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
-
First Battle of Azukizaka
In response to the Oda clan's advance into the western part of Mikawa Province, in August 1542, the combined forces of Imagawa Yoshimoto and Matsudaira Hirotada (father of the future shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu) advanced into the Ikutahara area.
-
Battle of Ankokuji
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
