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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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
