Nice Guy?

I found an online article earlier this afternoon on Nobunaga.  The article in Japanese starts off by listing Nobunaga's bloodthirsty conquests of Mt. Hiei, Nagashima, and Echizen.  Then the article explains Nobunaga's good side towards women.  The good news is there is some truth to this.  For example, he loved his concubine Kitsuno and made sure she was taken care of.  Also there is the famous letter that Nobunaga wrote to Hideyoshi's wife Ne-Ne.

That being said, Nobunaga was still Nobunaga.  There was once a group of maids who decided to skip work and have some fun back in 1581.  Once Nobunaga heard of this, he put the women to death.  No questions asked!

http://t.co/8y4LzqRWvB

Tenka no tame!

Asakura Museum

Anyone who plans to visited Fukui, I suggest you visited the Asakura ruins.  http://otsuke.blogspot.com/2014/06/ichijodani.html

Here is the website for the Asakura Family Museum: http://asakura-museum.pref.fukui.lg.jp/

The museum website has a lot of information on what to do and see while at the Ichijodani ruins.  Nobunaga put Ichijodani to the torch in 1573.

Nobunaga no tame!

Shinchoki Display

Oze Hoan's Shinchoki will be on display at Sasayama Castle.  This is great news!  If you are in the Sasayama City area (Hyogo Prefecture), this is a must see.  The Shinchoki will be on display until February 28th of next year.


http://t.co/UrzRwwktoo


Tenka no tame!

Kannonji Castle

Kannonji Castle was the home of the Rokkaku family in Omi Province.  The castle ruins is not far from Azuchi and can be reached by a rental bike.  Nobunaga assaulted the castle in 1568 with ease.

Passage from The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (Lamers, Elisonas/Gyuichi), pp. 120-121.

"That night Nobunaga set up his headquarters at Mount Mitsukuri, planning to assault Mount Kannonji, Sasaki Jotei's residence, the next day.  Sasaki and his two sons already having fled, however.  On the 13th Nobunaga went up Mount Kannonji and seized the castle by a trick.  As a result, Sasaki's remaining partisans surrendered, pleading for mercy.  Taking hostages to make sure of them, Nobunaga  left them in their original holdings.  Now the whole province of Omi had been pacified."

Sasaki Jotei was also known as Rokkaku Yoshikata.

Nobunaga no tame!

2015 Okehazama Report II

More on 2015 Okehazama as I found a short article on the Battle of Okehazama.  The article is in Japanese.  http://t.co/izWZwTtoDc

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga and Washington

Late for a 4th of July post, but July is America's birthday month.  I added two pictures of Nobunaga and George Washington.  Nobunaga was about to be the Tenkajin (Man of the Kingdom) before his tragic death at the Honnoji in 1582.  He paved the way for a modern Japan.  Washington was America's first President.  Also he was the father of the country.

Tenka no tame!

2015 Okehazama Report I

During my spring trip to Japan, I was able to visit the Toyoake City Okehazama Battlefield on the day of the battle, May 19th.  Little did I know there was a huge media gathering full of historians and politicians.  I was interviewed once I got off the station by local media and gave them my two cents.  Fun it was.  Once I arrived at the battlefield, I met historian Ota Teruo, who wrote Okehazama Kassen Kishu no Shinjutsu, by chance.  A nice man in my opinion and we talked for about an hour about the battle.  Later we went to Kotokuin Temple to see some Okehazama relics.

After an hour or so, the fun begins.  Nagoya Mayor Mr. Kawamura shows up along with a group of big shot historians.  Historians such as Izawa Motohiko and Izumi Kajino (Mr. Okehazama's son, a kind man also), media personality Chris Glenn, and a few others.  Mr. Ota and a few others showed Mayor Kawamura the battlefield and explained some of landmarks.  As for Mr. Kawamura, he was enjoying himself at the fullest extent.

Later a small group of tourists from Shizuoka visited the battlefield.  Mr. Ota and his team gave the tourists a historical lecture on the battle.  I just watched and listened.  The only time I chimed in is when they needed my expertise.  It is great feeling when some other historians ask for your advice.  The people from Shizuoka were nice as well.

There is a never a dull moment when I visit both the Arimatsu and Toyoake Okehazama battlefields.  So if you want to understand the Battle of Okehazama, visit both battlefields and talk to the locals.

Nobunaga no tame!