Nanbu

The Nanbu were a Tōhoku samurai clan claiming Seiwa Genji descent from Kai and named for their Nanbu estates. Founder Mitsuyuki joined Minamoto no Yoritomo at Ishibashiyama, and after the Hiraizumi Fujiwara fell in 1189 won vast Nukanobu in Mutsu, his sons holding horse ranches and growing rich on warhorses.

Motoyuki followed Southern Court general Kitabatake Akiie north, built Ne Castle and moved to Mutsu; a rival branch served the Northern Court. Under Harumasa the Nanbu held seven northern Mutsu districts, but power was scattered among rivals. Their vassal Ōura Tamenobu rebelled in 1572, seized Tsugaru and won Hideyoshi's confirmation in 1590, taking the Tsugaru name as hereditary rival.

Nanbu Nobunao submitted to Hideyoshi at Odawara in 1590 and in 1592 built Morioka castle as his seat. They joined the eastern army at Sekigahara and ruled 100,000-koku Morioka Domain through the Edo period. The old Tsugaru grudge flared in 1821, when a Morioka retainer plotted against the Tsugaru lord.