Ōta Dōkan

Ota Dokan (太田 道灌, Ōta Dōkan), 1432-1486, was born as Ota Sukenaga (太田 資長) into a daimyo family descending from Minamoto no Yorimasa. In 1457 he built the castle of Edo and in 1458 he took the name Dokan, by which he is mainly known. The castle was chosen as the home of shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1590, and was used as the seat for the government. The site of the castle is now occupied by the imperial palace. Every October 1, Tokyo celebrates its anniversary, in honor of the memory of the founder Ota Dokan.

Among the other monuments built by Dokan are the Hirakawa Shrine, which is celebrated with a festival on April 24-25. The shrine, located on the Edo castle grounds, is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the deity of poetry and scholarship.

Ota Dokan's death poem is as follows:

Kakaru toki sa koso inochi no oshikarame kanete nakimi to omoishirazuba Ota Dokan

Had I not known that I was dead already I would have mourned the loss of my life. (trans. Yoel Hoffmann)