Kawai Suno

Bust of Kawai at Himeji Shrine

• Born: 1767/5/24
• Died: 1841/6/24
• Other Names: 川合道臣 (Kawai Michiomi)
• Japanese: 河合 寸翁 (Kawai Sun'ô)

Kawai Sun'ô was a Sakai clan karô and kin'ô ("serve the emperor") adherent. He is known for his roughly 30 years of service to Himeji han, including overseeing significant financial reforms.

Born the son of karô Kawai Munemi in 1767, he was granted the name Michiomi by lord of Himeji Sakai Tadamichi. He succeeded his father to become Sakai karô in 1787, at age 20. In 1808, he was elevated to a leadership (katte) position, and undertook financial reforms in an effort to return the domain government to financial well-being. These efforts included expanding land reclamation for agricultural and salt-making use, establishing a number of workshops for raising silkworms, weaving, and dyeing as well as pottery kilns, and expanding the production and sale of cotton, Higashiyama-yaki pottery, Tatsuyama stone, and ginseng.

In his later years, he took on the name Sun'ô.

References

• "Kawai Sun'ô," Asahi Nihon rekishi jinbutsu jiten, Asahi shinbun.
• "Kawai Sun'ô," Nihon jinmei daijiten, Kodansha.
• "Kawai Sun'ô," Bijutsu jinmei jiten, Shibunkaku.