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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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.
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Siege of Odawara 1590
The Third Siege of Odawara in 1590 was a pivotal moment in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's efforts to neutralize the Hojo clan as a challenge to his authority. In the months leading up to the siege, the Hojo made significant, hurried improvements to the castle's defenses as Hideyoshi’s intentions became clear. However, despite Hideyoshi's overwhelming force, there was little actual combat during the siege.
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Battle of Tenmokuzan
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.
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Battle of Oshu
The Northern Fujiwara clan had governed the Mutsu and Dewa provinces since 1087, maintaining their rule for over a century by 1189. The clan was founded by Fujiwara no Kiyohira, alongside Minamoto no Yoshiie, who established their independence in Hiraizumi, located in present-day Iwate Prefecture. Under Kiyohira, and later his successors Fujiwara no Motohira and Fujiwara no Hidehira, the Northern Fujiwara reached the height of their power in the Tohoku region. They infused the area with Kyoto culture and constructed significant temples, such as Chuson-ji, founded in 1095.
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Battle of Omosu
The 1580 Battle of Omosu (Omosu no Tatakai) was one of many conflicts between the Hojo and Takeda clans during Japan's Sengoku period. What sets this battle apart is its rarity as one of the few naval engagements in pre-modern Japan. The conflict occurred off the coast of the Izu Peninsula, involving the fleets of Hojo Ujimasa, the leader of the Hojo clan, and Takeda Katsuyori, the head of the Takeda clan.
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The Battle of Azukizaka
The Battle of Azukizaka, also known as the Battle of Bato-ga-hara, occurred in 1564, as Tokugawa Ieyasu aimed to quash the emerging threat of the Ikko-ikki, a coalition of monks, samurai, and peasants strongly opposed to samurai rule.
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Battle of Osaka
Upon Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death in 1598, Japan entered a period of governance by the Council of Five Elders, with Tokugawa Ieyasu wielding the most influence. Following his victory over Ishida Mitsunari in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, Ieyasu effectively seized control of Japan and disbanded the Council. In 1603, the Tokugawa shogunate was established in Edo, with Hideyoshi's son, Toyotomi Hideyori, and his mother, Yodo-dono, permitted to reside at Osaka Castle. Hideyori was granted a significant fief valued at 657,400 koku but remained confined to the castle for several years. As a means of control, it was arranged for Hideyori to marry Senhime, the daughter of Hidetada, in 1603, who had ties to both clans. Ieyasu aimed to establish a strong and stable regime under his clan's rule, with only the Toyotomi, led by Hideyori and influenced by Yodo-dono, posing a challenge to his ambitions.
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Battle of Shizugatake
The Battle of Shizugatake, occurring during Japan's Sengoku period, unfolded between Toyotomi Hideyoshi (then known as Hashiba Hideyoshi) and Shibata Katsuie in Shizugatake, Omi Province, spanning two days from the 20th day of the fourth month of Tensho 11 (equivalent to June 10-11, 1583, on the Gregorian calendar). Katsuie, supporting Oda Nobutaka's claim as successor of Oda Nobunaga, engaged in a succession dispute within the Oda clan, ultimately favoring Hideyoshi.
