2011 Awards

Here are the 2011 Awards.

Book of the Year: The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga Translated and Edited by J.S.A. Elisonas and J.P. Lamers.

Historian of the Year: J.S.A. Elisonas and J.P. Lamers. Runner-up Wataru Kajino (Mr. Okehazama)

Movie of the Year: 13 Assassins

The Book of the Year was easy to decide. The translation of the Ota Gyuichi's Shincho-Ko ki into English as to be one of the most important works that has been published. If you are a scholar on Nobunaga or the Sengoku Era, this book is a must. You can order through the SA at: http://astore.amazon.com/samurai-20/detail/9004201829

As for the Historian of the Year, enough said on the two who published the book. J.P. Lamers has also done scholarly work on Nobunaga s well. I added Wataru Kajino as the the runner-up since I was able to meet him this year. This man alone has really opened up the Okehazama research. Opened minded and a great sense of humor, Wataru has made sure that the Battle of Okehazama would continue to be the battle that changed Japan.

Movie of the Year was simple as well. 13 Assassins is a manly film that we all want to see. Lots of fighting and blood. No love story drama here. Highly recommend this film to all.

Nobunaga no tame!

Baptism of Fire

Oda Nobunaga's Baptism of Fire was in 1547 against the Imagawa at Battle of Mikawa Kira Ohama. Lamers/Elisonas has the English translation available in the Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 55).

"The next year, [Tenbun 16 (1547)], Oda Saburo Nobunaga went on his first military campaign, accompanied by Hirate Nakazukasa no Jo. For this occasion, Nobunaga was attired in a red-striped head cover (zukin) and a half-coat (haori); his horse was fitted with armor. Nobunaga led his troops toward Kira and Ohama in Mikawa Province, where a Suruga force was stationed. After setting fires here and there, he had a field camp pitched for the day. The next day he returned to Nagoya from this expedition."

For more information, please see Okada Masahito's Oda Nobunaga Sogo Jiten page 310.

Tenka no tame!

Maeda Toshiie

This a statue of a young Maeda Toshiie (1538-99) in front of Arako Station.

He was born in Arako Castle located in Owari Province in 1538 and served under Nobunaga. Toshiie was known as Inuchiyo, Matazaemon, and Chikuzen no Kami He was banished for awhile and participated in the Battle of Okehazama in 1560 taking a couple of heads, but did not win Nobunaga's favor until the Battle of Moribe in 1561. There he took the head of "Kubitori Adachi" Adachi the Head Taker! Toshiie was many of so called "Boys from Owari."

From David D. Neilson's thesis Society at War (pp. 91-92) "After his banishment, Toshiie began fighting with ronin for entertainment and drinking heavily, so Toshiie's general, Murai Nageyori, Shibata Katsuiie, and the Suda Nobuiie (Nobunaga's uncle) who was Toshiie's eboshioya, or godfather, consulted together and recommended that Toshiie go to Atsuta Jingu and ask to stay there for awhile to put his life in order. The priest told Toshiie that there was more to being a man than being strong and tough and locked him the shrine library. Owada Tetsuo says that while confined in the shrine library, Toshiie, for the lack of anything else to do to occupy his time came to develop a deep appreciation for books and learning and that this had a great influence on the man that he later became."

The pictures were taken during the summer of 2011.

Nobunaga no Tame!