, of Kai Province, was a pre-eminent ''

daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominall ...

'' in

feudal Japan The first human inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago have been traced to prehistoric times around 30,000 BC. The Jōmon period, named after its cord-marked pottery, was followed by the Yayoi period in the first millennium BC when new inven ...

. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful

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

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 ...

, 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'' Ash ...

(足利義晴), the 12th Ashikaga ''

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 Kamaku ...

''. 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 be ...

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 (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage ...

'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 Kamakura ...

, although the authority of the latter had greatly degenerated in the mid-16th century. Both the Ashikaga and the

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

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

master. The

kanji are the logographic Chinese characters taken from the Chinese script and used in the writing of Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are still used, along with the subsequ ...

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-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 a ...

(上杉謙信), was often called "The Dragon of Echigo" (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 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 Kawanaka ...

Early life and rise

Takeda Daizen no tayū Harunobu Nyūdō Shingen

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 Tak ...

(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 ''

'' of the

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions out ...

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. At some point in his life after his "coming of age" ceremony, the young man decided to rebel against his father,

. 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 abbrev ...

, 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 ...

, 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 S ...

(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, w ...

. 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

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

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 d ...

. 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 c ...

, 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 is a lake in the Kiso Mountains, in the central region of Na ...

and Battle of Ankokuji. 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 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 revenge ...

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 pref ...

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, Kannomine, Matsuo and Yoshioka castles.

Conflict with Uesugi

After conquering

, Shingen faced another rival,

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 Niig ...

. 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 Kawanaka ...

These battles were generally confined to controlled skirmishes, neither ''

'' 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

's forces clearing a path through the

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

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, w ...

. 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 (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 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, ...

. In 1565, Shingen then took Kuragano Castle and Minowa Castle 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 r ...

. In 1571,

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

is believed to have much to do with the change in Shingen's policy towards the

. After

'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 cl ...

, and started to plan an invasion of

, 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

out of the northern boundaries of

, taken over a strategically important castle in western Kōzuke, and suppressed internal objection to his plans to take advantage of the weakened

, 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 fello ...

"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 ...

. 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

, Shingen broke the alliance with the Hōjō, and came into

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 in ...

. 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 and Hōjō Ujikuni 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 ...

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 Pac ...

, Shingen finally secured the

, formerly base of the prestigious

, as a

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

asset in 1569. At this point, Shingen now had Kai Province,

, 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 r ...

and

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

'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 n ...

. In 1572, upon securing

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

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-Matsuyam ...

, which caused the

Takeda is a Japanese family name.1990 Census Name Files< ...

– Oda relationship to decline. Shingen engaged

'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 c ...

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, ...

. 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 " ...

, 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 ca ...

, 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

's worst defeats, and complete disaster was only narrowly averted. Shingen stopped his advance temporarily due to outside influences, which allowed the

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, 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 temple in what is now

Kōshū, Yamanashi is a 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 the indigenou ...

. After Shingen's death,

became the ''

'' of the

. Katsuyori was ambitious and wanted to continue his father's legacy. He moved to take Tokugawa forts. However, an allied force of

and

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 t ...

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. Befor ...

-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,

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

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 character ...

, 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 of such subjects as female beauties; kabuki actors and sumo wrestlers; scenes from history and folk ta ...

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

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 Take ...

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 d ...

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 *

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 Experi ...

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 relati ...

Hara Toratane was a Japanese samurai warrior 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 c ...

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 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 p ...

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 ...

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 a ...

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 *

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". ...

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 Bat ...

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 pled ...

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 Yuk ...

* Tada Mitsuyori * Tsuchiya Masatsugu *

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 ser ...

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 Taked ...

* 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 ...

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 * Sanada Masayuki

Shingen-ko Festival

Lasting three days, the is held annually on the first or second weekend of April in

Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 817,192 (1 January 2019) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the ...

to celebrate the legacy of

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 Main gate to Takeda Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan, dedicated to the '' kami'' of Takeda Shingen. The shrine's annual celebration is on April 12, Shingen's death anniversary. History Follow ...

and 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:

(1494–1574) *Mother: Ōi no Kata * Brothers: ** Takematsu (1517–1523) ** Inuchiyo (1523–1529) **

(1525–1561) ** Takeda Nobumoto **

(1529–1582) ** Matsuo Nobukore (c. 1530s–1571) ** Takeda Souchi ** Takeda Nobuzane (c. 1530s–1575) **

(c. 1539–1582) * Sisters: ** Joukei-in (1519–1550), married

** Nanshou-in (born 1520) married Anayama Nobutomo ** Nene (1528–1543) married Suwa Yorishige * Sons: **

by Suwa Goryōnin **

by Lady Sanjō ** Takeda Nobuchika (also known as Unno Nobuchika) by Lady Sanjō ** Takeda Nobukiyo **

Nishina Morinobu was a retainer of the Japanese samurai clan of Takeda during the closing years of the Sengoku period. Born the fifth son of the legendary Takeda Shingen (by Lady Yukawa), he was also known as Takeda Harukiyo (武田晴清). In 1561 Morinobu was ...

** 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 was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. Ronald Berganbr>"A satirical eye on Japan: Keisuke Kinoshita" ''The Guardian'', 5 January 1999. While lesser-known internationally than contemporaries such as Akira Kurosawa, Kenji Mizoguchi an ...

. The film is based on a novel by

Shichirō Fukazawa was a Japanese author and guitarist whose 1960 short story ''Fūryū mutan'' ("Tale of an Elegant Dream") caused a nationwide uproar and led to an attempt by an ultranationalist to assassinate the president of the magazine that published it. B ...

. *Shingen's life is depicted in the 1969 film ''

Samurai Banners is a Japanese samurai drama film released in 1969. It was directed by Hiroshi Inagaki and is based on the novel ''Furin kazan'' by Yasushi Inoue. Plot Yamamoto Kansuke (Toshiro Mifune) is a general of warlord Takeda Shingen ( Nakamura Kinno ...

'', seen through the eyes of his general Yamamoto Kansuke. The film is based on a novel by Inoue Yasushi titled '' Furin Kazan''. *Takeda's battles with

were dramatized in the movie '' Heaven and Earth''. *Takeda Shingen's death is fictionalized in

Akira Kurosawa was a Japanese filmmaker and painter who directed thirty films in a career spanning over five decades. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. Kurosawa displayed a bold, dyna ...

's film ''

Kagemusha is a 1980 jidaigeki film directed by Akira Kurosawa. It is set in the Sengoku period of Japanese history and tells the story of a lower-class criminal who is taught to impersonate the dying ''daimyō'' Takeda Shingen to dissuade opposing lords fr ...

''. *He is mentioned on episode 31 of the

Tokusatsu is a Japanese term for live action film or television drama that makes heavy use of practical special effects. ''Tokusatsu'' entertainment mainly refers to science fiction, war, fantasy, or horror media featuring such technology but is som ...

1988 series

Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya is a Japanese television series that aired on TV Asahi and its affiliates from January 24, 1988, to January 22, 1989, lasting 50 episodes. It was the seventh installment in Toei's ''Metal Hero Series'' franchise of live-action superhero shows an ...

. The focus of this episode is the alleged missing Takeda Shingen's famous sword Nobutora, and its discovery in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. *His life is the subject of a historical novel by Jirō Nitta, which was adapted for television in the 1988

NHK , also known as NHK, is a Japanese public broadcaster. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized initialism in Japanese, is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee. NHK operates two terrestr ...

Taiga drama ''

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 ...

'', starring

Kiichi Nakai is a Japanese actor. His name was given by Yasujirō Ozu. His father, Keiji Sada, also a movie actor, died when Nakai was only two years old. Nakai started his acting career while he was still in university and was awarded the Rookie of the ...

, 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 North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

in 1990. * 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 is the first title in the series of hack and slash video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based closely around the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of Japanese history and it is a sister series of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' series, relea ...

and

Sengoku Basara is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including four anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, a magazine series, a trading card game, and numerous drama CDs, light nov ...

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 Conquest'', known in Japan as , is a 2012 tactical role-playing video game developed by Tecmo Koei, published by The Pokémon Company and distributed by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS. The game is a crossover between the ''Pokémon'' and ...

'' (Pokémon + Nobunaga's Ambition in Japan), with his partner

Pokémon (an abbreviation for in Japan) is a Japanese media franchise managed by The Pokémon Company, founded by Nintendo, Game Freak, and Creatures, the owners of the trademark and copyright of the franchise. In terms of what each of thos ...

being Rhyperior and Groudon. *In ''

Samurai Champloo is a 2004 Japanese historical adventure anime television series. The debut television production of studio Manglobe, the 26-episode series aired from May 2004 to March 2005. It was first partially broadcast on Fuji TV, then had a complete a ...

'', the character Jin has the Takeda mon on his

keikogi (, "practice", , "dress or "clothes"), also known as or , is a traditional uniform worn for training in Japanese martial arts and their derivatives. Emerging in the late 19th century, the was developed by judo founder Kanō Jigorō. Origin Ja ...

. *

Video game music Video game music (or VGM) is the soundtrack that accompanies video games. Early video game music was once limited to sounds of early sound chips, such as programmable sound generators (PSG) or FM synthesis chips. These limitations have led t ...

composer

Ryu Umemoto was a Japanese video game music composer, born in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. He is known for composing soundtracks to various visual novel and shoot 'em up video games since the 1990s, for several companies including FamilySoft, C's Ware, ...

(1974–2011) was a descendant of Takeda. *Takeda Shingen was mentioned in episode 10 of ''

The Tatami Galaxy is a 2004 Japanese varsity novel written by Tomihiko Morimi and published by Ohta Publishing. Its first-person narrator is an unnamed upperclassman at Kyoto University reminiscing on the misadventures of his previous years of campus lif ...

'' when the protagonist noted that a 4.5

tatami A is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Tatamis are made in standard sizes, twice as long as wide, about 0.9 m by 1.8 m depending on the region. In martial arts, tatami are the floor used for traini ...

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 is a Japanese light novel series written by Mikage Kasuga and illustrated by Miyama-Zero. It was adapted into an anime television series animated by Madhouse and Studio Gokumi that aired from July to September 2012. Sentai Filmworks lice ...

'', Shingen is portrayed as a cunning young woman who strongly opposes other

daimyo were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast, hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and nominally t ...

. *Takeda is a playable character in the Mobile/PC Game

Rise of Kingdoms Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...

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