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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The Third Siege of Takatenjin Castle
The history of the castle prior to the conflict between the Tokugawa and Takeda clans is rather unclear. According to one version, the castle was built in 1416, when Imagawa Sadayoshi (1325–1420) was governor of Suruga Province and half of Totomi Province. Allegedly, it was he who ordered Imagawa Norimasa (1364–1433) to build this fortification. However, no reliable evidence has been found to support this. Another version is considered more plausible, according to which the castle was built during the conquest of Totomi Province at the end of the 15th century by Imagawa Ujitsuna (1473–1526) and his general Ise Shinkuro (Hojo Soon). In this case, another of Ujitsuna's generals, Kusima Masashige (1492–1521), is considered responsible for the construction.
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Battle of Mimigawa
In 1556, the Shimazu clan launched a campaign aimed at systematically conquering the island of Kyushu. In the same year, the province of Osumi was annexed and a war began with the Ito clan for control of the province of Hyuga. In 1577, Ito Yoshisuke was defeated and fled north, where he sought help from Otomo Sorin, the Christian daimyo of Bungo Province.
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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
The Kawanakajima Plain is located at the confluence of the Saigawa and Tikumagawa rivers in the Japanese Alps. Between 1553 and 1564, five battles took place on this plain between the forces of Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen.
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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.
