Sakuma Nobumori, one of Oda Nobunaga's most enduring and dedicated retainers, was born in 1528 in what is now Minami-Ku of Nagoya City. As a stalwart supporter of Nobunaga, six years his junior, Sakuma Nobumori played a pivotal role in every campaign led by his master.
Notable battles in which he participated include Okehazama in 1560, the Battle of Anegawa, and the sieges of Nagashima in 1571 and 1573. He commanded 3,000 Oda troops in support of Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Mikatagahara against Takeda Shingen, and also fought in the 1573 and 1575 Battle of Nagashino against Shingen’s son, Takeda Katsuyori. Additionally, he was present at Ichijodani, the burning of Mt. Hiei, and led the largest contingent of the Oda clan army during the 1576 siege of the Hongan-ji Temple in Osaka.
Despite his consistent service, Sakuma Nobumori faced criticism for his overly cautious tactics, earning him the nickname "Noki Sakuma," or "Retreating Sakuma." While other generals of Nobunaga, such as Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Akechi Mitsuhide, achieved victories, Sakuma Nobumori repeatedly failed to fulfill his assigned duties in battle. Eventually, Nobunaga, frustrated with Sakuma's performance, drafted a scathing 19-point document detailing his numerous shortcomings and banished him along with his son, Nobuhide, to Mt. Koya, where they lived out their days as priests. Sakuma Nobumori passed away five years after his banishment, at the age of 54, on February 18, 1581.
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.
