Hiroshima Domain

In 1589, Hiroshima Castle was commissioned by Mōri Terumoto, head of the powerful Mōri clan and a member of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Council of Five Elders. In 1591, Terumoto relocated to Hiroshima while it was still under construction, using it as his base to rule his domain covering most of the Chūgoku region. Following the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, the Mōri were forced out of Hiroshima by Tokugawa Ieyasu and relocated their base to Hagi Castle, losing most of their eastern territories. The Hiroshima han (domain) was subsequently established with Fukushima Masanori as its daimyō (feudal lord), covering Aki Province and parts of neighboring Bingo Province. However, nineteen years later, Hiroshima Castle suffered extensive flood damage and Fukushima repaired it in violation of the Tokugawa shogunate's laws on the construction and repair of castles (see buke shohatto). The shogunate then ordered Fukushima to Kawanakajima Domain, and awarded Hiroshima to the Asano clan, who ruled it for the remainder of the Edo period. Under the Tokugawa Kokudaka system for domains the Hiroshima Domain was assessed at 426,500 koku, the sixth-largest domain in Japan, excepting those held by the Tokugawa-Matsudaira dynasty.

In 1871, the Hiroshima Domain was formally dismantled along with all the other domains in Japan following the Meiji Restoration. The introduction of the Fuhanken sanchisei saw the replacement of the provinces and domains with the prefecture system, and territory of the Hiroshima Domain was organized into Hiroshima Prefecture.

1. Mōri Terumoto (1591–1600)*; 1,120,000 koku
2. Fukushima Masanori (1600–1619); 498,223 koku

Asano clan:

1. Asano Nagaakira (1619–1632); 426,500 koku**
2. Asano Mitsuakira (1632–1672)
3. Asano Tsunaakira (1672–1673)
4. Asano Tsunanaga (1673–1708)
5. Asano Yoshinaga (1708–1752)
6. Asano Munetsune (1752–1763)
7. Asano Shigeakira (1763–1799)
8. Asano Narikata (1799–1830)
9. Asano Naritaka (1831–1858)
10. Asano Yoshiteru (1858–1858)
11. Asano Nagamichi (1858–1869)
12. Asano Nagakoto (1869–1871)

*The years listed are those in which the lord occupied Hiroshima castle, not the years of his life. **All of the lords after Asano Nagaakira enjoyed the same 426,500 koku.

• Hiroshima Castle tourist brochure obtained at the castle.