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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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.
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Matsudaira Hirotada
Matsudaira Hirotada (June 9, 1526 – April 3, 1549) was a daimyo and lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa Province during Japan’s turbulent Sengoku Period. He is best known as the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate.
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Ikeda Tsuneoki
Ikeda Tsuneoki (1536 – May 18, 1584), also known as Ikeda Nobuteru, was a prominent daimyo of the Ikeda clan and a distinguished military commander during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He served under the influential warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Tsuneoki’s connection to Nobunaga began early, as his mother, Yotokuin, was Nobunaga’s wet nurse and later became a concubine to Oda Nobuhide, Nobunaga's father.
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Oda Nobutaka
Oda Nobutaka (1558–1583) was a samurai of the Oda clan, also known as Kanbe Nobutaka after being adopted as the head of the Kanbe clan, which governed the central region of Ise Province. He was the third son of Oda Nobunaga, born to a concubine named Sakashi. Nobutaka was referred to as "San Shichi," possibly because he was born on the seventh day of the third month in the Japanese lunar calendar. However, there is a theory suggesting he was born twenty days earlier than his elder brother, Oda Nobukatsu, but due to delays in reporting and the low status of his mother’s family, he was acknowledged as Nobunaga’s third son.
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Yamauchi Kazutoyo
Yamauchi Kazutoyo (also spelled Yamanouchi; 1545/1546? – November 1, 1605) was a prominent samurai and retainer who served Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. His father, Yamauchi Moritoyo, was a descendant of Fujiwara no Hidesato and a senior retainer of the Iwakura Oda clan, which opposed Oda Nobunaga. Moritoyo was also the lord of Kuroda Castle in Owari Province. Kazutoyo is especially renowned for his marriage to Yamauchi Chiyo, whose wisdom and resourcefulness played a key role in his rise to prominence.
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Saito Tatsuoki
Saito Tatsuoki (6 September 1548 - 1573) was a daimyo of Mino Province during Japan's Sengoku period and the third-generation lord of the Saito clan. He was the son of Saito Yoshitatsu and grandson of Saito Dosan. His mother was a daughter of Azai Hisamasa, making him a nephew of Azai Nagamasa and a relative of Oda Nobunaga's first wife, Nohime, who was also a daughter of Saito Dosan.
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Kyogoku Tadataka
Kyogoku Tadataka (1593–1637) was a Japanese nobleman and the head of the Kyogoku clan during the early 17th century, a pivotal time marked by the Tokugawa consolidation of power. His childhood name was Kumamaro, and he hailed from a lineage claiming descent from Emperor Uda (868–897). Tadataka was the son of Kyogoku Takatsugu and one of his concubines, with his paternal grandfather being Kyogoku Takayoshi.
