I usually do not post much from the conquest of Nagashima in Ise, but this is an interesting find. There is a letter by Nobunaga to Kamada Shinsuke discussing the attack on the Ikko-ikki. The letter is from the early 1570s. It was also confirmed by Yuki Murai of University of Tokyo.
Here is an article on Azuchi Castle. The topic is who burned down Azuchi Castle. The article lists three main culprits. Akechi Mitsuhide, Oda Nobukatsu, and Hideyoshi. It is widely excepted that Nobukatsu foolishly burned down Azuchi. As for Mitsuhide, I do not think he done it. Hideyoshi theory does sound plausible. Even after the castle was destroyed, the ni no maru was still being used.
Wakamusha Tokugawa Ieyasu by Shimazu Yoshitada is a novel about a young Tokugawa Ieyasu. Themes include life as a hostage during the Oda/Imagawa years and The Battle of Okehazama.
Here is the full Okehazama lecture by Owada Tetsuo. It was supposed to held near the Arimatsu Okehazama Battlefield area, but it was canceled. So Tetsuo did the lecture from his own office. Over an hour long, it focuses on Matsudaira Motoyasu (Tokugawa Ieyasu), Mikawa, and of course, the Battle of Okehazama.
Key points:
Motoyasu as a hostage during the Oda/Imagawa years.
Education at Rinzaiji with Sessai as his instructor
Yoshimoto's campaign goals. For example, Mikawa, Owari, or Kyoto.
Yoshimoto's alliance with the Hojo and Takeda
Motoyasu's delivery of supplies to Odaka Castle.
His attack on Fort Marune
Okehazama: Nobunaga's intelligence network, quality of troops, weather, and Yoshimoto's mishaps.
Battlefield more spread out than originally thought.
Here is a video on Fushunin. Fushunin was formally known as Tentakuji Temple which was abandoned during the Meiji Era. This is another grave site for Imagawa Yoshimoto after he was killed at the Battle of Okehazama. Fushunin is not far from Rinzaiji Temple. If you are in the Shizuoka area, Sunpu Castle, Fushunin, and Rinzaiji can visited in one day.
When Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga and attacked him at the Honnoji in June of 1582, he was a man who had serious doubts. I do believe this. Why? Jeroen Lamers give us a clue in his book, Japonius Tyrannus (p. 214) " Mitsuhide's behavior directly before the Honnoji Incident was that of a man having serious doubts as to what course of action to take."
Mitsuhide owed everything to Nobunaga. He was an outsider. If Nobunaga did not employ Mitsuhide, he would end up as a nobody.
My Battle of Okehazama colleague Mr. Seishiro Mizuno recently visited the new Toyoake City Okehazama Museum. As from the picture, it looks nice and has a lot of material from the battle. While it is free to enter, the days on which the museum is open is not. Only Friday and Saturday. That being said, I do highly recommend those who are interested in the battle, to visit the museum. I cannot wait to go.