Imagawa Yoshimoto, a formidable daimyo of Suruga (modern-day Shizuoka Prefecture), held a prominent position among the three influential warlords in the central Japan region, known as Tokai. His lineage was believed to trace back to a branch of the noble Minamoto clan, and Yoshimoto, displaying a nobler image than a typical warrior, blackened his teeth, shaved his eyebrows, and was carried in an ornate palanquin.
Born as the third son of Imagawa Ujichika, the 10th head of the Imagawa clan, Yoshimoto was initially sent to a temple to become a monk. Following his father's demise in 1526 and the sudden death of his elder brother Ujiteru a decade later, the Imagawa clan faced internal divisions. Factions supporting Yoshimoto engaged in war against those backing an elder half-brother, resulting in Yoshimoto's triumph in June 1536.
Upon assuming leadership of the Imagawa clan, Yoshimoto strategically married the sister of rival warlord Takeda Shingen, solidifying an alliance that kept Shingen from encroaching on Imagawa territories. In 1552, the alliance was further strengthened when Shingen's son Yoshinobu married Yoshimoto's daughter. Additionally, a political marriage was arranged between Yoshimoto's son and heir, Ujizane, and the daughter of rival warlord Hojo Ujitsuna in 1554.
In 1542, Yoshimoto set his sights on the prosperous Mikawa region controlled by the Matsudaira, later to become the Tokugawa clan. The Imagawa territories expanded over the years to include Suruga, Totomi (now Shizuoka Prefecture), and Mikawa (eastern Aichi Prefecture). Thereafter, Yoshimoto aimed for Kyoto, necessitating the conquest of Owari Province (western Aichi Prefecture), held by Oda Nobunaga.
In 1560, Yoshimoto, with a claimed force of 40,000 (an exaggeration), led 25,000 troops into Owari. The vanguard included a 19-year-old samurai named Matsudaira Motoyasu, who later became Tokugawa Ieyasu. The young Ieyasu, a political hostage of the Imagawa since age nine, had been sent ahead to deliver supplies to Odaka Castle.
The unexpected assault by Oda during the battle of Okehazama troops caught Imagawa and his men off guard. Initially thinking it was a drunken brawl, Yoshimoto investigated and was stunned to find Oda forces approaching. Despite resisting an attack by Mori Shinsuke, Yoshimoto was eventually tackled by Hattori Koheita, an Oda samurai, who took the daimyo's head. Yoshimoto Yoshimoto succumbed to the attack at the age of 41.
While there are several gravesites associated with Imagawa Yoshimoto, his remains are said to be interred at Daisei-ji Temple in Toyokawa, Aichi Prefecture.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
Uesugi Kagetora (1552 – April 19, 1579) was the seventh son of Hojo Ujiyasu and was originally known as Hojo Saburo. He was adopted by Uesugi Kenshin and intended to be Kenshin's heir. However, in 1578, he was attacked in his Otate Castle by Uesugi Kagekatsu, his brother-in-law, and was ultimately defeated. Kagetora committed suicide the following year at Samegao Castle.
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Hojo Ujinao
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.
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Takeda Katsuyori
Takeda Katsuyori (1546 – April 3, 1582) was a Japanese daimyo of the Sengoku period, renowned as the head of the Takeda clan and successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was also the son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu. Katsuyori was born to Shingen and the daughter of Suwa Yorishige, known posthumously as Suwa-goryonin and by her real name, Koihime. His children included Takeda Nobukatsu and Takeda Katsuchika.
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Yasuke
Yasuke, an African page, arrived in Japan in 1579 as the attendant of the Italian Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano. Before the arrival of the Englishman William Adams, it is thought that Yasuke was possibly the inaugural non-Japanese samurai, arriving about twenty years earlier.
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Yamanami Keisuke
Yamanami Keisuke, the second in command of the Shinsengumi, a special police force during the late Edo period, shocked many when he performed seppuku on March 20, 1865, at the age of 32.
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Yamamoto Kansuke
Yamamoto Kansuke, renowned as a samurai strategist and one of Takeda Shingen's esteemed 24 Generals, hailed from the Mikawa region, known for breeding formidable warriors. Despite physical challenges—blindness in one eye, lameness in one leg, and a malformed hand—Kansuke embarked on a warrior's pilgrimage in his twenties. Traveling across the land, he honed his skills in strategy, tactics, castle construction, and warfare, engaging in various swordsmanship schools and forms.
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Yamaga Soko
Yamaga Soko was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history, renowned as a strategist, philosopher, and scholar. Later in life, he became a ronin, leaving a significant mark on the understanding of the Tokugawa period samurai.
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William Adams - Miura Anjin
William Adams, also known as Miura Anjin, holds the distinction of being one of the few non-Japanese individuals granted samurai status. Born in Gillingham, Kent, England in 1564, Adams embarked on a remarkable journey that led him to become an influential figure in Japanese history.
