was an officer under the Uesugi clan following 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 ...

of Japan in the 16th century. He was a commander of the Akada Castle. He was nicknamed the ''

Zhong Kui Zhong Kui (; ; ; ) is a Taoist deity in Chinese mythology, traditionally regarded as a vanquisher of ghosts and evil beings. He is depicted as a large man with a big black beard, bulging eyes, and a wrathful expression. Zhong Kui is able to comm ...

'' of Echigo.

Career

He had a remarkable skill in diplomacy and at the same time, he was skilled in administration skills and

Uesugi Kenshin , later known as , was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (magnate). He was born in Nagao clan, and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful ''daimyō'' of the Sengoku period ...

placed him in a highly trusted position. Served under

Uesugi Kagekatsu was a Japanese samurai ''daimyō'' during the Sengoku and Edo periods. He was the adopted son of Uesugi Kenshin and Uesugi Kagetora’s brother in law. Early life and rise Kagekatsu was the son of Nagao Masakage, the head of the Ueda Naga ...

, after the death of his previous lord, Kenshin. He also thwarted many attacks from the Oda clan. On the occasion of the

Siege of Otate The 1578 took place following the sudden death of Uesugi Kenshin. Kenshin had requested that the inheritance be split between his nephew, Uesugi Kagekatsu, and his adopted son Uesugi Kagetora. This conflict happened because of neither heirs bein ...

, he supported Uesugi Kagekatsu and helped Kagekatsu become successor of the Uesugi clan. Tomonobu fought in several campaigns for the Uesugi throughout his career. He is often considered to be one of the most capable generals for the Uesugi and he was highly regarded for his administrative capabilities as well as a being a terrific warrior.

References

Samurai 1527 births 1591 deaths Uesugi clan Uesugi retainers {{samurai-stub