Hosokawa Tadatoshi

Hosokawa Tadatoshi (細川 忠利) was a Japanese samurai daimyō of the early Edo period. He was the head of Kumamoto Domain. He was a patron of the martial artist Miyamoto Musashi.

He married Chiyohime (1597–1649) daughter of Ogasawara Hidemasa and adopted daughter of the second Tokugawa shōgun, Hidetada. His childhood name was Mitsuchiyo (光千代).

Having studied the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū under Ujii Yashiro, Tadatoshi wanted his guest, Musashi, to fight against the sword master of his fief, and see which style was the strongest. But Ujii, despite his full license in Yagyu Shinkage style, could not strike a single blow against him after numerous bouts. Lord Tadatoshi took over, but he too was powerless against Musashi. He said then about Musashi: "I never imagined there could be such a difference in levels of accomplishment!"

In 1637, Tadatoshi and his son Hosokawa Mitsunao joined in the effort to subdue the Shimabara Rebellion, and fought with distinction.

Tadatoshi's grave is in Kumamoto. His grandfather was Hosokawa Fujitaka.

Family

 * Father: Hosokawa Tadaoki
 * Mother: Hosokawa Gracia
 * Wife: Chiyohime (1597–1649)
 * Children:
 * Hosokawa Mitsunao by Chiyohime
 * Fujihime married Matsudaira Tadahiro
 * Hosokawa Munemoto
 * daughter married Ariyoshi Hidenaga
 * Hosokawa Naofusa
 * Nanjo Mototomo (1641–1703)