Yoshimoto's birth name

I received an e-mail from my history professor from Gifu. He saw Yoshimoto's birth name as Hougyokumaru. He said it was odd since he has seen the name as Hougikumaru or Houkikumaru. Okehazama no Takakai by Owada Tetsuo has Hougikumaru. I have two copies. However, one of the copies was a misprint. "Hougyokumaru" If anybody has a gripe, do not worry. You can use all three names if want.




This is the correct kanji for Yoshimoto's birth name. However, it was translated as Hougyokumaru when I was working on the book. This happens quite a bit. The pronunciation and wording is always messed up and changing.

As for my health, today I was able to go outside for a couple of hours. However, I became tired very easily and headed home. I am still not 100% A week or more and I shall be healed.



Tenka no tame!

Nobunaga no Hitsugi

Here is a link to the movie Nobunaga no Hitsugi or Nobunaga's Coffin.

http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/hitsugi/


Here is the cover of my new book. I am very thankful and grateful to Jetlag Press and to the SA.I had a lot of fun researching and writing this book. I would do it again. No hesitations. There is a lot of criticism about my book. However, I still know in my heart I did the right thing.

As for my health, I am recovering day by day. I should be back to normal in a week or so.


Nobunaga no tame!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Merry Christmas to you all! May God Bless you all as well!
Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Okehazama Chat

Feel free to ask questions to the Okehazama book. Please keep the questions related to the book, battle, and sources. I will respond to all questions with honesty and dignity.





Tenka no tame!

Nobunaga and Azuchi

I found this article in the local Japanese paper Ra Ra Ra. What is your opinion of it?

Ra Ra Ra 2008 12/12-12/18 Vol. 262 page 44.









Tenka no tame!

Battle of Noderahara

I just received an e-mail from a friend in Japan about a very small skirmish that took place in March of 1556. The Battle of Noderahara was fought near Anjo City (Aichi Prefecture). It was against the Imagawa, but the Shinchoo-Ko ki has no mention of the battle. A very minor battle.

For reference look at Okada Masahito's Oda Nobunaga Soogoo Jiten, p. 316.


I might add it on in my Okehazama book later late next year. Very minor.

I would also like to thank the SA for putting my book on their web site. I am in debt to them. Please donate to the SA for more awesome interviews and research.

Nobunaga no tame!

Thomas Conlan

The SA was fortunate enough to land an interview with historian Thomas Conlan. The interview was one of the best. Mr. Conlan appears to be a regular guy and is willing to share his knowledge. His passion for history is awesome and is one of several reasons why he is one of the best out there.
This is a breath of fresh air since most historians I have met are old, cold, heartless, and crusty.

You read his interview with the SA at the SA Animator on top of the web site. He is the future and the future looks bright.


Tenka no tame!

Book

Here it is! My book is done. Many thanks to Jetlag Press and the SA! God Bless them!


http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/0979039746




Tenka no tame!

A new book by Taniguchi Katsuhiro

I just bought Taniguchi Katsuhiro's new book Nobunaga to Kieta Kashintachi Monday at my local Book-Off branch in San Diego.

Taniguchi Katsuhiro. Nobunaga to Kieta Kashintachi. (Tokyo: Chuokooron-Shinsha, 2007).


This book is a gem and unlike Fujimoto Masayuki who often stabs Nobunaga behind the back, this book is full of information. The book discusses how many of Nobunaga's retainers disappeared. They were killed or banished starting in 1570.

The book starts off in 1570 since it was about this time Nobunaga was tested as a military leader and politician. The first causality on the list was Mori Yoshinari. He was killed fighting the Azai in the Battle of Sakamoto/Usayama in 1570. A big blow to Nobunaga. Yoshinari's would become famous, Mori Ranmaru, Nobunaga's flower boy.

The book continues with losses at the Battle of Mikata ga hara (1572) and the banishment of shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki (1573). It goes into great detail on the incident with Tokugawa Ieyasu's wife and son. Both were killed to save the Oda/Tokugawa alliance. Also Taniguchi gives answers why Ieyasu's uncle, Mizuno Nobumoto was killed off as well.

Taniguchi goes into great length on the banishment of Sakuma Nobumori and Hayashi Hidesada in 1580. It was not all about banishment and killed off in war. Many rebelled against Nobunaga. For example, Matsunaga Hisahide, Bessho Nagaharu, and Araki Murashige rebelled against Nobunaga.


Of course, Akecki Mitsuhide was successful in 1582. However, the book goes into Nobunaga's character as well. The only problem I have with this book is that there was no bibliography. I do give this book a thumbs up. A great read and well researched book.


Nobunaga no tame! Tenka no tame!

Mizuno Nobumoto's Death

Ieyasu's uncle Mizuno Nobumoto did a lot for his nephew. He helped Ieyasu to return back to Okazaki after the Battle of Okehazama and the Oda/Tokugawa alliance in 1562 (Shokutoku Doumei). He also participated in battles such as Mikata ga hara (1572) and Nagashino (1575).

However, Nobumoto made one grave mistake that cost him his life. There was suspicion that he sold supplies to Akiyama Nobutomo, (who served under the Takeda) who was the lord of Iwamura Castle in Mino. This was no laughing matter. Selling supplies to the enemy cost Nobumoto his life. Nobunaga was upset as well as Ieyasu. On December 27, 1575, Nobumoto was forced to take his own life.


Ieyasu had to be in complete shock that his uncle would be helping the enemy. Nobunaga was not a happy man since it was one of his retainers who was caught in the act.

Reference

Nobunaga to Kieta Kanshintachi by Katsuhiro Taniguchi. Pages 192-200.

Nobunaga no Shineitai by Katsuhiro Taniguchi. Page 218.


Tenka no tame!

Tenka Part ll

If you read Jeroen Lamers, Japonius Tyrannus, carefully, you will quickly realize that Nobunaga's use of the word "Tenka" is not new.

"In short, when Nobunaga's tenka is understood as 'state' rather than as his personal 'realm', it does not seem such a revolutionary term at all. It designated an order headed by an imperial sovereign and effectively maintained by a military hegemon" (Lamers, p. 71)

If you read page 70, the word "tenka' replaces Kyoto. Kyoto means the state when the phrase tenka no tame is coined.

Furthermore, there is evidence to support this. The evidence comes from the Jesuits. Alessandro Valignano describes the Tenka as Kyoto and the five home provinces near the capital (Lamers, p. 70). Home provinces Yamashiro, Yamato, Izumi, Kawachi, and Settsu.

I do agree to a point that Nobunaga's use of the Tenka means the state. However, from the evidence I have learned from Nobunaga's character alone, there is another use. The word Tenka may have been used long time ago from other warlords, but I do think Nobunaga took it to a new level. He used the Tenka for the state as well as his own realm.


Nobunaga no tame!

Battle of Anegawa photos

I just found this photos on the web.


http://photoguide.jp/pix/thumbnails.php?album=512


Stephen Turnbull's Battles of the Samurai and Sadler's Maker of Modern Japan are your English best choices so far. I have been to the battlefield once in 2001. I plan to go again in the future. I do plan to write about Lamers's opinion on Nobunaga's use of the "Tenka" Monday or Tuesday.


Tenka no tame!

Nagashino site

Here is another site on the Battle of Nagashino 1575.

http://www.sasakijo.com/tenkanote2.html


This site has the new 1,000 gun theory. It appears that this will be the new standard. I do not have a problem with it since there is evidence to support it. The old standard was 3,000 gunners, The Oda army at 30,000 plus, Tokugawa army at 8,000, and the Takeda at 15,000. According to Owada Tetsuo, the numbers are too much. Oda-10,000, Tokugawa-8,000, and the Takeda-6,000. Much more realistic numbers.

Guns still played a tactical and pivotal role in the battle. Nobody is taking that away. The only way the old standard will prevail is if the evidence is found and proven. Can it be changed back? Who knows.

A good book to start is Owada Tetsuo, Sengoku 10 Dai Kassen no Nazo. Please read pp. 110-130.

The site above is in Japanese and useful.


Nobunaga no tame!

Tenka Fubu Part I

To understand Nobunaga's intentions we must go back to the conquest of Mino in 1567.

Elizabeth Berry,"Nobunaga transferred his headquarters from Kiyosu to Inabayama, which he renamed Gifu-the place from which the Chou ruler, Wu Wang, began his military campaign to destroy his rivals and unify China in the twelfth century B.C."(Berry, Hideyoshi, p. 38.)

By the time Nobunaga renamed the city Gifu and Takugen Shuon giving him the "Tenka Fubu" seal, Sengoku Japan changed. This was the start of Nobunaga's revolt against traditional authority and creating his own. He was the perfect man to do and get away with it. Nobunaga was truly a "rara avis" (Latin for rare bird). Why he was able to get away with it? The answer is simple. He never cared for traditional authority. Traditional authority blocked Nobunaga's way of life. He was an independent man to begin with.

Nobunaga thought he was the Wu Wang of Japan. That is why he created Gifu and used the "Tenka Fubu" seal to unify Japan by military force.


Nobunaga no tame!

Tenka Fubu

Tenka Fubu seal at Gifu Castle, Gifu City.

This slogan alone made Nobunaga a cut above the rest. The is one of the most important slogans in Sengoku history. Created by Nobunaga's Zen monk friend, Takugen Shuon. 1567 was the year the slogan was created as well as the new city of Gifu. Once Nobunaga conquered Inoguchi in 1567, the named was changed to Gifu.






A bulletin board at Gifu Castle Park explaining Tenka Fubu.








Tenka Fubu means "Rule the realm by military force!" or "Rule the empire by military force!"


I will discuss the Tenka matter later next week. Here is a reading list to help.

Elizabeth Berry. Hideyoshi, p. 38.

Fujiki Hisashi and George Ellison. "The Political Posture of Oda Nobunaga" Japan Before Tokugawa Political Consolidation and Economic Growth, 1500 to 1650, pp. 151, 166-167.

Jeroen Lamers. Japonius Tyrannus, pp. 70-71.

The readings will make you think differently about his use of Tenka Fubu and Tenka in general.


Tenka no tame!

Warriors

The military channel will air a special on Tokugawa Ieyasu this Sunday (Dec. 7th).

http://military.discovery.com/tv/warriors/about/about.html


What I heard through the grapevine is that this is a must see. I have seen a sneak preview and the battle scenes are great. The SA is all over this and they should. Finally some decent programming on any of the big three. It would be nice if they had a documentary on Nobunaga.


Nobunaga no tame!

Book will be out in a week or two

Statue of Nobunaga inside Kiyosu Castle.












I just found out that my book on the Battle of Okehazama will be out in a week or two on Amazon. I am so grateful and thankful for Jetlag Press and the SA for helping me. So please check up on the Amazon web page to see it is ready to go. I will buy it soon as it is available. The funds for the book will go to bills, Japan, and the SA. I did not write the book for the New York Times Best Seller List. I wrote it to inform the masses about Nobunaga's greatest victory.

The book cover is sublime! A woodblock print by Kuniyoshi titled "Night rain at Narumi-Inagawa Yoshioto (Imagawa Yoshimoto) fighting in a downpour at the Battle of Okehazama." I already informed the SA about the news. God Bless the SA and Jetlag Press!


Tenka no tame! Nobunaga no tame!

Added link

I just added the Aichi Warriors to the link list. I received a message from the Nobunagaki. Nice guy. Hopefully we can work on the study of Nobunaga.


Tenka no tame!

Tsumoto Yo

I bought another copy of Tsumoto Yo's Geten wa Yume ka. However, according to the label, the book is redone. The new one I bought is supposed to be easier to read.






This one here is the old one. I bought last year in Japan.










This one here I bought yesterday. As you can see the cover is different. I am a big fan of Tsumoto Yo's work. His work on Nobunaga is awesome in my opinion. When I read his work, somehow I feel as I was back in the Sengoku Era.


Geten wa Yume ka is on my recommended reading list. Try it. You will not be disappointed.









Tenka no Tame!

Nobunagaki

I found a link called Nobunagaki. I just added it to the link list. Tons of information. Also the cover for my book is awesome. According to the publisher, the cover page looked so good that he is even considering redoing his books. Wow! How the Lord works in mysterious ways.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Donate to the SA

This post will be a plea to donate to the Samurai Archives. The SA has been around for a few years and their site is one of the best. Their staff is one of best and educated I have ever seen. They have helped me the past few months with my book and their wealth of knowledge. If you want to see the site blossom into something greater, please donate. I have already, twice!

First after donating to your favorite charities such as The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, local churches, and toy drives. If you have a couple of bucks leftover, donate to the SA. I urge all samurai history freaks to donate. Your donation is needed to continue an awesome service to the samurai world.

They will have two interviews soon with Stephen Turnbull and Thomas Conlan. Only the SA can do that. If you want to see the rising quality interviews and the study of samurai history, please donate. Five bucks or ten. It does not matter. Please donate. It all helps to a great cause.



Tenka no Tame! Nobunaga no Tame!

Stephen Turnbull

I understand that the Samurai Archives (SA) will have an interview with the great samurai historian Stephen Turnbull. I am so happy. Like him or hate him. His work on Sengoku Japan has given the English reader so much information. I am very thankful and grateful for his work. Without the good doctor, the world would be a bit darker.

I have at least ten or more of his books on my personal library and I still use his works as a reference. Sure, he had blunders, but so have we. I do not blame him at all. However, I understand that his work has gotten a bit better. That can only be good news. I will not ask any questions to the doctor. I am not up to his status. I am still at the bottom working to the top. It will take years.

My favorite books of his are Battles of the Samurai, Samurai Warfare, Nagashino, and Kawanakajima. I would hope that he would do another edition on Nagashino since there is new information that has changed the battle's history as well as Kawanakajima. If I would give something to write about, I have two. Anegawa 1570 and Mita ga hara 1572. I think he write something great on those two battles.

I would like to gibe thanks to the SA and to their great staff as well. God Bless them and I hope the Holiday season brings them many blessings. As for my book, it is done. Just waiting. I am truly a lucky man. I am always grateful and thankful for the SA and Jetlag Press. God Bless them!



Tenka no tame!

Okehazama surprise attack?

One of the most photographed areas of the Okehazama battlefield (Koutokuin Temple, Toyoake City).









I have read some of the new information my friends from Japan have sent me. Another new theory. This time the surprise attack is omitted and now a frontal attack instead. Theory sounds good, but it does not add up. In my book OdaNobunaga: The Battle of Okehazama-How Japan's Fiercest Warlord Began the Unification of Japan, I listed four key points to Nobunaga's victory. They are: rainstorm Yanada Masatsuna's intelligence, small army, and Okehazama itself ( pp. 99-106).

Once Nobunaga received the intelligence from Yanada, he had to act quickly. Nobunaga did not have the time to set up tactically for a frontal attack formation. Timing was everything and Nobunaga did not have enough of it. If he did not act quickly the chances of succeeding would have been slim.

The rainstorm played a role too. It was known on the day of the battle the weather was stinking hot. Once the rain started, some soldiers took off their armor to cool themselves. Others huddled up to prevent from getting soaked and wet. This was important since Imagawa army could not see the Oda army due to the rain or being negligent. The rain also made the ground muddy which did not help the Imagawa army once Nobunaga attacked.

The small army was enough for Nobunaga to hide. Any larger and the chances of being caught
increased. The small army made the element of surprise work. As for Okehazama itself. Once Yoshimoto decided to stop and rest, all three things occured. The rain, intelligence, and the small army made the surprise attack possible.

I do not think the frontal attack theory is wrong. I disagree with it. It just does not add up. Surprise attack Edo fiction? No. Nagashino is different from Okehazama. There is more physical evidence for Nagashino than Okehazama. Nobunaga did not have the time to plan a frontal attack. The only way I can agree with it if he planned it before receiving the human intelligence from Yanada. If one accepts the frontal attack theory, I am not going to say that person is wrong or stupid. I disagree with the frontal attack theory.

If I was in Nobunaga's shoes at the moment when the intelligence was received. What would I do? Attack before it is too late. Nobunaga did not have the time to play tatical game with the Imagawa. Once the rain started, it was all she wrote for Yoshimoto.


Tenka no Tame!

Sengoku site

I found this site last night. It is one of the better ones I have found in English. Check it out.

http://www.busho-aichi.jp/english/index.html



Nobunaga no Tame!

Kenshin, Nobunaga, and pulling the trigger

Do you want to know who pulled the trigger to start Okehazama? There are several and I have written some in my book. Kyoto is one of reasons. Imagawa Yoshimoto was horny about the city. No question about it. Now on to more serious stuff.

In 1553 Kenshin was sable to go to Kyoto and see the emperor Go-Nara. This was important. 1559 Kenshin went again to meet with shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru and emperor Ogimachi. Nobunaga did meet with shogun Yoshiteru as well in 1559. He was able to visit Sakai and Nara as well.

Yoshimoto knew he had to do something quickly if he wanted to stake claim in the capital. He spent time there as a young lad, but now he wanted power. The Kousosun Domei ion 1554 made Yoshimoto's job easier. However he still had to deal with the Oda, Saito, Azai, Rokkaku, and Miyoshi families. Kenshin was one thing, but Nobunaga was still thought of as a country fool.

Most of the examples I have written down are fact. However, I think if you combine them all into one. Kenshin, Nobunaga, and Yoshimoto might have pulled the trigger.

Here is a good book I bought last year in Japan. Okehazama no Tatakai "Kagetora no kakusaku to Nobunaga no sakuryaku." The book's author is Akio Hamada and was published in 2007.

Tenka no Tame!

New data on guns

I found some new data that Nobunaga was not the only one who mastered the gun. Uesugi Kenshin as well knew how to use gun efficiently. I have to admit, I did not know Kenshin mastered the weapon. You have to give him his props.

Thomas Conlan's Weapons and Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior explains on page 165.

"The example of the Uesugi suggests again that those most cognizant of tactical organization, possessed a very real advantage on the battlefield, and this explains why certain families survived and others were destroyed."

Conlan mentioned that Kenshin used guns and arrows so well that the Takeda suffered massive losses at the 4th Battle of Kawanakajima in 1561. The Takeda, on the other hand, were late to the party. I have two reasons why. Geography and Culturally.

The Takeda were at a major disadvantage geographically since they were locked in the mountains. To obtain high quality gunpowder and guns would have been difficult. Kenshin knew people who can supply him with the best and took full advantage of it.

Culturally, I think the Takeda had too much success using weapons that they were familiar with. I do not think the Takeda adapted quick enough to stay in power forever. Nobunaga and Kenshin knew the gun's potential to change warfare and quickly took advantage of it.

I am not here to rip on Takeda Shingen. I think he was a great warrior. However, I think he failed to know how to use the gun when needed. He barely made out alive at the 4th Battle of Kawanakajima and his son Katsuyori, failed to recognize the gun at its best. Nagashino anybody?


Tenka no Tame!

From the horse's mouth

Here is a sample from the Okehazama book.

"How Nobunaga received the information was a miracle from God. Yanada Masatsuna, the founding father of Sengoku intelligence, was the individual who brought the data to Nobunaga."

Here is more.

"To receive the information he had to push his spies to the brink or it was death to the clan."

My parents are very happy for me as well as some of my friends at SA.


Nobunaga no Tame!

More on Nagashino and Guns II

Here is an article I found on the web. To tell you the truth, the article's facts are outdated.

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/55a/403.html


You know my position on the Battle of Nagashino. I am more than willing to accept the new data if the number of troops support it. If Owada Tetsuo is correct on numbers Oda/Tokugawa 18,000 and the Takeda 6,000. Then by all means, history has been changed. If Nobunaga had an army of 10,000, 1,000 gunners would be acceptable. The more I see the new data in books and magazine, the more quickly it is being accepted. However, the number of guns used at the battle should be continued to be debated. Nobody really knows how many guns were used at the battle.

One thing is a fact, not many people are making a trip to the battlefield. People should visit the place and check out the battlefield's geography. As for the SA, they are sticking with the new data. There are two historians I have great respect for, Owada Tetsuo and Paul Varley. When you read their work on Nagashino, they are not taking away the fact guns played a huge role in the battle. Their focus was the amount of guns used, geography, and tactics.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Atsuta Jingu

If you are ever in the Nagoya area,check out the Atsuta Shrine. Nobunaga made history there in the early morning before his victory at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560. He prayed there at the shrine and told them that he will build a victory wall if he wins. He did win and later presented a horse to the shrine. Here are some photos of the Nobunaga victory wall.


The photo above is the actual Nobunaga victory wall at Atsuta Shrine. The wall was built with mud, grease and lime. It still stands tall and proud. The photo below is a replica of Nobunaga's victory wall at Kiyosu Castle.


Here is the Atsuta shrine link. http:www.atsutajingu.or.jp/eng/

Here is some fact about the shrine. It is said that before Nobunaga continued his Okehazama campiagn he grabbed some Eiraku Tsuuhou coins and threw them up in the air as a coin toss. The result: all heads equals Okehazama victory!



Tenka no Tame!

Thomas Conlan

Thomas Conlan's new book, Weapons&Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior 1200-1877 AD, is a hit. I like the photos and drawings as well. It does cover some on Oda Nobunaga. Conlan does us a great service on the Battle of Nagashino. As you know, I believe that there were more guns at the battle than one expects. However, if the Oda/Tokugawa army was less than the previous numbers, of course, there will fewer gunners.


Here is a piece from Conlan,

"For all of its fame, the battle of Nagashino has not been particularly well analyzed. OwadaTetsuo, in his Nagashino Shitaragahara no tatakai, has complained that much of the analysis of the battle has come from individuals who knew nothing about the battlefield, or had never travelled there"(Conlan, p. 167).

What Owada stated is true. The geography was important to the battle. Conlan has stated that guns played an important factor. That is fact. He has even mentioned that nobody knows for sure how many guns were present at the battle. I do not know and nobody knows at the moment. Once we know how many guns were there at the battle, the real analysis begins.

I do understand Owada's point about people have not gone to the battlefield to do their homework. It think it is true. I know when I was writing my book on Okehazama, I could say I was at the battlefield at least six times.

Conlan did provide a color map where it shows the Takeda army advancing through the Tokugawa lines hoping to cut them off. It never happened. They were shot to pieces. Also if you look below on the map near the Oda lines, there were many bullets discovered near there (Conlan, 173). Part of the Oda/Tokugawa victory was on guns, but it was a tactic-type surprise attack that won the day. Conlan also mentions much of the blame has to go to Takeda Katsuyori himself for allowing one of his wings to be cut off.

I plan to write more later.


Nobunaga no tame!

Aya Ueto

I this this blog has to do with my homeboy Oda Nobunaga. However, one in awhile something important comes up. I found this article in the Japan Times. Aya Ueto is one of Japan's biggest stars. However, she grew up poor and still remembers where she came from. Check this out. I think Nobunaga will be proud of this fine lady. Reminds me of Hideyoshi a little bit. Dirt poor and rose to the top.

http://search. japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fq20081113r1.html




Tenka no tame!

More on Atsumori

As I said before, Ogata Naoto's version of Atsumori was the worst I have ever seen. Here is one that might shock you. The Taikoki television movie was not bad at all. Matsukata Hiroki's version was in fact much better. He was able to sing and dance, but also he had much more feeling in it. To make the part much better, Ono (Nohime), played the hand drum. This is much more accurate than the Taiga drama. The scene alone was worth buying the DVD.

Did Nohime play the hand drum during Nobunaga's finest hour? The chances were high in my opinion. In my Okehazama book I made sure all sides were taken in account. If you read OwadaTetsuo, Okehazama no Tatakai (page, 124), one of his pages played the drum. Somehow, I do believe that Nohime played the hand drum. After all, she is the Viper's daughter. However, I am not going to completely disagree with Owada. I think it is one of the question that will never be answered.

The book is now in the hands of the publisher. Hopefully, the book will be out at the end of the month or the first week of December.




Nobunaga no tame!

Thomas Conlan

I just received Thomas Conlan's book on Samurai warfare. It is a must have! I got the recommendation from my friends at Samurai Archives. He has a web page as well. Check it out.

http://www.bowdoin.edu/faculty/t/tconlan/


Update on Okehazama book

It is off to the publisher. I do have to say I am very humbled. I have never done a project like this before. Sadly, I had to leave some things out. I plan with a 2nd edition to add more things. I found more data! However, the book will still be crammed with tons of information. I think Nobunaga will be proud of it.

Next week I plan to comment on Matsukata Hiroki's Atsumori performance on the television drama Taiko. Hint: It was a lot better and more accurate than the NHK Taiga Nobunaga series.



Tenka no Tame!

Okehazama Documentary

I am almost done with my book. Thank God! After ten years of hard labor I am done! When I was living in Gifu around 2000-1, somebody told me there was a documentary special on the Battle of Okehazama. I am going to guess it was aired by NHK. Does anybody know about it? Has anybody seen it? I would like to know. I have seen something similar on a plane to Tokyo explaining the Honnoji rebellion. If I can remember, the guest was Kaku Kozo. To tell you the truth, I want to see the Okehazama documentary and obtain a copy of it.

Remember to vote today! I am not voting for the so-called "Messiah"



Tenka no tame!

Kawanakajima Book

Here is a book that I bought at my local Book-Off branch. It is a general book on Kawanakajima. The photos are decent. However, it has information on Yamamoto Kanuske, Uesugi Kenshin, and Takeda Shingen. The book also contains brief information on battles such as Okehazama, Mikata ga hara, and Nagashino. If one wants to see the Kawanakajima battlefield, information on how to get there is included.

As for the Nobunaga NHK Taiga series, you have to hand it to Rokkaku Joutei (Yoshikata). One of the best moments of the series was when he complained that Nobunaga was a low class country warlord. Nobunaga had the last laugh of course. The Rokkaku had to flee since country boys do not give in so easily.
I do have a song request for Rokkaku Joutei by Hank Williams Jr. "Country Boys will Survive!"

Update: I should receive the final draft later this weekend on my book. I will go over it one more time to make it good. From Professor Kitsuno, opinion there is a ton of information and he like the work. He just wants the book to reach the TENKA. So I will be editing the book and hopefully send the work to the publisher.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Still Upset

I am still upset when watching the Nobunaga NHK Taiga drama. I wish there were more fighting scenes in the picture. It is one of the most darkest I have ever seen.

• No mention of Yanada Masatsuna. A major blunder. This was the man who made Okehazama possible for Nobunaga.
• Barely a whimper by name of Hattori Haruyasu and Mori Shinsuke. Why?
• No Takugen Shuon. This man gave the idea of Tenka Fubu, Gifu, and the name Nobunaga.
• Okehazama battle scene I can live with for now.
• Saito Yoshitatsu was married to Azai Hisamasa's daughter Omi no kata, not Nobunaga's older sister.

I thought the movie did a good job on the Oda/Tokugawa alliance. However, the lead up to Okehazama was very weak. Did not show the war council and Nobunaga giving them the finger (not interested). A more accutare one is the Nobunaga movie with Ken Watanabe. I wonder what Professor Kitsuno thinks?



One of the best parts of the series is when Nobunaga decapitated the man who was trying to take a look under a lady's veil. Nobunaga cut the man's head in one bloody stoke. A work of genius.


Tenka no tame!

Very upest so far!

I have been very upset so far on the NHK Tiaga drama series Nobunaga. Yes, he is my homeboy, but there is a lot of things are left. However, to be fair, I am enjoying it so far.

Here are some things that I am livid about.

• Nohime as a crybaby and a whimp. Yuko Narito played a Better Nohime in Ken Watanabe's Nobunaga. She was the Viper's daughter and a tough one. She was no crybaby! She was an iron lady! Testu Onna!
  
• Did not show when Dosan gave Nohime the dagger before heading off to Owari.
• The meeting between Nobunaga and Dosan. Did not mention or show the 500 guns, failure to show Nobunaga spied on Dosan in the shack, and Nobunaga's nagabakama. Ken Watanabe's Nobunaga was the perfect costume.
• Nobunaga's youth. It did well on sumo and hawking, but hardly anything on guns. Only a brief moment shooting with Nohime. No mention of Kunitomo 1549. No mention of Hashimoto Ippa and Daisuke Ichikawa. A huge crime. where were the persimmons and mochi? None! I thought Tenka Totta Baka and Nobunaga (Watanabe) did a better job.

To sum it up, the worst Atsumori version in I have ever seen. Nobody is going to beat Daisuke Ryu'sKagemusha, but come on! Put some heart into it.

As I said, I am enjoying it so far, but sometimes scratching my head.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga NHK Taiga Series

I have just ordered the NHK Taiga drama series Nobunaga: King of Zipangu. I have waited for a long time to get my hands on this. From what I have heard from the SA Online Citadel, it is one of the best. It stars Ogata Naoto, Nakamura Toru, and Frank Neil. I will let you know when I receive the set.

I am still reading up on Paul Varley's article as well as Tanegashima by Olof Liden. The more I read up on Nobunaga and guns related to the purchase in 1549, it appears that Hashimoto Ippa made the deal to click. Sure, Nobuhide might have given his son the go ahead or the cash. However, someone had to help Nobunaga make the deal done and that was Hashimoto Ippa.


Tenka no tame!

Nobunaga by Sakaiya Taichi

I recently bought this book by Sakaiya Taichi and others. The book was published in 1991. What I have read so far is ok. My main complaint is some of the information is outdated. However, there is dialog between writers and makes the book interesting. Also the book discusses Nobunaga's evil actions as well. I am still reading the book at the moment.



Nobunaga no Tame!

Movie link

I found this link during the weekend. Some bargain buys are there. The Nobunaga series looks too good to pass up.


http://www.samuraimoviedvd.com




Tenka no Tame!

Nobunaga/Hashimoto Ippa/Kunitomo

I have been reading Olof G. Lidin's Tanegashima: The Arrival of Europe in Japan, and it is a great book so far. I had a discussion with Samurai Archives Kitsuno earlier about Nobunaga's purchase of the 500 rifles in 1549. He might have received the go ahead and the cash from his father Nobuhide, but who really helped Nobunaga in the securing the deal?

It was Hashimoto Ippa who made the deal possible. Lidin explains,
"On the 18th day of the 7th month of Tenbun 18 (10 August 1549), they received the order from Lord Nobunaga through Hashimoto Ippa, and on the 21st day of the 10th month of Tenbun 19 ( 30 October 1550) the teppo were finished." (Lidin, p.135)

What I have read so far is that Hashimoto Ippa was the man who was responsible in making the deal go through. I am not concerned about the Kunitomo Teppoki at the moment. It might have been written years after Nobunaga's death. I am more concerned who helped Nobunaga purchased the 500 rifles. I will discuss this more later.


Here are some websites to look at.

http://www.kunitomo-teppo.jp/





Nobunaga no tame!

Tanegashima Part Two

I have just received Tanegashima and the book looks good so far. My friend from Samurai-Archives, Kitsuno had a big discussion on Nobunaga and the 500 rifles he ordered in 1549 at the Kunitomo gun factory. What I read from the book so far and only a glimpse. Nobunaga had help from Hashimoto Ippa to buy the 500 guns. I will discuss this topic in great length later.


Tenka no Tame!

SA Blog Animator

I just posted the Samurai Archives Blog Animator. Hopefully you will find some interesting things about it. Also I have posted more photos on their flickr group as well. The reason why I posted the SA blog Animator because I owe Mr. West a great deal since he is editing my Okehazama book. He need all the publicity he can get. God Bless him. I am halfway through the second volume on Nobunaga no Histugi, boy I am enjoying it.




Nobunaga no Tame!

Battle of Iwakura Information

It was well known that Nobunaga's victory at the Battle of Iwakura in 1559 unified Oda clan and made him the sole ruler of Owari Province.

Here is some additional information that you might not know. Yamauchi Kazutoyo's father, Moritoyo was killed at the Battle of Iwakura. He fought for the losing side, which was Oda Nobukata. As for Kazutoyo, he started to serve under Nobunaga in 1567/68.

As for Nobunaga no Hitsugi, I am enjoying it. I am in the middle of reading volume two right now. As for my Okehazama book, it is getting there. Hopefully ready for the Holidays.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Tanegashima

I ordered Tanegashima-The Arrival of Europe in Japan by Olof Lidin Friday. From what I heard from friends and scholars alike it is a good book. Hopefully the book contains information on firearms. I think this book should be on recommended Sengoku reading list.



Tenka no Tame!

Nobunaga's Coffin

Well, I finally bought the book. I bought Nobunaga no Hitsugi by Kato Hiroshi today. I have read about fifty pages so far. Not bad. I do plan to see the movie too. The review of the movie on the Samurai Archives Citadel are so-so.



Nobunaga no Tame!

Owada Tetsuo and more on Kagemusha

This is the Book by Owada Tetsuo I mentioned in my last post. It is easy to understand and read. If someones Japanese is limited, they can still understand what the author is talking about. The book is general, but the diagrams makes the book easy to comprehend. The big three: Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu's characteristics are discussed too. My favorite is why Sengoku warlords practiced the tea ceremony and what the ashigaru carried with them on the campaign. Family trees and bloodlines are simplified and makes it easier to understand. General, but a easy book to read.

More on Kagemusha.
mentioned "Amen!" and was in awe when Professor Kitsuno of Samurai Archives was making his case on the Daisuke Ryu's awesome performance as Nobunaga. Three minute performance? I think it was more than that. I enjoyed Nobunaga first appeared in the movie. On his horse and questioning his spies. You can see the fear on the messenger's face. Later he questioned the messenger again. If Shingen was alive the castle would be surrounded. Nobunaga and Ieyasu drinking wine and at the end giving Ieyasu the two bags of gold. KitsunoNobunaga in armor marching with his army with the priest giving his blessings. And do not forget Nobunaga's "Atsumori" near the end of the film. I love that movie!

The book is moving along and should be ready for the Holidays.



Tenka no Tame!

Nobunaga and Kagemusha

The Samurai Archives Citadel is at it again with Nobunaga and the movie Kagemusha. I still think Daisuke Ryu is the best portrayal of Oda Nobunaga to this date. He does Nobunaga so well that it makes me believe he is still with us. Sorimachi Takashi who played Nobunaga in the NHK Toshiie to Matsu series is a close second.

Yesterday I bought another book by Owada Tetsuo Chishiki ero kara no Sengoku BushoYumon.

I will comment on the book next week.



Nobunaga no Tame!

What would Nobunaga do?

Man, we are heading into the Great Depression again! Would Nobunaga let Congress run around with their crazy shenanigans? Would Nobunaga let the government take over the economy? The is no. Nobunaga would take off the shackles that has been placed on the American public. First, he would cut the corporate tax to a low one. Ban the capital gains tax and death tax. In fact, let the free market system work itself out. Capitalism frees people, not suppress them.

Remember, Nobunaga was a warlord, not some Ivy college dope head. In fact, he is a lot smarter than most of the elites who seem to know everything, but reality, know nothing. Cutting taxes means people have more money in their pockets. He knew most of the common people were smarter with their own money than the government.

Congress today? Nobunaga would have put them to death.

By the way, the book should be available for the holidays.

Tenka no tame!

Update on Nobunaga no Hitsugi

I found another copy of Hiroshi Kato's book, Nobunaga no Hitsugi at my local Japanese bookstore. However, it was not at the Book-Off branch. It was at some other bookstore inside Mitsuwa Market. I was planning to buy, however did not since book was in two volumes. I did not have the cash. There is a movie, Nobunaga no Hitsugi, and you can find it one ebay. Again, I do not own a copy of that yet. From what I read the movie has mixed reviews. Do I plan to own a copy? You bet.

As for my book, things are coming along. The editor is finalizing last minute details. If everything goes the book hopefully be ready for Christmas or earlier than that. As for my Okehazama fiction book, I am still looking for input. I am about 70% done on my rough rough draft.




Tenka no Tame!

100th post

Today is the 100th post. A little sake and matcha to celebrate.
More on Varley:

"A prerequisite to the study of this revolution/evolution is abandonment of the incorrect standard version of the Battle of Nagashino, which has long been given such prominence in both amateur and professional analyses of warfare in Japan's early modern age." (Varley, 120)

I do agree with Varley to a point. However, I do not think it is a good idea to abandon the standard in order to except the new theory. Nagashino and 1,000 rifles may be the flavor of today, but will it the flavor of tomorrow? I doubt it. The old theory of 3,000 has stood up for almost 400 years or more. Something has gone right.

I would use both theories and after a rigid analysis decide for yourself. Varley's work is new and bold and I like that. However, I need more information and convincing to get rid of the old and into the new.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Time

I would like apologize for not posting more often. Been busy of late. I am still rereading Varley's article. There is ton of rich information that needs to be answered. As for The Signore, my final answer is that the book, even though it is fiction, portrayed Nobunaga as a lonely man. One must remember that he put most of his energy to unite Japan. When you experienced a lot of backstabbing in your life, you tend not to trust people.

At the moment, I am writing a fiction novel on Nobunaga. It will take at least three months to finish the first draft. A word of advice to the current economic slump. Have plenty of cash, buy gold, and pay your debts off. As for the Okehazama book, the editing process is still going on. Little by little it will be done and published.



Tenka no tame!

The Signore

I finally received The Signore might have been a in the mail and the book was a knockout! It is a must read and should be on the must read list on Nobunaga. The book is fiction, but the accounts were factual. The book explains Nobunaga's human aspect through an Italian and he is not a missionary. Kunio Tsuji's book is a hit. The one thing that has struck me so hard was Nobunaga was a lonely man. Hard to believe. As for the Okehazama book, the editing is steady from what I know so far. Once that is done, off to the publisher. On a side note, I am working on a novel at the moment. Tell you later. More on The Signore in a later post.



Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga to Hideyoshi to Ieyasu

I bought Ikenami Shotaro's Nobunaga to Hideyoshi to Ieyasu book Tuesday at the San Diego Book-Off branch. Another steal, it was only a dollar! The book is very easy to read and can be finished in a hour or so. The book is written in a novel format without the dry academic bull. It starts off with a young Nobunaga explaining his history. After his death at the Honnoji, Hideyoshi takes over. What is so different about the book is that the heroes take over once they die. Ieyasu's story begins with the Battle of Sekigahara.

I am glad to buy such a book. A quick read for only a buck. You cannot beat that. From what I understand this book is popular since it has many editions.

Ikenami Shotaro. Nobunaga to Hideyoshi to Ieyasu. Tokyo: PHP, 1992.

We Remember 9/11 Seek and Destroy! Watch out UBL, Nobunaga is coming kill you!

Tenka no tame!

Computer Castle Reproduction

I bought this magazine early this Spring at Book-Off. It was a steal. Sengoku no Shiro to Tatakai by Futabasha, October 11, 2007 (CG Nihon no Shirizu 1). If you want to know how Sengoku Castles appeared during the 16th century, this is your best bet. They have most of the big guys. For example, Oda, Tokugawa, Hideyoshi, Takeda, Uesugi, and the Hojo. I find this magazine useful because I can get a picture what the castles looked like and how their enemies attacked them. They began as forts then became castles which they were famous for. Few exceptions. Kasugayama for Kenshin was a yamashiro(mountain castle) and Shingen Tsutsugasaki was a mansion surrounded by a moat.

The magazine also has illustrations how the armies fought and defended themselves. I love this magazine and it should be in every Sengoku freak library.

Nobunaga no Tame!

Lamers point on guns

I continue to write about Nobunaga and guns. I will use Jeroen Lamers, Japonius Tyrannus to tie in with the Varley article. "The number of 3000 harquebusiers first appears in Oze Hoans's Shinchoki, but the far more reliable and earlier Shinchoo Ko ki speaks of only 1000 harquebusiers" (Lamers, 112). Now I do not think he threw out Oze Hoan's work completely. I think it was a compare and contrast. You decide.

As for his source of information, look on page 245 and end note 242. Guess who shows up to the party? Fujimoto Masayuki. To tell you the truth, I smell a rat in the house. The only way his theory will stick if the Oda/Tokugawa army was less than the standard number. If the Oda/Tokugawa was 18,000 and the Takeda 6,000, then his theory has some credibility (Nobunaga's force of 10,000/1000 gunners).

However, if the Oda/Tokugawa army was more than the smaller number, then there was no way in hell Nobunaga would bring an army of less than 10% gunners. More later.

Tenka no Tame!

Tenchijin

I found this article in the local Japanese newspaper Ra Ra Ra 8/29-9/4 Vol. 247, p. 37.
The drama Tenchijin will air in 2009. Nobunaga is on the right and Hideyoshi, that monkey, is on the left.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Nobunaga, forts, and open-field

Paul Varley's article is so stacked with rich data you have to break it down sentence by sentence.
"Nobunaga, for example, fought relatively few open-field battles" (Varley, p. 111).

I have some examples of the few open-field battles. Okehazama1560, Anegawa 1570, Nagashino 1575, Kizukawaguchi 1576 and 1578 (naval battles, Nobunaga lost to the Moori in 1576, but won in 78 with the iron clad ships). The battles are from the top of my head at the moment. If you know more, chime in.

As for forts, Nobunaga his first battle in 1547 was attacking an Imagawa fort. Battle of Mikawa Kihara Ohama. His first taste of blood was a success!


Tenka no Tame!

The Signore

I just purchased The Signore by Kunio Tsuji. According the Samurai Archives Online Citadel, the book is a must read. The work is fiction however, a great read comments from the Online Citadel. I should receive it in two weeks. Looking forward to reading it.

Nobunaga no Tame!

Kawanakajima

The 4th Battle of Kawanakajima is one of my favorite non Nobunaga battles. Yesterday I bought a book by Kazutoshi Hando, Tettei Bunseki Kawanakajima Kassen. I like the book so far. What is so fascinating about the battle is that Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen fought five times without a clear victor. Go figure. The 4th is the best. Kurumagakari, Operation Woodpecker by Yamamoto Kansuke, and Kenshin and Shingen in hand to hand combat. What a battle. The battle was open field and that was slowly coming to and end. Most battles would involve taking castles and forts later in the Sengoku Era.

I do have Toshiro Mifune's classic Furin Kazan movie. I love it and one movie I will never give away. As for the photo above, that was taken in the mid 90s. I was only there for a couple of minutes and had the time to take a quick photo.


Tenka no Tame!

The VP pick

Wow! As a hardcore Catholic and Knight I am pleased with the Republican pick for VP. Why? Sarah Palin can kick your rear end. A pro life, pro gun(Nobunaga would love her for that), capitalist(Nobunaga again!), the best of all. She is an iron lady! Testu Onna! Going back to work only three days after her son was born this April. I will tell you Nobunaga would hire her in no time at all. She has the no bull attitude just like Nobunaga. A God given gift. I do not care for white women, but she is beautiful for her age. She looks young because she is a redneck. a get er done attitude! Nobunaga was a country boy himself.

So what is the story here? Lawyers, Ivy League brats, and elites cannot compete with the American can do spirit! Nobunaga loved and promoted that type of work ethic in his circle. That was the reason why he was successful in his career. Just do it!


Nobunaga no Tame!

Varley and Nagashino

I will continue to discuss Varley's article. The more I read it, the more interesting the paper becomes. The article discussed the Battle of Nagshino a great deal. What took me by surprise was the number of soldiers who participated in the battle. This would be critical and will explain why in a moment. Varley stated, "By some estimates, Nobunaga had 30,000 troops and Ieyasu 8,000 ( a combined total 38,000) and Takeda Katsuyori had 15,000. But Owada Tetsuo believes that the actual totals were about half of these numbers" (Varley p. 118).

I do have the Owada Tetsuo book that has the information. Sengoku Juu Dai Kassen no Nazo listed the information. To tell you the truth, I just purchased the book two weeks ago. Here is the numbers Owada wrote in his book. Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu 18,000 and Takeda Katsuyori 6,000. See pages 113, 118-9. If you break up the Oda and Tokugawa armies, Oda 10,000 and Tokugawa 8,000?

Here is the critical factor, If Nobunaga had around 10,000 troops and if you include Fujimoto Masayuki's radical theory, then Nobunaga's gunners would have made up to 10% of the army.
Fujimoto's radical theory could make some sense. However, I still do not believe it. What is even more stunning was Katsuyori's low numbers. If that was the case, then it was a real disaster for the Takeda.

Varley's article still needs to be discussed. There is a wealth of information that has to be looked at. As I said before, it is one of the best I have read so far this year.


Tenka no Tame!

The best book on Takeda Shingen

I received my book Monday and holy cow! I have to admit Shingen in Command is one of the best works on the Takeda family in English yet. Most impressive was the bibliography. Terje Solum's sources were all in Japanese. Awesome were the onsens, Japanese horses, and the photos. All done with class. If you cannot read Japanese and want to learn the history of the Takeda family, Terje Solum's book is the way to go. A must read for all who love Sengoku Japan.




Nobunaga no Tame!

Saga of the Samurai

Yesterday I purchased a new book online. Saga of the Samurai: Shingen in Command by Terje Solum and Anders R. Rue. It is the fourth book in the series. I have heard nothing but good things about the book. Looking forward to reading it once I receive the book.

Here is there website. http://sagaofthesamurai.com


Tenka no Tame!

Azuchi Castle in Ise

Azuchi Castle replica at Ise Sengohu Jidai Mura. The pictures were taken in March of 2001.
I would love to go back. By the way, I have been to the Azuchi Castle ruins in Shiga Prefecture three times. Many pictures were taken.



Nobunaga no Tame!

Nobunaga Festival

Here are some photos from the Nobunaga Festival in Gifu. The Festival is held in early October yearly. The picture on the left is a group photo of Nobunaga and his posse. The one on the right is the teppo-shu firing away. Oh by the way, Nohime was in the group photo. She is lovely!




Tenka no Tame!

Nobunaga and Forts

I continue to use Varley's work on this post. He continues his great work describing Nobunaga and Sengoku warfare.

"In the sixteenth century forts sprang up everywhere and battling usually involved attacking and trying to take them. Nobunaga, for example, fought relatively few open-field battles. The great majority of his armed encounters involved either attacking enemies in forts or defending against enemy attacks on his forts"(p.111).

Here is what a fort might have looked like in the Sengoku Era. Photos taken in March 2001 at Sengoku Jida Mura in Ise.


Nobunaga no Tame!

More on Varley's article

I have to admit Varley's article is one of the best I have read all year. Packed with so information it is hard to pick out the best part of the article. I wish I had the article earlier this year. Why? The article had some prime data on the Battle of Okehazama which I would have used in my Okehazama book. I will tell you up front that the next edition will.

"Thus, in the days before Pearl Harbor in 1941, Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku (1884-1943) and many other Japanese military leaders referred to Okehazama in their letters and diaries as they planned their surprise attack on the United States. For them, Okehazama was a synonym for a sudden, unannounced attack"(p.114).

They knew Nobunaga's success at Okehazama and how to use his tactics at the right situation. However, according to Varley, Nobunaga only used the surprise attack once in his mighty military career.

"Whether or not Nobunaga defeated the Imagawa with a surprise attack at Okehazama, he did not use that tactic during the remainder of his military career"(p.114).

If this was true, one reason why could be he was not forced to use the surprise attack option. He was slowly destroying his enemies with diplomacy and force. As I said before Varley's article is data rich. If anybody out there is a Nobunaga fan, this article is a must read no question. Again, I must thank Samurai-Archives for sending me the article. More later.



Nobunaga no Tame!

Winner

The Battle of Okehazama has won the poll. I think it is obvious why Okehazama won. Explained later.

• Okehazama Five votes 50%
• Nagashino Three votes 30%
• Conquest of Mino One vote 10%
• War with the Ishiyama Honganji One vote 10%

Thank you for those who voted.


Tenka no Tame!

Paul Varley

I just printed out Paul Varley's Oda Nobunaga, Guns, and Early Modern Warfare in Japan, pp. 105-125. International Research Center for Japanese Studies Kyoto 2007.

This has to be one of best written works I have seen in a long time. He starts when the Portuguese arrived at Tanegashima in 1543. Not only that, but evidence of early gun use in the 15th century before the Onin War(p.106). More important, there is evidence that the Eastern Army used a "fire spear" in 1468(p.106). The Japanese knew firearms from earlier conflicts with the Mongols.

Pages 116-120 deal with the Battle of Nagashino. Varley does well to describe Katsuyori's mishaps. He has been labeled as a "wild boar commander"(p.118). Go Figure. Varley has
mentioned Mr. Fujimoto Masayuki as a source. I disagree with Fujimoto on his 1,000 stance. Varley mentioned that Ota Gyuuichi's Shinchoo-Ko ki is now the standard since it is more reliable than Oze Hoan's book. Then he explains why the two books are so different. He said,"Easy to read and exciting, Shincho ki became the equivalent, for its time a best seller;..."(p.119).

If I have anything against the article, he did not use the Nagashino Nikki as a source for the battle. He gives Nobunaga credit for changing Japanese warfare, which he greatly deserves. However, Varley did not mention the Battle of Muraki 1554 which Nobunaga used his guns to near perfection. His bibliography is sublime and uses Geoffrey Parker's Military Revolution which is also a must read.

Later I will write on Nobunaga and the siege of Sengoku forts written by Varley. To conclude this post, I must thank Samurai-Archives for sending me the information.



Nobunaga no Tame!

So far....

I have only finished reading half of the book so far. Nobunaga no Youhei is decent, but I cannot finish reading it. I do not know why. I always enjoy reading Tsumoto Yo's books. The book is about Nobunaga, guns, Negoro-shu, and the Ishiyama Honganji. As for the book, it is not the matter of if, but when.

Nobunaga no Tame!

Nobunaga no Youhei

I will be reading Nobunaga no Youhei over the weekend. The book was written by Tsumoto Yo. I have to admit. I am a big fan of his work.


Tenka no Tame!

Kyakuten no Nihonshi

I bought a book a few weeks ago at the local Japanese Book-Off store here in San Diego. It was sitting there all the time and finally made the decision to buy it. Well, I have to say it will make you think or scratch your head.

Kyakuten no Nihonshi Sengoku Kassen Honto wa Ko Datta, by who else Fujimoto Masayuki. It was printed in 1997. This is important since Fujimoto's Nagashino theory is not new. He made up his mind about it a long time ago. I disagree with him, but I have respect for him since he has since stuck to his guns. I like that. Pages 18-20 deal with the Nagashino gun issue, again he states the 3,000 rifles as fiction. Pages 15-17 deal with the Battle of Okehazama. He discuss Nobunaga's ironclad ships, weapons and armor, the Takeda cavalry, and more.

I have to admit the book will make you think and doubt whether the facts you know are true or false.


Nobunaga no Tame!

Honnoji Book

I have bought a new Honnoji book for only a few dollars at Book-Off. It was a steal. [Honnoji no Hen] Honto no Nazo motives, by Endo Akira. So far I am enjoying it. The discussion includes Mitsuhide'schakai, the Kyoto Parade in 1581, and other interesting facts. It is a must have book for the fellow who is devout to the Honnoji debate.

The book is moving along on the publishing front. The sooner, the better. Please wait.




Nobunaga no Tame! Tenka no Tame!

Respect

Even if I disagree with the guy I do have respect. Fujimoto Masayuki's 1,000 rifle Nagashino theory cuts the grain. I have have respect for him since he went out of the mainstream. However, his theory does not convince me at all. Sure, Nobunaga no Sensoo is a great read packed with information, but it still does not convince me. He had to have more than 1,000. I know his theory is gaining ground and good for him. Ieyasu had around 500 guns so the total was more than 1,000. Rejecting all of the other so called "Edo Fiction" works makes me believe he has an agenda. Everybody does. He is not completely wrong on his new theory

I did not use any English sources on my last post. I wanted to display the Japanese sources since they were in question. However, I do suggest you buy and read Fujimoto Masayuki's Nobunaga no Sensoo. His theory is popping up everywhere.


Tenka no Tame!

More on Nagashino and Guns

The more evidence I read that Nobunaga used around 1,000 rifles at the Battle of Nagashino, the more I question it. You have to give Fujimoto Masayuki credit. Nobunaga no Sensoo will make you think. The information is awesome. However, if 1,000 was the amount used in battle, he is dead wrong. Sakai Tatatsugu was given 500 rifles to attack Fort Tobigasu. 1,5000 total? For Fujimoto's sake I think 1,000 were used to shoot down the Takeda army. His theory on 1,000 has increased and gaining acceptance. I can only go so far with the number. If one thinks 1,000 is the answer, they are right to a point. 3,000 for the answer? Again, correct to a point. Okada Masahito's Oda Nobunaga Soogyoo Jiten listed the number 1,000 to unknown, pp. 361-2. Unknown is the best answer since there are so many theories out there.

Kenichi Futaki's Rekishi Documento Nagashino no Tatakai (pocket size book by Gakken 2000) has a lot of information. He listed the Shinchoo-Ko ki as 1,000, but later changed to 3,000.
Nagashino Nikki 3,000 and Ieyasu 500. Toshiie Yawa 3,000 (Nagashino no Tatakai, pp. 108-9).
Futaki has mentioned this as the main problem. You cannot reject all of the information as "Edo Fiction"
Oze Hoan has also listed the number as 3,000 Shinchooki Book 8. His work is being rejected as "Edo fiction" and I do not like that. Scholars still use his work today and I have a copy of his book.

Fujimoto Masayuki's theory is found in books such as
Nobunaga no Sensoo, Fujimoto Masayuki.

Kusano Takumi(Ko) Truth in History (4) Oda Nobunaga, p. 122.

Saigen Nihonshi Magazine 9/23/2001, pp. 4-8. Also see pp. 16-18 for more information.

Kudo Kensaku, Nobunaga wa Honto ni Tensai datta no, pp. 133-6.

Here is one without Fujimoto's work, but with 1,000.
Okamoto Ryoichi (piece was written by Owada Tetsuo) Oda Nobunaga no Subete, pp. 107-9.


With more questions than answers so far I have to assume for now everybody can have their cake and eat it too. Fujimoto Masayuki has lead the charge and his theory is a good one. However, I still think there was more than 1,000. With old war chronicles being thrown out for new age thinking it can bring in new life to the subject. It can also backfire. Okada was right to use the data as unknown since at the moment there is no clear cut answer. To tell you the truth, nobody knows at the present moment.



Tenka no Tame!

Nobunaga Cartoons

Here is a Nobunaga cartoon that I put some life into. It is from www.reki-c.com
They messed up on Nobunaga's date, so I crossed it out and wrote the correct date. Have fun with it. I wish they had one of Nobunaga and Nohime together.



Nobunaga no Tame!

More on Nobunaga no Sensoo

Earlier this Spring I have bought a book Nobunaga no Sensoo by Fujimoto Masayuki. To tell you the truth after reading some of the material, thank God I bought it! There is tons of information there. Kitsuno of Samurai Archives mentioned that the Battle of Nagashino in 1575 Nobunaga only used around 1000 muskets instead of the standard 3,000. Just look at pp. 193-253. I can see why Nobunaga only had 1,000. Fujimoto has used the Nobunaga Bible, "Shinchoo-Ko ki," and others as resources. To be fair, Nobunaga had more than 1,000 rifles in his army. 10,000 or more, but only brought around 1,000 to battle. It mentioned in Book 8, Chapter 4 that the Takeda army with their mighty cavalry had five units charged the Oda-Tokugawa army. They were shot to pieces. However, along with the cavalry, the foot soldiers came too. This was a long and bloody battle won by Nobunaga and Ieyasu.

In my soon to be published Okehazama book, I did not put any new information by Fujimoto in my book. Why? I will wait until 2010 when it will be the 450 anniversary of the Battle of Okehazama. Fujimoto mentioned in his book he compared Okehazama to the WWII Battle of Guadanacal. Wow! He mentioned that the Japanese army loved to use sneak attacks throughout their history. I will use the information in a later edition. Fujimoto's book is packed with information. A must have.

As regards to my book, it is in the editing process. So far my editor likes it. To tell you the truth, I want the book published now, but need to be calm and wait.




Nobunaga no Tame! Tenka no Tame!

Stationary

Here is some samurai stationary I have found at www.reki-c.com
I have picked out the Nobunaga and Saito Dosan for paper. The link is great. It has many other great historical figures as well. For example, Uesugi Kenshin and Sakamoto Ryoma. The site also has a link for Nobunaga landmarks. Happy for that. The site is in Japanese unfortunately, however, highly useful. Owada Tetsuo has some of his books posted there as well. I love it and will use more often.



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Flower boy's old man

Mori Ranmaru was Nobunaga's greatest page. He was known to be a flower boy. He was pretty. What about his father, Mori Yoshinari? He was born in 1523 and died in 1570. As always, he was from Owari(according to Taniguchi Katsuhiro, he was originally from Mino, Nobunaga no Shineitai, p.215) and helped Nobunaga success at Kiyosu Castle in 1555. However, it was known he served the Saito of Mino as well. He held Usayama Castle in Omi at the time of his death. He died in battle fighting the Asakura and the Azai.



Nobunaga no Tame!

Armor

I have post a link for samurai armor. A friend from the Samurai Archives Citadel sent to me. Check it out. http://www.yoroi.co.jp/english/english/



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The change

I still agree with Tsumoto Yo's point that Japan would be different if Nobunaga did not perish in 1582. Just before his death, he gave orders for his son Nobutaka to invade Shikoku. Even more bizarre, he already gave provinces away as if he already won the invasion. A key area for shipping and a place for the Oda Navy. Nobunaga was in good terms with the Date in northern Honshu and the Shimazu in southern Kyushu. He did not have to fight them at the moment. The Hojo were an ally by default, war against the Takeda. The Mori were still strong, but not as aggressive in the past. One of the main reasons why he sent Hideyoshi to attack the Mori before his death. The Uesugi were still worthy as well. However, the house was in turmoil after Kenshin's death in 1578. Nobunaga had more geographical and human resources than the Uesugi. It would be a matter of time before they would fall. Nobunaga as shogun? Who knows. Then again, Nobunaga was clearly an independent man who defied all who was against him.




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Nobunaga drawing

I noticed that someone has drawn a portrait of Oda Nobunaga. If you look on my blog on the left side, you will see the portrait. All I know is that the picture is located at Tendo (Tendo City) Shiritsu KyuuHigashiyamamuragun Yakusho Shiryoukan in Yamakata Prefecture. I would like to know who drew the portrait and when.



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Nobunaga Hakken

I know I should be discussing more on Nobunaga and the future. However, I bought a book last week by Akiyama Shun. This one was published in 1997. I do have his best seller, Nobunaga. That is a must have. I enjoyed it very much.

Akiyama Shun. Nobunaga Hakken, Tokyo: Asahi Bunko, 1997. I bought it at a used bookstore here in San Diego. It has a lot of give and take from other writers, most notably, Tsumoto Yo.



Nobunaga no Tame!

The Future

Here a website that has Nobunaga escaping his death at the Honnoji. I liked it to tell you the truth. Nobunaga lived for ten more years to conquer the world. The translation into English is not that good. However, it was long and very a good read. The best part is near the end where Hideyoshi was put to death. The story shows Nobunaga as a very ambitious man.

Here is the link. http://www.satoshi-nitta.com/nobunaga.htm


More later

Tenka no Tame!