Takō

The Takō, also written Takō 多劫, were a cadet branch of the Utsunomiya clan of Shimotsuke. They began in 1248, when Takō Munetomo, seventh son of Utsunomiya Yoritsuna, built Takō Castle in Kawachi District and took his surname from the place; the castle remained the family seat for three hundred and fifty years.

In 1558 their lord Nagatomo held Takō Castle against Uesugi Kenshin, killing the Sano commander Toyotsuna during the siege. The castle also weathered attacks by Hōjō Ujimasa in 1572 and 1584.

In 1590 Takō troops served as Utsunomiya Kunitsuna's deputies in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Odawara campaign. When the Utsunomiya were attainted in 1597 the Takō lost their lands, and some later entered the service of the Matsudaira of Imabari.