The Battle of Sekigahara
On 21 October 1600 (15 September 1600 in the Keicho era), the Battle of Sekigahara, the largest battle in Japanese history, was fought mainly in the Sekigahara area. The Eastern Army, led by Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616, 徳川家康), about 70,000 to 80,000 soldiers, some of whom were loyal to Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598, 豊臣秀吉), clashed with the […]
Siege of Osaka: The Last of Toyotomi & Begining of Tokugawa Era
Toyotomi Hideyori, A Wise Man In 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598, 豊臣秀吉), who had risen from a peasant to become the ruler of Japan as regent, passed away, leaving behind his five-year-old son, Hideyori (1593-1615, 豊臣秀頼). In 1600, the Battle of Sekigahara broke out between Ishida Mitsunari (1560-1600, 石田三成), a loyal vassal of the Toyotomi, and […]
Komaki and Nagakute Battlefield, Ieyasu's Strategy Toward Victory
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-16161, 徳川家康) laid the foundation for the 260-year Edo period (1603-1868) after a lifetime of numerous battles. His victory at the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute was later celebrated in the words of historian Rai Sanyo: "Ieyasu's power as a ruler of Japan was not the victory of the Siege of Osaka or […]
Okehazama Battlefield: Genius, Nobunaga's Victory
"Charge!, Charge!" Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582, 織田信長) ordered the fierce charge to his elite troops on the headquarters of Imagawa Yoshimoto. On May 19, 1560, a pivotal event occurred in Japanese history as Imagawa Yoshimoto (1519-1560, 今川義元), renowned as the "greatest archer of the Tokaido region" and a prominent feudal lord, was defeated by 2,000 elite […]
The Battle of Nagashino and Shitaragahara
On May 21, 1575, the decisive battle at Nagashino and Shitaragahara began between Takeda Katsuyori’s forces (1546-1582, 武田勝頼), numbering 15,000 forces, and the 38,000-strong allied forces of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582, 織田信長) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616, 徳川家康). The Takeda forces charged towards the 2-km-long fence constructed by the allies. For nine relentless hours, the Takeda forces […]