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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Torii Mototada
Torii Mototada (1539 – September 8, 1600) was a Japanese samurai and daimyo who lived through the Sengoku and late Azuchi–Momoyama periods. A loyal retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu, he is best remembered for his heroic last stand at the Siege of Fushimi, an event that played a crucial role in shaping Japanese history.
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Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori (August 28, 1593 – June 4, 1615) was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first unified Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was Oda Nobunaga's niece.
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Okubo Tadanori
Okubo Tadanori (January 13, 1842 – August 10, 1897) was the 9th daimyo of Odawara Domain in Sagami Province (modern-day Kanagawa Prefecture) during the late Edo period. Before the Meiji Restoration, he held the courtesy title of Kaga no Kami.
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Okubo Tadayo
Okubo Tadayo (1532 – October 28, 1594) was a samurai general who served Tokugawa Ieyasu during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and later became the daimyo of Odawara Domain in the early Edo period.
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Araki Murashige
Araki Murashige (1535 – June 20, 1586) was a samurai and retainer of Ikeda Katsumasa, the head of the powerful Settsu-Ikeda clan in Settsu Province. Initially serving under Katsumasa, he aligned himself with Oda Nobunaga after Nobunaga’s successful campaign to establish control over Kyoto.
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Yuki Hideyasu
Yuki Hideyasu (March 1, 1574 – June 2, 1607) was a Japanese samurai who lived during the Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods, serving as the daimyō of Fukui Domain in Echizen Province. Born Tokugawa Ogimaru, he was the second son of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Lady Oman (also known as Lady Kogō), a handmaiden to Ieyasu’s wife, Lady Tsukiyama. Due to Ieyasu’s fears of his wife’s reaction to Oman’s pregnancy, Ogimaru and his twin brother were born in secrecy at the home of Honda Shigetsugu, one of Ieyasu’s retainers. Oman’s other son eventually became a priest, while Ogimaru was raised apart from Ieyasu, whom he only met at the age of three, in a meeting arranged by his older half-brother, Matsudaira Nobuyasu.
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Tsutsui Sadatsugu
Tsutsui Sadatsugu (June 6, 1562 – April 2, 1615) was a prominent figure in the Sengoku and early Edo periods, known as the cousin and adopted heir of Tsutsui Junkei, the feudal lord of Yamato Province. Following Junkei's death in 1584, Toyotomi Hideyoshi relocated Sadatsugu to Iga Province, where he oversaw the construction of Iga Ueno Castle, marking the height of his prominence.
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Matsudaira Kiyoyasu
Matsudaira Kiyoyasu (September 28, 1511 – November 29, 1535) served as the 7th lord of the Matsudaira clan during Japan's tumultuous Sengoku period. Renowned as the paternal grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Japan's "great unifiers," Kiyoyasu expanded his clan’s influence, bringing all of northern Mikawa Province under his control after subduing the Saigo clan. His power was further symbolized by the construction of Okazaki Castle, a testament to the Matsudaira’s growing dominance.
