Kitabatake Michishiro

Michikuni Kitabatake (also known as Michishiro), born November 19, 1849 (October 5, 1849, Keian 2) – October 15, 1888 (Meiji 21), was an internal affairs bureaucrat, Shinto priest, and noble from the end of the Edo period through the Meiji era. He served as the appointed Governor of Hyogo Prefecture, held the title of Baron, and was the chief priest of Reizan Shrine. His former surname was Kuga, and his first given name was Koremaro.

Career

He was born as the fourth son of Minister of Interior Kuga Tatenobu. During the tumultuous last years of the Edo period, in the first year of the Meiji era (1868), he was appointed as the first governor of Kashiwazaki Prefecture and was involved in promoting regional education. He also contributed to the founding of the Ojiya School (now Ojiya City Office Ojiya Elementary School). Following the abolition of Kashiwazaki Prefecture, he resigned from his governor position. On April 10, 1869 (Old Calendar: May 21), he was appointed as the governor of Hyogo Prefecture but did not assume the post; he resigned on May 19, 1869 (Old Calendar: June 28) when his term ended.

In March 1870, he entered Osaka Military Academy to deepen his studies. On December 22, 1870 (Old Calendar: February 11), he acquired the status of a life noble. In July 1871, he changed his surname to Kitabatake, a branch of the Murakami Genji family. In December of that year (1872), due to illness, he left the military academy and subsequently served as a third-rank police inspector and an honorary second lieutenant in the army.

In June 1877, he was appointed as a court attendant at the Imperial Palace, serving in duties close to the Imperial family. In July 1884, he was granted the peerage of Baron. In April 1885 (Meiji 18), he became the chief priest of Reizan Shrine, engaging in its rites and administration.

Family and Lineage

His first wife was Tomiko Kitabatake (1864–1881), the third daughter of Marquis Hirohata Tadayoshi. They had a first son, Katsuhiro Kitabatake (1875–1943), and a first daughter, Toyo Kitabatake (1877–1890).

His second wife was Masako Koyama (born around 1862), daughter of Viscount Ishi Yuki. Their children included a second daughter, Takako Otani (born 1882), a third daughter, Fumiko Kusunoki (born 1885), and a fourth daughter, Shige Koeda (born 1887).

References

- Nihon Rekishi Gakkai (Japan Historical Society) ed., “Meiji Restoration Personalities Dictionary,” Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 1981.

- Sakamoto Koremaru, “Kitabatake Michikuni,” Jinja Shinpōsha Editorial, “Shinto Person Names Dictionary,” 1986.

- Successive Governors compilation committee, “New Edition of Japan’s Past Governors,” 1991.

- Kasakai Kan, “Heisei New Family Lineage of Nobles,” Volume 1, Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 1996.

- Hata Ikuhiko, “Comprehensive Dictionary of the Japanese Bureaucracy: 1868–2000,” University of Tokyo Press, 2001.

Other

It is recorded that in 1870 (Meiji 3), the Daijō-kan (Grand Council of State) listed “Kuga Michikuni” among the noble class.