Mōri

The Mōri clan (毛利氏) is a clan that has existed since the Heian period in Japan. They survived the Warring States period and are still active to this day.

The three stars in their family crest references the central part of Orion's constellation, commonly known in the west as Orion's Belt. In Chinese culture, these three stars represent three generals. This particular aspect of mythology carried over in Japan, in which the general group of stars was known as the "warrior's star". The single character that graces the three stars is believed to symbolize the ancient Mōri clan's founder, who was said to have been Emperor Heizei's bastard child and a lost candidate as the land's imperial prince. It remains as a lasting mark of the Mōri's ties to royalty.

Omodaga, also known as "Victory Grass" (勝ち草) in the Warring States period, was considered a good luck charm and was favored by soldiers since the early Heian era. The Mōri are said to use it due to a far-fetched yet interesting tale regarding Motonari. One year, while he was at war, he crossed a river. He stopped to watch a dragonfly land on a flowering omodaga and admired the beautiful sight. While he watched them and felt moved by the simple joys in nature, he happened to see a breech in the enemy lines. Motonari ordered his troops to advance and they claimed a resounding victory. Hence, the omodaga was said to have been assigned a code of arms in their clan.

Clan Heads
This list only includes the immediate ancestors of the Mōri branch and doesn't list previous leaders from the Ōeno family.
 * 1) Ōeno Hiromoto
 * 2) Ōeno Suemitsu (Mōri Suemitsu)
 * 3) Tsunemitsu
 * 4) Tokichika
 * 5) Chikahira
 * 6) Motoharu (Motochika)
 * 7) Hirofusa
 * 8) Mitsufusa
 * 9) Hiromoto (unknown~1464)
 * 10) Toyomoto
 * 11) Hiromoto (1466~1506)
 * 12) Okimoto
 * 13) Kōmatsumaru - Okimoto's only heir; died when he was nine
 * 14) Motonari
 * 15) Takamoto
 * 16) Terumoto
 * 17) Hidenari
 * 18) Tsunahiro
 * 19) Yoshinari
 * 20) Yoshihiro
 * 21) Yoshimoto
 * 22) Munehiro
 * 23) Shigetaka
 * 24) Haruchika
 * 25) Narifusa
 * 26) Narihiro
 * 27) Narimoto
 * 28) Naritō
 * 29) Takachika (Yoshichika)
 * 30) Motonori (Sadahiro)
 * 31) Motoakira
 * 32) Motomichi
 * 33) Motohiro
 * 34) Motohide (present; also called the 72nd head of the family if every ancestor is included)

Motohide is currently married and he owns the Mōri residence in Yamaguchi. He is usually seen as a representative in traditional ceremonies and is reported to have met the current Shimazu head, Nobuhisa, in person.

Other Figures

 * Aiō Mototsuna - Hiromoto's third son, Okimoto and Motonari's younger half brother. Said to have carried the nickname "Ima Yoshitsune" and was fabled to be on good terms with Motonari. When Kōmatsumaru died, Mototsuna planned to use his daughter-in-law as a means to gain leadership of the clan. He died while reportedly planning to assassinate Motonari, supposedly being killed by the latter before his plans could come to pass.
 * Kita Narikatsu - Hiromoto's fourth son, Okimoto and Motonari's younger half brother. Due to his mother's low status, he became a priest at Jorakuji. Eventually, he returned to a secular life and was introduced into the Kita clan, family vassals of the Mōri. Since Narikatsu had no children, Motonari was going to offer his second son to his brother. However, the child was ultimately sent to the Kikkawa family to compensate Kikkawa Okitsune's abolishment. Narikatsu died without leaving behind an heir.
 * Misuke Motoshige - Hiromoto's fifth known son, Okimoto and Motonari's half brother. He is quoted from shrines and other sources to have existed, but it remains unclear if he was born before or after Motonari. Two popular beliefs regarding his origin is that he is either a bastard child or Hiromoto's grandson. Not much is currently known about him.
 * Kikkawa Motoharu (Mōri Motoharu)- Motonari's second son. Was said to have had mixed impressions with his father, receiving both praise and doubts about his capabilities. He didn't like his adopted father, Kikkawa Tsuneyo, but was willing to help his younger brother, Takakage, at any opportunity. He served with commendable services for both families before retiring to build his stone mansion.
 * Kobayakawa Takakage (Mōri Tokujumaru) - Motonari's third son who was adopted into the Kobayakawa family at an early age. After Motonari passed away, he and Motoharu were responsible for Terumoto's upbringing. Takakage was particularly harsh and the more strict guardian of the two. Although he could have been severely punished for his actions, Terumoto appreciated him and saw him as his father figure. He had no children but adopted two, one of which includes Kobayakawa Hideaki.
 * Hoida Motokiyo (Mōri Motokiyo) - Motonari's fourth son. Since Motonari already had three sons of noble lineage, he was said to have handled the rest of his children rather roughly. Motokiyo was born when his father was 50, and he was hastily married away to the Hoida family to strengthen their naval forces. Even though he was pushed into the background, he served bravely in many of his family's campaigns. Terumoto grew fond of his son, Hidemoto, and established them once more with the Mōri name.
 * Sugimori Motoaki (Mōri Motoaki) - Motonari's fifth son. To vitalize his ties with the childless Sugimori Takayasu, Motonari assigned Motoaki to be his vassal's adopted child. When Motonari's ties with Takayasu disappeared during the Izumo campaigns, he was then renamed under his biological family name.
 * Izuha Mototomo - Motonari's sixth son who was adopted by the then childless Izuha Motosuke at an early age. Motosuke planned to make him his successor but Mototomo died a premature death at age 17. Motosuke mourned his passing and enshrined him under his family name with utmost respect.
 * Amano Motomasa (Mōri Motomasa) - Motonari's seventh son who was said to have been a proud warrior and faithful to his father, even if he was a sloppy dresser. He was sent to the Amano clan at an early age to quell disputes regarding a family successor. He participated in several battles including Siege of Kōzuki Castle and The Battle of Sekigahara. Eventually reestablished himself under the Mōri name and started the Migita-Mōri clan.
 * Suetsugu Motoyasu (Mōri Motoyasu) - Motonari's eighth son. Inherits Motoaki's castle after his older brother's death. Prior to the Sekigahara conflict, he decided to leave Hidemoto to his own fate and lead a group of followers to join the Siege of Ōtsu Castle. Returned to Osaka Castle and died in 1601.
 * Kobayakawa Fusamoto (Ota Mototsuna or Mōri Hidekane) - Motonari's ninth son. First adopted into the Ota clan but was later adopted by his older brother, Takakage. He was sent to Hideyoshi as a hostage and gained the Hidekane name. Appealed to Terumoto to join forces with Hideyoshi after the Komaki-Nagakute conflicts. Assisting in the Kyushu conflict, he married Ōtomo Sōrin's daughter and converted to Christianity. His baptized name was Simao Findenao. Participated in the Siege of Ōtsu Castle and resisted with the Tachibana family until their surrender. To disassociate himself from Hideaki's betrayal, he adopted the Mōri name once more. He died due to illness in 1601.
 * Ninomiya Naritoki - Motonari's illegitimate child (though some speculate that this is only a rumor).
 * Hidemoto - Motokiyo's son and Terumoto's adopted son. He is best known for his indecisiveness and inability to act at Sekigahara.

Ladies

 * Fukubara Hirotoshi's daughter - Hiromoto's first wife, Okimoto and Motonari's mother
 * Sugi no Ōkata - Hiromoto's second wife. Little is known about her but Motonari thought fondly of her loyalty to his father.
 * Takahashi Hisamitsu's daughter - Okimoto's wife
 * Myōgyu Fujin - Kikkawa Kunitsune's daughter, Motonari's first wife. Gave birth to Yōsetsu no Kata, Takamoto, Gōryu no Tsubone, Motoharu, and Takakage. Motonari and his first three sons seemed to have loved her as they unabashedly held funeral rites for her and mourned for her.
 * Nomi no Ōkata - Motonari's second wife (also said to be his concubine), her real name is unknown. Gave birth to Motokiyo, Motomasa and Hidekane.
 * unknown maiden from Miyoshi clan - Motonari's concubine. Gave birth to Motoaki, Mototomo, and Motoyasu.
 * unknown maiden from Yada clan - Motonari's possible concubine. Ninomiya Naritoki's mother.
 * Yōsetsu no Kata - Motonari's tenth child, eldest daughter
 * Gōryu no Tsubone - Motonari's eleventh child, youngest daughter
 * Takehime - Terumoto's daughter, Kikkawa Hiromasa's wife

Eighteen Generals of Mōri
The Eighteen Generals of Mōri (毛利十八将) were individuals who were praised and distinguished during Motonari's rule. While it's unlikely that they were called as such during their lifetimes, they were indeed important vassals for the Mōri family.
 * 1) Kobayakawa Takakage
 * 2) Kikkawa Motoharu (Mōri Motoharu)
 * 3) Shishido Takaie
 * 4) Amano Takashige
 * 5) Yoshimi Masayori
 * 6) Kodama Naritada
 * 7) Katsura Motozumi
 * 8) Fukubara Sadatoshi
 * 9) Kuchiba Michiyoshi
 * 10) Shiji Hiroyoshi
 * 11) Akagawa Motoyasu
 * 12) Awaya Motohide
 * 13) Watanabe Hajime
 * 14) Kumanai Nobunao
 * 15) Kunishi Motosuke
 * 16) Awaya Motochika
 * 17) Iida Motochika
 * 18) Inoue Motokane

Other Vassals

 * Asonuma Hirohide
 * Asonuma Motohide
 * Awaya Motomichi
 * Fukubara Mototoshi
 * Ichikawa Tsuneyoshi
 * Kaneshige Motoshige
 * Kaneshige Motonao
 * Kaneshige Mototsugu
 * Kikkawa Motonaga
 * Kikkawa Motokage
 * Kikkawa Tsuneie
 * Kikkawa Tsuneyasu
 * Kikkawa Hiroie
 * Kuchiba Haruyoshi
 * Saka Motosada
 * Shigezawa Motoshige (Mōri Motoshige)
 * Kobayakawa Hidekane (Mōri Hidekane)
 * Sugimori Motoaki (Mōri Motoaki)
 * Sugimori Motoyori
 * Shiji Motoyasu
 * Shishido Mototsugu
 * Shimizu Muneharu
 * Katsura Hirozumi
 * Katsura Hirotada
 * Kumagai Takanao
 * Kumagai Motonao
 * Katada Motoyoshi
 * Sugihara Morishige
 * Nomi Munekatsu
 * Kawamura Shigeyoshi
 * Miura Mototoda
 * Hiroga Hirosuke
 * Hiroga Motosuke
 * Matsuda Fujikane
 * Matsuda Motonaga
 * Kunishi Motosuke
 * Iinoe Harutada
 * Kodama Narikata
 * Sawa Takahide
 * Yoshimi Hiroyoshi
 * Takanoyama Michitsugu
 * Yamanouchi Takamichi
 * Minakata Narimasa
 * Nakahara Senzaemon
 * Ankokuji Ekei
 * Hirosa Narimutsu
 * Watanabe Kayō
 * Watanabe Suguru

Castles
These list represents the castles that Motonari ruled at one point during his time of power. They are separated by province name.


 * Aki
 * Ishidakōriyama Castle, Tajihisarukage Castle, Mibu Castle, Funayama Castle, Nagamiyama Castle, Miiratayama Castle, Tokunoyama Castle, Yaki Castle, Koi Castle, Satōkanayama Castle, Sakuraō Castle, Miyao Castle, Kusatsu Castle


 * Bingo
 * Takayama Castle, Niitakayama Castle, Mihara Castle, Hatagaeshi Castle (also known as Miyoshi Castle or Nitta Castle)


 * Bitchū
 * Takamatsu Castle, Takamatsuyama Castle


 * Buzen
 * Moji Castle, Matsuyama Castle


 * Chikuzen
 * Tachibanayama Castle


 * Harima
 * Kōzuki Castle


 * Iwami
 * Yamabuki Castle, Fukumitsu Castle, Nanao Castle, Tsuwano Castle


 * Izumo
 * Gassantoda Castle, Mitoyama Castle, Arawai Castle


 * Nagato
 * Katsuyama Castle


 * Suō
 * Kōnomine Castle


 * Tottori
 * Tottori Castle