Nanban Mochi Update

 Earlier this year I was able to try the Nanban Mochi. The Nanban Mochi was probably Nobunaga's last request for sweets. I was able to buy a packet of these delicious sweets at Kameya Yoshinaga in Kyoto. The texture of the sweet was chewy. I wrote a short post regarding to the Nanban Mochi last December. The sweet consists of wheat flour, brown sugar, and kudzu starch. Mixed with water, kneaded, and steamed. As for the mochi itself, it was not overly sweet. It goes well with a bowl of matcha. While eating the mochi and drinking the matcha tea, you did feel as if you were in the era of Nobunaga.

Tenka no tame!

Azuchi Miyuki no Ma

 This is an AI video explaining Azuchi Castle and Miyuki no Ma (3:35-5:00 minute mark). The Miyuki no Ma was hall built below the castle tower. Built for the emperor's visit to Azuchi, Miyuki no Ma was similar to Seiryoden of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Recent excavations reveal 119 foundation stones were discovered. It was also built on stilts. Unfortunately, Nobunaga was killed before the emperor made a visit to Azuchi. If the emperor did visit Azuchi while Nobunaga was alive, it would have been a truly unique event.

Nobunaga no tame!

Dodo Bashi

 In keeping up with celebrating Azuchi Castle 450th Anniversary, here is a short post regarding Azuchi Castle Dodo Bashi (bridge).

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 366) The incident happened in 1580.

"Dragon, Forth Month, 11th Day: As Nobunaga was leaving for Mount Chokoji to go hawking, envoys sent by Jinbo Etchu encountered him at Dodo Bridge [below Mount Azuchi] and presented him with two horses."

Tenka no tame!

Kureha Jinja

 Kureha Jinja is located in Ikeda City, Osaka. The shrine is dedicated to the goddess Kurehatori, a weaver from the Qin Dynasty who introduced advanced weaving techniques to Japan.

As for the shrine itself, it was destroyed during the Battle of Arioka Castle 1579 (Itami) between Nobunaga and Araki Murashige (1535-86). Main hall was rebuilt by Toyotomi Hideyori in 1604.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, Kenshin, Yoshimoto and Yoritomo Documents

 Here is an interesting find on YouTube earlier today. Tye Ibaraki Prefecture History Museum will have a special exhibition on several Sengoku warlords documents. Unfortunately, the exhibition is only open until the 22nd of this month. From the video above, Nobunaga's letter is the subject of Araki Murashige's betrayal. Hideyoshi has a document as well as Uesugi Kenshin. Imagawa Yoshimoto's document is one of his oldest. A nice way to end the video was Minamoto Yoritomo document. 

A good video on Sengoku documents.

Tenka no tame!

Owada Tetsuo Sunomata Video

 Here a video by Owada Tetsuo explaining Sunomata Castle. There is a brief mention of Sunomata in The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 108)

"In Eiroku 4, the Year of Metal Junior and the Bird, in the first decade of the Fifth Month, Nobunaga crossed the wide expanse of the Kiso and Hida rivers and forced his way into western Mino. After setting fire to several locations and settlements in the area, he gave orders to establish a strongpoint at Sunomata."

The best English reading material regarding to Sunomata is David D. Neilson Society at War: Eyewitness Accounts of Sixteenth Century Japan  (pp. 123, 133, 207, 217, 226) are important information on Sunomata.

One of the reasons why Oda Nobuhide failed twice in the 1540s attacking Mino was not the Saito, but Mother Nature was the enemy, the rivers. The water of the river was the Saito key ally. I have written about this in the past.

As for the stockade, it took about five days to build and about 500 guns were equipped for Hachisuka Koroku and his men.

Nobunaga no tame!

2026 Spring Sokenin

 Sokenin, a subtemple of Daitokuji located in Kyoto will hold its spring public exhibition. Open to the public on weekends and national holidays from March 28th to May 6th. Open daily April 25th to May 6th. 

Here at Sokenin, one can see the Nobunaga wooden statue constructed by Kousei. Sokenin also is the home to Nohime, Onabe no Kata, and Nobunaga's daughter Tokuhime's grave. 

The price of admission is 800 yen.

Tenka no tame!