An Overwhelming Sight: Hundreds of Stone Lanterns
Walking Through the Legacy of the Mōri Clan at Daishō-in and Tōkō-ji in Hagi
In the previous article, “Inside a Samurai’s Home”, we visited a preserved samurai residence in Hagi.
It is a place where the lives of the samurai who served the Mōri Clan（毛利家） can still be seen in the structure of the house and the traces of daily life that remain.
At the center of those samurai stood the Mōri Clan.
The Mōri ruled Hagi and its surrounding region as hanshu, the heads of the warrior household responsible for governing the domain.
A hanshu can be understood as similar to a regional feudal lord in other historical contexts.
In other words, the Mōri Clan stood at the highest position among the samurai who lived in Hagi.
During this visit, I encountered a sight I will never forget.
It is difficult to convey in words alone, so I hope the photographs that follow will help.
Stone lanterns extending deep into the distance—their scale and arrangement were overwhelming, and I found myself unable to simply walk past them.
These places are Daishō-in（大照院） and Tōkō-ji（東光寺）, temples that have long been maintained as sites for honoring the Mōri Clan.
How did the Mōri come to stand at the center of this region,
and what did their presence mean for the people here?
In the next section, we will look at their history and role.
The Legacy of the Mōri Clan
The Mōri Clan（毛利家） were a daimyō family who ruled the Chūgoku region of western Japan.
The foundation of their power was established by Mōri Motonari（毛利元就, 1497–1571）.
Motonari did not rely on large armies; instead, he emphasized alliances, negotiation, and the strategic use of terrain.
Through this approach, he expanded from a small domain to eventually governing much of the Chūgoku region.
A story that symbolizes Motonari’s approach is the tale of the Three Arrows.
One arrow can be broken easily, but three bound together cannot be broken.
It was a teaching that stressed the importance of unity over division—
not only within the family but also among its retainers and throughout the domain.
This metaphor continues to be referenced in modern times.
More recently, Abe Shinzō（安倍晋三）, a former Prime Minister from Yamaguchi Prefecture who was known for his close relationship with President Donald Trump,
referred to his economic policy program as the “Three Arrows.”
This is an example of how Motonari’s teaching has continued to live on as a phrase across centuries.
During the Edo period, the Mōri Clan governed the Chōshū domain (in what is now Yamaguchi Prefecture).
They placed great emphasis on establishing a foundation for scholarship and governance.
In Hagi, a domain school was created to educate the samurai,
and this culture of learning expanded beyond the warrior class, later giving rise to many influential thinkers and leaders.
In the 19th century, Chōshū became a central force in the Meiji Restoration,
which transformed Japan’s political structure.
Figures such as Yoshida Shōin, Takasugi Shinsaku, and Kido Takayoshi—who would later play major roles in Japanese history—
were all born from the intellectual climate that developed in this region.
In other words, the Mōri Clan were not only rulers of land,
but also a family that cultivated culture and thought.
Their influence remains deeply rooted in the region.
The streets of Hagi are still lined with low wooden houses and white-plastered walls,
preserved without being replaced by newer forms.
For the people of Hagi, the Mōri are remembered not merely as former rulers,
but as those who shaped the town and left behind the foundations of its culture and ideas.
Standing quietly as witnesses to this history are Tōkō-ji（東光寺） and Daishō-in（大照院）, where generations of Mōri lords are laid to rest.
Though they sit at a distance from one another within Hagi,
both are places where the history of the Mōri Clan continues into the present.
