The Battle of Mikatagahara occurred during Japan's Sengoku period and pitted Takeda Shingen against Tokugawa Ieyasu. This clash took place on January 25, 1573, in Mikatagahara, Tōtōmi Province. Shingen launched an assault on Ieyasu's forces in the Mikatagahara plains, north of Hamamatsu. This engagement happened within the context of Shingen's campaign against Oda Nobunaga, as he sought a passage from Kōfu to Kyoto.
In October 1572, Takeda Shingen, having secured alliances with the Later Hōjō clan of Odawara and the Satomi clan of Awa, and having waited for snow to block northern routes against his rival Uesugi Kenshin, led 30,000 troops from Kōfu into Tōtōmi Province. Simultaneously, Yamagata Masakage led 5,000 soldiers into Mikawa Province, swiftly capturing Yoshida Castle and Futamata Castle.
Facing Shingen's advance was Tokugawa Ieyasu, who commanded 8,000 soldiers from Hamamatsu Castle, bolstered by 3,000 reinforcements from Oda Nobunaga. Shingen's aim was not to directly engage Ieyasu or seize Hamamatsu, but rather to conserve his forces for a clash with Nobunaga and a subsequent march to Kyoto.
Despite advice to let the Takeda forces pass, Ieyasu positioned his troops on the elevated Mikatagahara plain north of Hamamatsu. Shingen's troops outnumbered Ieyasu's by three-to-one, and he arranged them in a formation meant to provoke an attack.
As snow fell around 4 PM, Tokugawa's arquebusiers and peasant stone-throwers opened fire on the Takeda formation. Firearms, relatively new in Japanese warfare, were effective against cavalry charges. However, Naitō Masatoyo's vanguard cavalry swiftly overran Tokugawa's right, leading to the collapse of Tokugawa's forces.
Takeda's cavalry exploited this advantage, attacking Oda's reinforcements and charging Tokugawa's rear. Oda's troops were overwhelmed, with key officers killed or fleeing. Although Tokugawa's left resisted encirclement, the center was pushed into a disorderly retreat.
Shingen rested his vanguard and introduced fresh cavalry from the main force. A two-pronged cavalry charge followed, weakening Tokugawa's line. The footsoldier-heavy Takeda main force then drove Tokugawa's battered army into retreat.
Ieyasu attempted to rally his troops but eventually retreated, leaving behind only a few loyal followers. As Ieyasu returned to Hamamatsu Castle, the town was on edge due to rumors of the battle's outcome.
Despite the chaos, Ieyasu ordered the castle gates to remain open and signaled his retreating troops with braziers. In the night, a small Tokugawa force launched a surprise attack on the Takeda camp, causing confusion. Uncertain about Tokugawa's remaining strength and the potential for reinforcements, Shingen withdrew his forces.
The Battle of Mikatagahara showcased Takeda Shingen's skilled cavalry tactics and dealt Tokugawa Ieyasu a significant defeat. While Ieyasu narrowly escaped, the battle resulted in the near-destruction of his army. Shingen did not pursue further attacks on Hamamatsu, as he was later mortally wounded in another engagement and passed away in 1573.
See also
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The Third Siege of Takatenjin Castle
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Battle of Mimigawa
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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.
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The Second Battle of Konodai
Hojo Ujiasu (1515–1571), one of the greatest representatives of the Hojo clan, spent almost his entire life at war. His possessions were in a difficult position: they were surrounded on all sides by aggressive neighbors ready to attack at any moment. In implementing his plans to expand the Hojo clan's influence in the Kanto region, Ujiasu was forced to confront well-known and powerful opponents—the Uesugi and Takeda clans. In the east, his main rival was the Satomi clan.
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The Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima
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Battle of Tonamoto (Nagahama)
At the beginning of the Sengoku Jidai period, the Teshokabe clan was one of the smaller clans in Tosa Province. Its neighbors were constantly at war with each other, engaging in endless skirmishes. Among them, Yosokabe Kunitika stood out as a military strategist of extraordinary talent. It was thanks to these abilities that he managed to defeat the neighboring clans step by step by the middle of the 16th century, expanding the influence of his clan. At that time, the clan's headquarters was Oko Castle.
