Hayashi Narinaga

Hayashi Hizen-no-kami Narinaga (林 肥前守 就長) was a busho during the Sengoku period, retainer of the Mōri clan and was koku-jin-ryoshu (Ji-samurai) of Southern Bingo Province. He held many jobs including karō (clan elder) serving Mōri Motonari (1497–1571) and Môri Mototoshi mostly in dealings with Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was also a bugyō under Mōri Terumoto. From Hideyoshi he received the title of Hizen-no-kami from him. For some time he worked as a messenger between Hideyoshi and the Mōri. He was bestowed the 5th court rank, junior grade jugoi (従五位). Narinaga received the character "nari, 就" from his lord Mōri Motonari and "naga, 長" from his father Kikuchi Takenaga. He died at the advanced age of 88 years (89 in Japanese years).

Early life and background
Hayashi Narinaga was born 1517 in Doi, Kawajiri. It is not part of Mihara in Bingo Province. His birth year is estimated from his age at death. Narinaga died in 1605 at the age of 89 but in Japanese counting an infant is counted as already one year old at birth. During his younger years he was known as Hayashi Saburozaemon Shigesato. His father is named as Kikuchi Takenaga who was adopted into the Hayashi clan as Hayashi Moku-no-jō Michiaki, his mother is unknown. His father's title of Moku-no-jō (secretary of the Bureau of Carpentry) is passed down in the Hayashi clan for a few generations. Takenaga is likely descended from the powerful Kikuchi clan that had ruled Higo-no-kuni for generations during the Muromachi period. Sometime after the fall of the Kikuchi in Hoki he was taken into the Hayashi family and he changed his name. The Kikuchi had been overthrown by the Otomo of Kyūshū.

His father Kikuchi Takenaga came from the Kikuchi family that were the koku-jin-shu (Ji-samurai) of Hoki Province. Their relationship with the Kikuchi of Higo Province is unclear, but there is a tradition that the father of Takenaga was Kikuchi Takekuni of the Higo line but researchers can see that their lifetimes do not fit. It is more likely that he was a grandson of Takekuni. Certainly the ancestor of the Hayashi clan must have come from Kyūshū to work for the Mōri clan. Some new research has linked the Kikuchi clan descended from Gwisil Jipsa, a refugee from the ancient Korean kingdom of Paekche.

Kikuchi Otohachi is a famous figure from the Kikuchi family of Hoki. He was well known as a "mosho" a strong busho but was killed by Yamanaka Yukimori. They were retainers of the Yukimatsu clan of Izumo Province who in turn were retainers of the powerful Yamana. The Kikuchi lived at Odaka-jō. Amako Clan attacked and took over. Narinaga and his father join the campaign to secede from the Amago Clan. In 1562 Odaka-jo fell to Mori's general, Sugihara Morishige. After this the Yukimatsu for whom the Kikuchi were retainers left to Bingo-no-kuni and Aki-no-kuni to become retainers of the Mori. Some of the Kikuchi left with them such as Kikuchi Takenaga and it seems it was then that he entered the Hayashi clan. The reason why he changed Family name to Hayashi is not clear. There is a record that Hayashi Yajiro in Kawajiri died in 1552. This Hayashi Family had big power in that area. So, there is a story some say that Takenaga married with one of the daughters of that Hayashi family. Narinaga received the character "nari, 就" from his new lord Mōri Motonari and "naga, 長" from his father Kikuchi Takenaga.

Retainer of the Mōri
During 1562, after the fall of Odaka-jo Hayashi Narinaga began working for Mōri Motonari as a karō and Ginzan-bugyo (mining official) at the Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine silver mines. He would work at the silver mines until around 1585.

Siege of Kozuki Castle
The Siege of Kozuki Castle (Kozuki-jo no Tatakai) in Harima Province occurred in 1578, when the army of Mori Terumoto attacked and captured the castle of Kozuki in Harima Province. Terumoto ordered Kobayakawa Takakage to bring men and he showed up with a force 30,000 strong. Hayashi Narinaga and his first son, Hayashi Motoyoshi (who was 21 at the time), were present at the battle and helped bring down the castle. There is a letter of thanks from Mori Terumoto to Narinaga for the work his son did. Kozuki had been taken by Hashiba Hideyoshi the previous year and entrusted to Amago Katsuhisa. When it fell to the Mori, Amago committed hara-kiri. Amago's loyal and heroic general Yamanaka Shikanosuke Yukimori was captured and killed in the battle.

Messenger between Hideyoshi and Mōri
After the Incident at Honnō-ji on June 21, 1582, Hashiba Hideyoshi becomes the most powerful man in Japan. His lord awarded for the work he did as the castellan of Mukaiyama-jō in Gocho-gun, Bingo Province. He would also become castellan of Matsuoka-jō in Kozan-cho, Sera-gun, Bingo Province owned by the Matsuoka Clan. In December, 1583 he was ordered by Hideyoshi to work on communications between him and the Mōri. 1584 Narinaga donated a statue of Mori Motonari sitting down to the Choan-ji of Iwami Ginzan. That satue currently resides at the Mori family house in Bofu, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

Hideyoshi's Kyūshū Campaign (1586-1587)
Hideyoshi was known as Hashiba Chikuzen no Kami Hideyoshi (羽柴 筑前守 秀吉) earlier in his career while Hayashi Narinaga held the title of Hizen-no-kami. Chikuzen Province and Hizen Province were neighbors on the island of Kyūshū.

During the campaign in Chikuzen Province 1586 Hayashi Tosa-no-kami Narinaga won a large victory attacking a castle and Toyotomi Hideyoshi and other daimyo sent him letters of thanks. This means that he was already holding the title of Tosa-no-kami by this time which is an (honorary court office). In 1588 Hayashi Tosa-no-kami is raised to the level where he gets direct orders from Hideyoshi on war strategy in Kyūshū. Either Narinaga was a superior samurai or because he was from the Kikuchi clan who had extensive knowledge of Kyūshū and was very successful. This may be why Hideyoshi picked him out for the strategy of his campaign.

At this time he was bestowed with the Toyotomi name from him as well. The Toyotomi uji was simultaneously granted to a number of Hideyoshi's chosen allies, who adopted the new uji "豊臣朝臣" (Toyotomi no asomi, courtier of Toyotomi).

Interim years
After the Kyūshū Campaign, (Tenshō-16, 7th month) - July 1588 - ordained with the title "Hizen-no-kami". Interestingly this same month Emperor Go-Yōzei visits Toyotomi Hideyoshi's mansion and the Sword Hunt decree is given. It was just a year later in 1591 that Mōri Terumoto was building Hiroshima Castle.

Hideyoshi's Korean Campaign
In 1592 Hideyoshi ordered his troops to go to the war in Korea. He gave Mōri Terumoto a letter and wrote there that he was worried because his friend Hizen-no-kami was old. During April and December 1592 Narinaga once again served as a messenger between Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the Mōri. Finally in 1594 Hayashi Hizen-no-kami came back from Hideyoshi's Korean Invasion and quit all his jobs. He asked Mori Terumoto if he could retire and built a castle Aka-jō (赤城跡). He was 78 years old (a late age) when he retired. The reason he worked so long could be because his son, Hayashi Shima-no-kami Motoyoshi received from Mori Terumoto 2,290 koku of land. This was twice as much as what the Hayashi family had received in Hagi-han. This area was known as Morimitsu. Hayashi Gonuemon the great-grandson of Hayashi Narinaga.

Retirement and death
(Keichō-2, 9th month) - September 1597: While Hizen-no-kami was residing at Aka-jō he rebuilt Hijiri-jinja (Hijiri shrine) which had burned down. Hijiri-jinja was near Aka-jō and Matsuoka-jō. At the front of the shrine one of the two stone dogs is thought to be donated by him. Hijiri-jinja still remains there today. (Keichō-3, 18th day of the 8th month) - September 18, 1598: Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the Taiko died in his Fushimi Castle at the age of 63. 1600 - At this time (after Sekigahara) Matsuoka Castle and Aka Castle was no longer belonging to the Hayashi family. Everyone moved to Hiroshima Castle and Mihara Castle. (Keichō-10, 7th month, 19th day) - 19 July 1605: died at the age of 89. This means 88 in the Western aging system (in Japan a person is one year old at birth).

He held various titles during his life including Yotsugi, Moku-no-jō (secretary of the Bureau of Carpentry) and Tosa-no-kami. He was finally Hizen-no-kami (肥前守) which was his title at death.

The temple sacred to Hayashi Hizen-no-kami Narinaga is (Mannen-ji), It is located at Kue, Aki Province. Only the walls and moat of Aka-jō remain. It is considered as either a Yamashirō (mountain castle - it was 480m/57m) or "residence hall" sort of castle. He built Matsuoka-jo and it was handed down to his first son Hayashi Shima-no-kami Motoyoshi when he built and moved to Aka-jo to retire at old age. His son also held the title of Ju-Goi. Motoyoshi died at 52 years old.

Partners and children
he moved to Nuta and changed his name to Ishibashi.
 * N.N. (main wife)
 * 1st son - Hayashi Shima-no-kami Motoyoshi (林 志摩守 元善, May 1621 - 16 Oct 1708) 1st son
 * N.N. (another woman)
 * Another son - Hayashi Jirōuemon Nagayoshi (林 長由, ? - ?).