Tenka no tame!
Warlords, Artists, and Commoners Japan in the Sixteenth Century. Edited by George Elison and Bardwell L. Smith. The Culture of Tea: From Its Origins to Sen no Rikyu H. Paul Varley and George Elison (p. 214)
"Rikyu, whose family was in the warehousing business, did not--so far as we know-play a significant role during the time when Nobunaga forced Sakai into his sphere of influence. It is not even clear when and under what circumstances Rikyu and Nobunaga and entered his service. But by about 1573, the year Nobunaga chased the last Ashikaga shogun, Yoshiaki, out of Kyoto and thereby put an end to the Muromachi bakufu, Rikyu had become, along with Sokyu and Sogyu, one of Nobunaga's--and therefore the country's--leading tea masters. Proof of the prominence Rikyu had achieved by the mid-1570s may observed in the fact that he was selected to serve tea at a party for seventeen connoisseurs (sukisha) from Kyoto and Sakai which Nobunaga held at the Myokakuji in 1575, right after his return to the capital from the victorious campaign against the True Pure Land sector in Echizen. The record states unequivocally that Rikyu was the master of ceremonies--sado wa Rikyu. For Rikyu this association meant fame and fortune, and for Nobunaga it brought qualification as a man of culture."
I have written about the 1575 Myokakuji tea ceremony in the past. I drank tea there as well. The Honnoji Museum in Kyoto houses several of Nobunaga's tea utensils.
As for Warlords, Artists, and Commoners Japan in the Sixteenth Century, I highly recommend the book. It is a must read.
Nobunaga no tame!
"Nobunaga had large rocks hauled down from Mount Kannonji, Mount Chomeiji, Mount Chokoji, Mount Iba, and so forth. Each rock was transported up Mount Azuchi by as many men as it took--one thousand, or two or three. The quarry masters were Nishio Kozaemon (Yoshitsugu), Ozawa Rokurosaburo, Yoshida Heinai, and Onishi.
These men selected large stones for transportation, while rejecting the smaller ones. Tsudo Bo moved a great boulder as far as the foot of Mount Azuchi, but this rock, widely known as the Jaishi (Serpent's Stone) was so enormous that he could not get it up the mountain. That being the case, Hasiba Chikuzen, Takikawa Sakon, and Korezumi Gorozaemon came to Tsuda's aid with more than ten thousand men. It took them three days and three nights to haul the Jaishi up the mountain. Thanks to Lord Nobunaga's ingenuity, building materials were brought up to the donjon with greatest of ease. Mountains and valleys were the scene of continuous activity by day and by night."
Tenka no tame!
Nobunaga no tame! Tenka no tame!
Nobunaga no tame!
The Kasugayama Nikki is not perfect. No document is perfect. Uesugi Kenshin probably sent scouts or spies to Owari. Once Yoshimoto was killed in action, the news of his death quickly reached Echigo. Did Kenshin's spies/scouts know the geography around the Okehazama area. Probably not. Then why Okehazama is written instead of Dengakutsubo or Dengakuhazama? Highly probable scenario: one of the villagers gave the name of the area to the scouts. Only a decade later or so, the document Ashikaga Kisetsuki Okehazama was written down as the location of the battle.
My opinion, Okehazama was first used as the location of the area of the battle. Over time, the name changed. As in my previous post, many of the documents have different names written down. For example, Narumi Okehazama, Okehazama Okehazamayama, Dengakutsubo, Dengakuhazama, and others.
Kasugayama Nikki is the first document written on the battle, first written as Okehazama.
Tenka no tame!
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!
Nobunaga no tame!
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!
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Takakura Musubimiko Jinja is about a 25 minute walk from Atsuta Shrine.
Nobunaga no tame!
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!
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!
" 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!
Years ago I wrote a short post on Fumio Watanabe's Okehazama book. It is decent, but it does have some flaws.
Fumio Watanabe Okehazama Kassen no Shinjutsu
Publisher: Ikohousha Year: 2012 Pages: 255
Watanabe's big push: Nobunaga's victory at the Battle of Okehazama was not a chaotic, impromptu dash, but a well calculated strategy combining frontal and flanking maneuvers from Fort Nakajima. Yoshimoto's weakness he stated was not military educated properly compared to Nobunaga and letting his retainers do the job. There is some truth to that. See pages 247-250.
One of the negatives, unfortunately, Fumio Watanabe never visited the battlefield and reaches his conclusions by the use of books and maps. I am assuming after publishing his book, he has visited both battlefields. That being said, his two maps at the end of the book are useful.
I do think Fumio Watanabe's Okehazama book is a must read for the Battle of Okehazama scholar. It will open your mind a bit. Read it for yourself and then decide.
Tenka no tame!
Oda Hikogoro (Nobutomo) Oda Magosaburo (Nobumitsu)
The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (pp. 74-75)
"On the 20th of the Fourth Month, an ambush was prepared. Should Sakai Daizen come to the southern tower to pay his respects to Magosaburo, he was to be killed by men who lay in wait. Daizen indeed came to the castle, but he sensed something dreadful in the air and immediately took to his heels, not stopping until he reached Suruga Province, where he asked Imagawa Yoshimoto for asylum. Magosaburo, however, forced the deputy military governor, Lord Hikogoro, to commit hara-kiri, seized control of Kiyosu, handed it over to Kazusa no Suke Nobunaga, and moved to Nagoya Castle himself.
On the 26th of the Eleventh Month that same year, Lord Magosaburo died in an unforseen incident. To be sure, the end result was consequent with Lord Kazusa no Suke's good fortune."
Nobunaga no tame!
The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 167)
"Furthermore, Nobunaga abolished all duties at toll barriers throughout the provinces under his control. The realm was at peace. Travelers could come and go as they pleased, thanks to Nobunaga's benevolence. As for his compassion was exceedingly profound, so did his blessings and his good fortune surpass the ordinary. This was the foundation of his ever-increasing prosperity."
Travel during Sengoku Japan was expensive and dangerous, so abolishing toll barriers was a must. The two biggest losers were powerful monasteries and local barons. Nobunaga wanted to curb their independence and power. Instead, the receipts went to Nobunaga's coffers. Cheaper trade traffic meant cheaper trade, which made higher economic development.
Nobunaga did not abolished all the toll barriers in the areas he controlled. For example, the Yamashina family still controlled some toll barriers and Nobunaga kept the tolls that supported the Imperial treasury. Japonius Tyrannus (p. 136)
Also Nobunaga was not dumb, he knew the most effective way to promote his power was economic prosperity as well as military power.
Nobunaga no tame!
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As you can see from the middle signboard, Naotsune attacked Nobunaga (who was on his horse), but Takenaka Kyusaku Shigenori saves the day as Naotsune is killed off. The upper photo is the Sugawa landmark and the bottom photo is Naotsune's grave.
Tenka no tame!
Big news from Gifu regarding the history museum. On November 3rd, the Gifu City Museum of History will reopen. This is great news since the museum is the jewel of Gifu Castle Park. I plan to be there since the Gifu Nobunaga Matsui will be held on the first weekend of November. For the Nobunaga or Sengoku Era historian, this museum is extremely important. As for the video, it is in Japanese.
Nobunaga no tame!
The Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga (p. 73) "A countless number of Nobunaga's pages and other leading retainers were among the casualties, a sight too horrible for the eyes."
"He returned to his field headquarters, where he issued orders regarding this and that while tears of joy streamed down his face."
Nobunaga's key points for victory
Support from his father-in-law, Saito Dosan. Ando Morinari stationed troops at Shiga and Tabata.
Quick crossing of the sea
Nobunaga's use of firearms
Leadership
Imagawa objective
Strategic: Owari
Operational: Chita Bay
Tactical: Muraki Castle, stepping stone to Owari.
Six years later after Muraki, Nobunaga achieved victory at the Battle of Okehazama.
Tenka no tame!
