Why We Need Nobunaga

Why we need Nobunaga in this day of age?  Answer is simple.  He wrote back in 1575, "a curse on the nation and if I not suppress them, there will never be an end to it.  That is why I wipe them out."

Nobunaga no tame!

Book Recommendations

Here a short video by Sengoku historian Owada Tetsuo talking about book recommendations on Imagawa Yoshimoto and the Imagawa house.  Useful in my opinion if you are a student of the Battle of Okehazama.

Tenka no tame!

Nohime Video I

Just watched an excellent video on Nohime again on YouTube and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in Nohime.  The video goes into detail on the various names Nohime received during her lifetime.

First, she is known as Kicho and the narrator explains it was a beautiful name for her.  Later her name changes to Kocho according to the Bukoyawa. Kocho was known as image of a beautiful butterfly.  While living at Sagiyama Castle before her marriage to Nobunaga, she was known as Sagayima-dono.  When she married Nobunaga she was known as No/Nohime, the Princess of Mino. Then while living at Azuchi Castle, she was known as Azuchi-dono.  Last was her Buddhist Yokain.

The video is short, but informative.

Nobunaga no tame!

Okehazama Video

Here is a video I found on YouTube regarding the Battle of Okehazama.  It is in Japanese and it is decent at best.  Highlights include Yoshimoto's alliance with the Hojo and Takeda, his arrogance towards Nobunaga, and Nobunaga's surprise attack at Yoshimoto's headquarters. I have to admit, the video is tacky at times, but the maps steal the show.  The battle map is top notch and easy to understand.  Another plus was the simple explanation where Okabe Motonobu received Yoshimoto's head while surrendering Narumi to Nobunaga.  Unfortunately, that historical incident is often left out of most Okehazama videos. 

Rating: 5/10

Tenka no tame!

Nobunaga Painting

Here is a Nobunaga painting I found on the net.  It is bad ass for sure and extremely masculine.  I do not care for the sakayaki hairstyle though.  Just my opinion.  The only thing that is missing is the matchlock rifle.  If the rifle was include, the painting would even be better.  This is a Nobunaga painting that warns his enemies, do not f×ck with me.  If you do, you will be exterminated.


Nobunaga no tame!

Yoshimoto Statue Debut

Big news coming out of Shizuoka as the second statue of Imagawa Yoshimoto made its debut on Battle of Okehazama day.  This is the second statue of Yoshimoto and the first one is located at the Arimatsu Okehazama Battlefield.  As a Battle of Okehazama scholar, this is great news.  This should have been done a long time ago.  One must remember that Yoshimoto was born and raised in the Shizuoka area. Just about every Sengoku warlord has a statue in their old domain.  Next I would like to see a statue of Saito Dosan in Gifu.

Tenka no tame!

Okehazama 2020

Today is Battle of Okehazama day, the day Nobunaga changed Japanese history forever when he defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto.  The battle set the stage for Nobunaga to unite and rule Sengoku Japan.

Key points to Nobunaga's victory:

1. Nobunaga had a plan from the start.
2. He did not tell his retainers/captains about the plan since betrayal was all too common during the Sengoku Era.  Nobunaga did not trust them at all. Only the Men of the Fields knew about the plan.  The old saying goes, "A plan should be carried out in secret."
3. He used the middle men on the outside such as the Men of the Fields to do his dirty work for him.  He had more trust in them than his own retainers.
4. The weather was so hot and miserable  it made the Imagawa army stop and rest. Also the thunderstorm provided cover for the Oda army.  The storm prevented the Imagawa army to do any scouting around the surrounding  army.
5. The intelligence provided by Yanada Masatsuna was crucial in Nobunaga's victory.
6. The quality of the Imagawa army was poor compared to the Oda.  Nobunaga's army was toughen up by all the battle experience they received while unifying Owari.
7. Charisma.  Nobunaga' was able to run off his unorthodox character to his soldiers when they needed it the most.
8. Yoshimoto never respected his enemy as a worthy opponent. He always thought Nobunaga was a country samurai with no national pedigree.  The snobbish attitude cost him him his life and the Imagawa house.
9. Kyoto.  Yoshimoto was so obsessed with the capital as his goal, he forgot who was the real true enemy, Nobunaga.
10. Tactics.  Yoshimoto failed tactically.  His allies vanguard which consisted  of the Matsudaira, Ii, and the Asahina did much of the bulk work.  However, Yoshimoto's main army failed due to the lack of attentiveness and overconfidence.
11. Profession.  Nobunaga took his warrior profession seriously.  From the day he was born until the day he died, Nobunaga was a soldier of war.  Yoshimoto on the other hand, could not decide if he was Kyoto court noble or a warrior.  Chances are high he did not receive a proper military education. 
12. Plan. Preparation. Execution. It was near flawless as Yoshimoto and the rest of the Imagawa army could not adjust nor recover.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga's Attire I

Last month I wrote a post on Nobunaga's attire.  http://otsuke.blogspot.com/2020/04/nobunagas-attire.html

Now a friend of mine has a new blog post regarding Nobunaga's attire from the NHK Taiga drama Kirin ga Kuru.

https://uesama-dango.blogspot.com/2020/05/kirin-ga-kuru-making-of-notes-nobunagas.html

The blog post includes pictures of Nobunaga's attire from a fisherman, his Owari no Utsuke clothes, and the formal wear when he met Saito Dosan in 1553.  The picture above is a replica displayed at the Gifu City Museum of History.  I have had the chance to try it on myself and it is the closest thing you are going to get to feel like you are in Nobunaga's shoes during his teenage years.

Tenka no tame!

Yoshimoto and Kyoto

On May 12th, Imagawa Yoshimoto along with his 20,000 army left Sunpu for Kyoto.  Seven days later Nobunaga would end Yoshimoto's dream at the Battle of Okehazama.  Imagawa Yoshimoto had Imperial blood from his mother, Jukeini.  If Yoshimoto did occupy Kyoto, what was his goal?  To become shogun for himself or become part of the Ashikaga government.  I do not think Yoshimoto would oust Ashikaga Yoshiteru, who was the shogun at the time.  If that happened, most of the daimyo in Sengoku Japan would have rebelled against  Yoshimoto immediately.  The alliance Yoshimoto had with the Takeda and Hojo would collapse.  The Uesugi in Echigo would have challenged Yoshimoto for sure.  So in my opinion, Yoshimoto would never dispose the shogun for his personal gain.  Instead, he would have a major position in the Ashikaga government with significant power.

Nobunaga no tame!

Dosan's Death

The recent Taiga drama Kirin ga Kuru aired the episode of Nobunaga's father-in-law, Saito Dosan's death.  I wrote a post almost ten years ago on this subject.  https://otsuke.blogspot.com/2010/07/saito-dosan-and-his-fall.html

Things went sour after Nobunaga met Dosan at Shotokuji Temple in 1553.  Dosan knew Nobunaga was not an idiot and he was the only person who can unify Sengoku Japan.  After Nobunaga's victory at the Battle of Muraki in 1554, Yoshitatsu knew he had to do something about his father.  With a strong Dosan/Nobunaga alliance, Yoshitatsu's influence and power was decreased.  So he rebelled against his father and killed two of his sons.

During the Battle of Nagaragawa, Nobunaga provided aid to Dosan and made camp at Ora in Mino. After Dosan's death, Yoshitatsu and Nobunaga fought at Oyobigawara.  After the skirmish, Nobunaga pulled back to Ora and returned to Owari.

Tenka no tame!

Motoyasu Leaves For Odaka

May 10th, 1560 Matsudaira Motoyasu (Tokugawa Ieyasu) leaves Sunpu for Odaka Castle.  Odaka Castle which under the command of Udono Nagateru was in need of supplies.  Motoyasu and a couple thousand troops was ordered by Imagawa Yoshimoto to lead the army to conquer Owari and Nobunaga.

There were over 450 bags of rice, 110-150 horses, and other necessities packed for Odaka.  The Imagawa bought rice from Mino that was shipped from Ise to Okazaki and Sunpu.  Besides the Matsudaira family, the Asahina, Ii, and the Sena participated in the campaign.  They would do much of the dirty work for Yoshimoto before he arrived at Okehazama and was killed in battle.

Nobunaga knew from intelligence reports gathered by the Men of the Fields that the Imagawa were about to invade Owari.  Time was short as well as resources.  Nobunaga knew if he was going to come out alive, something had to be done without any mishaps.

The picture is from Steven Turnbull's Samurai Warfare. 

It was noted that Motoyasu wore gold plated armor when he left for Odaka.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga and Mt. Fuji

Nobunaga was able to see Mt. Fuji after wiping out the the Takeda in 1582.  This was his triumphant gift from the war gods. This a landmark where Nobunaga viewed Mt. Fuji in person.

Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 455)

"As he viewed Mount Fuji, the snow covering its loftiness made it appear like a white cloud.  It truly is an extraordinary and glorious mountain."

Tenka no tame!

Yoshimoto's Camp Painting

Here is a painting of a scene where Yoshimoto is offered gifts at his camp during the Battle of Okehazama.  Nobunaga hired the Men of the Fields to gather intelligence as well as the chance to slow down Yoshimoto's advance.  A man named Tozaemon along with priests from Chofukuji Temple welcomed Yoshimoto's army with gifts.  A Buddhist priest by the name of Zenku also provided refreshments.  One must remember on that day of the battle, the weather was hot, humid, and sticky.  Yoshimoto and the rest of the Imagawa army was exhausted and the gifts that they received was a welcome.  What Yoshimoto and his army did not know that they were being set up into a trap by Nobunaga.


Nobunaga no tame!

Nohime Video

Short post on a six minute video on Nohime.  It discusses the marriage between Toki Yorizumi and Nohime before she wed Nobunaga in 1548.  Video is in Japanese.

Tenka no tame!

Fort Tange Landmark

May is the Battle of Okehazama month and I start off with an update on Fort Tange.  There is a new landmark for Fort Tange.  Great news since the landmark is in Japanese and English.  Built by Nobunaga in 1559, the fort was 243 by 141 feet.  Nobunaga then put Mizuno Tatewaki in charge of the fort.  Tatewaki was part of Nobunaga's black cowl unit since 1558 and he was from the Tobe family.  Yamaguchi Ebi no Jo Moritaka also assisted Tatewaki defending Fort Tange.  Fort Tange along with Zenshoji and Nakajima were the three forts that Nobunaga built in 1559 in preparation for the Battle of Okehazama.

Nobunaga no tame!