Hosokawa Ujiharu (細川氏春)

Ujiharu HOSOKAWA was a military commander in the period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan). He belonged to the family of Awaji no kuni Shugo (the provincial constable of Awaji Province) of the Hosokawa clan.

Ujiharu was born as a son of Morouji HOSOKAWA. In 1348, Ujiharu inherited the family estate and became Awaji shugo after the death of his father. In 1361, Shogun (the great general) Yoshiakira ASHIKAGA issued an order to track down and kill Kiyouji HOSOKAWA by the false charge of Doyo SASAKI, etc., and after Kiyouji surrendered to the Nancho (old South Court), Ujiharu also surrendered to the Nancho followed him. And in the end of 1361, Ujiharu defeated the Northern Court (Japan) side together with Kiyouji and occupied Kyoto City.

Later, Ujiharu was defeated by backlash of the bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), and moved to Sanuki province by boat with Kiyouji to attempt to raise an army again in 1362, but Kiyouji was killed in battle attacked by Yoriyuki HOSOKAWA who was ordered by the bakufu, and therefore, Ujiharu surrendered and returned to allegiance to the bakufu, and was appointed Awaji shugo again.

After that, Ujiharu fought with the Nancho power in Kawachi province and was successful in military exploits as a military commander standing for the bakufu in 1373. Ujiharu died on October 19, 1387.

Mitsuharu, Ujiharu's son, inherited the shugo family of Awaji province and the family continued for generations as one of powerful branch families of the Hosokawa clan, but was destroyed by the Miyoshi clan in the reign of Hisaharu HOSOKAWA at the beginning of the Sengoku period (the period of warring states) and the family line ended.

[Original Japanese]