The was a prominent samurai clan of Japan's Sengoku period. The most famous member of the clan is likely Kikkawa Motoharu (1530-1586), one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's generals, who was adopted into the family. Along with the Kobayakawa clan, the Kikkawa played an important role in Hideyoshi's KyÃ
«shÃ
« Campaign (1586-7), and later became daimyÃ
 in Izumo Province and Iwakuni after that.
Origins
The founder of the clan, Kikkawa Tsuneyoshi (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂ義), was a son of Irie Kageyoshi (Ã¥Â
¥æ±ÂæÂ¯ç¾©). The Irie clan descends through the KudÃ
 clan from the Southern House of the Fujiwara clan.
The family takes the name from a place called Kikkawa in Irie no sho domain, in Suruga province. Tsuneyoshi distinguished himself in the search and seizure of Kajiwara Kagetoki and gained a territory in Fukui no sho, in Harima Province. He then distinguished himself in the Jokyu War and became the jito of Oasa no sho in Aki Province.
In 1550, Kikkawa Okitsune was murdered by a conspiracy of Mori Motonari, and the main branch of the Kikkawa clan was destroyed. Motoharu, the second son of Mori Motonari received Okitsune's name and estates.
Clan Heads
- Kikkawa Tsuneyoshi (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂ義, 1132âÂÂ1193), son of Irie Kageyoshi (Ã¥Â
¥æ±ÂæÂ¯ç¾©), founder of the clan.
- Kikkawa Tomokane (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂÃ¥ÂÂÃ¥Â
¼, 1159âÂÂ1200)
- Kikkawa Tomotsune (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂæÂÂçµÂ, 1182âÂÂ1240)
- Kikkawa Tsunemitsu (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂÃ¥Â
Â, 1192âÂÂ1267)
- Kikkawa Tsunetaka (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂé«Â, 1234âÂÂ1319)
- Kikkawa Tsunemori (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂçÂÂ, 1290âÂÂ1358)
- Kikkawa Tsuneaki (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂç§Â, ? âÂÂ1383)
- Kikkawa Tsunemi (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂè¦Â, ? âÂÂ1435)
- Kikkawa Tsunenobu (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂä¿¡, 1396âÂÂ1456)
- Kikkawa Yukitsune (Ã¥ÂÂå·Âä¹ÂçµÂ, 1415âÂÂ1477)
- Kikkawa Tsunemoto (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂåº, 1428âÂÂ1520)
- Kikkawa Kunitsune (Ã¥ÂÂå·Âå½çµÂ, 1443âÂÂ1531), his daughter married MÃ
Âri Motonari.
- Kikkawa Mototsune (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂÃ¥Â
ÂçµÂ, 1459âÂÂ1522), he married the daughter of MÃ
Âri Hiromoto and sister of MÃ
Âri Motonari.
- Kikkawa Okitsune (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂèÂÂçµÂ, 1508âÂÂ1550), his mother was the daughter of MÃ
Âri Hiromoto and sister of MÃ
Âri Motonari.
- Kikkawa Motoharu (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂÃ¥Â
ÂæÂÂ¥, 1530âÂÂ1586), second son of MÃ
Âri Motonari.
- Kikkawa Motonaga (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂÃ¥Â
Âé·, 1548âÂÂ1587)
- Kikkawa Hiroie (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂåºÂå®¶, 1561âÂÂ1625)
- Kikkawa Hiromasa (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂåºÂæÂ£, 1601âÂÂ1666)
- Kikkawa Hiroyoshi (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂåºÂÃ¥ÂÂ, 1621âÂÂ1679)
- Kikkawa Hironori (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂåºÂç´Â, 1658âÂÂ1696)
- Kikkawa Hiromichi (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂåºÂéµ, 1695âÂÂ1715)
- Kikkawa Tsunenaga (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂæ°¸, 1714âÂÂ1764)
- Kikkawa Tsunetomo (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂå«, 1764âÂÂ1803)
- Kikkawa Tsunetada (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂå¿ , 1766âÂÂ1803)
- Kikkawa Tsunekata (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂè³¢, 1791âÂÂ1807)
- Kikkawa Tsunehiro (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂ礼, 1793âÂÂ1837)
- Kikkawa Tsunekira (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂç« , 1794âÂÂ1844)
- Kikkawa Tsunemasa (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂå¹¹, 1829âÂÂ1867)
- Kikkawa Tsunetake (Ã¥ÂÂå·ÂçµÂÃ¥ÂÂ¥, 1855âÂÂ1909)
Clan members of note
References
- Frederic, Louis (2002). "Japan Encyclopedia." Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
- Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.