendous moned peasants so that they would follow
victories, he subjugated the other daimyo my strict orders. Since Odawara is the key to 63 Letter
without a fight, thus achieving national the Kanto and to the entire nation, I have to Tokugawa leyasu (1543-1616)
unification and laying the foundation for starve them out, so it will have to take time.
Japan's early modern society. However, as for myself, I will return to hanging scroll; ink on paper
J
This personal letter, written in a Kyoto before the year is over, partly to in- 3O.2 X 51.5 (ll7/8 X 20 /4)
loose, informal cursive (sdsho) by Hide- quire after you and the young prince, so I Edo period, 1615
yoshi, is dated to the first day of the fifth will see you. Please feel at ease. Farewell. Tokyo National Museum
month of 1590, during Hideyoshi's siege of First day of the fifth month. Important Art Object
Odawara Castle, the headquarters of Hôjô
Ujimasa (1538-1590) and his son Ujinao "Dainanko," a dialectical variant of daina- After the death of the military leader To-
(1562-1591), the leaders in the east. Ad- gon (Grand Councilor), refers to Hidenaga, yotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598), Tokugawa
dressing his mother, Tenzuiin (referred to Hideyoshi's half brother. Hidenaga was ill leyasu and his allies defeated a great coali-
in the letter by her title Omandokoro, or in Kyoto that spring but seems to have re- tion of daimyo led by Ishida Mitsunari
mother of the Sesshd (regent, that is Hide- gained his health and returned to his cas- (1560-1600) at Sekigahara in 1600 (cat. 104),
yoshi's mother), Hideyoshi inquires after tle at Yamashiro in Yamato Province (part and in 1603 he was appointed by the em-
her health and reports the military of present-day Nara Prefecture). The first peror Seiitaishdgun (Great General Who
"young prince" refers to Hideyoshi's
situation: Quells the Barbarians), thus formally es-
son, Toyotomi Sutemaru (cat. 51), who was tablishing the Edo shogunate. Passing on
Please, please do not worry about me. I am born in the fifth month of the previous the charge of the shogunate to his son, Hi-
very healthy and am fed well, so I would year. In this one letter two sides of Hidey- detada (1579-1632), in 1605, Tokugawa
like you to feel at ease. I beg you to take a oshi's character are revealed: the inexora- leyasu came to be called Ogosho, an hon-
trip and divert yourself so you will feel ble conquerer, and the affectionate son. orable title for a former shogun or sho-
young. Also, more than anything else I am The paper was originally folded in gun's father. He destroyed Toyotomi
happy to hear that Dainanko is healthy. half along the crease that runs across it. Hideyori (1593-1615), the son of Hideyoshi,
Please tell him to concentrate on his health The letter was begun with the fold under- in the battles at Osaka in the winter of
all the more. neath, then the paper was flipped to con- 1614 and the summer of 1615, and laid the
I am delighted to hear from you again tinue the text on the other side, the fold foundations for the two hundred and fifty
and again. Please do not worry about me. still at the bottom; when the paper was un- years of the Edo shogunate.
folded, one side of the letter was upside

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