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.
First Battle
In the initial clash in 1576, the Mori navy, led by Motoyoshi, the son of Murakami Takeyoshi, achieved victory over Kuki Yoshitaka's fleet. This defeat broke the blockade, allowing supplies to reach the fortress. Both sides employed firearms, a relatively new aspect of Japanese warfare. However, Mori's naval expertise and tactical knowledge proved decisive in this encounter.
Second Battle
Two years later, in 1578, with the Ishiyama Hongan-ji still under siege, Oda's fleet, under the command of Takigawa Kazumasu, coordinated a renewed effort. This time, Kuki Yoshitaka led six sizable o'atakebune ships against the Mori navy, deviating from the conventional use of a combination of small (kobaya), medium (sekibune), and large (adakebune) vessels. Typically, atakebune were floating wooden fortresses equipped with gun and bow emplacements. Some accounts suggest that these six vessels might have been Tekkosen, early ironclads designed to resist penetration by enemy weapons. However, it is likely that these crafts featured limited iron plating in specific areas rather than being entirely composed of metal.
During the battle, several Mori vessels under Murakami Takeyoshi were set ablaze and sank, ultimately resulting in victory for Oda's fleet. The supply lines were successfully severed, leading to the eventual fall of the Hongan-ji. However, a flaw in the Tekkosen design surfaced as Mori samurai rushed to board the large ship, causing it to capsize due to a shift in the center of gravity.
Following this triumph, Yoshitaka went on to defeat the Mori once again the following year.
See also
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The Siege of Shiroishi Castle
The siege of Shiroishi Castle was part of the Sekigahara campaign and took place several months before the decisive battle of Sekigahara. The daimyo of Aizu Province, Uesugi Kagekatsu, posed a serious threat to Tokugawa Ieyasu's plans to defeat the Western Coalition, and Ieyasu decided to curb his actions with the help of his northern vassals. To this end, he ordered Date Masamune to invade the province of Aizu and capture Shiroishi Castle.
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The Second Siege of Jinju Castle
During the two Korean campaigns of the 16th century, the Japanese repeatedly had to capture enemy fortresses and defend occupied or constructed fortifications from the combined Korean and Chinese forces. Among all the operations of that time, the second siege of Jinju Castle is considered the most interesting from the point of view of siege warfare.
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The Siege of Takamatsu Castle
The siege of Takamatsu Castle in Bitchu Province is considered the first mizuzeme, or “water siege,” in Japanese history. Until then, such an original tactic had never been used.
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The Third Siege of Takatenjin Castle
The history of the castle prior to the conflict between the Tokugawa and Takeda clans is rather unclear. According to one version, the castle was built in 1416, when Imagawa Sadayoshi (1325–1420) was governor of Suruga Province and half of Totomi Province. Allegedly, it was he who ordered Imagawa Norimasa (1364–1433) to build this fortification. However, no reliable evidence has been found to support this. Another version is considered more plausible, according to which the castle was built during the conquest of Totomi Province at the end of the 15th century by Imagawa Ujitsuna (1473–1526) and his general Ise Shinkuro (Hojo Soon). In this case, another of Ujitsuna's generals, Kusima Masashige (1492–1521), is considered responsible for the construction.
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Battle of Mimigawa
In 1556, the Shimazu clan launched a campaign aimed at systematically conquering the island of Kyushu. In the same year, the province of Osumi was annexed and a war began with the Ito clan for control of the province of Hyuga. In 1577, Ito Yoshisuke was defeated and fled north, where he sought help from Otomo Sorin, the Christian daimyo of Bungo Province.
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The Siege of Kozuki Castle
The battle for Kozuki Castle was a consequence of Oda Nobunaga's expansion in the Chugoku region. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was appointed to lead the campaign, which aimed to weaken the influence of the Mori clan in these lands. Under his command were famous samurai: Kuroda Kanbei, Takenaka Shigeharu, and Hachisuka Koroku. Amago Katsuhisa, who cherished the hope of one day restoring the Amago clan's lost dominance in western Japan, also joined Oda's army.
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The Siege of Nagashino Castle
Despite his reputation as a failure, created by 20th-century popular culture, especially cinema, Takeda Katsuyori (1546–1582) was in fact a brave warrior and talented commander. However, he always remained in the shadow of his great father, the legendary Takeda Shingen. After Shingen's death, Katsuyori sought to at least equal him, if not surpass him. Therefore, his actions were not always determined by pragmatic calculation. This character trait greatly influenced the subsequent events that led to the demise of the Takeda clan.
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Siege of Nagashima Fortifications
The Buddhist peasant movement Ikko-Ikki, which emerged in the 15th century, had grown considerably stronger and larger by the middle of the following century. It had effectively turned into a large feudal army used for territorial conquests. The Ikko-ikki fought fiercely not only against other branches of Buddhism, but also against the provincial daimyo and the central government.
