New Ieyasu Book I

Earlier this week I received Spectacular Accumulation by Morgan Pitelka.  Right off the bat, the book is an extremely different take on Tokugawa Ieyasu.  The book focuses on more of the cultural aspects during the Sengoku Era.  That being said, there is a lot of great wealth of information on Nobunaga.  It explains Nobunaga on warfare (Okehazama), head viewing ceremonies, tea, and falconry.

Nobunaga no tame!

New Ieyasu Book

There is a new book on Tokugawa Ieyasu by Morgan Pitelka.  Spectacular Accumulation: Material Culture, Tokugawa Ieyasu, and Samurai Sociability.  Published by University of Hawaii Press.  I just ordered my copy earlier this afternoon.

Links:  http://spectacularaccumulation.com/#culture-and-war
            http://hdl.handle.net/1811/36276

Tenka no tame!

Nasty Hostage Life

There is a great article by Oda Yumiko https://t.co/jJAYd8f1B3 on how cruel life was for women at the top during the Sengoku Era.  They were treated like cattle and used as political pawns.  The article explains how Nobunaga's aunt, Otsuya no Kata was first married to the Iwamura Castle (Located in North Gifu) Toyama Kagetou.  However, he died of illness during the earlier 1570s when Takeda Shingen's retainer Akiyama Nobutomo attacked the castle.  Otsuya no Kata was not in the mood for fighting and promised to marry Nobutomo for the surrender of Iwamura.  Nobutomo agreed and Iwamura was in the hands of the Takeda.

Then in 1575, not long after the Battle of Nagashino, Nobunaga attacked Iwamura and it was in the hands of the Oda again.  That being said, Akiyama Nobutomo and Nobunaga's niece ended up being crucified on the banks of the Nagara River in Gifu.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga's Free Market

In 1567, Nobunaga issued the free market of Kano at Josenbo (Entokuji Temple of the True Pure Land sect) in Gifu.

1. For persons moving into this market there shall be no obstruction to their passage within this domain.  There shall be no levies involving debts in cash or rice, on unpaid rent and various taxes, and this shall include erasure of such debt in ledgers; even those here through hereditary succession shall cause no opposition to newcomers.
2. There shall be no aggressive sales, violence, fighting, or verbal quarreling.
3. Those attempting wrongful use of the market [such as causing debt through money lending] are forbidden to interfere and there shall be no inappropriate acquisition of lodging [by warriors].

By this command, persons violating these three items shall be quickly and severely punished.
Oda Nobunaga [official signature]
10th month of 10th year of Eiroku [1567]

During Nobunaga's time the Raku-Ichi Raku-Za free market was called the Kano Market in Gifu.  In the Edo Era, it was called the Misono Market.  Also Entokuji Temple during Nobunaga's time was known as Josenbo.

Tenka no tame!

Okehazama Kassen Kenkyu

The past weekend I have been reading Sakakibara Kunihiko's Okehazama Kassen Kenkyu.  This book is informative and useful.  However, it is extremely difficult to read like most academic books.  If you are looking to see what went into Nobunaga's or Imagawa Yoshimoto's head during the battle, this book does not do it.  A historical novel will do.  That being said, this book goes into a lot of the local geography and landmarks.

Nobunaga no tame!

Happy 2016

Happy 2016 everyone!  Normally, I would post something about Nobunaga's famous New Year's celebration of 1574 at Gifu Castle.  The celebration that included the gold lacquered skulls of Azai Nagamasa, Azai Hisamasa, and Asakura Yoshikage.  However, on New Year's Eve, I received an excellent book on Okehazama in the mail by the Kajino Family.  Okehazama Kassen Kenkyu by Sakakibara Kunihiko is one of the latest published works on the Battle of Okehazama.  Published in October of 2015.

Also I ordered Okehazam no Kassen by Yasumi Takeda.  That book was published in 1982.

Nobunaga no tame!
Tenka no tame!