Asano Naganori

was the daimyō of the Akō Domain in Japan (1675–1701). His title was Takumi no Kami . He is known as the person who triggered a series of incidents retold in a story known as Chūshingura (involving the forty-seven rōnin), one of the favourite themes of kabuki, jōruri, and Japanese books and films.

Biography He was born in Edo as the eldest son of Asano Nagatomo. His family was a branch of the Asano clan whose main lineage was in Hiroshima. His grandfather Naganao was appointed to the position of daimyō of Ako with 50 thousand koku. After Naganao died in 1671, Nagatomo succeeded to the position, but died after three years in 1675. Naganori succeeded his father at the age of nine.

In 1694, he suffered from a serious illness. He had no children, thus no heir at that time. When a daimyo died without a determined heir, his house would be abolished by the shogunate, and his lands confiscated; his retainers became rōnin. To prevent this, he adopted his younger brother Asano Nagahiro, titled Daigaku, who was accepted as his heir apparent by the shogunate.