Battle of Okehazama Area Location Document List

 Okehazama Kassen Kenkyuu by Sakakibara Kunihiko is a fantastic book regarding to the Battle of Okehazama. Pages 11-12 are extremely important since he lists most of the primary sources related to the name of area. I will list the key sources. You can find most of them online (digital documentation)

Narumi Okehazama: Matsudairaki, EhonTaikoki

Okehazama: Ashikaga Kisetsuki

Okehazamayama: The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga, Oda Shinki

Okehazama no Yama (sange): Oda Gunki, Sokenki, Bukejiki

Okehazama no kita: Shinpen Okehazama Kassenki, Seikoki

Okehazama Matsubara: Bukejiki

Dengakutsubo: Chuko Nihon Chiranki, Okehazama Kassenki, Mikawa Gofudoki

Dengakuhazama: Shinpen Okehazama Kassenki, Bukoyawa 

Dengakubo: Koyo Gunkan, Mikawa Gofudoki, Okehazama mura kassenki

Oyakatahazama: Choushuu Zasshi, Okehazama Okehazama Kassenenki

Chausuyama: Okehazama Kassenenki, Okehazama Kassenryakuki

There are more, but I wanted to add the key documents. My next post will regarding the Kasugayama Nikki and the Battle of Okehazama, since I have found the document online.

Many thanks to Yukio Kajino and the Battle of Okehazama Preservation Committee.

Nobunaga no tame!

Omido Castle

 Omido Castle was the birthplace of Takenaka Hanbei (1544-79). Located in western Mino, modern day Gifu Prefecture. It was known to be a flatland (hirajiro) type of castle. Hanbei's baptism of fire was at the Battle of Nagaragawa 1556, fighting on the side of Saito Dosan. He replaced his father as the serving commander. Hanbei also had a residence near Gifu Castle at Myoshoji Temple during the time of Nobunaga. Omido Castle is located at Ono Town, Ibi district Gifu Prefecture.

Nobunaga no tame!

Okehazama Gunki

 

Earlier this morning I found an old Okehazama document online. Okehazama Zokugunki/ Okehazama Gunki is mixed with prints with documentation of the Battle of Okehazama. The first print is Imagawa Yoshimoto at camp. The second print Yoshimoto is killed at the Battle of Okehazama. The last print: Nobunaga holding the post-battle head viewing ceremony with Maeda Toshiie. Reliable? It is what is it is, a historical propaganda document, but it does provide clues regarding the Battle of Okehazama. I like it since the prints are different from the usual ones found in museums.

Nobunaga no tame!

Takakura Musubimiko Jinja

 Believe or not, Takakura Musubimiko Jinja has a special relationship with Nobunaga. Located north from Atsuta Shrine, Nobunaga donated and rebuilt the main hall of the shrine in 1571. It was built Owari zukuri style. Later in the early Edo Era, the Hachisuka family made additional repairs to the shrine. 

Takakura Musubimiko Jinja is about a 25 minute walk from Atsuta Shrine.

Nobunaga no tame!

Hairstyles

 

Whoever made this chart is a lifesaver. A lifesaver, because it simply describes and compares Sengoku hairstyles from what you see on the television and the movies, to the portraits itself. The portraits of Nobunaga, Ashikaga Yoshiharu, and Yoshiteru still have some hair on the top. So, which is correct? In my opinion, the option on the right, the one with some hair on the top is correct. Those artists who drew the portraits back in the day had interaction with the people of Sengoku Japan, so they knew how people dressed their clothes and hair.

Tenka no tame!

Bukoyawa Short Video

 Here is a short video by local historian Seishiro Mizuno on his opinion regarding the Bukoyawa. Unfortunately, he thinks it is a fraudulent document. I highly recommend the Bukoyawa to its rich information relating to the Battle of Okehazama and Sumomata. There is a well-written thesis by David D. Neilson, Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan (University of Oregon) explains the Bukoyawa and the Men of the Fields. To be honest and fair, I do not think Seishiro Mizuno knows or most Japanese historians know about Neilson's work. Also I do not know if his thesis has been translated into Japanese. I have discussed the Bukoyawa with Seishiro Mizuno and explained my opinion. It is not some Showa Era historical novel. 

Neilson (pp.4-5) "Much of what has been produced has been resoundingly negative in its evaluation of the Bukoyawa as a legitimate historical source. Let it suffice at this point to say that although it is not a perfect source, there is still a great deal that can be learned from the Bukoyawa...."

Is the The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga or the Mikawa Monogatari perfect? No. No primary source is perfect. In fact, you will find many irregularities with them.

I agree with Neilson on this statement regarding to the Bukoyawa Neilson (p. 33)

"I have come to the conclusion that much of the reason behind the apparent blacklisting of the Bukoyawa has to do with the way that the documents were released." Historians were caught by surprise were the Bukoyawa appeared in bookstores.

Neilson (pp. 33-34) "Historians can be very protective of their sources and sometimes think of documents as things that, because of their special skills, belongs to them. In this case though, the normal process was sidestepped and the documents were not given to historians for official vetting."

Historians are upset that they did not get their greasy fingers first, that is why the Bukoyawa is blacklisted. Again to be fair, Mizuno and others do not know Neilson's published works. It is not their fault. The blame can go to the national historians and the like since they have a personal vendetta regarding to the Bukoyawa.

Nobunaga no tame!

Toll Barriers Continued

 This post continues with Nobunaga's abolition of toll barriers. This time in Ise Province, 1569. The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 137)

" The toll barriers in Ise Province caused a great deal of trouble to travelers coming and going, and Nobunaga therefore abolished them in perpetuity, issuing strict orders that henceforth no tolls be collected there."

As I stated in an earlier post, Nobunaga abolished most of the toll barriers under his control. Some were kept in place. For example, the toll barrier that benefited the Imperial treasury was still in use. As for the normal traveler and merchant, it became safer and cheaper. Once Nobunaga abolished the tolls barriers, economic development rapidly increased.

Tenka no tame!