Matsura Shigenobu (1549)

Matsura Shigenobu (Japanese: 松浦鎮信, Tenbun 18 (1549) – Keichō 19, 26th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar (3 July 1614)) was a daimyō who lived from the Sengoku period into the early Edo period. He was the 26th head of the Matsura clan of Hirado. He was the first lord of the Hirado Domain in Hizen Province. His court rank was Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and his title was Hizen no kami.

The name Shigenobu (鎮信) was taken from the character 鎮 (shi) in the name of the Sengoku daimyō Ōtomo Yoshishige, through the practice of heniki.

Life

Shigenobu was the son of Matsura Takanobu. Together with his son Hisanobu (久信), he took part in the Imjin War (壬辰倭亂). He served as the vanguard of the forces of Konishi Yukinaga, took part in several battles, and distinguished himself. After the war, when he returned to Japan, he forcibly took more than 100 Joseon potters with him. Japanese pottery technology advanced greatly because of these Joseon potters. He also opened Hirano Port and devoted himself to trade with foreign countries.

Evaluation

Shigenobu pursued innovation through opening the country, and laid the foundations for the militarization of Japanese imperialism.