Background
Katsushige Itakura born in the province of Mikawa in 1545.
板倉 勝重
Katsushige Itakura born in the province of Mikawa in 1545.
Itakura Katsushige entered the priesthood at an early age, taking the religious name Koyo Sotetsu. In 1586 he was appointed machi-bugyo, or chief administrative official, of the city of Sumpu, enjoying the confidence of Ieyasu, and when Ieyasu took up residence in Edo, he appointed Katsushige as machi-bugyo of Edo and at the same time made him Kanto-gundai, or overseer of Ieyasu’s lands in the Kanto region.
In 1601 he was transferred to the post of shoshidai in Kyoto, his duties being to keep watch on the imperial court and the region around the capital. He continued in the post for twenty years, distinguishing himself by his capability and strict adherence to the law. He received a stipend of over 16,000 koku and was given the title of Iga-no-kami.
He retired in favor of his son, Shigemune, and went to live in Horikawa, Kyoto (1620).