Oda Nobuhide, renowned as the Tiger of Owari and the father of Oda Nobunaga, emerged as a prominent figure in feudal Japan. Born in Owari (Western Aichi Prefecture) in 1510, Nobuhide wielded influence as a warlord, magistrate, and Buddhist monk. He held the esteemed position of the head of the powerful Oda clan, which exerted control over much of Owari Province. However, internal strife within the Oda clan hindered his complete dominance over Owari.
Facing formidable adversaries, Nobuhide confronted the Viper of Mino, Saito Dosan, to the north, and Imagawa Yoshimoto, ruler of Mikawa, Suruga, and Totomi (Shizuoka Prefecture) to the east. Notable among his conquests was the capture of Nagoya Castle from the Imagawa in 1532, a strategic move that marked his relocation from Shobata Castle, the birthplace of Nobunaga, to the centrally located Nagoya.
Engaging in a series of battles, Nobuhide's military exploits included the Battle of Anjo Castle (1540), the First Battle of Azukizaka (1542) against Imagawa Yoshimoto, the Siege of Yasuyoshi Castle (1545), the Attack on Mikawa (1547), and others. However, he faced defeat in the Second Battle of Azukizaka (1548) against overwhelming forces led by Imagawa Yoshimoto.
In the aftermath of the Battle of Kanoguchi (1547) against Saito Dosan, Nobuhide recognized the need for strategic alliances. He orchestrated a political marriage between his son, Nobunaga, and Dosan's daughter, Kicho (Nohime), fostering peace with the Saito clan. This allowed Nobuhide to redirect his efforts against the Imagawa clan.
Tragically, Nobuhide's life was cut short on April 8, 1551, at the age of 41, succumbing to a brief illness. Before his demise, he designated Nobunaga as his heir. However, Nobunaga's unconventional behavior at the funeral, arriving late and improperly dressed, led to a loss of respect and support within the clan.
Nobuhide's final resting place was originally at the Bansho-ji temple, situated near the Sakura Dori and Otsu Dori intersection in downtown Nagoya City. In 1610, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the relocation of the temple, along with Nobuhide's grave, to the present Osu area of Nagoya during the construction of Nagoya Castle. Unfortunately, the Bansho-ji, like much of Nagoya, fell victim to the devastating firebombing of WWII, resulting in the loss of Nobuhide's remains, despite the restoration of his grave markers.
See also
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Takeda Nobuyoshi
Takeda Nobuyoshi (1128–1186 or later) was a prominent Japanese samurai lord of the late Heian and early Kamakura periods and the founder of the Takeda clan.
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Tokugawa Iemochi
Tokugawa Iemochi (1846–1866) was the fourteenth shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate and ruled from 1858 until his death. His reign came during the turbulent final years of the shogunate, when Japan faced growing Western pressure and serious internal political conflict.
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Tokugawa Ienari
Tokugawa Ienari (1773–1841) was the eleventh shōgun of the Tokugawa shogunate and ruled from 1787 to 1837, making him the longest-serving Tokugawa shōgun. He was a great-grandson of the eighth shōgun, Tokugawa Yoshimune.
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Matsudaira Nobuyasu
Matsudaira Nobuyasu was only twenty years old when his father ordered him to commit seppuku. The reason was not a defeat in battle, but a crisis inside the Tokugawa family that had become too dangerous to ignore.
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Yamagata Masakage
Masakage was one of Takeda Shingen’s most loyal and capable commanders. He was included in the famous list of the “Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen” and also belonged to the inner circle of four especially trusted warlords known as the Shitennō.
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Yagyu Munenori
Yagyū Munenori began his service under Tokugawa Ieyasu while his father, Yagyū Muneyoshi, was still at his side. In 1600, Munenori took part in the decisive Battle of Sekigahara. As early as 1601, he was appointed a kenjutsu instructor to Tokugawa Hidetada, Ieyasu’s son, who later became the second shogun of the Tokugawa clan.
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Yagyu Muneyoshi
A samurai from Yamato Province, he was born into a family that had been defeated in its struggle against the Tsutsui clan. Muneyoshi first took part in battle at the age of sixteen. Due to circumstances beyond his control, he was forced to enter the service of the Tsutsui house and later served Miyoshi Tōkei. He subsequently came under the command of Matsunaga Hisahide and in time became a vassal first of Oda and later of Toyotomi.
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Endo Naozune
Naozune served under Azai Nagamasa and was one of the clan’s leading vassals, renowned for his bravery and determination. He accompanied Nagamasa during his first meeting with Oda Nobunaga and at that time asked for permission to kill Nobunaga, fearing him as an extremely dangerous man; however, Nagamasa did not grant this request.
