Yamauchi Kazutoyo

Who was Yamauchi Kazutoyo?

Yamauchi Kazutoyo also spelled Yamanouchi, was born the son of Yamanouchi Moritoyo in Owari Province at the end of the Sengoku period of Japan. Kazutoyo held the title of Tosa no kami.

Kazutoyo served under Oda Nobunaga between 1565 to 1582, the year Nobunaga was killed. Kazutoyo fought in the Battle of Anegawa, as well as the Battle of Nagashino. After the death of Nobunaga, Kazutoyo stayed on as a vassal under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In doing so, he was rewarded with a 50,000-koku fief at Kakegawa. In the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Kazutoyo supported Tokugawa Ieyasu, leading more than 2,000 men in that battle, and captured Gifu Castle as a result. As a reward for his achievements, Kazutoyo was given the Tosa Domain. To bring certain unruly warriors of Tosa into line, Kazutoyo called on the assistance of Ii Naomasa, who sent Suzuki Hyoe for this purpose.

Kazutoyo built Kōchi Castle. His life spanned the closing years of the Sengoku period, the Azuchi-Momoyama period, and the beginning of the Edo period.

Just four years after he became Lord of Tosa, Kazutoyo died without issue aged around 60, and was succeeded as Lord of Tosa by his nephew Tadayoshi.