Tosa Domain

The was a domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1601 to 1871.
The Tosa Domain was based at Kōchi Castle in Tosa Province, in the modern city of Kōchi, located on the island of Shikoku. The Tosa Domain was ruled for its existence by the "tozama daimyō" of the Yamauchi and its territory covered Tosa Province. Many people from the domain played important roles in events of the late Edo period including Nakahama Manjirō, Sakamoto Ryōma, Yui Mitsue, Gotō Shōjirō, Itagaki Taisuke, Nakae Chōmin, and Takechi Hanpeita. The Tosa Domain was renamed the during the early Meiji period until it was dissolved in the abolition of the han system in 1871 and became Kōchi Prefecture.
History.
Around 1400, Tosa Province was controlled by the Hosokawa clan, associates of the Ashikaga "shōguns".
By the 16th century, Tosa Province was a base of the Chōsokabe clan, which briefly controlled the entire island of Shikoku under Chōsokabe Motochika from 1583 until he was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the Invasion of Shikoku in 1585. Motochika fought for Hideyoshi in the Kyushu Campaign and the invasions of Korea. The next "daimyō" Chōsokabe Morichika joined the pro-Toyotomi Western Army at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, and was subsequently removed from Tosa by the victorious Tokugawa Ieyasu, who granted the domain to Yamauchi Kazutoyo. The Chōsokabe's retainers were mutinous, while Tosa peasants feared increased exploitation under the new lord and many fled across to the neighboring domains. Kazutoyo came in with only 158 mounted men, and had to petition the new government of the Tokugawa shogunate for help in pacifying his new domain. This was achieved by "ruse and violence ... Two boatloads containing 273 heads were sent to Tokugawa headquarters to demonstrate Yamauchi efficiency, and another 73 dissidents were crucified on the beach."