Imagawa Ujizane (1538 – January 27, 1615) was a Japanese daimyō who lived through the Sengoku and early Edo periods. He became the tenth head of the Imagawa clan, following in the footsteps of his father, Imagawa Yoshimoto. Ujizane was the father of Imagawa Norimochi and Shinagawa Takahisa.
Born in Sunpu Domain as the eldest son of Imagawa Yoshimoto, Ujizane’s childhood name was Tatsuomaru. In 1554, he strengthened political ties through his marriage to Lady Hayakawa, daughter of Hojo Ujiyasu, as part of the strategic Kai-Sagami-Suruga Alliance. He officially inherited leadership of the clan in 1558 when his father retired to focus on military campaigns in Tōtōmi and Mikawa Provinces.
However, in 1560, following his father’s death at the Battle of Okehazama, chaos erupted in Tōtōmi and Mikawa. Ujizane struggled to maintain control as many vassals defected. The situation worsened in 1568 when his grandmother, Jukei-ni, a key political figure in the clan, passed away. This loss opened the door for attacks from Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
In response, Ujizane attempted to retaliate against the Takeda clan by imposing a salt embargo, but this backfired when Uesugi Kenshin supplied salt to the Takeda, accelerating the Imagawa clan’s decline. That same year, Shingen invaded Suruga, swiftly capturing Sunpu Castle. Ujizane was forced to flee to Kakegawa Castle in Tōtōmi Province, but after his defeat at the 1569 Siege of Kakegawa, he allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu, hoping to regain control of Suruga.
Ujizane later met with Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu at Sokoku-ji Temple in 1575, as recorded in the "Shincho Koki" (Account of Nobunaga). He also participated in the Battle of Nagashino against the Takeda clan. Eventually, the Imagawa family became retainers under the Tokugawa, with Ujizane holding the rank of kōke (master of ceremonies).
Despite the political turbulence, Ujizane was known for his refined interests in kemari (a traditional Japanese ball game) and poetry. He passed away peacefully at the family estate in Shinagawa in 1615.
See also
-
Matsudaira Tadaakira
Tadaakira was the fourth son of Okudaira Nobumasa, a vassal of the Tokugawa clan, and his mother was Kame, the eldest daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1588, Tadaakira was adopted by Ieyasu and received the Matsudaira family name; at that time, he bore the name Kiyotada.
-
Mashita Nagamori
Nagamori possessed remarkable diplomatic and administrative talent while remaining a brave warrior. He is believed to have come from the village of Mashita in the province of Owari, which today is part of Aichi Prefecture. He was a vassal of Oda Nobunaga and later served Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In the Battle of Komaki–Nagakute in 1584, Nagamori took at least two enemy heads. Later, he was entrusted with overseeing major public construction projects, including the reconstruction of Fushimi Castle and the building of the large Sanjō and Gojō bridges in Kyoto.
-
Magara Jurōzaemon Naotaka
Magara Jurōzaemon Naotaka was a vassal of Asakura Yoshikage from the province of Echizen, and very little is known about his life, including even the exact year of his birth. Magara gained his renown through his heroic death at the Battle of Anegawa in 1570. In this battle, the combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu confronted the armies of Asai and Asakura, with Ieyasu taking command of the left flank and fighting against the Asakura forces. After crossing the shallow Anegawa River, which separated the two armies, Tokugawa’s finest generals — Honda Tadakatsu and Sakakibara Yasumasa — launched an assault on the headquarters of Asakura Kagetake, the commander-in-chief of the Echizen army. The attack by Honda Tadakatsu was so swift that Kagetake found himself almost completely surrounded by enemy troops.
-
Kusunoki Masashige
Kusunoki Masashige was, without exaggeration, a genius of guerrilla warfare. If not for this talented commander, Emperor Go-Daigo would likely have failed not only to ascend the throne, but even to put up any real resistance against the powerful Hojo clan.
-
Kobayakawa Takakage
Kobayakawa Takakage was rightfully considered one of the most intelligent men of his era. Even Kuroda Kanbei, the celebrated strategist famed for his cunning—about whom people said he could outwit even a fox—admitted that Takakage was his equal in intellect, and at times even surpassed him. After the death of his father, Mōri Motonari, Takakage effectively governed the Mōri clan for many years while serving as advisor to his nephew, Mōri Terumoto.
-
Kira Chikazane
Chikazane, the son of Kira Chikasada and the nephew of the famous daimyō Chōsokabe Motochika, was married to his cousin, Motochika’s daughter. From a young age he showed great talent and promise, but his character was marked by a quick temper and a tendency toward sharp, sometimes aggressive behavior.
-
Kyōgoku Takatsugu
From the very beginning of his career, Takatsugu served under Oda Nobunaga and was married to Nobunaga’s niece, which secured him a strong position at court and close ties to one of the most powerful clans of the era. However, the events of 1582 drastically changed his fate. When Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against Nobunaga and treacherously killed him at the Honnō-ji Temple, Takatsugu sought to take advantage of the ensuing chaos to strengthen his own standing. He launched an attack on Nagahama Castle in Ōmi Province, hoping to expand his territories. The assault, however, was repelled, and soon after, Mitsuhide was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s forces at the Battle of Yamazaki, leaving Takatsugu without allies or support.
-
Kato Yoshiaki
Yoshiaki, a loyal vassal of the Oda clan, first distinguished himself as a talented warrior during the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583. For his bravery and outstanding military achievements, he was included in the famous group known as the “Seven Spears of Shizugatake” — an elite band of samurai celebrated for their exceptional courage in that battle. Later, Yoshiaki became one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s naval admirals and took an active part in his subsequent military campaigns. He commanded warships during the expeditions to Kyushu and the siege of Odawara, demonstrating not only valor but also exceptional leadership and strategic skill. For his loyal service and effective command, Yoshiaki was granted an estate in Matsuzaki with an annual income of 100,000 koku of rice — a symbol of significant rank and prosperity.
