Hakari koto wa

A lot of the lame stream media of late has been ripping Trump on his Syria pullout and the killing of that thug terrorist Al- Baghdadi.  The Democrats were pissed since they were not informed about raid.  Good on the President for not telling them since loose lips sinks ship.  It was the smart decision.  I would not trust them either.  The old Japanese phrase: Hakari koto wa mitsu wo motte yoshitosu.  A plan should be carried out in secret.  Now this brings up some similarities on Nobunaga's bold plan for the Battle of Okehazama.

As stated in earlier posts:

1. Nobunaga had a plan from the start.
2. He did not tell anyone about the plan since he was betrayed by his retainers in the past.
3. Hired someone on the outside, The Men of the Fields to do his dirty for him.

Nobunaga had a plan to attack Yoshimoto when the time was right.  That being said, he had to play the role of the fool to keep the Imagawa spies and his own retainers off guard.  It was not easy.  Months before the Imagawa invasion, Nobunaga would often visit Ikoma mansion to see his concubine Kitsuno and the kids.  Often, he would fish at the rivers or perform song and dance.  This would convince the Imagawa and Nobunaga's retainers that he was not interested in military affairs and would rather see the Oda house wiped out.  It was the complete opposite.  While at Ikoma mansion, Nobunaga was secretly working out a plan with the Men of the Fields to crush the Imagawa.

Since Nobunaga took over the Oda House, everyone tried to push him out.  It failed.  They tried it on the battlefield.  It failed.  Shibata Katsuie and Hayashi Hidesada learned the hard way at the Battle of Ino in 1556.  Both of them barely made out alive.  Nobuyuki rebelled not only once, but twice and eventually killed off for his betrayal.  Nobunaga had a hard time trusting people.  To be honest, during the Sengoku Era, trust and loyalty was rare.  Any sign of weakness, and you were killed off or banished.  Nobunaga's retainers never knew that he had a plan, a bold plan that one mishap meant death.  Nobunaga did not trust them one bit.  Nobunaga's reatiners had their own soldiers to take care of.  If the Imagawa came knocking on the door with an option to serve them and keep their lands, of course they would accept.  The key was staying alive and being on the winning side.  Nobunaga was no fool.  He knew this from the start and that is why everything was kept in secret.

Nobunaga's decision to hire the Men of the Fields was superb.  He had the flexibility to do it since he was not tied to anyone.  The Men of the Fields were body guards, security agents, quartermasters, arms dealers, merchants and the like.  Hachisuka Koroku and Maeno Shoemon had strong ties to the Ikoma family.  The same family Kitsuno was from.  With this bond, Nobunaga had more trust in them and his own retainers. They would provide all the logistical and intelligence support Nobunaga needed.  Also they were excellent in adapting to any situation without failure.  Once everything was worked out, they were able to stall the Imagawa army by providing refreshments.  The weather was a factor too.  It was extremely hot on the day of the battle and of course, the rainstorm which caused the Imagawa army to run for cover.

Baghdadi was bagged and tagged while Nobunaga would say.  "Heads taken thousands, fucks given zero!"

Tenka no tame!

Gifu Flower Nobunaga Doll

If anyone plans to visit Gifu Castle Park in the fall, now is the time.  The yearly Nobunaga flower doll is now on display.  This picture above is a work of art.  Nobunaga is sitting down with his rifle while, Saito Dosan is on the left and Akechi Mitsuhide is on the right.  All of this is the lead up to next year's NHK Taiga drama on Mitsuhide.

Nobunaga no tame!

2019 Kenkun Jinja Matsuri

The Oda Nobunaga Kenkun Jinja Matsuri in Kyoto will be held on Saturday October 19th.

Link: https://ameblo.jp/matsuriouji/entry-12535873448.html

Kenkun Jinja is the home of the armor Nobunaga wore during the Battle of Okehazama, copy of the Shincho-Ko ki, and the Samonji sword.  Earlier this year I visited Kenkun Jinja received a Meiwa certificate with a Tenka Fubu print along with Atsumori.  The festival will have a matchlock rifle squad along with samurai in Sengoku armor.

Tenka no tame!

Battle of Ino 1556 I

Battle of Inogahara landmark:  Take Nagoya City Subway Tsurmai Line and exit at Shonaidori Station, use exit 2.

I will continue with the discussion of the Battle of Ino since it put Nobunaga on the offensive and it was a key victory for the unification of Owari.   Nobunaga was outnumbered almost 2 to 1 and still came out on top.  Why?  I do believe that Shibata Katsuie and Hayashi Mimasaka, along with Hidesada underestimated Nobunaga's military tactics and strategy.  After all, they heard nothing but how he was an idiot and scumbag.  It was the complete opposite.  Yes, Nobunaga often mock battles and firing the guns out in the Owari countryside while he should be attending to formal matters, but that is what made him strong.  The preparation made him a force to be reckon with.  Only a few noticed.  Hirate Masahide was one of those.  Even though he tried his best to train Nobunaga into a traditional samurai, it did not work.  That being said, he did know that Nobunaga was a rare gem because he was not traditional.  Shibata Katsuie, Hayashi Mimasaka, Hayashi Hidesada, long with Nobuyuki did not understand until it was too late.

Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 80)

"There were more than four hundred fifty heads in all, including those of Owaki Torazo, Kobe Heishiro, and many other samurai of standing.

From that moment on, Nagoya and Suemori were castles under siege.  Again and again, Nobunaga forced his way between them, burnt down everything as far as the entries to the townships below their walls, and launched attacks on them."

Nobunaga knew he did not have the numbers to compete with Nobuyuki's allied army.  That being said, Nobunaga knew the quality of his soldiers and put them in place where they can succeed at its highest capacity.  This is leadership at its best.  Katsuie found out the hard way and sided with Nobunaga.  After his brother's death at Ino, Hayashi Hidesada knew that being on the wrong side meant death.


Nobunaga no tame!

Battle of Ino 1556

The Battle of Ino in 1556 was one of key conflicts for Nobunaga's quest of Owari.  He would end up in triumph and remarkably, he was outnumbered 2 to 1.  Shibata Katsuie (fighting for Oda Nobuyuki at the time) had 1,000 men while Hayashi Mimasaka (Hayashi Hidesada's brother) had 700. Nobunaga at the time of the battle only had 700 and his command post was on an edge of a bamboo grove to the east.

Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p.79-80)

"On the 24th of the Eighth Month, at the Hour of the Horse(around noon), Nobunaga opened the attack toward the southeast, striking at Shibata Gonroku's unit with the greater part of his forces,  Blows fell thick and fast, and Yamada Jibuzaemon was killed. Shibata Gonroku took Yamada's head but was wounded himself and left the battlefield in a hurry. Sassa Magosuke was killed,and numerous accomplished warriors either were killed or fled to Nobunaga's presence.  At his side Oda Shozaemon, Oda Sake no Jo (Nobufusa), Mori Sanzaemon (Yoshinari), and about forty attendants armed with pikes.  Sake no Jo and Sanzaemon together struck down Ohara of Tsuchida, a samurai originally of the Kiyosu warrior band, and then shoved and pished one another while trying to snatch Ohara's head.  the two sides clashed; the battle raged; Lord Kazua no suke roared.  The enemy fighters, who were after all his kinsman and retainers, saw grandeur.  In the end, the enemy collapsed and fled.  A servant of Sake no Jo, a man called Zenmon, cut down Kobe Heishiro and said, 'My lord, take his head.'  But Sake no Jo merely replied responded, 'Just cut him down as many as you can,' and kept moving.

Next Nobunaga turned south, to take on Hayashi Mimasaka's force.  Here Kuroda Hanbei and Hayashi Mimasaka slashed at each other for hours, and Hanbei's left hand was cut off.  when Hanbei and Mimasaka both were spent, Kazusa no Suke Nobunaga engaged Mimasaka.  Guchu Sugiwaka, one of Oda Shozaemon's menials, fought so well that juncture that he was subsequently promoted and given the name Sugizaemon no Jo.

Nobunaga struck down Hayashi Mimasaka and cut off his head, taking revenge for Hayashi's treason.  the enemy was routed with united forces, but then it was every man for himself.  each of Nobunaga's men had his horse brought up from the rear, jumped on it, and took off in pursuit of the fleeing enemy.  They came back from the chase with many a head.  That day, Nobunaga returned from the battlefield to Kiyosu.  the next day, he personally inspected the heads that had been taken:

The head of Hayashi Mimasaka  taken by Oda Kazusa no Suke Nobunaga.
Kamata Suke no Jo  Taken by Tsuda Sama no Jo (Moritsuki).
Tomino Sakyo no Shin  taken by Takabatake Sanemon.
Yamaguchi Matajiro taken by Kimata Rokurosaburo.
Hashimoto Juzo taken by Sakuma Daigaku.
Tsunoda Shingo taken by Matsura Kamesuke."


Tenka no tame!