In 1335, the Shiina clan built Uozu Castle as an auxiliary stronghold supporting Matsukura Castle. By 1570, it had fallen under the control of the Uesugi clan, rapidly emerging as a strategic fortress in Etchū Province. For many years, Kawada Nagataka served as its commander.
Following the death of the renowned daimyo Uesugi Kenshin in 1578, his domain plunged into a prolonged civil conflict known as the Otate no Ran. Seizing the opportunity, Oda Nobunaga dispatched his top generals—Shibata Katsuie and Sassa Narimasa—from the Hokuriku region toward Etchū’s borders.
By 1581, Oda’s forces captured Toyama Castle and advanced into Etchū. Katsuie and Narimasa systematically expelled both Uesugi’s retainers and remaining Ikkō-ikki forces. Realizing the severity of the threat, Uesugi Kagekatsu (1556–1623), Kenshin’s heir, hurriedly reinforced Uozu Castle with trusted vassals.
By March 1582, combined Oda armies under Shibata, Sassa, Maeda Toshiie, and Sakuma Morimasa had attacked both Matsukura and Uozu. Approximately 10,000 besiegers confronted around 4,000 defenders at Uozu.
Unlike the mountain-stronghold of Matsukura, Uozu was a flatland castle (hirajō) near Toyama Bay, featuring two defensive lines: the central hommaru and an outer ninomaru. The hommaru was a near-square enclosure surrounded by a water moat with a single bridge at the entrance. The ninomaru corked around three sides in a “U” shape and also had its own moat. The castle lacked stone walls, yagura towers, or a donjon—instead, it relied on earthen ramparts (dorui) topped with clay walls (dobei), and watchtowers at each corner of the hommaru.
When Oda’s army appeared, the castle’s commanders sent an urgent plea to Kagekatsu. However, internal Uesugi strife, betrayal by Shibata Shigeie, and threats in Kaga and Shinano caused a delay. Meanwhile, Oda’s forces wore down the defenders with constant assaults.
In early May, Kagekatsu himself departed from Kasugayama Castle, captured the strategic Tenjin Hill, but failed to break the siege. Upon hearing news of a possible attack on Kasugayama, he withdrew. Left unsupported and starved of supplies, the Uozu garrison rapidly deteriorated.
After nearly three months of siege, in early June, thirteen senior Uesugi commanders chose to commit seppuku rather than surrender, and Uozu Castle fell. Oda’s forces had planned to advance into Echigo, but news of Nobunaga’s death in the Honnō-ji Incident sparked panic. Many commanders ordered a retreat from Etchū, and Uozu returned to Uesugi control without further fighting.
See also
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The Second Battle of Azukizaka
In August 1547, luck smiled on Oda Nobuhide—thanks to a secret agreement, he managed to capture the five-year-old son of the head of the Matsudaira clan, the future Tokugawa Ieyasu. The boy's father, Matsudaira Hirotada, was gradually leaning towards an alliance with the Imagawa clan and, as a guarantee, was obliged to send his heir as a hostage. However, Oda Nobuhide managed to negotiate with the local commander accompanying the child, and for a reward, he handed Hirotada's son over to Nobuhide.
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The Siege of Shiga Castle
After the defeat of the Takato and Oi clans in the campaigns of 1544–1546, the Takeda clan had only one rival left in the Saku region: Kasahara Kiyoshige. His stronghold was Shiga Castle, located northwest of Utiyama Castle.
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The Siege of Kawagoe Castle
Kawagoe Castle was built in Musashi Province in 1457. It was constructed by Ota Doshin and his son Ota Dokan on the orders of their suzerain, Uesugi Mototomo of the Ogigayatsu branch of the Uesugi clan. Later, the castle passed into the possession of another branch of the same clan, the Yamanouchi.
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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.
