Nobuhide's death.

Banshouji Temple in Osu Kannon , Nagoya City. Suemori Castle, Nobuhide's last place of residence.

Good Morning!
Oda Nobuhide passed away in 1551 at Suemori Castle age of 42. His cause of death was some sort of disease, probably cancer. When he died, Nobuhide had brought the other Oda branches to a hold. He could not defeat them. In short, Nobuhide did not unify Owari. Nobunaga finished the unification process when he won the battle of Iwakura in 1559. According to Lamers, Nobuhide held the seaboard side of Owari as well as other districts.
If one wants a great story of Nobuhide's funeral, just read Ota Gyuuichi's, Shinchoo Ko-ki. Introduction Book, Chapter 9, Gyuuichi stated that Nobuhide died in March 1549, but the year is wrong. I have seen 1552 as well. The correct date is March 3, 1551. A temple was built for Nobuhide, Banshouji (Osu Kannon, Nagoya City). There were 300 priests from all parts of Japan who came to the funeral. The funeral was famous and it showed Nobunaga's true character. Everybody was dressed in proper attire. Nobunaga's younger brother, Nobuyuki, Dota Gozen, and Nohime were all present. Nobunaga arrived in his usual attire. Hair in chasen-maki style, long sword, clothes not even formal at all, shabby, a rope sash for his kimono, and a good chance he was dirty from his daily routine. He just did not care. He picked up the incense and threw it at the altar. Everybody was in complete shock! Except for one Buddhist monk from Kyushu. He knew Nobunaga was rare from watching and observing. The monk knew Nobunaga was going to be a powerful daimyo in the future. One person had to be in complete shame, Hirate Masahide. The man tried with his heart to make Nobunaga the proper heir to the Oda house, but unfortunately, could not control him.
Young Nobunaga during the time of his father's funeral at a museum in Azuchi.


I think Nobunaga was upset that his father passed away. For example, in the movie Oda Nobunaga, with Ken Watanabe, he yelled, "too soon" to his father. Another reason he took his frustrations out on the Buddhist monks.
Here is a passage from the Jesuit priest Luis Frois,
"When his father lay mortally ill in Owari, Nobunaga asked the bonzes to pray for his life and asked them whether he would recover from his illness. They assured him that he would, but he died a few days later. Nobunaga then had the bonzes thrown into a temple with the doors locked from outside; he told the bonzes that, as they had lied to him about the health of his father, they had better pray to their idols with greater devotion for their own lives. After surrounding them on the outside, he shot some of them to death with harquebuses" (Lamers, p. 24).

A chilling way to let the stress go. I think Nobunaga was upset about his father's death from the start. Nobuhide's death would mean there would still be chaos in Owari, but the surrounding provinces were licking their chops too. A weak Owari meant a possible invasion from the outside. In the end, Nobunaga just used his strong character and in time took over Owari himself.


Nobunaga no tame