Maeda Narinaga

Maeda Narinaga (前田 斉広) was born on September 5, 1782, in Kanazawa, Japan, and died on August 4, 1824. He was a samurai during the Edo period and served as the 11th daimyō of Kaga Domain, located in the Hokuriku region. He was also the 12th hereditary head of the Kanazawa Maeda clan.

Narinaga was born as Kamemachi (亀万千), later known as Katsumaru (勝丸), and subsequently as Inuchiyo (犬千代). He was the second son of Maeda Shigemichi. After Shigemichi's retirement from his position as daimyō, Narinaga was adopted by his uncle, Maeda Harunaga, in 1795 to serve as heir. In 1796, he was brought to Edo, where he was introduced to the shogunate authorities.

In 1797, Narinaga received a formal audience with Shōgun Tokugawa Ienari. During this occasion, he was granted a kanji from Ienari's name, adopting the name Maeda Narinaga. His formal recognition as daimyō occurred after Maeda Harunaga's retirement in 1802; however, Harunaga continued to control the domain until his death in 1810.

Narinaga was initially married to an adopted daughter of Tokugawa Munechika of Owari Domain. He later remarried a daughter of Takatsukasa Masahiro, the Kampaku (regent). During his rule, he attempted some political reforms, which are characterized by limited initiative. In 1822, he transferred control of the domain to his son, Maeda Nariyasu, and died two years later at the age of 43.

Family details include his father Maeda Shigemichi and his mother Tenrin’in. His adoptive father was Maeda Harunaga. Narinaga's wives were Matsudaira Kotohime, daughter of Matsudaira Yoshimasa, and Takatsukasa Takako (1787–1870). His concubines included Oyae no Kata (later Eiyou’in), Tosei’in, and Osato no Kata (later Gekkoin).

He fathered several children, notably:

- Naohime (1809–1825), betrothed to Ogasawara Tadaakira through Oyae no Kata.

- Maeda Nariyasu, by Oyae no Kata.

- Atsuhime (1813–1852), who married Matsudaira Katataka.

- Yuuhime (1813–1875), married Maeda Toshinaka.

- Hirohime (1815–1856), married Ogasawara Tadaakira.

- Takamejiro (1817–1825), by Oyae no Kata.

- Ikuhime (1818–1829), betrothed to Takatsukasa Sukehiro.

- Takahime (1818–1831), betrothed to Arima Yorito.

- Suzuhime (1819–1835), married Honda Masaharu.

- Tamesaburo (1819–1819), by Osato no Kata.

- Tsuguhime (1819–1823), twins with Suzuhime, by Oyae no Kata.

- Nobunosuke (1821–1834), also by Oyae no Kata.

References to Narinaga's life include Edmond Papinot's "Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan" (1948). Additional information about Kaga Domain can be found on the "Edo 300 HTML" website, a Japanese-language resource.