, of
Kai Province, was a pre-eminent ''
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' in
feudal Japan
The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to Japanese Paleolithic, prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millenni ...
. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
with exceptional military prestige in the late stage 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 ...
.
Shingen was a warlord of great skill and military leadership.
Name
![Takeda Shingen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/Takeda_Shingen.jpg)
Shingen was called "Tarō" (a commonly used pet name for the eldest son of a Japanese family) or Katsuchiyo (勝千代) during his childhood. When he celebrated his
coming of age
Coming of age is a young person's transition from being a child to being an adult. The specific age at which this transition takes place varies between societies, as does the nature of the change. It can be a simple legal convention or can b ...
, he was given the formal name Harunobu (晴信), which included a character from the name of
Ashikaga Yoshiharu
was the twelfth ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate from 1521 through 1546 during the late Muromachi period of Japan.Ackroyd, Joyce. (1982). ''Lessons from History: The Tokushi Yoron'', p. 332. He was the son of the eleventh ''shōgun'' Ashi ...
(足利義晴), the 12th
Ashikaga Ashikaga (足利) may refer to:
* Ashikaga clan (足利氏 ''Ashikaga-shi''), a Japanese samurai clan descended from the Minamoto clan; and that formed the basis of the eponymous shogunate
** Ashikaga shogunate (足利幕府 ''Ashikaga bakufu''), a ...
''
shōgun
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...
''. It was a common practice in feudal Japan for a higher-ranked
warrior
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have been p ...
to bestow a character from his own name to his inferiors as a symbol of recognition. From the local
lord
Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
's perspective, it was an honour to receive a character from the
shogunate
, officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...
, although the authority of the latter had greatly degenerated in the mid-16th century.
Both the
Ashikaga Ashikaga (足利) may refer to:
* Ashikaga clan (足利氏 ''Ashikaga-shi''), a Japanese samurai clan descended from the Minamoto clan; and that formed the basis of the eponymous shogunate
** Ashikaga shogunate (足利幕府 ''Ashikaga bakufu''), a ...
and the
clans descended from the
Minamoto
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the ...
(源) clan. Technically, Harunobu, as well as his forefathers, had borne the surname of Minamoto. Therefore, Harunobu would be referred to as "Minamoto-no Harunobu" (源晴信) in official records kept by the
Imperial Court when he was conferred the official title of "Daizen Daibu" (大膳大夫, Master of the Palace Table). The Imperial Court had maintained a system of
ritsuryō
, , is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei" (律令制). ''Kyaku'' (格) are amendments of Ritsuryō, ''Shiki'' ( ...
(律令) that was parallel to the shogunate apparatus.
In February 1559 Harunobu chose to live a ''
pabbajja'' life as a
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
novitiate and received a
dharma name
A Dharma name or Dhamma name is a new name acquired during both lay and monastic Buddhist initiation rituals in Mahayana Buddhism and monastic ordination in Theravada Buddhism (where it is more proper to call it Dhamma or Sangha name). The nam ...
, Shingen (信玄), from his
Buddhist
Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
master.
The
kanji
are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese ...
of "Shingen" can also be pronounced as "Nobuharu", which is the inversion of his official name, Harunobu. In ancient times, such religious names of recognized Japanese
aristocrats
Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'.
At the time of the word' ...
would be read in "on'yomi" (音読み), the
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
-style pronunciation, instead of "kun'yomi" (訓読み), the indigenous
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
pronunciation. Although widely known by the dharma name, Takeda Shingen's formal name remained Harunobu throughout the rest of his life.
Shingen is sometimes referred to as "The Tiger of
Kai" (甲斐の虎) for his martial prowess on the battlefield. His primary rival,
Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
(上杉謙信), was often called "The Dragon of
Echigo
was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen, Iwashiro, Kōzuke, Shinano, and Etchū Provinces. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Echigo''" in . It corresponds today to Niigata ...
" (越後の龍) or also "The Tiger of Echigo" (越後の虎).
"''These two seemed to have enjoyed meeting in battle.''" They fought several times at
Kawanakajima.
Early life and rise
![Takeda Daizen no tayū Harunobu Nyūdō Shingen](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0e/Takeda_Daizen_no_tay%C5%AB_Harunobu_Ny%C5%ABd%C5%8D_Shingen.jpg)
Takeda Shingen was the first-born son of
Takeda Nobutora
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) who controlled the Province of Kai, and fought in a number of battles of the Sengoku period.
He was the father of the famous Takeda Shingen.
Biography
Nobutora’s son was Harunobu, later known as Take ...
(武田信虎), leader of 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 ...
, and ''
daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' of the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Kai. He had been an accomplished poet in his youth. He assisted his father with the older relatives and vassals of the Takeda clan, and became quite a valuable addition to the clan at a fairly young age. In 1536, at the age of 15, he was instrumental in helping his father win the
Battle of Un no Kuchi
The Battle of Un no Kuchi (referred to in Japanese as 海ノ口城, ''un no kuchi jou'', literally Un no Kuchi Castle) in 1536 was the first major victory for Takeda Harunobu, aged fifteen at the time. He would later take on the name Takeda Shin ...
.
At some point in his life after his "coming of age" ceremony, the young man decided to rebel against his father,
Takeda Nobutora
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) who controlled the Province of Kai, and fought in a number of battles of the Sengoku period.
He was the father of the famous Takeda Shingen.
Biography
Nobutora’s son was Harunobu, later known as Take ...
. He finally succeeded in 1540, successfully taking control of the clan. Events regarding this change of leadership are not entirely clear, but it is thought that Nobutora had planned to name the second son,
Nobushige, as his heir instead of Shingen. The end result was a miserable retirement that was forced upon him by Shingen and his supporters: he was sent to
Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south. Its abbrevia ...
, on the southern border of Kai, to be kept in custody under the scrutiny of the
Imagawa clan
was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Kawachi Genji. It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.
Origins
Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the ...
, led by his son-in-law
Imagawa Yoshimoto
was a pre-eminent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the Sengoku period Japan. Based in Suruga Province, he was known as . he was one of the three ''daimyōs'' that dominated the Tōkaidō region.
He died in 1560 while marching to Kyoto to become ...
(今川義元), the ''daimyō'' of Suruga. For their help in this bloodless coup, an alliance was formed between the Imagawa and the Takeda clans.
[
]
Takeda campaign
Shinano campaign
Shingen's first act was to gain a hold of the area around him. His goal was to conquer 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 ...
. A number of the major warlords in the Shinano region marched on the border of Kai Province, hoping to neutralize the power of the still-young Shingen before he had a chance to expand into their lands. However, planning to beat him down at Fuchu
Fuchu, King of Chu (), clan name Xiong, () was from 227 to 223 BC the last king of the state of Chu during the late Warring States period of ancient China (though sources argue that Lord Changping was the last king of Chu). Fuchu was his give ...
(where word had it Shingen was gathering his forces for a stand), they were unprepared when forces suddenly came down upon them at the Battle of Sezawa
The Battle of Sezawa was the first major battle fought by Takeda Shingen in his campaign to gain control of Shinano Province. He took on and defeated a coalition of Shinano ''daimyō'' including the leaders of the Suwa, Ogasawara and clans.
...
. Taking advantage of their confusion, Shingen was able to win a quick victory, which set the stage for his drive into Shinano lands that same year and his successful Siege of Uehara
The siege of Uehara was the first of many steps taken by Takeda Shingen in his bid to seize control of Shinano Province. Uehara Castle had been controlled by Suwa Yorishige (1516–1544) was a Japanese samurai and head of the Suwa clan. He was ...
. The young warlord made considerable advances into the region, conquering the Suwa clan's headquarters in the Siege of Kuwabara
The siege of Kuwabara took place the day after the siege of Uehara; Takeda Shingen continued to gain power in Shinano Province by seizing Kuwabara castle from Suwa Yorishige. Suwa was escorted back to the provincial capital of Kōfu
is the ca ...
, before moving into central Shinano with the defeat of both Tozawa Yorichika and Takato Yoritsugu in the Siege of Fukuyo
The siege of Fukuyo was one of many steps taken by Takeda Shingen in his bid to seize control of Shinano Province. The fortress at Fukuyo lay in the Ina valley, south of Lake Suwa. Tozawa Yorichika, an ally of Takato Yoritsugu, Takatō Yoritsug ...
and Battle of Ankokuji
The Battle of Ankokuji (安国寺の戦い) was a battle during the Sengoku period (16th century) of Japan.
The battle of Ankokuji was a rather minor battle that took place after the fall of Fukuyo, in which Tozawa Yorichika, an ally of Takat ...
. In 1543, he captured Nagakubo Castle, Kojinyama Castle in 1544, and then Takatō Castle
is a Japanese castle located in the city of Ina, southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Takatō Castle was home to a cadet branch of the Naitō clan, '' daimyō'' of Takatō Domain. The castle was also known as . Bui ...
and Ryūgasaki Castle in 1545. In 1546 he took Uchiyama Castle and won the Battle of Odaihara
The 1547 Battle of Odaihara was one of a series of battles waged by Takeda Shingen in his long campaign to conquer Shinano province. In this particular encounter he was fighting the forces of Uesugi Norimasa, who was based in Echigo province but ...
. In 1547, he took Shika Castle.
In 1548, Shingen defeated Ogasawara Nagatoki
(November 9, 1519 – April 17, 1583) was a Japanese samurai ''daimyō'' of Shinano Province in the Sengoku period. Turnbull, Stephen. (2013)''Kawanakajima 1553–64: Samurai Power Struggle'', P. 54
In 1542, Shinano Province was invaded by Taked ...
in the Battle of Shiojiritoge
The 1548 battle of Shiojiritoge was one of many battles fought by Takeda Shingen in his bid to conquer Japan's Shinano Province.
History
It took place soon after Shingen suffered a devastating loss in the battle of Uedahara; he sought reveng ...
and then took Fukashi Castle in 1550.[ However, the warlord was checked at Uedahara by ]Murakami Yoshikiyo
Murakami Yoshikiyo (村上 義清, 1501–1573) was a Japanese samurai from the and retainer of the Uesugi clan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. Yoshikiyo followed in fighting against both Takeda Nobutora and his son Takeda Shingen ...
, losing two of his generals in a heated battle which Murakami won. Shingen managed to avenge this loss and the Murakami clan Murakami may refer to:
* 3295 Murakami, a minor planet
* Murakami (crater), an impact crater on the far side of the Moon
* Murakami (name), a Japanese surname, including a list of people with the name
* Murakami, Niigata, a city in Niigata prefect ...
was eventually defeated in the sieges of Toishi
The took place during Takeda Shingen's campaign to take over Shinano Province. His army, led by Sanada Yukitaka, began besieging the castle in 1550. The defending lord, Murakami Yoshikiyo
Murakami Yoshikiyo (村上 義清, 1501–1573) was a ...
. Murakami fled the region, eventually coming to plead for help from the Province of Echigo.
In 1553, he captured Katsurao, Wada, Takashima and Fukuda castles. In 1554 he took Fukushima
may refer to:
Japan
* Fukushima Prefecture, Japanese prefecture
** Fukushima, Fukushima, capital city of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan
***Fukushima University, national university in Japan
*** Fukushima Station (Fukushima) in Fukushima, Fukushim ...
, Kannomine, Matsuo Matsuo may refer to:
Places
*Matsuo, Chiba
*Matsuo, Iwate
*Mount Matsuo
*Matsuo Station (disambiguation)
*Siege of Matsuo
*Matsuo mine
, was an iron and sulphur mine located in the village of Matsuo, Iwate Prefecture in the Tohoku region of north ...
and Yoshioka castles.[
]
Conflict with Uesugi
After conquering 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 ...
, Shingen faced another rival, Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
of Echigo Province
was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen, Iwashiro, Kōzuke, Shinano, and Etchū Provinces. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Echigo''" in . It corresponds today to Niigata ...
. The feud between them became legendary, and they faced each other on the battlefield five times in the Battles of Kawanakajima
The were a series of battles fought in the Sengoku period of Japan between Takeda Shingen of Kai Province and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo Province from 1553 to 1564.
Shingen and Kenshin contested each other for control of the plain of Kawanakaj ...
.
These battles were generally confined to controlled skirmishes, neither ''daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' willing to devote himself entirely to a single all-out attempt. The conflict between the two that had the fiercest fighting, and might have decided victory or defeat for one side or the other, was the fourth battle, during which the famous tale arose of Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
's forces clearing a path through the troops and Kenshin engaging Shingen in single combat. The tale has Kenshin attacking Shingen with his sword while Shingen defends with his iron war fan or tessen. Both lords lost many men in this fight, and Shingen in particular lost two of his main generals, Yamamoto Kansuke and his younger brother Takeda Nobushige
was a samurai of Japan's Sengoku period, and younger brother of Takeda Shingen.
He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
Takeda Nobushige held the favor of their father, and was meant to inherit the Takeda lands, we ...
.[
After the fourth battle of Kawanakajima, the Takeda clan suffered two internal setbacks. Shingen uncovered two plots on his life, the first from his cousin ]Suwa Shigemasa 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 Shr ...
(whom he ordered to commit seppuku
, sometimes referred to as hara-kiri (, , a native Japanese kun reading), is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honour but was also practised by other Japanese people ...
), and the second, a few years later, from his own son Takeda Yoshinobu
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Born Takeda Tarō (武田 太郎), he was the son of Takeda Shingen, by Shingen's wife,
. He came of age in 1550, and took the formal name of Yoshinobu, receiving the "yoshi" from the 13th Ashikag ...
(武田義信). His son was confined to the Toko-ji temple, where he died two years later; it is not known whether his death was natural or ordered by his father. After this incident, Shingen designated his fourth son, Takeda Katsuyori
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was son in law of Hojo Ujiyasu.
Early life
He was the son of Shingen by the daughter ...
(武田勝頼), as the acting leader of the clan after himself until Katsuyori's son came of age.
Kōzuke campaign
In 1563, Shingen allied with Hōjō Ujiyasu
was a ''daimyō'' (warlord) and third head of the Odawara Hōjō clan. Known as the "Lion of Sagami", he was revered as a fearsome warrior and a cunning man. He is famous for his strategies of breaking the siege from Takeda Shingen and Uesugi K ...
, and helped Ujiyasu capture Matsuyama Castle Matsuyama Castle (松山城; -jō) is the name of several castles in Japan:
* Bitchū Matsuyama Castle, Takahashi, Okayama (former Bitchū Province)
* Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)
is a "flatland-mountain"-style Japanese castle that was built in 160 ...
in Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama. Musashi bordered on Kai, Kōzuke, Sagami, S ...
. In 1565, Shingen then took Kuragano Castle and Minowa Castle
was a "hirayama"-style ( castle located in the Misato neighborhood of the city of Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. The ruins have been protected by the central government as a National Historic Site since 1987.
Background
Minowa Castle is l ...
in Kōzuke province
was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Gunma Prefecture. Kōzuke bordered by Echigo, Shinano, Musashi and Shimotsuke Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . Under the ''Engishiki'' classification system, Kōzuke was ran ...
.
In 1571, Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
had advanced to the province of Kozuke and attacked the satellite castle of Shingen's, Ishikura Castle. Both forces met each other in the Battle of Tonegawa
The Battle of Tonegawa was the last battle between Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen during the final years of the Sengoku period (16th century) of Japan .
During the year of 1571, the famed Uesugi Kenshin had advanced to the province of Kozuke ...
, but eventually disengaged after a well-fought fight.
Suruga campaign
The death of Takeda Yoshinobu
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Born Takeda Tarō (武田 太郎), he was the son of Takeda Shingen, by Shingen's wife,
. He came of age in 1550, and took the formal name of Yoshinobu, receiving the "yoshi" from the 13th Ashikag ...
is believed to have much to do with the change in Shingen's policy towards the Imagawa clan
was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Kawachi Genji. It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.
Origins
Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the ...
. After Imagawa Yoshimoto
was a pre-eminent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the Sengoku period Japan. Based in Suruga Province, he was known as . he was one of the three ''daimyōs'' that dominated the Tōkaidō region.
He died in 1560 while marching to Kyoto to become ...
's death in a Battle of Okehazama
The took place in June 1560 in Owari Province, located in today's Aichi Prefecture. In this battle, the heavily outnumbered Oda clan troops commanded by Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running ...
against Oda Nobunaga
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan.
Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
in 1560, Shingen made an alliance with the Oda and Tokugawa clan
The is a Japanese dynasty that was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji) through the Matsudaira clan. The early history of this clan r ...
, and started to plan an invasion of Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south. Its abbrevia ...
, a territory now controlled by Yoshimoto's son, Ujizane. Yoshinobu, however, had strongly opposed such a plan because his wife was the daughter of Yoshimoto. By 1567, nonetheless, after Shingen had successfully kept the forces led by Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
out of the northern boundaries of 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 ...
, taken over a strategically important castle in western Kōzuke, and suppressed internal objection to his plans to take advantage of the weakened Imagawa clan
was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Kawachi Genji. It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.
Origins
Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the ...
, he was ready to carry out his planned Suruga invasion. Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
"came to terms" and occupied the "former Imagawa territory."[ They both fought against Yoshimoto's heir, ]Imagawa Ujizane
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' who lived in the Sengoku through early Edo periods. He was the tenth head of the Imagawa clan, and was a son of Imagawa Yoshimoto and the father of Imagawa Norimochi and Shinagawa Takahisa.
Biography
Ujizane was born ...
.
During this time Shingen also ordered the damming project of the Fuji River, which was one of the major domestic activities of the time.
Conflict with Hojo
In 1568, as a response to Hōjō clan
The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of ''shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this period ...
intervention in his invasion of Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south. Its abbrevia ...
, Shingen broke the alliance with the Hōjō, and came into Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama. Musashi bordered on Kai, Kōzuke, Sagami, S ...
from his home province of Kai, attacking Takiyama Castle. He then moved against the Hojo by attacking Hachigata Castle
was a Sengoku period Japanese castle, located in the town of Yorii, Saitama Prefecture, in the Kantō region of Japan. Its ruins have been protected as a National Historic Site since 1932.
Overview
Hachigata Castle was located on a peninsula su ...
, then engaged in the Siege of Odawara (1569)
The second Siege of Odawara took place in 1569. Takeda Shingen attacked Odawara Castle, as a response to Hōjō's intervention into Shingen invasion of Suruga Province.
Background
In 1568, as a response to Hōjō clan intervention in Takeda i ...
. He burned Odawara Castle
is a landmark in the city of Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
History
Odawara was a stronghold of the Doi clan during the Kamakura period, and a fortified residence built by their collateral branch, the Kobayakawa clan, stood on the ...
, then successfully withdrew after Hōjō Ujiteru
(1540? – August 10, 1590) was a Japanese samurai, who was the son of Hōjō Ujiyasu and lord of Hachiōji Castle in what is now Tokyo.
In 1568, Ujiteru defended Takiyama castle from Takeda Shingen. Later in 1569, Ujiteru and his brother ...
and Hōjō Ujikuni
was a samurai of the Sengoku period, and the third son of Hōjō Ujiyasu. Ujikuni was a high-ranking commander in the invasion of Kozuke Province, Kōzuke was contested between the later Hōjō clan, the Takeda and the Uesugi clans.
He was al ...
failed to stop him in the Battle of Mimasetoge
The was the Hojo's attack to Takeda army, took place at Mimase pass in 1569, as the forces of Takeda Shingen withdrew from repeated failed sieges of the Hōjō clan's Odawara Castle in the Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan.
The Hōjō forces, led by ...
.[
After defeating the intervention forces commanded by ]Hōjō Ujimasa
was the fourth head of the later Hōjō clan, and ''daimyō'' of Odawara. Ujimasa succeeded the territory expansion policy from his father, Hojo Ujiyasu, and achieved the biggest territory in the clan's history.
Early life and rise
In 1538, Uj ...
of Sagami Province
was a province of Japan located in what is today the central and western Kanagawa Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Kanagawa''" at . Sagami Province bordered the provinces of Izu, Musashi, and Suruga. It had access to the Paci ...
, Shingen finally secured the Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south. Its abbrevia ...
, formerly base of the prestigious Imagawa clan
was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Kawachi Genji. It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan.
Origins
Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in the ...
, as a asset in 1569.
At this point, Shingen now had Kai Province, 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 ...
, the western part of Kōzuke Province
was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today Gunma Prefecture. Kōzuke bordered by Echigo, Shinano, Musashi and Shimotsuke Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . Under the ''Engishiki'' classification system, Kōzuke was ran ...
, Musashi Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called . The province encompassed Kawasaki and Yokohama. Musashi bordered on Kai, Kōzuke, Sagami, S ...
and Suruga Province
was an old province in the area that is today the central part of Shizuoka Prefecture. Suruga bordered on Izu, Kai, Sagami, Shinano, and Tōtōmi provinces; and was bordered by the Pacific Ocean through Suruga Bay to the south. Its abbrevia ...
.
Conflict with Oda–Tokugawa alliance
By the time Takeda Shingen was 49 years old, he was the only ''daimyō'' with the necessary power and tactical skill to stop Oda Nobunaga
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan.
Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
's rush to rule Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
.
In 1572, upon securing control over Suruga, northern Shinano, and western Kōzuke, Shingen took Iwamura Castle
270px, Edo period layout
was located in the southeastern area of Mino Province in Japan. Its ruins can be found in the modern-day municipal subdivision of Iwamura, in Ena, Gifu Prefecture. Along with Takatori Castle in Nara and Bitchu-Matsuyama ...
, which caused the – Oda relationship to decline. Shingen engaged Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
's forces in 1572 and captured Futamata.
In early 1573, Shingen decided to make a drive for Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
at the urgings of the shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki
"Ashikaga Yoshiaki" in ''The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 625. was the 15th and final ''shōgun'' of the Ashikaga shogunate in Japan who reigned from 1568 to 1573.Ackroyd, J ...
. While seeking a route from Kōfu
is the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 187,985 in 90,924 households, and a population density of 880 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Overview Toponymy
Kōfu's name means "c ...
to Kyoto
Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...
, Shingen moved to challenge the Oda– Tokugawa alliance in the Battle of Mikatagahara
The was a battle of the Sengoku period of Japan fought between Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu in Mikatagahara, Tōtōmi Province on 25 January 1573.
Shingen attacked Ieyasu at the plain of Mikatagahara north of Hamamatsu during his cam ...
, one of the most famous battles of Takeda Shingen's campaigns, and one of the best demonstrations of his cavalry-based tactics. It was also one of Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
's worst defeats, and complete disaster was only narrowly averted. Shingen stopped his advance temporarily due to outside influences, which allowed the Tokugawa clan
The is a Japanese dynasty that was formerly a powerful ''daimyō'' family. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and were a branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji) through the Matsudaira clan. The early history of this clan r ...
to prepare for battle again. In mid 1573, he led a formidable force of over 30,000 into Tokugawa territories in Tōtōmi, Mikawa, and Mino Mino may refer to:
Places in Japan
* Mino, Gifu, a city in Gifu Prefecture
* Mino, Kagawa, a former town in Kagawa Prefecture
* Mino, Tokushima, a town in Tokushima Prefecture
* Mino, an alternate spelling of Minoh, a city in Osaka Prefecture
* Mi ...
provinces.
Death
Once he entered Mikawa Province
was an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Mikawa''" in . Its abbreviated form name was . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces.
Mik ...
, in February, 1573, Shingen besieged Noda Castle, but soon died in his siege camp. The exact circumstances surrounding his death are not known. Some accounts say he succumbed to an old war wound, some say a sniper had wounded him earlier, and others that he died of pneumonia. He was buried at Erin-ji
, is a Buddhist temple belonging to the Myōshin-ji branch of the Rinzai school of Japanese Zen. Located in the city of Kōshū, Yamanashi, Japan. It is the clan temple of the Takeda clan, noted Sengoku period warlords and rulers of Kai Provi ...
temple in what is now Kōshū, Yamanashi
is a Cities of Japan, city located in Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 31,526 in 13,147 households, and a population density of 120 persons per km². The total area of the city is . The city is the home of ...
.
After Shingen's death, Takeda Katsuyori
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was son in law of Hojo Ujiyasu.
Early life
He was the son of Shingen by the daughter ...
became the ''daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
'' of 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 ...
. Katsuyori was ambitious and wanted to continue his father's legacy. He moved to take Tokugawa forts. However, an allied force of Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
and Oda Nobunaga
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan.
Nobunaga was head of the very powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other ''daimyō'' to unify ...
dealt a crushing blow to the Takeda in the Battle of Nagashino
The took place in 1575 near Nagashino Castle on the plain of Shitaragahara in the Mikawa Province of Japan. Takeda Katsuyori attacked the castle when Okudaira Sadamasa rejoined the Tokugawa, and when his original plot with Oga Yashiro for taki ...
when Nobunaga's matchlock
A matchlock or firelock is a historical type of firearm wherein the gunpowder is ignited by a burning piece of rope that is touched to the gunpowder by a mechanism that the musketeer activates by pulling a lever or trigger with his finger. Before ...
-armed infantry destroyed the Takeda cavalry. Ieyasu seized the opportunity to defeat the weakened Takeda led by Takeda Katsuyori in the Battle of Tenmokuzan
The 1582 in Japan, also known as the Battle of Toriibata, is regarded as the last stand of the Takeda clan. This was the final attempt by Takeda Katsuyori to resist the combined forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga, who had been campaignin ...
. Katsuyori committed suicide after the battle and the Takeda clan never recovered.
Legacy
Upon Takeda Shingen's death, Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
reportedly wept at the loss of one of his strongest and most deeply-respected rivals. One of the most lasting tributes to Shingen's prowess was that of Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan, which ruled Japan from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was one of the three "Great Unifiers" of Japan, along with his former lord Oda Nobunaga and fellow ...
himself, who is known to have borrowed heavily from the old Takeda leader's governmental and military innovations after he had taken leadership of Kai Province during Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
's rise to power. Many of these designs were put to use in the Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate (, Japanese 徳川幕府 ''Tokugawa bakufu''), also known as the , was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"''Tokugawa-jidai''"in ''Japan Encyclopedia ...
.
While the Takeda were for the most part destroyed by the loss of Shingen's heir, Katsuyori, Shingen had a profound effect on the period in Japan. He influenced many lords with his law, tax, and administration systems, and many tales were told about him. Although aggressive towards military enemies he was probably not as cruel as other warlords. His war banner contained the famous phrase , taken from Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu ( ; zh, t=孫子, s=孙子, first= t, p=Sūnzǐ) was a Chinese military general, strategist, philosopher, and writer who lived during the Eastern Zhou period of 771 to 256 BCE. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of ''The ...
's ''The Art of War
''The Art of War'' () is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period (roughly 5th century BC). The work, which is attributed to the ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu ("Master Sun"), is com ...
''. This phrase refers to the idea of ''Swift as the Wind, Silent as a Forest, Fierce as Fire and Immovable as a Mountain''. The motto applied to Shingen's policies and his military strategy.
Retainers
During the Edo period
The or is the period between 1603 and 1867 in the history of Japan, when Japan was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 regional '' daimyo''. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengoku period, the Edo period was characteriz ...
, 24 retainers who served under Shingen were chosen as a popular topic for ukiyo-e
Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese art which flourished from the 17th through 19th centuries. Its artists produced woodblock prints and paintings
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a solid surfac ...
and bunraku
(also known as ) is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theatre, founded in Osaka in the beginning of the 17th century, which is still performed in the modern day. Three kinds of performers take part in a performance: the or ( puppeteers ...
. The names vary from work to work and the following list is the widely agreed version of retainers. They had not all worked together, as some had died before others served, but they were noted for their exceptional contributions to Shingen and 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 ...
.
Of his retainers, Kōsaka Masanobu
also known as was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He is often credited as the original author of ''Kōyō Gunkan'', which records the history of the Takeda ...
stands out as being one of Shingen's better known beloveds, in the style of the Japanese shudō tradition. The two entered into the relationship when Shingen was 22 and Masanobu 16. The love pact signed by the two, in Tokyo University
, abbreviated as or UTokyo, is a public research university located in Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan. Established in 1877, the university was the first Imperial University and is currently a Top Type university of the Top Global University Project by ...
's Historical Archive, documents Shingen's pledge that he was not involved in, nor had any intentions of entering into, a sexual relationship with a certain other retainer, and asserts that "since I want to be intimate with you" he will in no way harm the boy, and calls upon the gods to be his guarantors. (Leupp, pp. 53–54)
Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen
24 (twenty-four) is the natural number following 23 and preceding 25.
The SI prefix for 1024 is yotta (Y), and for 10−24 (i.e., the reciprocal of 1024) yocto (y). These numbers are the largest and smallest number to receive an SI prefix to da ...
* Akiyama Nobutomo
was a samurai during the Sengoku period in Japan. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". Nobutomo also served under Shingen's son, Takeda Katsuyori.
Biography
In 1531, Akiyama Nobutomo was born at in Kai provin ...
* Amari Torayasu
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, and served the Takeda clan under Takeda Nobutora and Shingen. Amari was a ''shukurō'', or clan elder, following Shingen's accession to family headship and was one of "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda S ...
* Anayama Nobutada
, also known as Anayama Genba Nobukimi (in ''Chronicle of Lord Nobunaga''), Baisetsu Nobutada or Anayama Baisetsu, was a Japanese samurai. He became famous as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He was lord of Yokoyama Castle ...
* Baba Nobuharu
, also known as , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
When Takeda Shingen took Fukashi castle (now Matsumoto Castle) in 1550, he entrusted it to Baba.
War Experie ...
* Hara Masatane
was a senior retainer of the Takeda clan during the late Sengoku period of Japanese history. He was known as one of the 'Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen'.Turnbull, Stephen. (2013)''Samurai Armies 1467-1649,'' p. 62
Masatane was a relativ ...
* Hara Toratane
was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen
24 (twenty-four) is the natural number following 23 and preceding 25.
The SI prefix for 1024 is yotta (Y), and for 10− ...
* Ichijō Nobutatsu
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who was the younger brother of Takeda Shingen, the ruler of Kai Province. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".Internet Movie Database (IMDb) "Shingen Takeda (Character) ...
, younger brother of Shingen
* Itagaki Nobukata
was a retainer of the Takeda family. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
His name is also seen with different ''kanji'' as 信形.
Nobukata served under both Takeda Nobutora and Takeda Shingen and also was task ...
* 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 ...
* Kōsaka Masanobu
also known as was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He is often credited as the original author of ''Kōyō Gunkan'', which records the history of the Takeda ...
* Naitō Masatoyo
also known as (1522 – June 29, 1575) was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". Masatoyo was the second son of Takeda Nobutora's senior retainer, Kudō Toratoyo. He w ...
* Obata Masamori
, also known as Obata Nobusada, was a Japanese samurai warrior. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He was the son of Obata Toramori, and came from western Kozuke province. He fled Kozuke and joined the Takeda aro ...
* Obata Toramori
was Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku Period. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen"
He also recorded as having been wounded 41 times in 36 encounters.Internet Movie Database (IMDb) "Shingen Takeda (Character) ...
* Obu Toramasa
, known as the "Wild Tiger of Kai", was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Takeda clan. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".Inoue, Yasushi. (2006) ''The Samurai banner of Furin Kazan,'' p. 7 Hi ...
* Oyamada Nobushige
was a Japanese samurai general in the Takeda army under Takeda Shingen, and later under Takeda Katsuyori.Inoue, Yasushi. (2006)''The Samurai banner of Furin Kazan,'' p. 7 He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
H ...
* Saegusa Moritomo
was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
Moritomo was the son-in-law of the famed Takeda retainer Yamagata Masakage.
Moritomo served Takeda clan during the Batt ...
* Sanada Nobutsuna
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
He was the eldest son of Sanada Yukitaka, a castle lord in Shinano Province, who by the time of his son's coming-of-age, had pledg ...
* Sanada Yukitaka
was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He was the father of Sanada Nobutsuna and Sanada Masayuki and grandfather of the legendary samurai warrior Sanada Yukimur ...
* Tada Mitsuyori
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period . He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".Internet Movie Database (IMDb) "Shingen Takeda (Character)" from ''Kagemusha'' (1980) retrieved 2013-05-17.
Military life
It is ...
* Tsuchiya Masatsugu
was Japanese samurai warrior in the Sengoku period. he is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
In 1573, he fought at Battle of Mikatagahara againts Tokugawa Ieyasu.
In 1575, he was killed at the Battle of Nagashino ag ...
* Takeda Nobukado
was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He is also well known as a painter.
It has been said that Nobukado and Shingen were as like as two peas therefore he serv ...
* Takeda Nobushige
was a samurai of Japan's Sengoku period, and younger brother of Takeda Shingen.
He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
Takeda Nobushige held the favor of their father, and was meant to inherit the Takeda lands, we ...
* Yamagata Masakage
also known as Obu Masakage was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He was famous for his red armour and skill in battlefield, and was a personal friend of Takeda ...
* Yamamoto Kansuke
* Yokota Takatoshi
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
He was most known for his participation in Sieges of Toishi where he together with Sanada Yukitaka fight Murakami Yoshikiyo
Mu ...
Other Generals
* Hoshina Masatoshi
(1509–1593) was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Takeda clan. He was the head of Hoshina clan, son of Hoshina Masanori. Masatoshi served under Shingen from the latter's earliest campaigns and fought in many of battles.
...
* Morozumi Torasada
also called ''Morozumi Bingono Kami Torasada''(諸角豊後守) was a Japanese samurai and commander of the Sengoku period. He served the Takeda clan.
In 1561, he participated in the Battle of Kawanakajima, He fought bravely and was killed. It ...
* Ohama Kagetaka
was a Japanese pirate during the latter part of the Sengoku period and the Azuchi–Momoyama period of Japan. He operated in the Shima Province area (now part of Mie Prefecture), and later commanded naval forces for both Takeda Shingen and Tokug ...
* Sanada Masayuki
was a Japanese Sengoku period lord and ''daimyō''. He was the head of Sanada clan,_a_regional_house_of_Shinano_Province.html" ;"title="DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 56 of 80">("Sa ..., a regional house of Shinano Province">DF 56 of 80/nowiki>">DF 5 ...
Shingen-ko Festival
Lasting three days, the is held annually on the first or second weekend of April in Kōfu
is the capital city of Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 187,985 in 90,924 households, and a population density of 880 persons per km2. The total area of the city is .
Overview Toponymy
Kōfu's name means "c ...
, Yamanashi Prefecture to celebrate the legacy of daimyō
were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and n ...
Takeda Shingen. In the lunar calendar, Shingen died on the 12th day of the 4th month, and so April 12th is celebrated as the anniversary of his death (despite it being May 13th in the Gregorian calendar). Usually, a famous Japanese celebrity plays the part of Takeda Shingen. There are several parades going between the Takeda Shrine and Maizuru Castle Park, Kofu Castle reflecting the various comings and goings of Takeda Shingen during his life.
The parades are very theatrical, involving serious re-enactors who practice all year for this one weekend.
Family
* Father: Takeda Nobutora
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) who controlled the Province of Kai, and fought in a number of battles of the Sengoku period.
He was the father of the famous Takeda Shingen.
Biography
Nobutora’s son was Harunobu, later known as Take ...
(1494–1574)
*Mother: Ōi no Kata
* Brothers:
** Takematsu (1517–1523)
** Inuchiyo (1523–1529)
** Takeda Nobushige
was a samurai of Japan's Sengoku period, and younger brother of Takeda Shingen.
He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".
Takeda Nobushige held the favor of their father, and was meant to inherit the Takeda lands, we ...
(1525–1561)
** Takeda Nobumoto
** Takeda Nobukado
was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". He is also well known as a painter.
It has been said that Nobukado and Shingen were as like as two peas therefore he serv ...
(1529–1582)
** Matsuo Nobukore (c. 1530s–1571)
** Takeda Souchi
** Takeda Nobuzane (c. 1530s–1575)
** Ichijō Nobutatsu
was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who was the younger brother of Takeda Shingen, the ruler of Kai Province. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".Internet Movie Database (IMDb) "Shingen Takeda (Character) ...
(c. 1539–1582)
* Sisters:
** Joukei-in (1519–1550), married Imagawa Yoshimoto
was a pre-eminent ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) in the Sengoku period Japan. Based in Suruga Province, he was known as . he was one of the three ''daimyōs'' that dominated the Tōkaidō region.
He died in 1560 while marching to Kyoto to become ...
** Nanshou-in (born 1520) married Anayama Nobutomo
** Nene (1528–1543) married Suwa Yorishige
* Sons:
** Takeda Katsuyori
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was son in law of Hojo Ujiyasu.
Early life
He was the son of Shingen by the daughter ...
by Suwa Goryōnin
** Takeda Yoshinobu
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Born Takeda Tarō (武田 太郎), he was the son of Takeda Shingen, by Shingen's wife,
. He came of age in 1550, and took the formal name of Yoshinobu, receiving the "yoshi" from the 13th Ashikag ...
by Lady Sanjō
** Takeda Nobuchika (also known as Unno Nobuchika) by Lady Sanjō
** Takeda Nobukiyo
** Nishina Morinobu
** Katsurayama Nobusada
* Daughters:
** Ōbai-in
** Kenshō-in
** Shinryu-in
** Matsuhime
** Kikuhime
In popular culture
*Generations of farming peasants who become warriors to fight Takeda Shingen's battles are depicted in the 1960 movie ''The River Fuefuki'', aka ''Fuefukigawa'' by director Keisuke Kinoshita. The film is based on a novel by Shichirō Fukazawa.
*Shingen's life is depicted in the 1969 film ''Samurai Banners'', seen through the eyes of his general Yamamoto Kansuke. The film is based on a novel by Yasushi Inoue, Inoue Yasushi titled ''Fūrinkazan, Furin Kazan''.
*Takeda's battles with Uesugi Kenshin
, later known as was a Japanese ''daimyō''. He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period. Known as ...
were dramatized in the movie ''Heaven and Earth (1990 film), Heaven and Earth''.
*Takeda Shingen's death is fictionalized in Akira Kurosawa's film ''Kagemusha''.
*He is mentioned on episode 31 of the Tokusatsu 1988 series Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya. The focus of this episode is the alleged missing Takeda Shingen's famous sword Nobutora, and its discovery in France.
*His life is the subject of a historical novel by Jirō Nitta, which was adapted for television in the 1988 NHK Taiga drama ''Takeda Shingen (Taiga drama), Takeda Shingen'', starring Kiichi Nakai, distributed internationally under the title ''Shingen''.
*''Shingen the Ruler'' (Takeda Shingen 2 in Japan) is a turn-based strategy game for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), produced by Hot B in 1989, and released in North America in 1990.
*Total War: Shogun 2#The Takeda Clan, The Takeda Clan is a faction in Creative Assembly's Shogun: Total War and Total War: Shogun 2 with Shingen himself appearing in the latter's opening cinematic.
*In the 2020 video game "Ghost of Tsushima", the player can obtain an armour set (Gosaku's armour) that is very heavily inspired by Takeda Shingen's actual famous armour set.
*Takeda Shingen has appeared in Samurai Warriors and Sengoku Basara video game franchises, and in the anime Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings. He is a character in all of the games of the Warriors Orochi series. He is a playable character in ''Pokémon Conquest'' (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with his partner Pokémon being Rhyperior and Groudon.
*In ''Samurai Champloo'', the character Jin has the Takeda mon on his keikogi.
*Video game music composer Ryu Umemoto (1974–2011) was a descendant of Takeda.
*Takeda Shingen was mentioned in episode 10 of ''The Tatami Galaxy'' when the protagonist noted that a 4.5 tatami room is perfect, and if a room were to be larger than that, it would end up being "as spacious as Takeda Shingen's lavatory, and one might even get lost".
*He is a main character in the anime ''Sengoku Basara: The Last Party'' and ''Sengoku Basara: Samurai Kings''. He was shown with a superhuman strength, able to use a large ax with effortless precision, ride two horses in standing position, even riding up walls vertically.
*In ''Battle Girls: Time Paradox'', he appeared as a hotheaded woman who committed nothing to obtain the power of the red armor.
*In the light novel ''The Ambition of Oda Nobuna'', Shingen is portrayed as a cunning young woman who strongly opposes other daimyo.
*Takeda is a playable character in the Mobile/PC Game Rise of Kingdoms.
References
External links
"Legendary Takeda's 24 Generals" at Yamanashi-kankou.jp
Samurai archives – Takeda Shingen
– (Japanese) – helmet of Suwa Hossyou (Shingen's Legendary Helmet)
– (Japanese) – Kabuto (samurai helmet) Papercraft
{{DEFAULTSORT:Takeda, Shingen
1521 births
1573 deaths
Deaths from pneumonia in Japan
Daimyo
Takeda clan
16th-century LGBT people
16th-century Buddhist monks
Japanese Buddhist clergy
Muromachi period Buddhist clergy
Gay military personnel
LGBT people from Japan