As a result of the summer campaign of 1542, the Suwa clan was completely defeated. Takeda Shingen stationed his military contingent at Uehara Castle. Takeda's army general, Itagaki Nobukata, subsequently became the commandant of this castle.
Uehara was to become an important outpost in the conquered lands. Itagaki eagerly set about rebuilding the castle and even built himself a residence within its fortifications.
Allies and division of lands
Takeda's ally in the war against the Suwa clan was Takato Yoritsugu. His contribution to the victory was significant, and according to the alliance treaty, he was given the lands west of the Miyagawa River. The Takeda clan came to rule the lands east of it.
The division was fair, but it did not satisfy Yoritsugu. Relations between the clans began to deteriorate.
Search for allies and rebellion
Takato Yoritsugu could not stand up to Takeda's military machine alone, so he began to look for allies. He managed to win over Yajima Mitsukiyo, Aruga Totomi-no-kami, and Fujisawa Yoritsugu from the Ina region. In addition, Yoritsugu requested support from the Harutika region.
On September 10, Takato's troops attacked Uehara Castle. The castle was taken, and Takeda's troops were forced to leave the Suwa region.
Shingen reacted swiftly. By September 19, Takeda's army had crossed the border with Suwa and set up camp near the Sakai River. The Kohakusai-ki source claims that the vanguard of Takeda's army, led by Itagaki Nobukata, was already in Suwa on September 11. This may indicate that Shingen, thanks to his developed spy network, knew about the impending uprising and was ready to act immediately.
The political aspect of the campaign
The political side of the campaign is of particular interest. Shingen's family raised the son of the defeated Suwa Yorishige, Torao. He was considered the legitimate heir to the Suwa lands.
Thus, Shingen went on a campaign on his behalf, legitimizing the campaign against Takato. He also informed the former vassals of the Suwa clan that he was acting on behalf of Suwa Torao, and this bore fruit: former Suwa vassals began to flock to Takeda's camp.
He was joined by Moria Yorizane (Yorimasa), Suwa Mitsutaka, and representatives of the Tino, Yajima, and Kosaka clans. Yorishige's uncle, Suwa Mitsutaka, decided to oppose Takato from his castle in Takashima.
Takato Yoritsugu found himself in a difficult position, and a clash became inevitable.
The Battle of Ankoku-ji
On September 25, a battle took place near the Miyagawa River, which went down in history as the Battle of Ankoku-ji, named after a nearby temple.
According to some sources, Takeda Shingen had only a few thousand soldiers, although he had the capacity to recruit up to twenty thousand men. Yoritsugu commanded an army of two thousand men.
The battle began at two o'clock in the afternoon and lasted almost four hours. Takeda's troops pressed the enemy, and finally Takato gave the signal to retreat.
It is believed that Yoritsugu himself nearly died in battle, but managed to escape through the Tsuezuki Pass to his castle in Takato. His army lost 700 men killed. Yoritsugu's younger brother, Takato Yorimune, was killed.
Yajima Mitsukiyo lost his son in battle and became a fugitive himself, wandering for a long time as a ronin, trying not to be caught by Takeda's patrols. It is believed that Takeda's army lost only 50 men. If the figures are correct, then Shingen won a brilliant victory.
Autumn campaign
The battle of Ankoku-ji did not end the campaign against Takato. Part of Takeda's army followed the retreating enemy through the Tsuezuki Pass.
On September 26, Komai Masataka's troops, led by Moria Yorizane's scouts (shinobi), invaded the Ina region. They ravaged the lands around Fukuyo Castle and laid siege to the fortress.
The castle commander, Fujisawa Yoritsugu, defended himself in the hope that Takato Yoritsugu would come to his aid. But after several days of siege, he surrendered. However, he was not punished and even retained Fukuyo Castle.
Conquest of the Ina region
Other Takeda generals also crossed the pass and invaded the Ina region. Among them was Itagaki Nobukata, who arrived there three days after Komai.
His troops ravaged several villages and moved towards the Aruga Pass. Itagaki searched for traces of the remnants of Takato's army and, satisfied that the resistance had been broken, returned to Kai Province. Komai also left the region.
Results of the campaign
After Takeda's victory in the autumn campaign, the Suwa region remained completely under his control. Part of the Ina region was also captured, but Shingen decided to focus on the lands he had already conquered.
Itagaki Nobukata was appointed chief administrator of the Suwa region, based at Uehara Castle.
The castle reconstruction project began in May 1543 and was completed in April of the following year. Uehara controlled an important crossroads, guarded the approaches to the “home” province of Kai, and served as a convenient springboard for future conquests.
See also
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The Siege of Matsuyama Castle
In 1537, the head of the Ogigayatsu branch of the Uesugi clan, Uesugi Tomooki, died. He was succeeded by his son, the thirteen-year-old Uesugi Tomosada (1525–1546). Hojo Ujitsuna (1487–1541), who had long been planning to expand his holdings in Musashi Province, decided to take advantage of the new daimyo's inexperience. He assembled an army of 7,000 soldiers and marched on Kawagoe Castle.
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The Siege of Unokuchi Castle
One of the important steps in the career of every Japanese commander was the uijin, the first military campaign in which he took part. For the legendary Takeda Shingen, according to some sources, this campaign was the siege of Unokuchi Castle.
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Battle of Arita-Nakai
By 1517, Takeda Motoshige, lord of Kanyama Castle, was probably the most influential daimyo in Aki Province. Ten years earlier, he had served as a vassal of the Ōuchi clan and participated in Ōuchi Yoshiyuki's campaign in Kyoto. This campaign was part of an effort to support the deposed shogun Ashikaga Yoshitane.
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The Siege of Arai Castle
Hojo Nagauji (Soun) (1432–1519) went down in Japanese history as one of the most notable figures of his time. He is considered a prime example of a gokoku-jo daimyo. The process of gokoku-jo literally means “the lower classes defeat the upper classes” and in Japanese history was expressed, among other things, in the elevation of minor samurai to the status of owners of entire provinces.
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Battle of Sakai
Ōuchi Yoshihiro was an influential shugo of the provinces of Suō and Nagato and played an important role as a supporter of the Ashikaga clan during the war with the Southern Court. His greatest achievement was forcing the Southern Court emperor to surrender in 1392, which brought an end to the Nanboku-chō period. This victory strengthened the Ashikaga clan's position and marked the end of the long-standing rivalry between the two imperial lines.
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Battle of Shijonawate
After Kusunoki Masashige's death in the Battle of Minatogawa, his son, Kusunoki Masatsura, continued his work supporting the Southern Imperial Court in the Nanboku-chō period war. He took on his father's legacy not only as a duty, but also as a way to remain faithful to the ideals for which Masashige had given his life.
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Battle of Minatogawa
After his defeat by Nitta Yoshisada in 1336, Ashikaga Takauji completely restored his forces and secured the support of three powerful clans in Kyushu: the Sōni, Shimazu, and Otomo. In addition, he received significant reinforcements from Shikoku Island under the command of Hosokawa. Having thus strengthened his army, Ashikaga Takauji marched on Kyoto.
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The Siege of Tihaya Castle
Tihaya Castle was built by Kusunoki Masashige on top of Mount Kongo, separated from the neighboring hills by a deep ravine. The terrain itself provided natural protection, making the position extremely convenient for defense.
