Nobunaga's Turning Point

 Here is an interesting video short by historian Kaku Kozo. He explains Nobunaga's turning point was his defeat at the Battle of Kanegasaki 1570. Nobunaga was lucky to escape. The betrayal of Azai Nagamasa shook Nobunaga in my opinion. While the Azakura were strong enough to hold their Echizen domain, they were never a threat to become a national power. The Azai on the other hand, controlled Omi and that was the gateway to Kyoto. It was a matter of time that Nobunaga battled it out with the Azai and Asakura at Anegawa 1570. Nobunaga did have help from Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was only a couple of years later Ieyasu's turning point happened at the Battle of Mikatagahara against the Takeda.

I have visited the Anegawa battlefield, but it was decades ago.

As for the Battle of Kanegasaki, see The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (pp. 142-43) Anegawa (pp. 147-48).

Nobunaga no tame!