* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Miyoshi Jikkyū
三好実休
Sengoku Leader of the Awa Miyoshi House, Brother of Miyoshi Nagayoshi
Description
Life and Origins
Miyoshi Jikkyū was a warlord of the Sengoku period, born in Daiei 7 (1527) as the second son of Miyoshi Motonaga, a warlord of Awa Province. His Buddhist name was Jikkyū. His elder brother, known as Miyoshi Nagayoshi, was head of the Miyoshi house. In Tenbun 1 (1532), their father Motonaga was driven to suicide through the schemes of Kizawa Nagamasa and Hosokawa Harumoto, and the two brothers, still young, were placed in a serious political position.
Rule over Awa
While his brother Nagayoshi concentrated on seizing control of the Kinai region, centered on Sakai and Kyoto, Jikkyū took charge of administering the Shikoku region, including Awa and Sanuki. In Tenbun 22 (1553), he killed his lord, Hosokawa Ujiyuki, and installed Ujiyuki's son, Hosokawa Saneyuki, thereby gaining complete control of the Awa Hosokawa house. As a result, a dual-leadership system was established: the "main Miyoshi house" under Nagayoshi ruled the Kinai, while the "Awa Miyoshi house" under Jikkyū administered Shikoku and the surrounding provinces. The two worked closely together throughout, becoming the twin pillars that supported the peak of the Miyoshi house.
Tea Culture and Cultural Activities
Jikkyū was not only a warlord but also a renowned connoisseur of tea (sukisha) and tea master. He studied the tea ceremony under Takeno Jōō and associated with the leading tea masters of the day, including Tsuda Sōtatsu, Imai Sōkyū, Kitamuki Dōchin, and Sen no Rikyū. In Yamanoue Sōji's Yamanoue Sōji Ki, Jikkyū is described as "a warrior and a connoisseur of tea," and is recorded as having possessed "as many as fifty famous items," which shows his deep cultural refinement. He is also known for founding Myōkoku-ji in Sakai, and he contributed to the development of warrior culture. Building cultural connections through the tea ceremony complemented the political influence of the Miyoshi house.
The Battle of Kumeda and His Death
On the 5th day of the 3rd month of Eiroku 5 (1562), Jikkyū clashed at Kumeda in Izumi Province (in the vicinity of present-day Kishiwada, Osaka Prefecture) with the combined forces of Hatakeyama Takamasa and the Negoro-shū. In the Battle of Kumeda, the Miyoshi forces struggled, and Jikkyū was killed in action at the young age of 36. The death of Jikkyū, a principal commander, led directly to a decline in the power of the Miyoshi house. Combined with the psychological blow to his brother Nagayoshi, it accelerated the decline of the Miyoshi regime.
Swords and Armor
A sword by Osafune Mitsutada of Bizen, which is said to have been carried by Jikkyū when he was killed in the Battle of Kumeda, came to be called "Jikkyū Mitsutada." It was later treasured by Oda Nobunaga, who favored the works of Mitsutada, but it is said to have been destroyed by fire in the Honnōji Incident.
Later Reputation
Though often overshadowed by his elder brother Nagayoshi, it is said that without Jikkyū, the Miyoshi house would not have achieved its nationwide power. He is also recorded as an important figure in the history of the tea ceremony, and he is regarded as a pioneer among warrior tea masters.
Notable Swords
- Jikkyū Mitsutada (a work of Osafune Mitsutada of Bizen, said to have been worn by him when he was killed at the Battle of Kumeda)