Battles of Kawanakajima

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4. Battle of Kawanakajima
Battle of Kawanakajima - Takeda Shingen on left and Uesugi Kenshin on right (1845)

The total of five battles of Kawanakajima ( Japanese 川 中 島 の 戦 い , Kawanakajima no tatakai ) were fought between Takeda Shingen from the province of Kai and Uesugi Kenshin from the province of Echigo between two rival feudal lords ( daimyo ) during the Sengoku period in Japan . The battles took place on the plain of Kawanakajima, south of today's Nagano city in Shinano province , after which they were later named.

The five battles occurred between 1553 and 1564, with the most important, fourth battle fought in 1561. In the course of the individual battles, the number of soldiers on Takeda Shingen's side rose from around 8,000 to up to 23,000. In all five battles, Uesugi Kenshin's forces were outnumbered.

The clashes began when Shingen conquered Shinano Province and banished Murakami Yoshiharu and Ogasawara Nagatoki , who turned to Uesugi Kenshin for assistance.

First battle (1553)

The first battle, also the Battle of Fuse ( 布施 の 戦 い , Fuse no tatakai ), occurred in June 1553 when Shingen penetrated deep into the Kawanakajima plain and his troops met Kenshin's army near the Hachiman shrine. Due to unfavorable conditions, both sides broke off the fight and met again a short time later, several kilometers away from the first exchange of blows. However, neither of the two armies was able to achieve victory here either, although Takeda Shingen's armed forces outnumbered them.

Second battle (1555)

In 1555 there was the second battle, also known as the Battle of Saigawa ( 犀 川 の 戦 い , Saigawa no tatakai ). Takeda Shingen and his troops advanced again near the Sai (Saigawa) River. He camped on a hill south of the river, while Uesugi Kenshin camped east of the Zenkō-ji temple , from where he had an excellent view of the Kawanakajima plain.

However, the Asahiyama castle of the Kurita clan , which was supported by Takeda Shingen, was only a few kilometers to the west, which endangered the right flank of Uesugi Kenshin. The Kurita fortifications were reinforced by 3,000 soldiers from Shingen's troops. Kenshin made a series of unsuccessful attacks on the fortress before focusing again on the main Shingen force. For several months, the hostile camps remained waiting for an enemy attack.

Due to domestic political problems in their home provinces, Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin withdrew their troops.

Third Battle (1557)

The third battle, also the Battle of Uenohara ( 上 野 原 の 戦 い , Uenohara no tatakai ), took place in 1557 after Takeda Shingen succeeded in conquering Katsurayama Castle , from where he could overlook the northwestern Zenkō-ji. He then tried to take the nearby Iiyama Castle , which failed due to a counter-attack by Uesugi Kenshin, who led his troops from the Zenkō-ji into battle. Although Takeda Shingen's army was twice the strength of Uesugi Kenshin's forces, he failed to lead a coordinated attack on Katsurayama Castle.

Fourth battle (1561)

The death of Yamamoto Kansuke. Injured and believing his strategy had failed, Kansuke retired to a hill and committed suicide.

The fourth battle, also the Battle of Hachimanbara ( 八 幡 原 の 戦 い , Hachimanbara no tatakai ), is one of the most important of the Sengoku era and also the most important of all five battles between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. Both sent armies of great strength into battle and each had to accept high losses. In the 9th month of 1561 Uesugi Kenshin moved out with about 18,000 soldiers to finally destroy Takeda Shingen. He positioned some of his troops on Zenkō-ji and on Saijoyama Mountain , which was west of Takeda Shingen's Kaizu Castle , and thus had a perfect view of the surrounding terrain. To Kenshin's ignorance, however, there were more than 150 samurai warriors and their entourage in Kaizu, who were able to prevent a quick blow from Kenshin and the loss of Kaizu Castle.

After the threat posed by Kenshin's troops was discovered, the Kaizu commander lit a beacon and was able to inform Takeda Shingen, who resided in Kofu , more than 100 km from Kaizu. This set out from there with 20,000 soldiers. From the Chikuma River , he reached Kawanakajima after a few days. Together with his general Yamamoto Kansuke , he devised a strategy to defeat Kenshin's troops. During the night some of the troops (8,000 soldiers) set out for Mount Saijoyama to lure Kenshin's troops down into the valley, where Takeda Shingen waited with another 8,000 soldiers. But Kenshin recognized this ruse and set out from the west side of the mountain to attack in the Shingen valley. At dawn, the two forces finally met.

Well-formed, Kenshin's troops met the enemy. Kenshin's mounted samurai fell into the flank of the enemy, significantly reducing the number of Shingen soldiers and killing many of his commanders and generals. Yamamoto Kansuke committed seppuku when his tactics had failed. Kenshin managed to reach the Takeda Shingen command post and attack it unprepared. Shingen and his bodyguards were able to hold out long enough for Kenshin to be pushed back by approaching reinforcements. Shingen's forces also managed to turn the tide and put Kenshin in great distress until he finally fled. Shingen's troops did not pursue them, however, as they too suffered high losses.

Fifth Battle (1564)

The two samurai princes met for the last time in 1564. Over 60 days they fought several small skirmishes on the Kawanakajima Plains before they withdrew to their home provinces. This has been called " facing in Shiozaki" ( 塩 崎 の 対 陣 , Shiozaki no taijin ).

Remarks

  1. ^ Of the lunar calendar for 1561

Reception in culture

In the computer game Shogun: Total War , the fourth battle is included as a campaign and can be replayed.

literature