Utsunomiya Domain

The 100,000 koku Utsunomiya Domain was created for Okudaira Iemasa, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu via his eldest daughter Kame-hime.

However, at the time of the Osaka Campaign Iemasa fell ill, and was ordered to remain behind at Edo Castle, where he died a few days later.

His son, Okudaira Tadamasa was confirmed as daimyō, but was only seven years old, and it was decided that Utsunomiya was too important to be left in his hands.

However, Hidetada bypassed Utsunomiya on his way back to Edo, and Masazumi was soon relieved of office and exiled to Kubota Domain under house arrest.

The reason given was that the Shogun’s investigators had uncovered a plot to assassinate Hidetada using a trap room with a falling ceiling (i.e.

However, on his death, one of his senior retainers, Sugiura Ezaemon, committed junshi, which had been outlawed by the shogunate five years previously.

His son and grandson ruled, until the clan traded places with Matsudaira Tadamasa of Shimabara Domain in Hizen in 1738.

The expenses involved in the change of domains from distant Shimabara meant that the Matsudaira had to press for increased taxes, which led to several peasant revolts, which had to be suppressed by military force.

To add to their woes, Utsunomiya town also suffered from repeated fires, which caused yet more damage and economic issues.