Masakage was originally a rônin, who entered the service of the [[Satake clan]] of Kubota when his more educated and cultivated older brother, [[Umezu Noritada]], was appointed [[Satake Yoshinobu|Satake Yoshinobu's]] tea server. After successfully eliminating a treasonous ''[[karo|karô]]'' (domain elder) at Yoshinobu's orders, he was elevated in status to one of the daimyô's closest advisors, and soon afterwards was named in [[1612]] administrator over the domain's mines. | Masakage was originally a rônin, who entered the service of the [[Satake clan]] of Kubota when his more educated and cultivated older brother, [[Umezu Noritada]], was appointed [[Satake Yoshinobu|Satake Yoshinobu's]] tea server. After successfully eliminating a treasonous ''[[karo|karô]]'' (domain elder) at Yoshinobu's orders, he was elevated in status to one of the daimyô's closest advisors, and soon afterwards was named in [[1612]] administrator over the domain's mines. |