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The[1]Katō clan (加藤氏, Katō-shi) was a samurai and aristocratic clan in Japan. It was said that the Ka in Katō came from the Fujiwara clan of Kaga. Katō Kiyomasa[2] came from the Katō clan, who claimed to be descendants of the Fujiwara-Kitaoji clan. Katō Mitsuyasu and Kamei were descendants of the Fujiwara-Kitaoji clan. The latter two branches became the lords of Ōzu and Minakuchi respectively in the early modern period, and after the Meiji Restoration, both clans were ennobled as viscounts.[3]
Since the [10]Sengoku period, the Kato Mitsuyasu line has been prominent. Katō Mitsuyasu served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was granted the Kai Province of 240,000 koku. His son, Katō Sadayasu, was reduced to 40,000 koku in Mino Province in 1594, and then transferred to the Yonago Domain in 1610, where he received an additional 20,000 koku, totaling 60,000 koku. In 1617, he was transferred to the Ōzu Domain. The domain continued until the abolition of the han system. The last lord, Katō Yasuaki, was appointed as the governor of the Ōzu Domain in June 1869, during the abolition of the han system, and served as the governor until the abolition of the Han system in July 1871.[11]
When he was transferred to Mibu Domain in Shimotsuke Province, he was granted an additional 5,000 koku, and after being returned to Mizuguchi Domain in 1713, the same domain continued to exist until the [16]abolition of the han system. The last daimyō of Minakuchi Domain, Akihisa, was appointed as the governor of Minakuchi Domain in June 1869, and served as the governor of the same domain until the abolition of the han system in July 1871. With the integration of court nobles and daimyo families in the administrative officials on June 17, 1869, the peerage system was established, and the Kato clan was also listed as a peerage as a daimyō clan. When the peerage system became the five peerage system with the enforcement of the Peerage Law on July 7, 1884, he was listed as a viscount August 8, 1884 as a former small han governor.
The incident originated from Nakamura in Aichi District. It is said to be of the lineage of Fujiwara Michinaga (descendant of the Fujiwara Nagatomi's family), but the authenticity of this claim is uncertain. During the Sengoku period, Katō Kiyomasa served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi and eventually rose to become the daimyō of Kumamoto Domain in Higo Province. He also achieved numerous military exploits as a member of the martial faction of the Toyotomi clan. After Hideyoshi's death, he aligned himself with [17]Tokugawa Ieyasu and contributed to the Eastern army in the [18]Battle of Sekigahara, earning him an increase in fief to 520,000 koku and the position of daimyō of Kumamoto Domain after the war.
In 1611, Kiyomasa died and was succeeded by his son, Katō Tadahiro. However, in 1632, he was accused of misconduct by, Tokugawa Iemitsu, and was stripped of his position. The reason was that his eldest son, Katō Mitsuhira, had created a counterfeit letter of rebellion bearing the names and seals of various daimyōs', which caused trouble for other clans' as well. Such actions, which could potentially lead to unrest, were severely scrutinized as they questioned the qualifications of a lord's son. Tadahiro was then given a stipend of 10,000 koku in Dewa Province, and spent the rest of his life there.
Descendants of Katō Tadahiro continued as prominent landowners, and during the Meiji era, Emperor Meiji visited the Katō clan's residence. Katō Setsu, the first married Japanese woman to obtain a Doctor of Science degree, was the granddaughter of the head of the Katō clan at that time.
After the downfall of Katō Kiyomasa, the Katō clan's crest changed from the "Snake's Eye" to the "Katō Clan." This change occurred during the time of Katō Masanori (Chikugo-Katō clan).
Katō clan, 1571-1871 (Fudai)
