Nobunaga and Ieyasu Exhibit at Azuchi

 The Azuchi Castle Archeological Museum will host an exciting exhibition dealing with Nobunaga and Ieyasu. Betrayer and Unbetrayer. The exhibition will be held April 29th to June 4th. This exhibition should be a must see in person.

Nobunaga no tame!

2023 Nagashino Festival

 

The 2023 Nagashino Matsuri will be held May 3rd to the 5th. On the 5th, the big boys like Nobunaga and Ieyasu will be out with the gunnery squad.  I have been to the festival at least twice and it was well worth it. If you have the chance to go, by all means go.  You will not be disappointed.

Tenka no tame!

Dosan's Death

 In 1556, Nobunaga's father-in-law, Saito Dosan (1494-1556) was killed at the Battle of Nagaragawa. There was bad blood between him and his son Yoshitatsu. The bad blood started in 1553 when Nobunaga and Dosan met at Shotokuji.  Once Dosan knew Nobunaga was not an idiot and a genius, the relationship between him and Yoshitatsu fell apart.  Probably Yoshitatsu was jealous of Nobunaga. He most likely knew Nobunaga was not a fool, but too embarrassed to express his opinion.

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 103)

"Nagai Chuzaemon took on Dosan, laid hold of him as he was raising high his assault sword, and locked him in am embrace. Just when Nagai had almost succeeded in taking Yamashiro Dosan alive, Komaki Genta, a ferocious samurai, came running up, mowed down Dosan crosswise at the shins, and took his head as he fell prostrate."

Another reason why Yoshitatsu rebelled was that he was not the son of Dosan, but the son of Toki Yorinari.  This was untrue. Toki Yorinari did have Miyoshino as a partner. When she became Dosan's concubine, she was not pregnant at that time. So in my opinion, Yoshitatsu made up this excuse to give him a reason to attack Dosan.

Nobunaga no tame!

Legend and Butterfly Mt. Hiei Clip

 Here is another clip from the Nobunaga and Nohime movie The Legend & Butterfly. This clip was in the middle of shooting the attack on Mt. Hiei.  When I watched the movie earlier this earlier, I was surprised how nasty and violent the scenes were. In fact, this was one of the better scenes in the movie. When Nobunaga launched his assault on Mt. Hiei in 1571, it was a total massacre. Thousands were slaughtered for the sake of the realm.

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (pp. 165-6)

"Moreover, they captured countless beautiful women and boys, and led them before Nobunaga. `We don't care about the evil monks,' they shrieked, 'but spare us!' Nobunaga, however, absolutely refused to reprieve them. One by one, they had their heads chopped off, a scene horrible to behold. Thousands of corpses lay scattered about like so many little sticks, a pitiful end."

Tenka no tame!

Legend and Butterfly Clip

 Here is a clip from the making of the Nobunaga and Nohime movie, The Legend & Butterfly. This clip is from the aftermath of the Battle of Nagashino. A butterfly, which represents Nohime, is resting on a dead soldier and soon lands on Nobunaga's jinbaori (surcoat). This scene from the movie represents Nobunaga and Nohime together as one.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobuhide's Funeral Art

 Here is some nice artwork related to Oda Nobuhide's funeral.  Nobunaga throwing incense at the tablet is beauty.

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 61)

"When the time came for Nobunaga to burn incense for the deceased, he stepped up to the altar looking like this: He bore his long-hilted sword and dagger stuck in a straw rope that he had wrapped around himself. His hair was tied straight up like a tea whisk. He was not even wearing formal trousers (hakama). He abruptly grabbed a handful of incense powder, threw it at the altar, and left."

Tenka no tame!

Imperial Palace Repairs

 It seems that Nobunaga often contributed to repair the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. Again, Nobunaga takes charge and the Palace is repaired.

Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 219)

"On the first day of the Fourth Month, Nobunaga made a declaration of the following report: Because in recent times the imperial palace had become dilapidated, he ordered repairs to be undertaken some years ago, and the project was duly finished. The imperial nobility, however, had in the course of its decline sold off its estates of land everywhere. Nobunaga therefore gave instructions to Murai Minbu no Jo and Niwa Gorozaemon to implement an act of grace returning their original properties to the nobles.  Thus a simultaneous restoration of the sovereign, of the nobility, and of the military was effected, earning Nobunaga a peerless renown. There could be no greater glory in the realm."

Reconstruction work began in 1569 and was finished in 1571.

Nobunaga no tame!