Hojo Ujinao (1562 – December 19, 1591) was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku period and the last leader of the Later Hojo clan. An important figure in Azuchi-Momoyama politics, he lost his entire domain following the Siege of Odawara (1590). Despite this, he survived, and his family continued as minor daimyo during the Edo period.
Born in Odawara Castle in 1562, Ujinao was the grandson of Hojo Ujiyasu and the son of Hojo Ujimasa, initially named Kuniomaru. His mother was the daughter of Takeda Shingen. In early 1577, he came of age and adopted the formal name Ujinao. To secure peace between their clans, he married Tokuhime, the second daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ujinao held junior 5th court rank, lower grade (ju-go-i-ge), and the title Sakyo-dayu. His first military engagement was during his father's invasion of Kazusa Province.
In 1582, after the death of Oda Nobunaga, the Hojo family capitalized on the chaos to launch an invasion of the Kai and Shinano provinces. Simultaneously, Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Uesugi clan aimed to control the same territories. This led to the Tensho-Jingo War, a triangular conflict between the Hojo, Tokugawa, and Uesugi factions.
By June 13, the Hojo clan captured Iwadono Castle in Tsuru District. Sanada Masayuki received Numata Castle from the Uesugi clan. Amidst the turmoil, Kawajiri Hidetaka was killed by local insurrectionists in Kai Province. On July 7, 1582, Toyotomi Hideyoshi authorized Ieyasu to secure Kai and Shinano provinces.
The Tokugawa army clashed with the Hojo forces at Wakamiko Castle, where 8,000 Tokugawa soldiers fought against 50,000 Hojo troops led by Ujinao. On July 12, Ujinao's forces advanced across Usui Pass, prompting Nobushige to retreat to a more defensible position. The Tokugawa forces eventually triumphed in the Battle of Kurokoma, repelling Hojo Ujinao's detachment with a daring raid led by Mizuno Katsushige and Torii Mototada. This victory prevented the Hojo from encircling the Tokugawa army.
In December, Sakai Tadatsugu subdued Suwa Yoritada at Suwa in Shinano, securing his surrender to the Tokugawa. The Hojo clan, recognizing their precarious position, negotiated a truce with Ieyasu. Representatives from the Oda clan, including Oda Nobukatsu and Oda Nobutaka, mediated the negotiations, leading to a formal conclusion of the truce. The invasion by Satake Yoshishige against Hojo territory also pushed the Hojo to accept the truce.
See also
-
Kawakubo (Takeda) Nobuzane
Nobuzane was the seventh son of Takeda Nobutora and the half-brother of the famous Takeda Shingen. The identity of his mother is unknown, as is the exact year of his birth. It is believed that he was born sometime in the 1530s. When Nobuzane reached adulthood, he was sent to the village of Kawakubo, located in the northern part of Kai Province near the border with the Saku region. His duty was to guard the road leading north. In that village, he built a residence and changed his family name to Kawakubo.
-
Imagawa Sadayo
Imagawa Sadayo was one of the most outstanding figures of his era. Alongside Kusunoki Masashige and Kitabatake Chikafusa, he was considered one of the greatest generals and strategists of his time. In addition to his military talents, Sadayo was also a poet and historian, and his literary abilities earned him a prominent place at court and in scholarly circles.
-
Ikeda Motosuke
Motosuke was the son of Ikeda Tsunooki and the older brother of the famous military commander Ikeda Terumasa. Sources differ on his year of birth—it was either 1559 or 1564. Motosuke was married to the sister of Oda Nobutada, the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga. Thus, Nobutada's son, Oda Hidenobu, was his nephew.
-
Watanabe (Hanzo) Moritsuna
Moritsuna was the son of Watanabe Takatsuna, a vassal of the Matsudaira clan. He was the same age as Tokugawa Ieyasu and was held hostage with him by the Imagawa clan. In 1557, Moritsuna joined Ieyasu.
-
Ban Naoyuki
He was also known as Ban Danemon. In the early stages of his military career, he served under Kato Yoshiaki, one of the so-called “Seven Spears of Shizugatake,” who later became the ruler of the Aizu region in Mutsu Province. Naoyuki held the position of commander of the arquebusiers (teppo taishō).
-
Asakura Toshikage
The Asakura family, who claimed kinship with several emperors, lived in the province of Echizen. Its representatives were considered hereditary vassals of the Shiba clan. From the mid-15th century until their defeat by Oda Nobunaga's army in 1573, which resulted in the final destruction of the Asakura clan, they were a significant military and economic force.
-
Asakura Yoshikage
Yoshikage was the eldest son of Asakura Takakage. He began ruling in 1548 at the age of fifteen, and during his reign he twice defeated the Ikko-ikki forces, in 1555 and 1564. Yoshikage supported the Saito family in their struggle against Oda Nobunaga in 1561–1567. When Ashikaga Yoshiaki fled Kyoto in 1565 after the assassination of his older brother, Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, Yoshikage gave him refuge. However, he was unable to provide sufficient support for Yoshiaki's claim to the title of shogun, and Yoshiaki had to seek help from Oda Nobunaga.
-
Asakura Norikage
Norikage came from the ancient samurai clan of Asakura, whose members considered themselves descendants of Prince Kusakabe, son of Emperor Tenmu (631–686). He was the eighth son of daimyo Asakura Takakage and was named Kotaro in childhood. Over time, Asakura Norikage became the pillar of the Asakura clan and was undoubtedly its most talented commander during that difficult period when the clan was experiencing internal difficulties, uprisings by the Ikko-ikki sect, and instability in the lands surrounding the capital. Although Norikage himself was never a daimyo, he served as an advisor to three generations of Asakura clan leaders. He spent his entire life on military campaigns. After his father's death in 1481, Norikage entered the service of his brother, Asakura Ujikage.
