Heroes in the Civil War Era

Table of Contents

The period from the War of Onin in 1467 to Nobunaga's entry to Kyoto in 1568 is called ``the Civil War era'' or ``the Sengoku Era.''
Because of the War of Onin , the power of Muromachi Shogunate had fallen, and Daimyo became to struggle each other for territory and power. Their final goal was to occupy Kyoto and vital regions, and to become the next shogun .
The Civil War Era was the days of Daiymo , Samurai , and Ninja . Many heroes were born and died. I think the era the most interesting period in Japanese history.

Takeda Shingen

1521-1573. Shingen was a daimyo of Kai county, and one of the major power in late Civil War Era. When he died from illness in 1573, he was considered as the first candidate for the next shogune .

Shingen was skilled in combat. Cavalry troops of the Takeda were so feared by everyone (Only Nobunaga could defeat the troops with muskets).
He loved ``the Art of War'' Son-Shi , and made his flag after the book. The flag consisted of four Chinese characters, ``Fu''(wind), ``Rin''(forest), ``Ka''(fire), ``Zan''(mountain). These means as follow. ``Move fast as a wind, silent as forests, invade like a fire, stable as a mountain.''
He was also very good at subterfuge and intrigue. He loved to bribe and make his enemy divided.

After Shingen died, his first son Takeda Katsuyori hid the death for three years (See Kagemusha , a movie by Kurosawa Akira ).

Oda Nobunaga

1534-1582. Nobunaga is arguablly the most potent, the most fierce daimyo in the era. He started as a daimyo of Owari county, and came to almost unify Japan. Though, he was betrayed by one of his lieutenants, Akechi Mitsuhide , and slain at Honjoji temple .

He is described as a demonic figure with no mercy. He did even destroy Enryakuji temple in Mt. Hiei , one of the religious centers of Japanese Buddhists. He also suppressed Jodo-shin-shu Buddhism by force.
On the other hand, Nobunaga is known as a very progressive leader. He found the potency of tanegashima -- muskets early, and use in battles effectively. He also encouraged trade with European nations, and Nobunaga himself was a Christian (his christian name was ``Geronimo''). He wore a European style plate armor in battles, rather than normal Japanese yoroi armor.

It must be noted that he didn't want to become a shogun . Instead, he wanted to kill the emperor, destroy the dynasty that had lasted for more than 1000 years, and rise the new emperor himself. That was a too radical idea for a man in those days.
His strategy was very simple -- exterminate all of his enemies. He seldom accepted surrender. Here is a haiku that tells his temperature very well (though historians say the haiku was not composed by Nobunaga himself).

If a bird doesn't sing, kill it.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

1536-1598. Hideyoshi was the successor of Nobunaga . He finally unified Japan and bring the end of the Civil War Era.

He was born as a son of farmer, then became a follower of Nobunaga . After Nobunaga was slain by Mitshuhide , Hideyoshi killed Mitshuhide , and become a major candidate for the successor of Nobunaga . Then he buried his rivals one by one, and he conquered all over Japan at last.

Though he couldn't become a shogun (only descendents of the Genji could get the title of shogun , and Hideyoshi was not), he managed to become the regent of the emperor. He built the massive Osaka Castle to show his power. When all Japan was unified and no enemy could be found, he wanted to conquer China. But this failed.

Hideyoshi is said to be smart and errogant, but not as harsh as Nobunaga . It is said that his face looked like an ape, and he hated to be said it. Here is a haiku that tells his temperature very well (though historians say the haiku was not composed by Hideyoshi himself).

If a bird doesn't sing, I'll make it to sing.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

1542-1616. Ieyasu was the successor of Hideyoshi , and the founder of Edo Shogunate. Presumably he is the most famous shogune in the history.

He was the daimyo of Mikawa county. Mikawa was rather a weak county and he is not a match for Nobunaga . So he became a follower of Nobunaga. When Nobunaga was slain by Mitsuhide at Honnouji temple , he decided not to struggle with Hideyoshi . He didn't dispute about Hideyoshi 's claim for regency, and kept the position of No.2 in Japan.

When Hideyoshi died from old age in 1598, Ieyasu revealed his true form of a raptor. He broke Ishida Mitsunari , the successor of Hidetoshi , at the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, to prove him the strongest in Japan. He got the title of shogun in 1603, and established Edo Shogunate in Edo , the city known as Tokyo today.

Today Ieyasu is known as a patient, persevering man with an excellent talent for management. Here is a haiku that tells his temperature very well (though historians say the haiku was not composed by Ieyasu himself).

If a bird doesn't sing, I'll wait until it sings.

Hattori Hanzo

Hanzo is one of Ieyasu's trusted warlords, and the head of Iga ninja . He is the most famous ninja in the history.

When Nobunaga was assasssinated by Mitsuhide in 1582, Ieyasu was at Kyoto with only a few guardsmen. That was the greatest danger in his life, because the death of Nobunaga would surely cause major civil disorders elsewhere. Hanzo collected precise information and made a plan to escape from Kyoto through Iga to Ieyasu's home castle in Mikawa . He also persuaded ninja in Iga county, and succeeded to made them follow Ieyasu .

After that, Hanzo commanded the Iga ninja army for espionage operations. Unfortunately, his operations were so stealthy that very few are known today. But Ieyasu highly trusted him. He died from illness in 1598, five years before his master became shogun .

Sanada Yukimura

?-1615. Yukimura was the leader of a minor house, the Sanada . He and his father Masayuki is famous for brilliant tactician. Though their army was very small, they won many outnumbered battles.

At first Yukimura followed Ieyasu . But Ieyasu tried to seize his territory, so he betrayed Ieyasu.
In the battle of Sekigahara in 1600, he followed Ishida Mitsunari to fight against Ieyasu. He defended castle Ueda in Shinshu from the vast army of Tokuyawa Hidetada , the son of Ieyasu.
After the battle, his territory was seized by Ieyasu. But he gathered his army secretly, and raised it when the Winter Battle of castle Osaka broke out in 1615.

Yukimura built a small fortress called Sanadamaru in the southwest of the Osaka Castle. The fortress was impregnable, the Ieyasu army suffered much loss. So Ieyasu gave up to destroy the castle in this battle, and proposed a reconcilation to Toyotomi Hideyori .
Of course, this was Ieyasu's insidious strategy. He proposed a condition for the reconcilation, to destroy the outer moat of the castle. But when his envoy came in the castle, they destroyed not only the outer moat but also the inner moat. Osaka Castle was made defenseless.
Next year, Ieyasu gathered vast armies, and attack the castle again. This battle is called the Summer Battle of Castle Osaka. Yukimura fought the army of Date Masamune on May 6. Though Yukimura's army was outnumbered, he succeeded to stop Masamune's army. And the next day, he and a few his soldiers assaulted to the camp of Ieyasu directly. He closed in upon Ieyasu, but killed at the last step.

A legend says Yukimura had ten heroic braves called Sanada Ju-Yushi . Its members are Sarutobi Sasuke , Kirigakure Saizo , Miyoshi Sekai , Miyoshi Isa , Anayama Kosuke , Unno Rokuro , Kakei Juzo , Nezu Jinpachi , Mochizuki Rokuro , and Yuri Kamanosuke . Sasuke and Saizo are also known as legendary ninja. It is said that the ten braves played active parts in the battles at Osaka Castle, defending Ieyasu's army.

Kato Danzo

Very little are known about the legendary ninja.

It is said that Danzo was a master of illusion. For example, a historical document says that he swallowed a bull in front of more than 20 people. But another ninja was seeing it and said "never cheated, he is only riding on the bull's back," then people noticed that it was an illusion.
Today, researchers think his illusion as a type of group-hypnosis. In fact, ninja were studying psychology very well, so it was not strange that very skilled hypnotist were among them.

Historical documents say that Danzo wanted to serve to Uesugi Kenshin . But his art of illusion was so dreadful that Kenshin decided not to hire but to kill him.
Kenshin ordered him to intrude a house, and placed many guardsmen in and around the house. Danzo , however, noticed the deception, and throw his Shinobi Shouzoku (the black costume of ninja) tied with a rope over the hedge into the garden instead of himself. The guardsmen fired arrows to the dummy, then he pull back the rope. They believed that Danzo turned in the air to jump back to the hedge.
After that, he was called Tobi Kato , meaning "flying Kato ."
The story tells that a competent ninja cannot be always loved his master. He was, after all, too competent.

Hozoin In-ei

1521-1607. In-ei, a priest of Kofuku temple in Nara, was the founder of Hozoin style Sojutsu . Sojutsu is the art of spear fighting. Before then, spear fighting was ruled by only muscle strength of both fighters. He brought complex tactics into spear fighting.

updated on 94/11/01
written by nishio@io.com