Hachinohe Domain (八戸藩, Hachinohe-han) was a tozama feudal domain of Edo period Japan[1] It is located in Mutsu Province, in northern Honshū. The domain was centered at Hachinohe Castle, located in the center of what is now the city of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture.
On the death of the 2nd daimyō of Morioka Domain, Nanbu Shigenao while under house arrest in Edo, the Tokugawa shogunate intervened in the succession and by order of Shōgun Tokugawa Ietsuna divided the 100,000 koku domain into Morioka Domain (80,000 koku) and Hachinohe Domain (20,000 koku). Hachinohe Domain thus had a somewhat ambiguous status in that it is sometimes regarded as a sub-domain of Morioka Domain although it had not been created by the Nanbu clan. It was also subject to the normal sankin kotai regulations, and was allowed to maintain a castle (which was normally permitted only to independent domains).
During official investigations into the untimely deaths of its first two daimyō. Morioka Domain insisted that Hachinohe was not part of their territory and therefore not their responsibility. Furthermore, in 1812, when the domain's residence in Edo burned down, and the 10th daimyō of Morioka Domain, Nanbu Toshitaka, refused to assist with its rebuilding, citing the "independence" of Hachinohe.
In July 1871, with the abolition of the han system, Hachinohe Domain became Hachinohe Prefecture, and was merged into the newly created Aomori Prefecture in September 1871.
Nanbu Naofusa (南部直房, 1628-September 30, 1668) was the 1st daimyō of Hachinohe Domain. He was the 7th son of Nanbu Toshinao, the 1st daimyō of Morioka Domain, and was originally named Nakasato Naiyoshi (中里直好). In 1664, his elder brother, Nanbu Shigenao (the 2nd daimyō of Morioka Domain) died while under house arrest in Edo without an heir. The Tokugawa shogunate decided to divide the 100,000 koku Morioka Domain into two parts, with 20,000 koku forming a domain based at Hachinohe Castle under Nanbu Naofusa.[2] His courtesy title was Saemon-no-suke, and his Court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. He died four years later at age 41 under circumstances so suspicious that the shogunate sent investigators. The investigators could find no proof that Morioka Domain was involved; and Morioka Domain strongly contended at the time that Hachinohe was not a subsidiary, but was completely independent and therefore not their responsibility.
Nanbu Naomasa (南部直政, June 2, 1661-April 15, 1699) was the 2nd daimyō of Hachinohe Domain. He was the eldest son of Nanbu Naofusa and became daimyō in 1668 at age 7 on the death of his father.[2] His courtesy title was Tōtōmi-no-kami, and his Court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade. In 1672, an agreement on borders was made with Morioka Domain. Naomasa was noted as a scholar; however a series of crop failures due to inclement weather occurred in the Enpō era (1673-1680) caused economic problems for the domain, which was compounded by the expenses needed for sankin-kōtai, which was imposed on the domain by the Tokugawa shogunate in recognition of its “independent” status. He served as a sobayōnin (側用人) in the shogunal administration in 1688 and 1689.[2] As of 1695, the first survey was made of Hachinohe Domain, which recorded a population of 58,507[2] He died in 1699 at age 39. As with his father, he was possibly poisoned by agents from Morioka Domain, although this was never proven. His wife was a daughter of Nanbu Yukinobu. His grave is at the temple of Konchi-in in Minato, Tokyo.