Hongo clan

The Hongo kamon.

• Other Names: 都城島津家 (Miyakonojou Shimazu-ke)
• Japanese: 北郷家 (Hongou-ke)

The Hongô clan was a branch family of the Shimazu clan of Satsuma han, descended from the sixth son of Shimazu Tadamune.

Over 120 retainers of the Hongô family participated in the 1609 invasion of Ryûkyû, led by jitô Hongô Shirôemon Hisatake.

During the Edo period, the clan's mansion in Kagoshima was located next to the Ryûkyû-kan, a consulate-like institution where Ryukyuan officials and scholars lived and operated. In 1710, as well as perhaps on other occasions, members of the Miyakonojô Shimazu accompanied the Ryukyuan embassy to Edo on its return journey to Kagoshima.

The Miyakonojô Shimazu also handled cases of Satsuma ships which became shipwrecked along the eastern branch of the Satsuma kaidô (Satsuma Highway).

Prominent Members

• Hongô Hisatake
• Hongô Tadatora
• Hongô Tadayoshi (family head c. 1609)
• Hongô Tokihisa

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005
• Miyakonojô to Ryûkyû ôkoku 都城と琉球王国, Miyakonojô Shimazu Residence (2012), 24-27.