Katada Domain (堅田藩)
The Katada Domain refers to a domain which existed in Shiga County and Takashima County, Omi Province (present-day Katata, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture). The government building of the domain was Katata Jinya (the residence located in Katata).
The history of the domain
In the Sengoku period (period of warring states), there was Suigunshu (warriors battle in the sea) called Katata Navy in Katata, and Katata was regarded to be an important foothold by Nobunaga ODA who aimed at the unification of Japan with setting Azuchi-jo Castle as headquarter. And, Katata was also prosperous as water transport area.
On April 17, 1698, Masataka HOTTA who was the lord of the Sano Domain in Shimotsuke Province was transferred to Katata with properties bearing 10,000 koku (1 koku was about 180 liter; an old unit showing volume), and as a result, the Katada Domain was established. The administration of the domain was put on a firm basis around during a period from the first lord of the domain, Masataka, to the third lord of the domain, Masanaga HOTTA. The sixth lord of the domain, Masaatsu HOTTA, was the eighth son of Munemura DATE, the lord of the Sendai Domain in Mutsu Province, and due to such relationship, Masaatsu took positions as wakadoshiyori (a managerial position in the Edo bakufu, Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) and fuku-bugyo (vice magistrate) for reconstruction of Yushima Seido (Sacred Hall at Yushima), and also engaged in compilation of "Kansei Choshu Shokafu" (genealogies of vassals in the Edo bakufu). Masaatsu was granted additional properties bearing 3,000 koku in 1806 by such great achievements, and came to possess shoryo (territory) bearing 13,000 koku. In addition, Masaatsu also worked as an assistant of the lord of the Sendai Domain because subsequent lords of the domain were all young. In the administration of the domain, he also made efforts for financial reconstruction of the clan by issuing a thrift ordinance operative for five years.
In May 1825, Masaatsu was appointed to joshu daimyo (governor of castle), but was transferred to Sano again on November 19, 1826, and the Katada Domain was abolished due to this event. Among territories in Katata, territories in Shiga County came to be taken over as outland of the Sano Domain until the end of the Edo period.