Oda clan

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See also: Iwakura Oda - alternate Oda clan

The Oda clan crest

The Oda clan (織田家) was a family of Japanese daimyo dating back to roughly the 14th century, who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several branches of the family would continue on as daimyo houses until the Meiji Restoration.

1 Origins
2 The Oda in the Edo Era
3 Notable Figures in the Oda Clan
4 Senior Retainer Families
5 Notable Retainers During Nobunaga's Lifetime
6 Clan Castles
7 References

[edit] Origins

Although the truth is unclear, the Oda family in the time of Nobunaga claimed descent from Chikazane, a son of Taira no Shigemori. This claim is at odds with the family's claim prior to Nobunaga, namely, that they were descended from the Fujiwara. The family had its roots in Echizen Province, under the Shiba clan, and moved with them to Owari Province.

The family and its branches were local power figures in Owari for decades until one by one, the branch led by Oda Nobunaga eclipsed the others and unified its control over Owari. Then turning to neighboring rivals, it one by one achieved dominance over the Imagawa, Takeda, Azai, Asakura, and other clans, until Nobunaga held control over central Japan. However, Nobunaga's plans for national domination were thwarted when his vassal Akechi Mitsuhide killed him at Honnoji Temple in the summer of 1582. The Oda remained titular overlords of central Japan for a short time, before being eclipsed by the family of one of Nobunaga's chief generals, Hashiba Hideyoshi.

[edit] The Oda in the Edo Era

Though the Oda were effectively eclipsed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi following Nobunaga's death, it is not often known that the Oda continued to be a presence in Japanese politics. One branch of the family became hatamoto retainers to the Tokugawa shōgun, while other branches became minor daimyō lords. As of the end of the Edo era, these included Tendo han (also known as Takabatake han; Mutsu Province, 20,000 koku), Yanagimoto han (Yamato Province, 10,000 koku), Kaiju han (also known as Shibamura han; Yamato Province, 10,000 koku), and Kaibara han (Tanba Province, 20,000 koku).

The Oda of Tendō han (天童藩), during the reign of the daimyō Nobutoshi, were signatories to the pact that created the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei.