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.
The Rokkaku clan was one of the most influential families in the province of Omi, dating back to the 13th century. Its representatives held the posts of military governors (shugo) in various provinces at different times. The Azai (or Asai) clan emerged in the early 16th century. During the gokoku-jo (the lower classes overthrowing the upper classes) process typical of the era, the Asai freed themselves from vassalage to the Kyogoku clan and established control over the northeastern part of Omi. However, their lands were soon captured by the Rokkaku, and the Asai clan had to submit. Despite this, the Azai leaders continued to fight for independence, which led to a series of armed clashes with the Rokkaku.
In 1559, the head of the Rokkaku clan, Rokkaku Yoshitaka (1521–1598), formally became a monk and handed over leadership of the clan to his son, Rokkaku Yoshisuke. However, real power remained in the hands of Yoshitaka, who continued to command the army.
In the summer of 1560, Yoshitaka launched a military campaign against the Azai, gathering an army of about 25,000 men (according to the Azai Sandai chronicle). The main target was Hida Castle, which had not been captured the previous year.
The Rokkaku army consisted of troops from various subordinate clans. The vanguard was made up of warriors from the Gamo, Nagahara, Shindo, and Ikeda clans. The second line was formed by the forces of Narazaki, Tanaka, Kido, Wada, Yoshida, and others, while the rear was occupied by troops from the Goto, Miura, Yamada, Tazaki, and other clans.
The formal head of the Azai clan at that time was Azai Hisamasa (1526–1573), but his weakness as a leader caused discontent among his vassals. The real leadership of the army was taken over by his fifteen-year-old son, Azai Nagamasa (1545–1573), who enjoyed the support of most of the soldiers.
The Azai clan, with the support of its allies and vassals—the Dodo, Isono, Yono, Imamura, Yuge, Hongo, and other clans—was able to field about 11,000 soldiers. The allied Asakura clan sent reinforcements, but its troops arrived after the battle had already ended.
The battle took place near the Usogawa River, which is why it is sometimes called the “Battle of Usogawa.”
The first strike was delivered by Dodo Kuranosuke, a former vassal of Rokkaku who had defected to Azai. His troops crossed the river and engaged in battle with the forces of the Gamo clan. However, the forces of the Narazaki and Tanaka clans attacked them from the flanks. Kuranosuke was killed, and Dodo's troops retreated across the river.
Inspired by their success, the Rokkaku troops crossed the Usogawa River and marched towards the village of Norada, hoping for a quick victory.
But Nagamasa did not give in to panic. He gave a fiery speech to his soldiers, raising their morale, and led the attack. The elite forces of Azai stood in the center, with allied troops covering the flanks. The strike was swift and powerful—despite their numerical superiority, the Rokkaku army could not withstand the pressure, and panic broke out in their ranks, turning into a mass retreat. The chronicles note that “the Usogawa River was littered with the bodies of fallen warriors.”
According to various sources, the Rokkaku suffered between 840 and 920 casualties, while the Azai lost between 400 and 700 fighters.
After this brilliant victory, Azai Nagamasa was officially recognized as the clan's daimyo. The defeat was a heavy blow to the Rokkaku clan, which never recovered and ceased to exist by 1570.
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.
