Takigawa Kazumasu (1525 – October 21, 1586), also known as Takikawa Sakon or Sakonshogen, was a prominent samurai and daimyō of the Sengoku period. He served as a loyal retainer and military commander under Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa, the elder brother of Maeda Toshiie, and Kazumasu served alongside Toshiie in Nobunaga’s campaigns.
Early Life and Rise to Power
Kazumasu was born in 1525 in Ōmi Province as the son of Takigawa Kazumasa, lord of Kawachi-Takayasu Manor. The Takigawa clan traced its lineage to the Ki clan. He became one of Oda Nobunaga’s most trusted retainers, serving him from around 1558.
In 1561, he was sent as an envoy to Akagawa Motoyasu, a key general of the Mōri clan, as part of Nobunaga’s diplomatic efforts. Kazumasu played a crucial role in Nobunaga’s early military campaigns, leading the vanguard in the invasions of Ise Province in 1567 and 1568, successfully subduing numerous local families. By 1569, he was granted land in Ise and later supported Oda Nobukatsu, heir to the Kitabatake clan.
Military Exploits Under Nobunaga
Kazumasu participated in several major battles, including the Siege of Nagashima (1571, 1573, 1574) against the Ikkō-ikki. In 1572, alongside Sakuma Nobumori, he was dispatched to reinforce Tokugawa Ieyasu against Takeda Shingen at the Battle of Mikatagahara.
As a key commander in Nobunaga’s campaigns, Kazumasu took part in the Siege of Ichijōdani Castle (1573), the Battle of Nagashino (1575) (where he led infantry units), the Battle of Tennōji (1576), and the Battle of Tedorigawa (1577). He also led an invasion of Kii Province.
At the Second Battle of Kizugawaguchi (1578), Kazumasu commanded a white warship alongside Kuki Yoshitaka’s six black ships in a naval clash against the Mōri fleet. Beyond military engagements, he contributed to domestic affairs, aiding in the construction of Azuchi Castle in 1578 and conducting land surveys in Yamato Province with Akechi Mitsuhide in 1580.
Between 1579 and 1581, he fought in the Tenshō Iga War, capturing Seki Castle. In 1582, he led a campaign against the remnants of the Takeda clan alongside Kawajiri Hidetaka. Later that year, Nobunaga appointed him Kantō Kanrei (Deputy Shogun of the East), entrusting him with a portion of Kōzuke Province to monitor the powerful Hōjō clan.
Later Years and Decline
Following Nobunaga’s assassination in the Honnō-ji Incident (1582), Kazumasu attempted to defend Oda territories but suffered defeat against the Hōjō at the Battle of Kanagawa (1582), forcing his retreat to Ise Province.
In 1583, he initially sided with Shibata Katsuie and other Oda retainers against Toyotomi Hideyoshi. However, he was defeated while defending Kameyama Castle (Mie) after Hideyoshi used mines to breach its walls. Eventually, Kazumasu submitted to Hideyoshi and assisted in the Komaki Campaign (1584), attacking Kanie Castle alongside Kuki Yoshitaka.
However, his reputation suffered when he killed his own cousin, Maeda Tanetoshi, during the campaign. Ashamed of his failure, he shaved his head, became a Buddhist monk, and retired from military life. He is believed to have died in Echizen Province in 1586.
Kazumasu’s personal standard was marked by three vertically arranged red circles, symbolizing his identity on the battlefield. Despite his later decline, he remains a notable figure in the turbulent history of Japan’s Sengoku era.
See also
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Matsudaira Tadaakira
Tadaakira was the fourth son of Okudaira Nobumasa, a vassal of the Tokugawa clan, and his mother was Kame, the eldest daughter of Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1588, Tadaakira was adopted by Ieyasu and received the Matsudaira family name; at that time, he bore the name Kiyotada.
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Mashita Nagamori
Nagamori possessed remarkable diplomatic and administrative talent while remaining a brave warrior. He is believed to have come from the village of Mashita in the province of Owari, which today is part of Aichi Prefecture. He was a vassal of Oda Nobunaga and later served Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In the Battle of Komaki–Nagakute in 1584, Nagamori took at least two enemy heads. Later, he was entrusted with overseeing major public construction projects, including the reconstruction of Fushimi Castle and the building of the large Sanjō and Gojō bridges in Kyoto.
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Magara Jurōzaemon Naotaka
Magara Jurōzaemon Naotaka was a vassal of Asakura Yoshikage from the province of Echizen, and very little is known about his life, including even the exact year of his birth. Magara gained his renown through his heroic death at the Battle of Anegawa in 1570. In this battle, the combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu confronted the armies of Asai and Asakura, with Ieyasu taking command of the left flank and fighting against the Asakura forces. After crossing the shallow Anegawa River, which separated the two armies, Tokugawa’s finest generals — Honda Tadakatsu and Sakakibara Yasumasa — launched an assault on the headquarters of Asakura Kagetake, the commander-in-chief of the Echizen army. The attack by Honda Tadakatsu was so swift that Kagetake found himself almost completely surrounded by enemy troops.
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Kusunoki Masashige
Kusunoki Masashige was, without exaggeration, a genius of guerrilla warfare. If not for this talented commander, Emperor Go-Daigo would likely have failed not only to ascend the throne, but even to put up any real resistance against the powerful Hojo clan.
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Kobayakawa Takakage
Kobayakawa Takakage was rightfully considered one of the most intelligent men of his era. Even Kuroda Kanbei, the celebrated strategist famed for his cunning—about whom people said he could outwit even a fox—admitted that Takakage was his equal in intellect, and at times even surpassed him. After the death of his father, Mōri Motonari, Takakage effectively governed the Mōri clan for many years while serving as advisor to his nephew, Mōri Terumoto.
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Kira Chikazane
Chikazane, the son of Kira Chikasada and the nephew of the famous daimyō Chōsokabe Motochika, was married to his cousin, Motochika’s daughter. From a young age he showed great talent and promise, but his character was marked by a quick temper and a tendency toward sharp, sometimes aggressive behavior.
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Kyōgoku Takatsugu
From the very beginning of his career, Takatsugu served under Oda Nobunaga and was married to Nobunaga’s niece, which secured him a strong position at court and close ties to one of the most powerful clans of the era. However, the events of 1582 drastically changed his fate. When Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled against Nobunaga and treacherously killed him at the Honnō-ji Temple, Takatsugu sought to take advantage of the ensuing chaos to strengthen his own standing. He launched an attack on Nagahama Castle in Ōmi Province, hoping to expand his territories. The assault, however, was repelled, and soon after, Mitsuhide was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s forces at the Battle of Yamazaki, leaving Takatsugu without allies or support.
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Kato Yoshiaki
Yoshiaki, a loyal vassal of the Oda clan, first distinguished himself as a talented warrior during the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583. For his bravery and outstanding military achievements, he was included in the famous group known as the “Seven Spears of Shizugatake” — an elite band of samurai celebrated for their exceptional courage in that battle. Later, Yoshiaki became one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s naval admirals and took an active part in his subsequent military campaigns. He commanded warships during the expeditions to Kyushu and the siege of Odawara, demonstrating not only valor but also exceptional leadership and strategic skill. For his loyal service and effective command, Yoshiaki was granted an estate in Matsuzaki with an annual income of 100,000 koku of rice — a symbol of significant rank and prosperity.
