Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Bukoyawa Okehazama

Since May is the month of the Battle of Okehazama, I would like to share with you part of the Bukoyawa's version. You can find in David D. Neilson's Society at War (pp.84-85).

"Having changed direction we (the Kashiwaishu and the Sassa Clan), [left Narumi] and arrived at Zenshoji. By that time, we numbered only eighty or so men. Because Nakajima Fort had already been occupied by the Suruga army, there was nothing we could do [there].

Just then, someone raised a battle cry near Taishidake. It was dark on all sides and thunder shook both heaven and earth. We were in a state of shock and took petrified to move. Before long, a triumphant shout echoed from Hazama, but we could not tell if it was raised by friend or foe.

When Sassa Kuranosuke realized that he was late [for the battle], his face convulsed and told his party to dismount. Looking out over an area three cho (one cho=2.45 acres), we saw that the field curtains (maki) [of the Imagawa camp] were lying in the mud. Fallen men and horses created a terrible scene.

The Suruga army had disappeared like the ocean tide. Sassa Kuranosuke and the Kashiwaishu, we were all so close to Dengakuhazama, [but because we went to Narumi as directed by the Sassa Clan general who met us on the road and because we helped the Sassa Clan to fight at Narumi, we were unable to arrive at Hazama as ordered by Lord Nobunaga]. It was a great blunder. Kazusanosuke-sama (=Nobunaga), saw us, but ignored our presence. He departed for Kiyosu holding aloft a spear to which Imagawa Jibusho's severed head had been tied by the hair. Everyone was downhearted and that evening, we went back to Ryuzenji Fort."

The men of the fields went along with the Sassa to attack Narumi Castle. However, they were late to join Nobunaga and did not participate in the battle. Also it is quite possible that the Sassa attacked Narumi without Nobunaga's blessings. Senshu Suetada and Sassa Masatsugu were killed fighting at Narumi.

Tenka no tame!

5 comments:

otsuke said...

The video bar is up now and you are able to see the Battle of Okehazama. Please check it out.

D_A Renoir said...

Where do I get this essay from? Proquest is denying my purchase request for whatever reason.

otsuke said...

Wow! Then I do not know. Continue to try with Proquest or try another site. There must be another way to purchase his thesis.

I am going back to Japan next month and will have plenty of time to see everything. Honnoji restaurant is on top of the list/

D_A Renoir said...

.ny idea where else to buy that thesis? There was only a short excerpt on google books and proquest online... I suppose I can try contacting the proquest support... I'm overseas so it's kind of a hassle trying to phone the US because of the time zone difference....

And oh wow, I'm so jealous! I hope you have fun. And I can't wait to hear what you think of Shinchou Saryou. Kinda makes me wonder if they remember me, lol. Because we can't speak Japanese, but we were so overexcited XD I was even wearing an "Oda Army" hoodie...

I'm sorry for rambling. Ue-sama is just so cool... :P

otsuke said...

Professor Neilson has another paper on the Madness of Hideyoshi. This paper has a lot on Hideyoshi and his women. He suffered from syphilis and spread it to some of his concubines.