Date Masamune
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was a Japanese ''
daimyō were powerful Japanese magnates, feudal lords who, from the 10th century to the early Meiji era, Meiji period in the middle 19th century, ruled most of Japan from their vast hereditary land holdings. They were subordinate to the shogun and no ...
'' during the
Azuchi–Momoyama period The was the final phase of the in Japanese history from 1568 to 1600. After the outbreak of the Ōnin War in 1467, the power of the Ashikaga Shogunate effectively collapsed, marking the start of the chaotic Sengoku period. In 1568, Oda Nob ...
through the early
Edo period The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
. Heir to a long line of powerful feudal lords in the
Tōhoku region The , Northeast region, , or consists of the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. This traditional region consists of six prefectures (): Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi, and Yamagata. Tōhoku retains ...
, he went on to found the modern-day city of
Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,098,335 in 539,698 households, making it the List of cities in Japan, twelfth most populated city in Japan. ...
. An outstanding tactician, he was made all the more iconic for his missing eye, as Masamune was often called ''dokuganryū'' (独眼竜), or the "One-Eyed Dragon of Ōshū". As a legendary warrior and leader, Masamune is a character in a number of Japanese period dramas.


Early life and rise

Date Masamune was born as Bontenmaru (梵天丸) later Tojirō (藤次郎), as the eldest son of Date Terumune, likely born in Yonezawa Castle (in modern
Yamagata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It has a population of 1,005,926 (1 February 2025) and an area of 9,325 Square kilometre, km2 (3,600 Square mile, sq mi). Its neighbours are Akita Prefectu ...
). At the age of 14 in 1581, Masamune led his first campaign, helping his father fight the Sōma clan. His buddhist name is “Zuiganjiden Teizan Zenri Daikoji”. In 1584, at the age of 17, Masamune succeeded his father, Terumune, who chose to retire from his position as ''daimyō''. Masamune's army was recognized by its black armor and golden headgear. Masamune is known for a few things that made him stand out from other ''daimyō'' of the time. In particular, his famous crescent-moon-bearing
helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...
won him a fearsome reputation. As a child,
smallpox Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
robbed him of sight in his right eye, though it is unclear exactly how he lost the organ entirely. Various theories behind the eye's condition exist. Some sources say he plucked out the eye himself when a senior member of the clan pointed out that an enemy could grab it in a fight. Others say that he had his trusted retainer Katakura Kojūrō gouge out the eye for him, making him the "One-Eyed Dragon" of Ōshu. The
Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...
had built alliances with neighboring clans through marriages over previous generations, but local disputes remained commonplace. Shortly after Masamune's succession in 1584, a Date retainer named Ōuchi Sadatsuna defected to the Ashina clan of the Aizu region. Masamune declared war on Ōuchi and the Ashina for this betrayal, and started a campaign to hunt down Sadatsuna. Formerly amicable alliances were cast aside as he began to attack and conquer the lands of Sadatsuna's allies in pursuit, even those of his kin in Mutsu and
Dewa Province was a province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. Dewa bordered on Mutsu and Echigō Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History Early per ...
. In the winter of 1585, one of these allies, Nihonmatsu Yoshitsugu felt defeat was approaching and chose to surrender to the Date instead. Masamune agreed to accept the surrender, but on the heavy condition that the Nihonmatsu give up most of their territory to the Date. This resulted in Yoshitsugu kidnapping Masamune's father Terumune during their meeting in Miyamori Castle, where Terumune was staying during the time. The incident ended with Terumune and Yoshitsugu killed as the fleeing Nihonmatsu party clashed with the pursuing Date troops near the
Abukuma River The , with a length of , is the second longest river in the Tōhoku region of Japan and the 6th longest river in the country. It is designated as a Classification of rivers in Japan, Class A river. It runs through Fukushima Prefecture and Miyagi P ...
. Due to the death of Date Terumune by the hands of Nihonmatsu Yoshitsugu, Masamune swore vengeance. In January 1586, Masamune had his revenge by launching an attack against the Nihonmatsu at the Battle of Hitotoribashi. The following year, Date Masamune once again attacked Nihonmatsu at Battle of Koriyama in 1588, The son of Hatakeyama Yoshitsugu set the castle on fire and fled to Aizu. Various records of the event exist, although they present different accounts of its circumstances. In 1589, the Date clan fought many battles with their neighbours afterwards, including the Siege of Kurokawa and Battle of Suriagehara against Ashina clan. After defeating the Ashina clan, Masamune made Kurokawa Castle in
Aizu domain was a Han (Japan), domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1601 to 1871.Ravina, Mark. (1998) ''Land and Lordship in Early Modern Japan,'' p. 222 The Aizu Domain was based at Aizuwakamatsu Castle, Tsuruga Castle in M ...
his base of operations. Later, Masamune fought in the Siege of Sukagawa and defeated Nikaidō clan. In the end 1589, Masamune sealed the Date clan's hegemony over southern Mutsu Province. File:Take ni Suzume.svg, The emblem ( ''mon'') of the Date clan Date Masamune Battle Standard; Shimazu Matsuhisa (1616-1695) Banner.jpg, Date Masamune
uma-jirushi were massive flags used in feudal Japan to identify a ''daimyō'' or equally important military commander on the field of battle. They came into prominence during the Sengoku period. While many were simply large flags, not very different from ' ...
(right) Nabeshima Tadanao Battle Standard; Date Masamune (1567-1636) Large Battle Standard.jpg, Date Masamune (1567–1636) uma-jirushi (left)


Service under Hideyoshi

In 1590,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi , otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods and regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: ...
seized Odawara Castle and compelled the Tōhoku-region ''daimyō'' to participate in the campaign. Although Masamune refused Hideyoshi's demands at first, he had no real choice in the matter since Hideyoshi was the virtual ruler of Japan. Masamune still delayed, infuriating Hideyoshi. Expecting to be executed, Masamune, wearing his finest clothes and showing no fear, faced his angry overlord. Not wanting further trouble, Hideyoshi spared his life, saying that "He could be of some use." Being a major power in northern Japan, Masamune was naturally viewed with suspicion, as any potential rival would be viewed. Toyotomi Hideyoshi reduced the size of his land holdings after his tardiness in coming to the Siege of Odawara against
Hōjō Ujimasa was the fourth head of the later Hōjō clan, and ''daimyō'' of Odawara. Ujimasa succeeded the territory expansion policy from his father, Hōjō Ujiyasu, and achieved the biggest territory in the clan's history. Early life and rise In 1538 ...
. In 1591, Masamune forfeited the ancestral land of the Date Clan (present day Date City, Kawamata,
Koori Koori (also spelt koorie, goori or goorie) is a demonym for Aboriginal Australians from a region that approximately corresponds to southern New South Wales and Victoria. The word derives from the Indigenous language Awabakal. For some people ...
, and Kunimi) to Hideyoshi, causing widespread riots. He never regained the territory. After he fought against
Kunohe Rebellion The was an insurrection of the Sengoku period of Japan that occurred in Mutsu Province from 13 March to 4 September 1591. The Kunohe Rebellion was the final battle in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaigns during the Sengoku period and completed the ...
, he was given Iwatesawa and the surrounding lands as his home domain. Masamune moved there, rebuilt the Iwatesawa Castle, renamed it Iwadeyama, and encouraged the growth of a town at its base. Masamune stayed at Iwadeyama for 13 years and turned the region into a major political and economic center. He and his men served with distinction in the Hideyoshi Korean invasions In 1592–1598.


Service under Ieyasu

In 1598, after Hideyoshi's death, Masamune began to support
Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...
—apparently at the advice of Katakura Kojūrō.
Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa Ieyasu (born Matsudaira Takechiyo; 31 January 1543 – 1 June 1616) was the founder and first ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, which ruled from 1603 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was the third of the three "Gr ...
increased the size of his lands again, but was constantly suspicious of Masamune and his policies. Although Tokugawa Ieyasu and other Date allies were always suspicious of him, Date Masamune for the most part served the Tokugawa loyally. In 1600, under Tokugawa eastern army, he fought in Sekigahara Campaign at Siege of Shiroishi and Siege of Hasedo. Later, Tokugawa Ieyasu awarded Masamune the lordship of the huge and profitable
Sendai Domain The , also known as the , was a domain of the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan during the Edo period from 1600 to 1871. The Sendai Domain was based at Aoba Castle in Mutsu Province, in the modern city of Sendai, located in the Tōhoku region of ...
, which made Masamune one of Japan's most powerful ''daimyō''. Tokugawa had promised Masamune a one-million ''
koku The is a Chinese-based Japanese unit of volume. One koku is equivalent to 10 or approximately , or about of rice. It converts, in turn, to 100 shō and 1,000 gō. One ''gō'' is the traditional volume of a single serving of rice (before co ...
'' domain, but, even after substantial improvements were made, the land only produced 640,000 ''koku'', most of which was used to feed the Edo region. In 1604, Masamune, accompanied by 52,000 vassals and their families, moved to what was then the small fishing village of
Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,098,335 in 539,698 households, making it the List of cities in Japan, twelfth most populated city in Japan. ...
. He left his fourth son, Date Muneyasu, to rule Iwadeyama. Masamune would turn Sendai into a large and prosperous city. In 1614 and 1615, he fought in the Osaka campaigns against the
Toyotomi Clan The was a Japanese clan that ruled over the Japanese before the Edo period. Unity and conflict The most influential figure within the Toyotomi was Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three "unifiers of Japan". Oda Nobunaga was another primary ...
. Later in 1616, when Tokugawa Ieyasu was on his deathbed, Masamune visited him and read him a piece of
Zen Zen (; from Chinese: ''Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka phil ...
poetry. Masamune was highly respected for his
ethics Ethics is the philosophy, philosophical study of Morality, moral phenomena. Also called moral philosophy, it investigates Normativity, normative questions about what people ought to do or which behavior is morally right. Its main branches inclu ...
; a still-quoted aphorism is, "Rectitude carried to excess hardens into stiffness; benevolence indulged beyond measure sinks into weakness."


Later years and death

Masamune was viewed with caution by Ieyasu and Hidetada, but gained trust during the reign of Iemitsu. As someone who did not experience the
Warring States period The Warring States period in history of China, Chinese history (221 BC) comprises the final two and a half centuries of the Zhou dynasty (256 BC), which were characterized by frequent warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and ...
, Iemitsu had a fondness for hearing stories from the warlords who lived during that time, such as Masamune and
Tachibana Muneshige , was a Japanese ''samurai'', known in his youth as Senkumamaru (千熊丸) and alternatively called Tachibana Munetora (立花宗虎 or 立花統虎), during the Azuchi–Momoyama period and an Edo-period ''daimyō''. He was the eldest biol ...
. In 1636, Masamune died of a combination of
esophageal cancer Esophageal cancer (American English) or oesophageal cancer (British English) is cancer arising from the esophagus—the food pipe that runs between the throat and the stomach. Symptoms often include dysphagia, difficulty in swallowing and weigh ...
and
peritonitis Peritonitis is inflammation of the localized or generalized peritoneum, the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and covering of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One pa ...
at the age of 68 years. He was returned to Sendai in the same daimyō procession as when he was alive. The
bakufu , officially , was the title of the military rulers of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, except during parts of the Kamak ...
gave approval for his eldest legitimate son, Date Tadamune, to inherit the Date clan territory.


Patron of culture and Christianity

Masamune expanded trade in the northeastern Tōhoku region. Although initially faced with attacks by hostile clans, he managed to overcome them after a few defeats and eventually ruled one of the largest fiefdoms of the later
Tokugawa shogunate The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the was the military government of Japan during the Edo period from 1603 to 1868. The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars ...
. He built many palaces and worked on many projects to beautify the region. He is also known to have encouraged foreigners to come to his land. Even though he funded and promoted an envoy to establish relations with the Pope in Rome, he was likely motivated at least in part by a desire for foreign technology, similar to that of other lords, such as
Oda Nobunaga was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period, Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. He was the and regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan. He is sometimes referred as the "Demon Daimyō" and "Demo ...
. Further, once Tokugawa Ieyasu outlawed Christianity, Masamune reversed his position, and though disliking it, let Ieyasu persecute Christians in his domain. For 270 years, Tōhoku remained a place of tourism, trade, and prosperity. Matsushima, for instance, a series of tiny islands, was praised for its beauty and serenity by the wandering
haiku is a type of short form poetry that originated in Japan. Traditional Japanese haiku consist of three phrases composed of 17 Mora (linguistics), morae (called ''On (Japanese prosody), on'' in Japanese) in a 5, 7, 5 pattern; that include a ''kire ...
poet
Matsuo Bashō ; born , later known as was the most famous Japanese poet of the Edo period. During his lifetime, Bashō was recognized for his works in the collaborative '' haikai no renga'' form; today, after centuries of commentary, he is recognized as th ...
. He showed sympathy for Christian missionaries and traders in Japan. In addition to allowing them to come and preach in his province, he also released the prisoner and missionary Padre Sotelo from the hands of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Date Masamune allowed Sotelo as well as other missionaries to practice their religion and win converts in Tōhoku. Masamune notably funded and backed one of Japan's few journeys of far-flung diplomacy and exploration in this period. He ordered the building of the exploration ship ''San Juan Bautista'', using foreign (European) ship-building techniques. He sent one of his retainers,
Hasekura Tsunenaga was a kirishitan Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyō of Sendai. He was of Japanese imperial descent with ancestral ties to Emperor Kanmu. Other names include Philip Francis Faxicura, Felipe Francisco Faxicura, and Ph ...
, Sotelo, and an embassy numbering 180 on a successful voyage to establish relations with the Pope in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
. This expedition visited such places as the
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
,
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
,
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and Rome. Previously, Japanese lords had never funded this sort of venture, so it was probably the first successful voyage. At least five members of the expedition stayed in Coria (Seville) of Spain to avoid the persecution of Christians in Japan. 600 of their descendants, with the surname Japón (Japan), are now living in Spain. When the Tokugawa government banned Christianity, Masamune had to obey the law. However, some sources suggest that Masamune's eldest daughter, Irohahime, was a Christian.


Family

* Father: Date Terumune * Mother: Yoshihime (1548–1623), daughter of Mogami Yoshimori the ''daimyō'' of
Dewa Province was a province of Japan comprising modern-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture, except for the city of Kazuno and the town of Kosaka. Dewa bordered on Mutsu and Echigō Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History Early per ...
* Wife: Megohime, daughter of Tamura Kiyoaki owner of Miharu Castle in Miharu Domain, Mutsu Province * Sibling: Date Kojirō Masamichi * Concubines: ** Īsaka no Tsubone (1569–1634) ** Shinzō no Kata (d. 1612) ** Shōkō'in (1583–1656) ** Oyama no Kata (1587–1668) ** Shōgo'in (d. 1644) ** Okachi no Kata (d. 1669) ** Hosshō'in (1604–1664) * Prostitute: Kōnomae (1577–1641) * Children: ** Date Hidemune (1591–1658), by Shinzō no Kata ** Irohahime (1594–1661), by Megohime, never remarried after the forced divorce with Matsudaira Tadateru ** Date Tadamune (1600–1658), by Megohime, the second lord of Sendai Domain ** (1600–1634), by Shinzō no Kata, adopted by to succeed the Iizaka clan but died childless ** Date Muneyasu (1602–1639), by Shōkō'in, first head of the Iwadeyama-Date branch family ** Date Munetsuna (1603–1618), by Megohime, first head of the Iwagasaki Date branch family but died childless ** Date Munenobu (1603–1627), by Oyama no Kata, was adopted to become the second head of the Iwagasaki Date branch family but also died childless and it became extinct ** Date Munetaka (1607–1626), by Oyama no Kata, was adopted and became the first head of the Murata Tade family (a Date line offshoot), but caught smallpox and died childless ** Mūhime (1608–1683), by Oyama no Kata, married Ishikawa Munetaka ** Takematsumaru (1609–1615), by Megohime ** Date Munezane (1613–1665), by Shōgo'in, adopted into the Watari family (different from the Watari-Date family) ** Minehime (1616–1635), by Okachi no Kata, married Date Munezane (1611–1639) of the Watari-Date family ** Date Munekatsu (1621–1679), by Okachi no Kata ** Sengikuhime (1626–1655), by Hosso'in, married Kyōgoku Takakuni ** Tsuta (1598–1671), by Kōnomae, adopted by Oniniwa Tsunamoto, married Harada Munesuke ** Watari Munemoto (1600–1669), by Kōnomae, initially adopted by Oniniwa Tsunamoto, then adopted by Watari Shigemune


Others

* Aunt: Onamihime (1541–1602), daughter of Date Harumune, sister of Date Terumune, and owner of Sukagawa Castle in Mutsu. * Wet nurse (foster mother): Katakura Kita (1538–1610), half-sister of Katakura Kagetsuna and Oniniwa Tsunamoto, also mentor of Kagetsuna and Masamune.


"Three Great Men" of Date clan

* Katakura Kagetsuna (片倉 景綱, 1557 – December 4, 1615) was a samurai of the Katakura clan, also known by his court title, Bichū no Kami (備中守), or more commonly, as Katakura Kojūrō. * Date Shigezane (伊達 成実, 1568 – July 17, 1646). A senior retainer of the
Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...
of
Sendai is the capital Cities of Japan, city of Miyagi Prefecture and the largest city in the Tōhoku region. , the city had a population of 1,098,335 in 539,698 households, making it the List of cities in Japan, twelfth most populated city in Japan. ...
, he was a cousin of Date Masamune and founder of the Watari-Date clan. * Oniniwa Tsunamoto (鬼庭 綱元) (1549 – July 13, 1640). Deeply trusted by Masamune, he was made a senior retainer at the young age of 35.


Retainers

* Oniniwa Yoshinao * Rusu Masakage * Shiroishi Munezane * Kokubu Morishige * Yashiro Kageyori * Tamura Kiyoaki * Ōuchi Sadatsuna *
Hasekura Tsunenaga was a kirishitan Japanese samurai and retainer of Date Masamune, the daimyō of Sendai. He was of Japanese imperial descent with ancestral ties to Emperor Kanmu. Other names include Philip Francis Faxicura, Felipe Francisco Faxicura, and Ph ...
* Katakura Shigenaga * Inawashiro Morikuni


Date clan's prominent castles

* Yonezawa Castle: original base of power for the
Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...
from 1548 and possibly Masamune's birthplace. * Tateyama Castle (Yonezawa), Tateyama Castle: Date Terumune spent retired life in the castle. There is a possibility Date Masamune was born in Tateyama castle. * Obama Castle (Mutsu Province), Obama Castle: Masamune stayed in the castle from 1585 to 1586. * Kurokawa Castle: original base of power for the
Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...
from 1589 to 1591. * Iwadeyama Castle: original base of power for the
Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...
from 1591 to 1601. * Aoba Castle: original base of power for the
Date clan The is a Japanese samurai kin group.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Date", ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 5 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Date fam ...
from 1601. * Wakabayashi Castle: Masamune's fortified residence but now Miyagi prison is on site, He spent most of his time in the castle after he reconstructed it in 1627. * Nihonmatsu Castle: Katakura Kagetsuna, Date Shigezane * Hachōme Castle: Date Sanemoto * Matsumori Castle : Kokubu Morishige * Fukushima Castle: Date Harumune * Ōmori Castle: Date Sanemoto, Date Shigezane * Shiroishi Castle: Katakura Kagetsuna * Iwakiri Castle: Rusu Masakage * Watari Castle: Watari Motomune, Katakura Kagetsuna


In popular culture

Like many figures of the Sengoku period, Date Masamune has been featured in literature, film, manga, anime, video games, and other media. There are a few prominent and notable examples. In the Iver P. Cooper 1632 series, ''1632'' series book ''1636: Seas of Fortune'', Masamune is a prominent character in the short novel ''Rising Sun'' which is set in the North Pacific region focusing on Japan's expansion into North America. Masamune is the protagonist of the anime series ''Masamune Datenicle'', produced by the Date, Fukushima, city of Date in collaboration with Fukushima Gaina (company), Gainax in order to promote the city's historic connection to the Date Clan. In this series, he is depicted as a child taking on the role of leader of his clan for the first time. Previous leaders of the Date Clan manifest in order to help him prepare for his first battle. In the video game series ''Samurai Warriors'' (Koei) Masamune Date is featured as a playable character. In his first appearance, he was a very young man and fought with dual wooden swords, later, his appearance was changed to be a bit older and his weapons were switched out for a more European style sword and a pair of pistols. He is also a prominent character in the ''Sengoku Basara'' series (Capcom), and has been featured in every major release, portrayed as a reckless, but astute general with a penchant for using humorous English verses, he is also notable for carrying six katanas, which he can equip as "dragon's claws", wielding them between his fingers, three in each hand. The professional wrestling organization Osaka Pro Wrestling featured two wrestlers using the ring names Masamune (wrestler), Masamune and Hideyoshi, who together form the tag team "Sengoku". In ''Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga'', Masamune is reincarnated as a French bulldog nicknamed Boo in modern-day Japan. In ''Ginga Densetsu Weed: Orion'', Masamune's dog version is the main antagonist. His father, Terumune and Kojuuruu also play roles in the comic. In the popular Netflix miniseries ''Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan'', Date Masamune is portrayed by actor Hideaki Itō. In the video game ''Persona 5 Strikers'' (known as ''Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers'' in Japan), Masamune is referenced multiple times upon the cast arriving in Sendai. The statue at Aobayama Park is visited immediately upon arriving in the city, and a shrine that appears similar to his gravesite also appears. In the video game ''AI: The Somnium Files'', the protagonist, Kaname Date, has his left eye removed prior to the game's story, which is likely a reference to Masamune, himself. Ken Watanabe played the role of Date Masamune in the 1987 NHK Taiga drama Dokuganryū Masamune. Date Masamune is also a route character in the ''Ikemen Sengoku otome game''.


References


Further reading

* Kobayashi Seiji 小林清治. ''Date Masamune'' 伊達政宗. Tokyo: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan 吉川弘文館, 1959. * Colyer Meriwether, Meriwether, Colyer. (1893)
of Date Masamune,"
''Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan,'' Vol. XXI. * Tetsuo Owada小和田哲男. ''Date Masamune: shiden'' 伊達政宗: 史伝. Tokyo: Gakken 学研, 2000. * Ken-ichi Sato 佐藤憲一. ''Date Masamune's letters'' 伊達政宗の手紙. Tokyo: Sinchosensho 新潮選書, 1995. * Zelia Nuttall (1906)
"The earliest historical relations between Mexico and Japan"


External links


The official website of the Date clan

Zuihoden – The mausoleum of Date Masamune.
When he died, twenty of his followers killed themselves (committed junshi) to serve him in the next life. They lay in state at Zuihōden
Aoba-jo (Sendai Castle) website


– (Japanese)-Kabuto(Samurai Helmet) Papercraft {{DEFAULTSORT:Date, Masamune 1567 births 1636 deaths Daimyo Date clan History of Christianity in Japan Japanese politicians with disabilities History of Sendai Deified Japanese men People from Yamagata Prefecture Eyepatch wearers