was a Japanese

samurai The samurai () were members of the warrior class in Japan. They were originally provincial warriors who came from wealthy landowning families who could afford to train their men to be mounted archers. In the 8th century AD, the imperial court d ...

of the

Sengoku period The was the period in History of Japan, Japanese history in which civil wars and social upheavals took place almost continuously in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Kyōtoku incident (1454), Ōnin War (1467), or (1493) are generally chosen as th ...

who served the

Takeda clan The was a Japanese samurai clan active from the late Heian period until the late 16th century. The clan was historically based in Kai Province in present-day Yamanashi Prefecture. The clan reached its greatest influence under the rule of Taked ...

. He was also known as and held the

court title A royal court, often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy, including all those who regularly attend on a monarch, or another central figure. Hence, the word ''court'' may also be ap ...

of ''Chikuzen no kami''. Masakazu was the son of , the Takeda retainer who had built Kunōzan Castle and served as its warden. Masakazu's landholding, starting in 1563, was in the Suwa District of

Shinano province or is an old province of Japan that is now Nagano Prefecture. Shinano bordered Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces. The ancient capital was located near modern-day Matsumoto, whi ...

. He was active under both

Takeda Shingen was daimyō, daimyo of Kai Province during the Sengoku period of Japan. Known as "the Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful daimyo of the late Sengoku period, and credited with exceptional military prestige. Shingen was based in a p ...

and Shingen's son Katsuyori as a commander of infantry . He also served for a time as the warden of Takashima Castle. Masakazu was killed in 1582 while leading a counterattack against

Kiso Yoshimasa was a Japanese samurai warrior of the Sengoku period. He was a retainer of the Takeda clan of Kai Province. He is known as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen The Twenty-Four Generals (武田二十四将, ''Takeda Nijūshi-sh ...

, a former Takeda vassal who had turned traitor during the Tokugawa/ Oda attacks on Shinano and Kai."Imafuku" on ''Takeda Kashindan hitokoto fairu''
(7 July 2008)

References

*Naramoto Tatsuya (1992). ''Nihon no kassen: monoshiri jiten''. (Tokyo: Shufu to seikatsusha). Samurai 1582 deaths Japanese warriors killed in battle Takeda retainers Year of birth unknown {{samurai-stub