Arima Yorinori

Arima Yorinoori (born June 22, 1797 – died April 23, 1844) was the 9th lord of Kurume Domain in Chikugo Province and the 10th head of the Arima family. His father was Arima Yorihashi (1779–1805), and his mother was Tamaseiin (Yoshida family). His adopted father was Arima Yoritaka (1746–1812).

During his lifetime, Yorinoori was conferred the court rank of Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade, and appointed Chamberlain and Captain of the Kazusa Guard in the 7th Year of Bunka (1810). In the 9th Year of Bunka (1812), upon his father’s death, he inherited family headship and was appointed Genbato. As the lord of Kurume Domain, he faced financial difficulties early on and implemented measures such as imposing a temporary tax of 1,192 kan to fund repairs of rivers in the Kantō region. To improve the economic situation, in the 13th Year of Bunka (1816), he ordered cost reductions and rice donations, striving for financial reform.

An avid hobbyist, he used pen names such as "Gessei" and "Suiō," engaging deeply in his personal interests. From 1819 (Bunsei 2), he began constructing the Yanagihara Takataba within Kurume Castle and also held noh performances, which increased financial burdens. In 1823 (Bunsei 6), during a return trip from Edo, he faced a shortage of travel funds and had to seek financial assistance from the village headman.

To rebuild finances, starting from 1824 (Bunsei 7), he promoted government office reorganization and expense-cutting measures. However, from this period onward, frequent floods and poor harvests caused by unseasonable weather worsened the economic situation. In 1825 (Bunsei 8), he completed the Yanagihara Garden and compiled the "Yanagihara Hakkei Shiika" (Poems and Songs of the Eight Views of Yanagihara). He also collected gold for the domain and increased rice allowances, but debts continued to grow.

In 1831 (Tenpō 2), he collected 17,446 ryō in paid silver. Due to continued harsh financial conditions, a peasant uprising involving the Kameō group occurred in 1832 (Tenpō 3). That same year, he established a pottery kiln inside the domain, producing items called "Yanagihara-yaki" (Yanagihara ware).

He was promoted to Vice General of the Left (Sasho) in 1831 (Tenpō 2). In his later years, even during the great flood of 1838 (Tenpō 9), he spent 10,000 ryō on entertaining officials from various provinces, which led to orders for his retainers to increase rice allowances. In 1839 (Tenpō 10), repairs were carried out on the west compound of Edo Castle, and the Yanagihara Takataba was dismantled.

He died in Edo on April 23, 1844 (Tenpō 15) at the age of 48. After his death, his fourth son, Arima Yorinaga, succeeded as head of the family.

Regarding his family, his father was Arima Yorihashi, and his mother was Tamaseiin. His formal wife was Miki-hime, the daughter of Tokugawa Akitada; his concubine was Otsuna. His children included Yorinaga and Yorakatsu. His adopted daughter was Princess Hime, and he also adopted Naokatsu Matsudaira.

A reference work for further reading is "Kurume Jinbutsu-shi" (Kurume Biographical Dictionary), edited by Shoichi Shinohara.