The Battle of Tenmokuzan in 1582 is remembered as the final stand of the Takeda clan in Japan. This battle marked the last attempt by Takeda Katsuyori to resist Oda Nobunaga's relentless campaign against him. Fleeing from his pursuers, Katsuyori set fire to his fortress at Shinpu Castle and sought refuge in the mountains at Iwadono, a stronghold held by his loyal retainer, Oyamada Nobushige. However, Oyamada betrayed Katsuyori, denying him entry. Left with no other option, Katsuyori committed suicide alongside his wife, while the remnants of his army made a valiant effort to hold off their attackers.
The conflict between the Takeda clan and Oda Nobunaga began in 1572 with the Battle of Mikatagahara, where Takeda Shingen, Katsuyori’s father and lord of Kai, Shinano, and Suruga provinces, defeated the combined forces of Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu in Totomi Province. However, the Takeda's fortunes changed drastically after Shingen’s death, as Katsuyori suffered a devastating defeat at the Battle of Nagashino in 1575, losing over 10,000 men, including many of his key generals. Despite this setback, Katsuyori managed to hold on to his family’s domains for several more years, thanks to Nobunaga's preoccupations with other conflicts, particularly against the Ikko-Ikki.
By February 1582, the situation became dire as several Takeda retainers in Shinano Province defected to Nobunaga. In response, Nobunaga's son, Oda Nobutada, launched an invasion of Shinano from the west, with Takeda garrisons either defecting or surrendering without resistance. The only significant engagement was the siege of Takato Castle, which fell on March 2, 1582. Meanwhile, Tokugawa Ieyasu invaded Suruga Province, which surrendered on February 25 due to the defection of key Takeda retainers.
After the fall of Takato Castle, the remaining Takeda forces in Shinano crumbled, and Nobutada's army pressed into the Takeda heartland of Kai Province. Simultaneously, Hojo Ujimasa advanced from the east, while Tokugawa Ieyasu entered Kai from the south, accompanied by Takeda traitor Anayama Genba. Katsuyori, realizing the hopelessness of his situation, fled Shinpu Castle on March 3 with a small retinue of 500-600 samurai and over 200 women and children. He sought refuge with Oyamada Nobushige at Kogakko Castle, but was turned away.
With no allies and no stronghold left, Katsuyori's remaining followers dispersed, leaving him with only 41 warriors and 50 women, all close family members, who made their final stand in a makeshift fort at Tano village. On March 11, Oda forces led by Takikawa Sakon discovered their camp and launched an attack. The Takeda warriors, realizing their fate, executed their families and fought fiercely to the death, embodying the samurai spirit in their final moments. Despite their bravery, they were overwhelmed, and Katsuyori, along with his son and loyal followers, perished.
The Shinchō Kōki, a chronicle of Nobunaga's life, praised the valor of the last Takeda samurai, noting particularly the heroism of Katsuyori's young companion, Tsuchiya Uemon, and his 16-year-old son, Takeda Nobukatsu. Even though Oyamada Nobushige had betrayed Katsuyori, he met his own end when he was executed by Nobunaga's officer, Horio Yoshiharu, after surrendering to the Oda forces. The Battle of Tenmokuzan remains a poignant symbol of the Takeda clan's tragic end and the unwavering samurai spirit displayed by Katsuyori and his men in the face of inevitable defeat.
See also
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Battles of Kawanakajima
The Battles of Kawanakajima were a series of fierce conflicts during Japan's Sengoku period, waged between Takeda Shingen of Kai Province and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo Province from 1553 to 1564. These battles centered around the strategic Kawanakajima plain, lying between the Sai and Chikuma rivers in northern Shinano Province, now within Nagano City. The rivalry began when Shingen took control of Shinano, forcing Ogasawara Nagatoki and Murakami Yoshikiyo to seek refuge with Kenshin, prompting repeated clashes.
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Siege of Odawara 1590
The Third Siege of Odawara in 1590 was a pivotal moment in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's efforts to neutralize the Hojo clan as a challenge to his authority. In the months leading up to the siege, the Hojo made significant, hurried improvements to the castle's defenses as Hideyoshi’s intentions became clear. However, despite Hideyoshi's overwhelming force, there was little actual combat during the siege.
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Battle of Oshu
The Northern Fujiwara clan had governed the Mutsu and Dewa provinces since 1087, maintaining their rule for over a century by 1189. The clan was founded by Fujiwara no Kiyohira, alongside Minamoto no Yoshiie, who established their independence in Hiraizumi, located in present-day Iwate Prefecture. Under Kiyohira, and later his successors Fujiwara no Motohira and Fujiwara no Hidehira, the Northern Fujiwara reached the height of their power in the Tohoku region. They infused the area with Kyoto culture and constructed significant temples, such as Chuson-ji, founded in 1095.
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Battle of Omosu
The 1580 Battle of Omosu (Omosu no Tatakai) was one of many conflicts between the Hojo and Takeda clans during Japan's Sengoku period. What sets this battle apart is its rarity as one of the few naval engagements in pre-modern Japan. The conflict occurred off the coast of the Izu Peninsula, involving the fleets of Hojo Ujimasa, the leader of the Hojo clan, and Takeda Katsuyori, the head of the Takeda clan.
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The Battle of Azukizaka
The Battle of Azukizaka, also known as the Battle of Bato-ga-hara, occurred in 1564, as Tokugawa Ieyasu aimed to quash the emerging threat of the Ikko-ikki, a coalition of monks, samurai, and peasants strongly opposed to samurai rule.
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Battle of Osaka
Upon Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death in 1598, Japan entered a period of governance by the Council of Five Elders, with Tokugawa Ieyasu wielding the most influence. Following his victory over Ishida Mitsunari in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu effectively seized control of Japan and disbanded the Council. In 1603, the Tokugawa shogunate was established in Edo, with Hideyoshi's son, Toyotomi Hideyori, and his mother, Yodo-dono, permitted to reside at Osaka Castle. Hideyori was granted a significant fief valued at 657,400 koku but remained confined to the castle for several years. As a means of control, it was arranged for Hideyori to marry Senhime, the daughter of Hidetada, in 1603, who had ties to both clans. Ieyasu aimed to establish a strong and stable regime under his clan's rule, with only the Toyotomi, led by Hideyori and influenced by Yodo-dono, posing a challenge to his ambitions.
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Battle of Shizugatake
The Battle of Shizugatake, occurring during Japan's Sengoku period, unfolded between Toyotomi Hideyoshi (then known as Hashiba Hideyoshi) and Shibata Katsuie in Shizugatake, Omi Province, spanning two days from the 20th day of the fourth month of Tensho 11 (equivalent to June 10-11, 1583, on the Gregorian calendar). Katsuie, supporting Oda Nobutaka's claim as successor of Oda Nobunaga, engaged in a succession dispute within the Oda clan, ultimately favoring Hideyoshi.
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Battles of Kizugawaguchi
The pair of Kizugawaguchi Battles took place during Oda Nobunaga's endeavors to besiege the Ishiyama Hongan-ji in Osaka. Serving as the stronghold of the Ikko-ikki, a coalition of warrior monks, priests, and farmers in opposition to Oda's rule, the Hongan-ji posed a formidable challenge. To counter the Ikko-ikki's attempts to supply the fortress and break the siege, Oda commanded Admiral Kuki Yoshitaka to organize a blockade against their allies' fleets. Among the opposition were influential families, notably the Mori Terumoto from the Mori clan in neighboring provinces.
