Wakisaka Yasuharu held the position of daimyo over Awaji Island before ruling over Ozu in Iyo Province. His significance in the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 cannot be overstated.
Initially, Wakisaka served under Akechi Mitsuhide as part of Oda Nobunaga's forces. During the siege of Hijiyama in 1581, he led Nobunaga's troops. However, after Mitsuhide's betrayal and Nobunaga's demise in 1582, Wakisaka became a retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Distinguished as one of the "Seven Spears of Shizugatake" after the battle in 1583, Wakisaka earned a place among Hideyoshi's most trusted generals. With expertise in naval tactics, he was granted control over Awaji Island and later became a commander in Hideyoshi's navy. Wakisaka played a crucial role in Hideyoshi's military campaigns, including the Kyushu Campaign (1587), the Siege of Odawara (1590), and the Korean invasions (1592–1598), leading 1,500 warriors. However, the Korean expeditions proved challenging, as Wakisaka's fleet suffered defeats at the hands of the Korean hero, Admiral Yi Sun-Sin.
During the Battle of Sekigahara, Wakisaka initially intended to support the Tokugawa forces. However, he felt compelled to join Ishida Mitsunari's side as Mitsunari had raised Wakisaka's troops during a stay in Osaka. Positioned below the Kobayakawa forces on Mt. Matsuo, Wakisaka and his samurai ultimately sided with the Eastern forces at the crucial moment, contributing to their victory. His direct attack on the Otani garrison played a significant role in securing victory for the Tokugawa side.
In recognition of his contributions, Wakisaka was granted his lands at Awaji and later received a domain at Ozu in Iyo Province. He passed away on September 26, 1626, at the age of 72.
See also
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Uesugi Kagetora
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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.
