Okudono Jinya

Overview

Okudono Jinya is a historical site associated with the Tokugawa clan, and was once the seat of the Okudono clan. The Okudono Matsudaira family's history began when Matsuhira Shinji was granted 3,000 koku (a unit of land measurement) for his contributions to the Battle of Osaka and established a jinya in Daikyu (Toyota City). During the second generation, Noritsugu, the clan's holdings increased to 16,000 koku, and the jinya was completed in Okudono in 1707 (Hoei 4), leading to the fourth generation, Norimasa, relocating there. It remained the center of the Okudono clan until 1863 (Bunkyu 3), when the clan head moved the administrative base to Ryuko Castle in Tanoguchi Village, Saku District, Shinano Province (present-day Saku City, Nagano Prefecture). The last clan head, Matsudaira Norimori (who changed his name to Daikyu Tsune after the Meiji Restoration), is known for his dedication to the establishment of the Hakuaisha (predecessor to the Japanese Red Cross Society). After the abolition of the feudal system, the former palace, government offices, study hall, stables, and riding grounds were relocated or demolished, leaving the jinya site (Okudono-cho, Okazaki City) mostly as farmland. A study hall, previously part of the Kuri (abbot's quarters) of Ryokkeiin Temple, a Soto Zen Buddhist temple in Kuwahara-cho, Okazaki City, was relocated to the site and reopened on April 20, 1985, as "Okudono Jinya." Today, it's part of the Murazumiyama Natural Park, and features a study hall, a Japanese garden, restaurants, and a tourist farm. The graves of successive clan heads and earthworks remain behind the main site. It was also a filming location for the NHK's morning drama "Junjo Kirari." It is selected as one of Okazaki's "Kirari 100" sightseeing spots.