was a Japanese

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

of the

Sengoku period The was a period in History of Japan, Japanese history of near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467 to 1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1467 which collapsed the Feudalism, feudal system of Japan under the ...

who served the

Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in present-day Yamanashi Prefecture. The clan reached its greatest influence under the rule of Taked ...

. He was also known as and held the

court title A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word "court" may also be appl ...

of ''Chikuzen no kami''. Masakazu was the son of , the Takeda retainer who had built Kunōzan Castle and served as its warden. Masakazu's landholding, starting in 1563, was in the

Suwa District Suwa or SUWA may refer to: Places * Suwa Province, an old Japanese province located in Tōsandō for a brief period of time, which today composes the southern part of Nagano Prefecture * Suwa, Nagano, a city in Nagano Prefecture, Japan * Suwa Sh ...

Shinano province or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture. Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, whi ...

. He was active under both

Takeda Shingen , of Kai Province, was a pre-eminent ''daimyō'' in feudal Japan. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful daimyō with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period. Shingen was a warlord of great ...

and Shingen's son Katsuyori as a commander of infantry . He also served for a time as the warden of Takashima Castle. Masakazu was killed in 1582 while leading a counterattack against

Kiso Yoshimasa was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was a retainer of the Takeda clan of Kai Province. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen 24 (twenty-four) is the natural number following 23 and preceding ...

, a former Takeda vassal who had turned traitor during the Tokugawa/ Oda attacks on Shinano and Kai."Imafuku" on ''Takeda Kashindan hitokoto fairu''
(7 July 2008)

References

*Naramoto Tatsuya (1992). ''Nihon no kassen: monoshiri jiten''. (Tokyo: Shufu to seikatsusha). Samurai 1582 deaths Japanese warriors killed in battle Takeda retainers Year of birth unknown {{samurai-stub