The Battle of Anegawa took place during the Sengoku period in Japan on July 30, 1570, near Lake Biwa in Ōmi Province. It involved the allied forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu facing off against the combined armies of the Azai and Asakura clans. This historic battle marked the first instance of cooperation between Nobunaga and Ieyasu, ending the unbalanced alliance between the Oda clan and the Azai, and showcasing Nobunaga's innovative use of firearms.
The conflict arose when the Azai and Asakura clans responded to Oda Nobunaga's sieges of their strongholds at Odani and Yokoyama. The engagement is also referred to as the Battle of Nomura by the Oda and Azai, and the Battle of Mitamura by the Asakura clan.
As the Oda-Tokugawa alliance marched towards Odani castle, Azai Nagamasa, the head of the Azai clan, sought help from Echizen, leading to Asakura Yoshikage sending an army to support him. The combined Azai-Asakura force then confronted Nobunaga near the Anegawa, as he had stationed his troops on the southern bank.
The battle commenced the following morning, with the Oda and Azai clashing on the right side, and the Tokugawa and Asakura fighting on the left. The encounter devolved into a fierce melee in the middle of the shallow Ane River. During the battle, Nobunaga entrusted Hashiba Hideyoshi to lead troops in open combat for the first time, while Tokugawa Ieyasu's second division under Honda Tadakatsu and Sakakibara Yasumasa surrounded Asakura Kagetake.
Several notable duels occurred during the conflict, including one between Magara Jurozaemon and his son Magara Jurosaburo (Naomoto), who bravely covered the Asakura army's retreat but were ultimately slain. Another duel involved an Azai samurai named Endo Kizaemon attempting to attack Nobunaga but being thwarted by Takenaka Kyusaku, brother of Takenaka Hanbei.
The Tokugawa forces successfully defeated both the Asakura and Azai forces. After dealing with the Asakura, they turned their attention back to the Azai's right flank. The troops of the Mino Triumvirate, led by Inaba Ittetsu, also joined the battle and helped secure victory for the Oda-Tokugawa alliance.
Historical accounts of the battle are somewhat scarce, and some stories from the Edo period are fictional. However, it is estimated that around 9,000 men were killed, with the Asakura clan alone losing 1,100 samurai. The Oda camp reportedly collected 3,170 enemy heads.
Following the Battle of Anegawa, the Asai and Asakura forces, led by Asakura Kagetake, launched a counterattack in the Battle of Shimosakamoto and managed to defeat an Oda army, causing significant casualties.
The Battle of Anegawa has found its way into popular culture, featuring prominently in various video games, such as the Samurai Warriors series, Warriors Orochi series, Kessen III, and Nioh, where it plays a pivotal role in the main story revolving around the conquests of Oda Nobunaga and his clan.
See also
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The Rebellion of Fujiwara no Hirotsugu
Fujiwara no Hirotsugu was the son of Fujiwara no Umakai, one of the most important court officials of the Nara period. By 740, the Fujiwara clan had held the reins of government for several decades. However, in 735–737, Japan suffered a severe trial: the country was hit by a devastating smallpox epidemic. It coincided with a series of crop failures, and together, disease and famine claimed the lives of about 40% of the population of the Japanese islands. The consequences were particularly tragic for the aristocracy. The mortality rate among the court nobility exceeded that among the common people. All four Fujiwara brothers, who held the most important positions at court — Umakai, Maro, Mutimaro, and Fusasaki — died.
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The Battle of Inogahara
By the summer of 1556, Oda Nobunaga no longer appeared to be the eccentric “great fool of Owari.” Four years earlier, in 1552, having just assumed the position of clan leader, he managed to defend his position: first in the Battle of Akatsuka, and then at Kayazu Fort. In 1553, together with his western neighbor and ally Saito Dosan, his father-in-law, Nobunaga successfully repelled an attack by the Imagawa clan on the border fort of Muraki. In 1554, he united his own branch of the family with the Kiyosu line. Step by step, the young military leader strengthened his position.
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The Second Siege of Gassan-Toda Castle (1564–1565)
Mori Motonari (1497–1571), head of the powerful Mori clan, was one of the most influential daimyo in the Chugoku region, located in western Honshu. During the turbulent and violent Sengoku Jidai period, he waged continuous wars in an effort to expand his domain and strengthen his clan's power.
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The Siege of Inabayama Castle
The two-week-long siege of Inabayama Castle marked the dramatic climax of Oda Nobunaga’s campaign to assert control over Mino Province and decisively crush the Saitō clan. It was during this operation that Toyotomi Hideyoshi, then known as Kinoshita Tōkichirō, first shone brightly in competition with Nobunaga—emerging as the future heir to Japan’s unification.
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The Siege of Wado Castle
In 1335, the Shiina clan built Uozu Castle as an auxiliary stronghold supporting Matsukura Castle. By 1570, it had fallen under the control of the Uesugi clan, rapidly emerging as a strategic fortress in Etchū Province. For many years, Kawada Nagataka served as its commander.
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The siege of the Ishimama Honganji monastery
In Japanese history, the siege of Ishiyama Hongan-ji — the main stronghold of the Ikkō-ikki movement during Oda Nobunaga’s campaign — is considered the longest, lasting from August 1570 to August 1580.
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The Battle of Norada
The Battle of Norada is a striking example of a clash during the Sengoku Jidai period, when numerical superiority did not always guarantee victory, even in open battle.
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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.
