, also known as Saitō Toshimasa (斎藤利政), 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 ...

during 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 ...

. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)
"Saitō Dōsan"
in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 809. He was also known as the for his ruthless tactics. His honorific title from the Imperial Court was ''Yamashirō-no-kami'' (山城守). After entering monkhood in his later years, he was also called ''Saitō Yamashirō-nyudō-no-kami'' (斎藤山城入道守).

Biography

Originally a monk, he was a seller of oil. He became a ''

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 ...

'' through ''

gekokujō is a Japanese word which refers to someone of a lower position overthrowing someone of a higher position using military or political might, seizing power. It is variously translated as "the lower rules the higher" or "the low overcomes the high" ...

'' of

Toki Yorinari , also known as Toki Yoriaki,
retrieved 2013-5-10. was a Japanese

Mino Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today southern Gifu Prefecture. Mino was bordered by Ōmi to the west, Echizen and Hida to the north, and Shinano to the east, and Ise, Mikawa, and Owari to the south. Its abbreviat ...

In 1542. Yorinari was forced out of Mino by Saitō Dōsan. The Saito fortress was located at

Inabayama castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Mount Kinka and the Nagara River, it is one of the main symbols of the city. The castle is also known as . It was designated a National Historic Site in 20 ...

.Sengoku Bushō Retsuden 12: Saitō Dōsan
. Accessed September 20, 2007.
Harimaya. Accessed September 20, 2007. He married 'Omi no kata', a sister of

Akechi Mitsutsuna was a senior retainer under the Toki clan from Akechi clan throughout the latter Sengoku period of feudal Japan. He was the father of Akechi Mitsuhide and brother of "Omi-no-kata" (Saitō Dōsan , also known as Saitō Toshimasa (斎藤利 ...

(

Akechi Mitsuhide , first called Jūbei from his clan and later from his title, was a Japanese ''samurai'' general of the Sengoku period best known as the assassin of Oda Nobunaga. Mitsuhide was a bodyguard of Ashikaga Yoshiaki and later a successful general under ...

's father). He defeated

Oda Nobuhide was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and magistrate of the Sengoku period known as "Tiger of Owari" and also the father of Oda Nobunaga the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. Nobuhide was a deputy ''shugo'' (Shugodai) of lower Owari Province and head of the ...

at the

Battle of Kanōguchi was a battle during the Sengoku period (16th century) of Japan. As part of the very long rivalry between Oda Nobuhide and Saitō Dōsan, along with Dōsan's defense of his position in Mino Province. Nobuhide and Dōsan fought each other on t ...

in 1547. However, in 1549, eventually Oda Nobuhide was defeated by Dōsan, Nobuhide made peace with Dōsan by arranging a political marriage between his son and heir,

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 ...

, and Dōsan's daughter,

Nōhime , also known as Kichō (帰蝶), was the legal wife of Oda Nobunaga, a major ''daimyō'' during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. Her proper name was Kichō, but since she came from Mino Province, she is most commonly referred to as Nōhime ...

. Dōsan, therefore, became the father-in-law of Oda Nobunaga. Dōsan supported the marriage which allowed Nobuhide to focus on facing

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 ...

Several years later, rumors had started to circulate that Dōsan's firstborn son,

Saitō Yoshitatsu or Toki Yoshitatsu was a Japanese samurai during the Sengoku period. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003).html" ;"title="DF 54 of 80">"Saitō," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', ...

, was not his natural son and Dōsan started to consider another son, Saitō Kiheiji, or even his son-in-law

, as his heirs. This caused Yoshitatsu to rebel and kill his two younger brothers. In 1556, the forces of Dōsan and Yoshitatsu clashed in the

Battle of Nagara-gawa The was a battle that took place along the banks of the Nagara River in Mino Province in April 1556. The site of the battle is in present-day Gifu city, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It was a battle between Saitō Dōsan and his son, Saitō Yoshitat ...

which resulted in the death of Dōsan. Dōsan's head was taken by a man called Komaki Genta, a retainer of Yoshitatsu's son

Saitō Tatsuoki was a daimyō in Mino Province during the Sengoku period and the third generation lord of the Saitō clan. He was a son of Saitō Yoshitatsu. His mother was daughter of Azai Hisamasa and nephew of Azai Nagamasa, a grandson of Saitō Dōsan. He ...

. His remains were originally interred in Sōfuku-ji, but they were later moved to Jōzai-ji because the

Nagara River The has its source in the city of Gujō, Gifu Prefecture, and its mouth in the city of Kuwana, Mie Prefecture, Japan. Along with the Kiso River and Ibi River, the Nagara River is one of the Kiso Three Rivers of the Nōbi Plain. Previously, ...

kept overflowing and covering his burial mound.''Gifu City Walking Map''. Gifu Lively City Public Corporation, 2007. Both temples are located in the city of

Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku ...

which celebrates Dōsan with an annual festival.

Pseudonyms

Saitō Dōsan is known for having a large number of

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person or group assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true name (orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individua ...

s and for frequently changing his name. Some believe that this is because there were two Saitō Dōsan, father and son, and the son adopted his father's name after his death. Other names of Saitō Dōsan are Minemaru (峰丸), Hōrenbō (法蓮坊), Matsunami Shogorō (松浪庄五郎), Nishimura Kankurō Masatoshi (西村勘九郎正利), Shinkurō (新九郎), Nagai Norihide (長井規秀), and Saitō Sakondayu Toshimasa (斎藤左近大夫利政). The name Saitō was adopted from the former

shugodai were officials during feudal Japan. Shugodai were representatives of provincial shugo when the shugo could not exercise his power, being often away from his province. Unlike shugo, who were appointed from the central power, shugodai were locally ...

of Mino who had been overcome by the

Nagai clan Nagai may refer to: * Nagai (surname), a Japanese surname *Nagai, Yamagata, a city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan *An alternative name for Nagapattinam district, Tamil Nadu, India * Nagai (''Star Wars''), a fictional alien race in the ''Star Wars'' ...

in the 1520s.

Notable retainers

Hachiya Yoritaka was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period who served the Oda clan. First he served the Toki clan and Saito clan. When Oda Nobunaga started campaign on Mino Province, he became a vassal of Nobunaga as a member of "Kuro-horo-shu" (bodyguard ...

Mori Yoshinari was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period and the head of the Mori clan (Genji) family, who served the Saitō clan. The Saitō were the lords of Mino province. Later, he become a retainer of Oda Nobunaga. Military life In 1547, he fought ...

Fuwa Mitsuharu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. Originally a retainer of Saitō Dōsan, Mitsuharu went on to serve Oda Nobunaga, he received a land in Echizen Province and became a member of the so-called Echiz ...

Inaba Ittetsu , also known as Inaba Ittetsu (稲葉一鉄), was a Japanese samurai warrior in the Sengoku period. served the Saitō clan of Mino province. Later, he become a retainer of Oda Nobunaga. Biography His childhood name was Hikoshiro (彦四郎) la ...

* Ando Morinari *

Ujiie Naotomo , also known as , was a Japanese samurai warrior. served the Saitō clan of Mino province. Later, he become a retainer of Oda Nobunaga. Naomoto was considered one of the , along with Inaba Yoshimichi and Andō Morinari. In 1567, they agreed tog ...

Hachisuka Masakatsu , also known Hachisuka Koroku (蜂須賀小六), was a ''daimyō'', retainer and adviser of Toyotomi Hideyoshi during the Azuchi–Momoyama period of Japanese history. He was the son of Hachisuka Masatoshi. The Hachisuka clan were the ''kokuj ...

Sakai Masahisa was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku Period, who most notably served the Oda clan. He was born in Mino Province, and first served the Saitō clan. After the fall of the Saitō, he was taken on as a retainer by Oda Nobunaga. He was particula ...

Takenaka Shigeharu , who was also known as Hanbei (半兵衛), was a Japanese samurai during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. Hanbei was the castle lord in command of Bodaiyama Castle. He was a chief strategist and adviser of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His father wa ...

Kanamori Nagachika was a Japanese samurai who lived from the Sengoku period into the early Edo period. He was the first ruler of the Kanamori clan and served as a retainer of the Oda, Toyotomi, and Tokugawa clans. Later in his life, he also became a ''daimyō' ...

Katō Mitsuyasu was a retainer under the Toyotomi clan during the late Sengoku period of feudal Japan. Residing within Mino Province during his early life, Mitsuyasu took up arms in support of the Saitō clan and its leader, Saitō Dōsan. When Saitō Tatsuoki ...

Sengoku Hidehisa , childhood name Gonbei (権兵衛) was a samurai warrior of the Sengoku period and the Edo period. He was the head of the Komoro Domain in Shinano Province. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du J ...

Family

* Father: Matsuda Motomune (in one traditional story; another version says that he was child of Shinzaemonzo, a monk of Myoukaku-ji Temple) * Wife: Omi no Kata, daughter of

Akechi Mitsutsugu The is a branch of the Toki clan, which is descended from the Seiwa Genji. The Akechi clan thrived around the later part of the Sengoku period of the 16th century. The Akechi became the head, soryo of the Toki after the Toki fell to the Saitō c ...

* Concubine: Miyoshi no Kata * Children: **

born to Miyoshi no Kata ** Saitō Magoshirō ** Saitō Kiheiji ** Saitō Toshitaka ** Saitō Nagatatsu (Toshiharu) **

(Kicho)

In Popular Culture

* In the Action RPG

Nioh 2 is an action role-playing video game developed by Team Ninja for the PlayStation 4. It was published by Koei Tecmo in Japan and Sony Interactive Entertainment worldwide on March 13, 2020. It is both a prequel and sequel to ''Nioh'' (2017). Versio ...

he's reimagined as a retired Yokai hunter that fell in love with a female Yokai who bore him two children; Saito Yoshitatsu and the main protagonist "Hide". He's killed by Yoshitatsu's forces at the end of the first act.

References