Document Discovery After 100 Years

 Big news regarding Oda Nobunaga's red seal document. After 100 years, Nobunaga's red seal Tenka Fubu document to Hyakusaiji Temple (Higishiomi, Shiga Prefecture) has been found. Issued in Sept 22nd, 1568, right after Nobunaga defeated the Rokkaku at Kannonji, the document guarantees Hyakusaiji's laws, affairs, and assets. At the same time making Hyakusaiji (Tendai sect) a place of prayer for Nobunaga. During the Sengoku Era mountain temples were often used by military commanders for prayer. It is believed that Takei Sekian wrote the document. Unfortunately, Nobunaga burned down Hyakusaiji in 1573, so the discovery of this document is even more remarkable. The destruction of Hyakusaiji:

The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 185) "On the 11th of the Fourth Month all the halls of prayer and pagodas, cloisters and rectories, priests' residences and chapels of the Hyakusaiji were reduced to ashes. One could not bear to look at this pitiful sight. That same day Nobunaga returned with his troops to Gifu."

Tenka no tame!

2025 Nagashino Nobori Matsuri

 Here is the flyer for the 2025 Nagashino Nobori Matsuri which will be May 3rd to the 5th. The flyer below includes other festivals related to the Battle of Nagashino.

Nobunaga no tame!

Nobunaga and Kitsuno Statue

 Believe or not, there is a new Nobunaga statue. This is a first in its kind. Meitetsu Hotei Station Konan City (Aichi Prefecture) now has a station statue of Nobunaga and his concubine Kitsuno (1528?-66), along with her children. This is the first statue of Kitsuno, Nobunaga's concubine. Of course, if you visit Kiyosu, there is the statue of Nobunaga and his wife Nohime at Kiyosu Castle Park. 

I will write another post later on this with pictures.

Tenka no tame!

Special Red Seal Exhibition

 For those who live in Gifu or plan to visit you are in for a real treat. April 29th to May 6th Gifu City Museum of History will display Nobunaga's Red Seal documents. By all means, go and see Nobunaga's documents. The red seal documents are rare and now people can see and read what Nobunaga was up to during his tenure in Gifu. With AI coming people will soon translate and read in their native languages what Nobunaga wrote.

Nobunaga no tame!

Recent Readings

 

Earlier this year while in Japan, I bought a historical fiction novel, Tenyuu wa Nobunaga ni ari (Heavenly Blessings are in Hands of Nobunaga) by Iwamuro Shinobu. The novel series is in three volumes. I have the first two and currently reading the second volume regarding to the Battle of Okehazama. The second volume goes into great depth into the meeting between Nobunaga and Dosan, Battle of Muraki, Kiyosu, assassination of Nobuyuki, Battle of Nagaragawa, Nobunaga's trip to Kyoto, unification of Owari, and Okehazama. I am extremely enjoying reading the novel so far. Highly recommend it for a spring or summer reading.

Tenka no tame!

Kannonji Tsushima

 Last year I visited Tsushima and found a gem near the Meitetsu Tsushima station. Goouzan Kannonji Tsushima is a temple that had a relationship with the Oda family. Three generations that is: Oda Nobuhide, Nobunaga, and Nobutada. Kannonji Tsushima is part of the Chisan-ha Shingon sect of Buddhism.

Nobunaga no tame!