Oda Nobunaga

Lore & Background

Nobunaga emerged as the most powerful daimyō by overthrowing the nominally ruling shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki and dissolving the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573. He conquered most of Honshu by 1580 and defeated the Ikkō-ikki in the 1580s. His rule was noted for innovative military tactics, fostering of free trade, reforms of Japan's civil government, and the start of the Momoyama historical art period, but also for the brutal suppression of those who refused to cooperate. Nobunaga committed seppuku during the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582, when his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide ambushed and trapped him in a temple in Kyoto. He was succeeded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who along with Tokugawa Ieyasu completed his campaign of national unification.

In Their Own Story

In 1560, Imagawa Yoshimoto gathered an army of 25,000 men and marched toward Kyoto. The Oda clan could rally only 2,000 to 3,000 men. Some advisors suggested taking refuge at Kiyosu Castle, but Nobunaga refused, stating that "only a strong offensive policy could make up for the superior numbers of the enemy." His scouts reported that Yoshimoto was resting at the narrow gorge of Dengaku-Kazama, ideal for a surprise attack, while the Imagawa army celebrated their victories. Nobunaga's forces marched to the Atsuta Shrine, a fortified temple overlooking the area. The resulting Battle of Okehazama became a legendary victory, cementing his reputation as a daring and unconventional commander.

Reader's Guide

Oda Nobunaga is the catalyst for the seismic shifts in Japanese history that define the backdrop of the Shogun narrative. As a daimyo from Owari province, he broke away from traditional constraints to pursue total unification through sheer force and innovation. His legacy is defined by his mastery of new technology, specifically firearms, which allowed him to defeat larger armies despite being outnumbered. He was not bound by the rigid codes of bushido that governed other lords; instead, he prioritized results over honor, making him a feared and hated figure among traditionalists. Nobunaga's ultimate goal was to centralize power under his own rule, challenging the authority of both the Emperor in Kyoto and the Ashikaga Shogunate. His aggressive expansion created a vacuum that would eventually be filled by his successors, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but it was Nobunaga who first cracked the foundation of the Sengoku period.

Did You Know?

• Nobunaga was given the childhood name Kippōshi (吉法師) and was known as 'The Fool of Owari' for his bizarre behavior, including wearing sleeveless bathrobes in public and dancing in female clothing in taverns.
• At age 8, Nobunaga was given Nagoya Castle by his father and lived there for 13 years until he took Kiyosu Castle at age 21.
• Nobunaga's father arranged a political marriage with Saitō Dōsan's daughter Nōhime in 1548 or 1549, making Dōsan his father-in-law.
• In 1553, his closest advisor Hirate Masahide committed seppuku, generally believed to admonish Nobunaga, though the actual motive is unclear.
• Nobunaga assembled a force of only 1,000 men to intimidate enemies after his father's death, preventing a serious disruption in the transfer of power.