Mizunoya Katsumune (水谷勝宗)
Katsumune MIZUNOYA (1623 - April 8, 1689) was the second lord of Bicchu-Matsuyama domain. His father was the first lord, Katsutaka MIZUNOYA (Katsumune was the eldest son). His mother was a daughter of Hirotaka TERAZAWA. His lawful wife was a daughter of Yoshinari AOYAMA. His official court rank was Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade). Sakyo no suke.
His childhood name was Yataro. Katsumune inherited the family estate after the death of his father in 1664. He distributed 2000 koku (crop yields) to his younger brother Katsuyoshi MIZUNOYA at this time. He acted as Shubi (defense) at the Miyazu-jo Castle in Tango Province when Takakuni KYOGOKU's rank was forfeited in 1666. Katsumune was appointed to Fudai daimyo (hereditary vassals to the Tokugawa Family) from Tozama daimyo (non-hereditary one) in 1684 and this made his service in the Edo Castle extremely long, therefore, Katsuyoshi MIZUNOYA, his son, and Yoshitoshi TSURUMI, the chief retainer, took charge of the domain duties for a while. In the domain duties of Katsumune, he made efforts to develop new rice paddies, build water routes, construct a castle town, and other things. Moreover, he renovated the Matsuyama-jo Castle (Bicchu Province) over three years and the existing castle tower, one of the important cultural properties, became what it is today in the period of Katsumune. Katsumune retired and transferred the family estate to Katsuyoshi, his son, in intercalary January of 1689 and died at the Sakurada Residence in March 10 of the same year. Died at the age of 67.