Rokkaku at Okehazama

When I was at the Okehazama battlefield early this spring, I found out that the Rokkaku family of southern Omi provided some support for Nobunaga.  the information I received from the Kajino family and Chofukuji Temple near the Arimatsu Okehazama Battlefield is interesting.  According to the ancient documents from Chofukuji, the Rokkaku send an army of 1,500 which 272 were killed in action.  From the Mikawa Fudoki, 2,300 men were sent to provide aid.  If Rokkaku did provide aid for Nobunaga, I think that number is too high. According to the Kajino family, 1,500 or less is a more probable number.

With Nobunaga's victory over Imagawa Yoshimoto, the Saito had a major problem.  Saito Yoshitatsu knew he was next.  Right after the the Battle of Okehazama, Yoshitatsu made an alliance with the Rokkaku.  Nobunaga's relationship with the Rokkaku has been up and down.  In 1568, while marching to Kyoto with a massive army, Nobunaga brushed aside the Rokkaku with ease.


Tenka no tame!

Nagoya Debate

Photo of Nagoya Castle landmark 2006.

Nagoya Castle is back in the news for Nobunaga's birthplace.  Link: https://ameblo.jp/mikawa-hide/entry-12397181294.html

No matter if Nobunaga's birth place is Shobata or not, chances are it was Nagoya.  Shobata was too close to enemy territory, Mino.  Nagoya, located in the heart of Owari was a safer place for the birth of Nobunaga.  If Shibota was Nobunaga's birthplace, he was taken to Nagoya as soon as possible for safety issues.  I still stand with Nagoya as the place of birth for Nobunaga.  At the same time, I add Shobata for another point of view to be fair.  Nagoya Castle during the time of Nobunaga was measured 1640 by 1968 feet in length.

Nobunaga no tame!

Yasuke Part I

There has been a lot of news about Nobunaga's black attendant Yasuke of late.  Which is good.  Yasuke was only with Nobunaga for over a year or so.  Not that long.  Nobunaga came into contact with Yasuke in February of 1581.  He was about 6'2 in height and where he came from Africa is still a mystery.  Some say he was a Habshi from Ethiopia or a Dinka from South Sudan.  Who knows.  That being said he was able to some Japanese to communicate with the locals.

The Shincho-Ko ki does has a passage about him.

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga pp. 385-6.

"On the 23rd of the Second Month, a blackmoor came from the Kirishitan Country.  He appeared to be twenty-six or twenty-seven years old.  Black over his whole body, just like an ox, this man looked robust and had a good demeanor.  What is more, his formidable strength surpassed that of ten men."

Tenka no tame!

Merit

Nobunaga promoted his captains and soldiers on merit, not linage and it proved to be a success.  He hated the the old order on how the long established families kept the the ones who did the work down and out.  He change it.  If you did well on the battlefield or other related works, you were rewarded.  At the same time he demoted, banished, or killed high or low for not doing their job.  Nobunaga was not afraid to hire someone on the outside, like the Men of the Fields, Hideyoshi, or even Akechi Mitsuhide to do the dirty work for him.  It proved to be extremely successful.  Competition created success for Nobunaga.

Neil McMullin, Oda Nobunaga and the Buddhist Institutions, p 84

"Breeding and proper blood lines meant nothing to Nobunaga.  Together with such patricians as Niwa Nagahide and Hosokawa Fujitaka, he added to his inner circle such low born people as Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Akechi Mitsuhide.  Oda promoted people on the basis of their ability, and demoted those--no matter what their breeding--who failed to meet his expectations.  A good example of the latter was Nobunaga's punishment of Sakuma Nobumori, a person of noble family and one of Oda's top ranking generals, for his poor performance during the siege of the Honganji citadel from 1575 to 1580. Persons, whether they were bonzes, kuge, or peasants, who showed loyalty to Oda were rewarded, and those who opposed him were destroyed."

Nobunaga also banished Hayashi Hidesada and Ando Morinari for not doing their job. Even maidservants were put to death for skipping work.  Yet, someone like Maeda Toshiie who was banished and allowed back in the Oda house due to his merits on the battlefield at the Battle of Moribe in 1561.  It must have been difficult for the old guard as well as the newbies to work for Nobunaga.  You had to perform or else.  Knowing your boss was not afraid to hire someone on the outside added the stress.  That being said, if you were consistent on the battlefield and the like, you were well rewarded.

Nobunaga no tame!