Hosokawa Jozen (細川定禅)

Jozen HOSOKAWA (year of birth unknown - 1339) was a busho (Japanese military commander) during the Kamakura Period through the period of the Northern and Southern Courts. He was a child of Yorisada HOSOKAWA and a younger brother to Akiuji HOSOKAWA.

He was at first betto (administrator of a Buddhist temple) at Wakamiya (the main sanctuary of the sub-shrine) of Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine. Then he started to work for Takauji ASHIKAGA, along with his elder brother, Akiuji, and his cousin, Kazuuji HOSOKAWA. In the Nakasendai War of 1335, he followed Takauji and achieved distinction. He rallied kokujin-shu (powerful families in a province) in Shikoku and Chugoku by Takauji's order. When Takauji raided Kyoto in January 1336, he immediately joined Takauji and made a name for himself. In February 1336, he went to Shikoku again with Akiuji and Kazuuji, in order to rally territorial lords as well as kokujin-shu. In May, he took part in the Battle of Minato-gawa River and performed well. Then he fought against the Southern Court in Kinai region (provinces surrounding Kyoto and Nara) many times, but he disappeared from the historical materials with the last record of August, 1339. Although it is not clear, but a theory holds that he passed away right after August, 1339.

[Original Japanese]