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 The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan that ruled the northern Hamadōri region of southern Mutsu Province in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan for over 700 years, from the Kamakura period through the Meiji Restoration of 1868. The S ...

. 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 was the common name of the head of the Japanese Katakura clan, who served as senior retainers to the Date clan. Following the Date clan's move into Sendai han, they were granted holdings at Shiroishi Castle (12,000 ''koku'' in total), which the ...

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 is the westernmost of the three regions of Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, the other two regions being Nakadōri in the central area of the prefecture and Hamadōri in the east. As of October 1, 2010, it had a population of 291,838. The princ ...

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 Battle of Hitotoribashi () was a battle during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (16th century) of Japan. Due to the death of Date Masamune's father, Date Terumune by the hands of Nihonmatsu Yoshitsugu, Masamune swore vengeance. After succeedin ...

. 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

. 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 was a battle during the Sengoku period (16th century) of Japan. It was fought at a field called Suriagehara, whose modern location is split between the towns of Inawashiro and Bandai in Fukushima Prefecture. Background The Battle of Suriagehar ...

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 is a Japanese samurai kin group. Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)"Nikadō," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 42 retrieved 2013-5-5. History The Nikaidō claim desce ...

. 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

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

. 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 was an early Edo period Japanese samurai, and the second ''daimyō'' of the 625,000 ''koku'' Sendai Domain in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. He was the half-brother of Date Hidemune of Uwajima Domain. Biography Tadamune was born as Tora ...

, to inherit the Date clan territory. Zuiho-den06s3200

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 is a group of islands in Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. There are some 260 tiny islands (''shima'') covered in pines (''matsu'') – hence the name – and it is considered to be one of the Three Views of Japan. Nearby cultural properti ...

, 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. Sanjuanbautista

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 Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. In modern times, it normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces i ...

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

Statue-of-Date-Masamune-in-Aobayama-Park-Sendai-2016

* Father: Date Terumune * Mother: Yoshihime (1548–1623), daughter of Mogami Yoshimori the ''daimyō'' of

* Wife:

Megohime was a Japanese noble lady and aristocrat from the Azuchi–Momoyama period to the early Edo period. She is the daughter and only child of Tamura Kiyoaki,Ōshima Kōichi, ''Ichinoseki Domain (Clan Stories Series)'', , page 12 the lord of Miharu ...

, daughter of Tamura Kiyoaki owner of Miharu Castle in

Miharu Domain was a Han (Japan), feudal domain under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period Japan.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003). It was based at Miharu Castle in ...

, 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 was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the early Edo period. He was the eldest son of Date Masamune, born in 1591 by Shinzo no Kata (a concubine). Coming of age while living with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he received a character from Hideyoshi's name and took ...

(1591–1658), by Shinzō no Kata **

Irohahime was a Japanese noble lady and aristocrat from the Sengoku period and Edo period. She was the first daughter of Date Masamune and Megohime, as well as the wife of Matsudaira Tadateru, the sixth son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Her Buddhist name is Tenri ...

(1594–1661), by Megohime, never remarried after the forced divorce with Matsudaira Tadateru **

(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

, 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 *

Katakura Shigenaga was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through early Edo period. The son of Katakura Kagetsuna, Shigenaga was the second man to bear the common name Kojūrō. His name was originally Shigetsuna; however, to avoid conflict with th ...

Inawashiro Morikuni was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku Period, who served the Date clan. He formerly served with the Ashina but he switched from the Ashina clan to the Date clan when Date clan invaded Mutsu Province. In the Sendai domain The , also know ...

Date clan's prominent castles

* Yonezawa Castle: original base of power for the

from 1548 and possibly Masamune's birthplace. *

Tateyama Castle is a Japanese castle located in Tateyama, Chiba, Tateyama, southern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Tateyama Castle was home to the Inaba clan, ''daimyō'' of Tateyama Domain, but the castle is better known for its associati ...

: Date Terumune spent retired life in the castle. There is a possibility Date Masamune was born in Tateyama castle. * Obama Castle: Masamune stayed in the castle from 1585 to 1586. * Kurokawa Castle: original base of power for the

from 1589 to 1591. * Iwadeyama Castle: original base of power for the

from 1591 to 1601. *

Aoba Castle 260px, Layout of Aoba Castle is a Japanese castle located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Throughout the Edo period, Aoba Castle was home to the Date clan, ''daimyō'' of Sendai Domain. The castle was also known as or as . In 2003, the castle ...

: original base of power for the

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 is a district located a few kilometres south of Shinagawa, Tokyo, Japan accessed by rail via the Keihin Tohoku line, or by road via Dai Ichi Keihin. Ōmorikaigan, the eastern area of Ōmori, can be reached via the Keikyu line. Ōmori is on ...

: Date Sanemoto, Date Shigezane *

Shiroishi Castle is a flatland-style Japanese castle in what is now the city of Shiroishi, Miyagi. During the Edo period, it was the castle of the Katakura clan, who were hereditary retainers of the Date clan of Sendai Domain. During the Boshin War, it was als ...

: 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 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 North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...

. Masamune is the protagonist of the anime series '' Masamune Datenicle'', produced by the city of Date in collaboration with Fukushima

Gainax Gainax Co., Ltd. (stylized as GAINAX; , Hepburn: ) was a Japanese anime studio famous for original productions such as '' Neon Genesis Evangelion'', '' Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honnêamise'', '' Gunbuster'', '' Nadia: The Secret of Blue ...

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 is the first title in the series of hack and slash video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based closely around the Sengoku ("Warring States") period of Japanese history and is a sister series of the ''Dynasty Warriors'' series, releas ...

'' (

Koei Koei Co., Ltd. was a Japanese video game publisher, developer, and distributor founded in 1978. The company is known for its historical simulation games based on the novel ''Romance of the Three Kingdoms'', as well as simulation games based o ...

) 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 is a series of video games developed and published by Capcom, and a bigger media franchise based on it, including three anime shows, an anime movie, a live action show, and numerous drama CDs, light novels, manga, and stage plays. Its story ...

'' series (

Capcom is a Japanese video game company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...

), 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 Professional wrestling, often shortened to either pro wrestling or wrestling,The term "wrestling" is most often widely used to specifically refer to modern scripted professional wrestling, though it is also used to refer to Real life, real- ...

organization

Osaka Pro Wrestling is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Osaka. The promotion was founded by Super Delfin on March 4, 1999 following his departure from Michinoku Pro Wrestling, and has been operated by Zeus (Japanese wrestler), Zeus since July 20 ...

featured two wrestlers using the

ring name A ring name is a type of stage name or nickname used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons ...

Masamune was a medieval Japanese blacksmith widely acclaimed as Japan's greatest swordsmith. He created swords and daggers, known in Japanese as ''tachi'' and ''tantō'', in the Japanese sword#Classification by School, ''Sōshū'' school. However, many ...

and Hideyoshi, who together form the

tag team Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establis ...

"Sengoku". In ''

Oda Cinnamon Nobunaga is a Japanese manga series by Una Megurogawa. It has been serialized in Tokuma Shoten's ''seinen'' manga magazine ''Monthly Comic Zenon'', as well as the webmagazine ''Web Comic Zenyon'', since June 2014 and has been collected in ten ''tankō ...

'', 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 Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

miniseries '' Age of Samurai: Battle for Japan'', Date Masamune is portrayed by actor

Hideaki Itō is a Japanese actor. Biography Ito is best known for starring in the hit franchise ''Umizaru'' film series, which consistently topped the Japanese box office of the year. He has also head-lined many other major Japanese films such as Takashi ...

. In the video game ''

Persona 5 Strikers ''Persona 5 Strikers'' is an action role-playing game developed by Omega Force and P-Studio and published by Atlus. The game is a crossover between Koei Tecmo's ''Dynasty Warriors'' franchise and the ''Persona'' series developed by Atlus. The g ...

'' (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 is a Japanese actor. He is best known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in '' Letters from Iwo Jima'' and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in ''The Last Samurai'', for which he was nominated for the Academy Awa ...

played the role of Date Masamune in the 1987

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

Taiga drama is the name NHK gives to the annual year-long historical drama television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white ''Hana no Shōgai'', starring kabuki actor Onoe Shoroku II and Awashima Chikage, the network regul ...

Dokuganryū Masamune is a 1987 Japanese historical television series. It is the 25th NHK ''taiga'' drama. The broadcast received an average viewer rating of 39.7 percent in the Kanto area with the highest viewing rating of 47.8%. The drama was adapted from the novel ...

. Date Masamune is also a route character in the '' Ikemen Sengoku

otome game An is a story-based romance video game targeted towards women with a female protagonist as the player character. Generally one of the goals, besides the main story goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female main player char ...

''.

References

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 refers to the medieval Japanese act of vassals committing suicide for the death of their lord. Background The practice is described by Chinese chronicles, describing the inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago, going as far back as the thi ...

) 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