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!