Matsumae Yoshihiro
- Birth: 1550
- Death: 1618
- Other names: Kakizaki Yoshihiro
- Distinction: Ezo warlord, Izu-no-kami
- Japanese: 松前 慶広 (Matsumae Yoshihiro)
Kakizaki Yoshihiro (later, Matsumae Yoshihiro) was the first Edo period lord of Matsumae han.
Already recognized as the lord of the Sonogi area of Ezo province (Hokkaido), he was received in audience by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590 at the Jurakudai and granted the title of Ezo no shima nushi (Lord of the Island[s] of Ezo / Lord of the Island[s] of Barbarians). That same year, he accompanied Hideyoshi in formally receiving and meeting with an Ainu chieftain. The following year, Yoshihiro brought troops to the reduction of Kunoe castle.
In 1592, he traveled to Nagoya castle in Hizen province (Saga prefecture) in connection with Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea. The following year, he received a shuinjo (red-sealed letter) from Hideyoshi.
Upon Hideyoshi's death in 1598, Yoshihiro - up until this point known by the clan name Kakizaki - presented a map of Ezo and a diagram of his lineage to Tokugawa Ieyasu at a formal audience at Osaka castle, declaring his fealty and changing his name to Matsumae. In 1604, Ieyasu granted him a kokuinjô (black-sealed letter) recognizing his loyalty.
Yoshihiro had reportedly many Ainu in his army, and these were well-known for their special poisoned arrows, although it is not known how effective these arrows were in battle, if employed at all.
References
- Gallery labels, Hokkaido Museum.[1]
- Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005