Sakai Sadataka (酒井定隆)
Sadataka SAKAI (1435 - May 29, 1522) was a Japanese military commander during the time from the late Muromachi period to the Sengoku period (Period of Warring States), and is believed to be the founder of the Kazusa Sakai clan. It is said that he was originally from Mino Province.
There are various views on the reason why the man from Mino Province moved to Kazusa Province, and it is commonly said that he was a vassal of the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) in Kyoto when he was young. It is assumed that he accompanied Tsuneyori TO from the same hometown, Mino Province, when Tsuneyori went to Shimosa Province next to Kazusa Province to subdue Yasutane CHIBA.
After the defeat of Atsutane, however, his son became the head of the family due to the intervention of Shigeuji ASHIKAGA, the Koga Kubo (the Ashikaga family based in Koga, the Kanto region). The subjugation campaign virtually ended up in failure and the Onin War ruined the bakufu's authority. It is said that Sadataka who saw what happened gave up on the bakufu's future and then became a kyakusho (guest general) of Shigeuji in stead of accompanying Tsuneyori to return. He was later ordered by Shigeuji to suppress the northern Kazusa Province where the Uesugi clan had strong influence, and then entered the Toke-jo Castle in Kazusa Province in 1488. Based in there, he extended power and then occupied the Togane-jo Castle to establish his influence.
He was a fervent believer of Nichiren sect of Buddhism (Kenpon Hokke sect) and it is said that he converted almost all temples in the territory to the Nichiren sect within several years after he suppressed the northern Kazusa Province. Before long, his descendants were divided into the Togane lineage and the Toke lineage, and prosperous with governing the northern Kazusa Province until they were destroyed by Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI.