Sakai Tadatsugu
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was one of the most favored and most successful military commanders serving
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 ...
in the late
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 ...
. Serving as the highest-ranking general in the Tokugawa clan along with Ishikawa Kazumasa, Tadatsugu is also regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa (''Tokugawa-Shitennō''), along with
Honda Tadakatsu , also called Honda Heihachirō (本多 平八郎) was a Japanese samurai, general, and daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) a ...
, Ii Naomasa, and
Sakakibara Yasumasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period through early Edo period, who served the Tokugawa clan. As one of the Tokugawa family's foremost military commanders, he was considered one of its Shitennō (Tokugawa clan), "Four Guardian ...
. He is also included in another cultural depiction as one of the Tokugawa 16 divine generals (Tokugawa jūrokushinshō). His official title was Sakai ''Saemon-no-jo'' Tadatsugu. Sakai Tadatsugu was also allegedly involved in the conspiracy that caused the death of Lady Tsukiyama and her son, Matsudaira Nobuyasu.


Biography

Tadatsugu was born in 1527 to Sakai Tadachika, a hereditary vassal of the
Matsudaira clan The was a Japanese samurai clan that descended from the Minamoto clan. It originated in and took its name from Matsudaira village, in Mikawa Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). During the Sengoku period, the chieftain of the main line of the ...
of Mikawa Province. At some point, Tadatsugu was commanded by Imagawa Yoshimoto to attack Tada Yasumitsu, an uncle-in-law of Matsudaira Hirotada. Tadatsugu managed to seize the castles in Yasumitsu's possession at Imahashi and Tawara areas. At some point during Tadatsugu's life, Oda Nobuhide, father of
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 ...
, invaded and besieged Ida castle in Mikawa. Tadatsugu and Naitō Nobunari were reportedly sallied out, fighting Nobuhide's army to defend the castle. It is said that after Hirotada's death, in 1551 Tadatsugu served young Ieyasu and led a hostage life in Sunpu. In 1556, according to the records from ''Tosho Gunkan'', Tadatsugu defends Fukutani castle which was besieged by 2,000 cavalry troops of Oda clan led by Shibata Katsuie. Tadatsugu managed to repel the invaders as he led a sallying force outside the castle to engage Katsuie troops. During this battle, Watanabe Yoshitsuna, maternal grandfather of Watanabe Moritsuna, fought under the command of Tadatsugu and manage to kill Katsuie's general named Hayakawa Tōta with a bow. In 1558, Tadatsugu accompanied Ieyasu in the Siege of Terabe. In 1560 at the Siege of Marune, Tadatsugu served as vanguard of Tokugawa forces along with Ishikawa Ienari. After a tough battle, he finally defeated Sakuma Morishige, a general from the Oda side who was defending the fort. It was said that Morishige was killed with arquebus shots from the Tokugawa forces. In 1563, during the Mikawa
Ikkō-ikki were armed military leagues that formed in several regions of Japan in the 15th-16th centuries, composed entirely of members of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism. In the early phases, these ''ikki'' leagues opposed the rule of local Shugo, go ...
uprising, Tadatsugu faithfully followed Ieyasu while his brother, Sakai Tadanao, chose to support the Ikkō-ikki. This religious uprising has four epicenters where the Ikkō-shū radicals fortify their temples. Tadatsugu were tasked to pacify one of those garrisoned temples which was located in Ida village. Sometime before 1564, the same year, Tadatsugu married princess Usui (Usui-Hime), grand-daughter of
Matsudaira Hirotada was the lord of Okazaki Castle in Mikawa province, Japan during the Sengoku Period of the 16th century. He is best known for being the father of Tokugawa Ieyasu, founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Biography Hirotada was the son of Matsudaira ...
and sister to Ieyasu. Later in 1564, Tadatsugu lead an attack towards Yoshida Castle, forcing the lord of the castle, Shizumi Obara, to escape and the castle surrender without a fight. Then in the same year, before the Battle of Azukizaka, Tadatsugu wrote letter to the Ikko-Ikki faction in Mikawa, chastising their rebellious conduct.


Service in Oda-Tokugawa alliance

Sometime around 1565, Tadatsugu urged his superior, Ieyasu, to abandon allegiance towards
Imagawa clan was a Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Kawachi Genji. It was a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Ashikaga clan. Origins Ashikaga Kuniuji, grandson of Ashikaga Yoshiuji, established himself in ...
. After the Tokugawa clan captured Yoshida Castle in eastern Mikawa (present-day
Toyohashi is a Cities of Japan, city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 377,453 in 160,516 households and a population density of 1,400 persons per km2. The total area of the city was . By area, Toyohashi was Aichi Prefec ...
), Ieyasu appointed Tadatsugu to control the castle. Then Ieyasu assigned Tadatsugu, Ishikawa Kazumasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Honda Tadakatsu as chiefs of Tokugawa counsel staffs. By 1567, Ieyasu reorganized the structures of his army in two divisions, each with a separate commander. Tadatsugu was placed over the forces of 18 Tokugawa Fudai & Kamon daimyōs, while Ishikawa Kazumasa, was given command over the forces of 13 ''daimyō''-vassals. This means Tadatsugu was given command of the "Higashi-Mikawa" or "Eastern Mikawa" samurai clans, such as Matsudaira Ietada (Fukōzu), Matsudaira Tadamasa, Matsudaira Ietada (Katahara), and others. Later in 1569, Tadatsugu also participated in the Siege of Kakegawa castle. In 1570, Tadatsugu were involved in the Battle of Anegawa, where the Tokugawa forces forming the left wing of the Oda and Tokugawa alliance forces. Here, Tadatsugu and Ishikawa Kazumasa led the vanguard, while Sakakibara Yasumasa and Honda Tadakatsu led the rearguard of the Tokugawa formation. In 1572, during the
Battle of Mikatagahara The took place during the Sengoku period of Japan between Takeda Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu in Hamamatsu, Mikatagahara, Tōtōmi Province on 25 January 1573. Shingen attacked Ieyasu at the plain of Mikatagahara north of Hamamatsu during hi ...
, Tadatsugu fought the opposing
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 ...
forces on the far-right position of Tokugawa forces stork-shaped formation. At first, Tadatsugu managed to repulse the first wave of Takeda clan's charge led by Oyamada Nobushige. However, as the second wave led by Baba Nobuharu stepped in, rank of units under Tadatsugu were overwhelmed. Tadatsugu struggled as his troops were badly beaten. As Ieyasu and his allies retreated to Hamamatsu Castle, Tadatsugu participated in the ruse which mitigated the effects of Takeda victory in the field, and the Takeda forces withdrew. In June 1574, when the Takeda clan laid siege to Takatenjin,
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 ...
personally lead reinforcements where he encamped in Yoshida castle and was greeted by Tadatsugu. However, as he heard that Takatenjin surrendered, Nobunaga aborted his trip to Takatenjin and returned to Yoshida castle to decide next step. In 1575, When
Takeda Katsuyori was a Japanese ''daimyō'' (military lord) of the Sengoku period, who was famed as the head of the Takeda clan and the successor to the legendary warlord Takeda Shingen. He was son-in-law of Hojo Ujiyasu, ''daimyō'' of Hojo clan. Early life H ...
laying Siege of Yoshida Castle, Tadatsugu defend the garrison with 6,000 soldiers. The battles were exclusively limited to spear skirmishes outside the wall, which frustrated Katsuyori, causing him to abandon the siege. Later in the same year, during the campaign in Nagashino, during the war council discussion before the battle, Tadatsugu expressing his idea about night raid, which was quickly rejected by Nobunaga. However, Nobunaga called Tadatsugu in private after the council and gave him permission to execute the plan in secret, because Nobunaga was afraid if he publicly agreed with Tadatsugu plan during the council discussion, it could potentially be leaked by enemy intelligence. Tadatsugu then was tasked to lead a night raid against the Takeda forces located in Tobinosuyama along with Kanamori Nagachika.Turnbull, Stephen. (2000
''Nagashino 1575: Slaughter at the Barricades'', p. 22, 60.
/ref> They led a
flying column A flying column is a small, independent, military land unit capable of rapid mobility and usually composed of all arms. It is often an ''ad hoc'' unit, formed during the course of operations. The term is usually, though not necessarily, appl ...
of 2,000 Tokugawa archers and Arquebus gunners, which was further supplemented with Oda clan's regiment of cavalry and 500 Arquebus gunners. Tadatsugu led this forces to take the road from Koshu to Horai-ji Temple in Sanshu then crossing a river, until they reached the camp of Takeda forces nearby the besieged Nagashino castle. The forces of Tadatsugu successfully ambushed the Takeda forces, which caused the death of two Takeda generals, Takeda Nobuzane and Saegusa Moritomo. After the enemy troops in nearby Nagashino castle were routed, Tadatsugu also burned Kadoya village nearby the location. As the Nagashino campaign ended, Tadatsugu rewarded further for his deeds defending a castle in Tobinosuyama mountain after the battle of Nagashino, as Oda Nobunaga himself personally gives Tadatsugu with a ''jinbaori''(Samurai commander's jacket), and also a ''Maki no Tachi''(sword's mounting). In 1578, Tadatsugu's son, Sakai Ietsugu (1564–1619), took over his father's role as castellan of Yoshida Castle. The ''ie-'' in the beginning of Ietsugu's name was a special honor bestowed by Tokugawa Ieyasu, a special reward for special vassals, allowing them to use one of the ''
kanji are logographic Chinese characters, adapted from Chinese family of scripts, Chinese script, used in the writing of Japanese language, Japanese. They were made a major part of the Japanese writing system during the time of Old Japanese and are ...
'' from his ''Nanori'' name. In 1579, Tadatsugu were involved with a tragedy that befalls upon Ieyasu family, which ended with Lady Tsukiyama, Ieyasu wife, executed, and their son, Matsudaira Nobuyasu, forced to commit
seppuku , also known as , is a form of Japanese ritualistic suicide by disembowelment. It was originally reserved for samurai in their code of honor, but was also practiced by other Japanese people during the Shōwa era (particularly officers near ...
. Tadatsugu played role in confirming Oda Nobunaga suspicion of the alleged betrayal against the Oda clan being planned by Lady Tsukiyama, thus Nobunaga concluded that if a high-rank Fudai daimyō such as Tadatsugu confirmed the accusation by testifying against Lady Tsukiyama, then her treason must be true. It was said in one theory that Tadatsugu were actually conspiring with Odai no Kata here to get rid off Lady Tsukiyama. While Arthur Lindsay Sadler theorized this is deliberate act of spite from Tadatsugu due to his dislikes towards Nobuyasu.


After Nobunaga's death

In 1582, after
Honnō-ji Incident The was the assassination of Japanese daimyo Oda Nobunaga at Honnō-ji, a temple in Kyoto, on 21 June 1582 (2nd day of the sixth month, Tenshō 10). Nobunaga was on the verge of unifying the country, but died in the unexpected rebellion of ...
, Tadatsugu accompanied Ieyasu in arduous journey to escape the enemies of Nobunaga in
Sakai is a city located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the medieval era. Sakai is known for its '' kofun'', keyhole-shaped burial mounds dating from the fifth century. The ''kofun ...
and returning to Mikawa. However, their journey were very dangerous due to the existence of "Ochimusha-gari" groups across the route. During this journey, Tadatsugu and other senior Ieyasu retainers such as Ii Naomasa and Honda Tadakatsu fought their way out against the raids and harassments from Ochimusha-gari(Samurai hunters) outlaws during their march escorting Ieyasu, while sometimes also paying bribes of gold and silver to the Ochimusha-gari gangs which they could bribe. As they reached Kada, an area between Kameyama town and Iga, The attacks from Ochimusha-gari finally ended as they reached the territory of Kōka ikki Samurais who are friendly to the Tokugawa clan. The Koka ikki samurais then escorting them from until they reached
Iga Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan located in what is today part of western Mie Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Iga" in . Its abbreviated name was . Iga is classified as one of the provinces of the T ...
, where they further protected by samurai clans from
Iga ikki The Iga ''ikki'', full name ''Iga Sokoku Ikki'', also known as the Iga Republic, Iga Confederacy, or Iga Commune, was a republic-style military confederation of ninjas (then known as ''shinobi'') based in Iga Province during the Sengoku period o ...
which accompany the Ieyasu group until they safely reach Mikawa. The '' Ietada nikki'' journal has recorded that the escorts of Ieyasu has suffered around 200 casualties and only 34 person left when they finally arrived at Ietada residence in Mikawa. In June-October 29 of the same year, the Tenshō-Jingo War triangle occurred among the Tokugawa clan,
Hōjō clan The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of '' shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this perio ...
, and
Uesugi clan The is a Japanese samurai clan which was at its peak one of the most powerful during the Muromachi period, Muromachi and Sengoku periods (14th to 17th centuries).Georges Appert, Appert, Georges. (1888) ''Ancien Japon,'' p. 79./ref> At its heigh ...
in a contest to gain control the area 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 ...
, Ueno region, and Kai Province, which has been vacant since the destruction of
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 ...
and the death of Oda Nobunaga. After Ieyasu returned to Mikawa, he began to leading an army of 8,000 soldiers entering Kai Province (currently Gunma Prefecture),
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 ...
, and Ueno, to annex it. However, the
Hōjō clan The was a Japanese samurai family who controlled the hereditary title of '' shikken'' (regent) of the Kamakura shogunate between 1203 and 1333. Despite the title, in practice the family wielded actual political power in Japan during this perio ...
in the
Kantō region The is a geography, geographical region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures of Japan, prefectures: Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefe ...
also led an army of 55,000 men and crossed the Usui Pass to invade Shinano Province. Ieyasu dispatch Tadatsugu and Ogasawara Nobumine with detachment to pacify
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 ...
, while Ieyasu took the main army to pacify Kai. However, Tadatsugu and Nobumine met with unexpected resistance from Suwa Yoritada, a former Takeda vassal who now allied with the Hōjō clan. they were beaten by Moritada, to the point that Tadatsugu's army almost encircled. Tadatsugu then led a desperate breakthrough and breaking the encirclement and retreat into Wakamiko in Kai province, where he rejoin the Ieyasu's main forces. In Wakamiko, the confrontation lasted for 80 days without clear result. During this period, Ieyasu acquired more than 800 former vassals of Takeda clan from Kofu Province. Later, in December, Tadatsugu led the army once again to subdue Suwa Yoritada at Suwa in Shinano, where Tadatsugu manage to subdue Yoritada and secure his surrender to the Tokugawa clan. In 1584, during the Komaki-Nagakute campaign, Tadatsugu successfully turned back a move by
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: ...
forces against Kiyosu Castle, which was led by Toyotomi commander Mori Nagayoshi. Tadatsugu scouted Nagayoshi forces during their march, then as Nagayoshi rest and camp his soldiers Hachimanbayashi area, Haguro. Tadatsugu joined Okudaira Nobumasa and Matsudaira Ietada (Fukōzu) in Komaki to launch the attack at dawn. As they pushed Nagayoshi forces, Tadatsugu tried to encircle Nagayoshi forces from the flank, which caused Nagayoshi lose 300 soldiers. However, they ultimately failed to entrap Nagayoshi as he manage to breaking through the encirclement and retreat. 300 Toyotomi soldiers died in this battle. Following this, Tadatsugu returned to Komaki where he, Honda Tadakatsu, and Ishikawa Kazumasa stationed their troops. After the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute in April, the front line in northern Owari reached stalemate. At this time, Kanie Castle was located about three miles between Ieyasu's Kiyosu Castle and Nobuo's Nagashima Castle, and was connected to the Mie moat and three castles: Ono Castle , Shimojima Castle , and Maeda Castle. At that time, Kanie castle were facing the sea and was one of the leading ports in Owari, along with Atsuta and Tsushima. Then in June 18, Ieyasu and Nobuo led 20,000 soldiers and besieged three castles: siege of Kanie Castle, Maeda Castle, and Shimojima Castle. The Kanie castle were defended by Maeda Nagatane and Takigawa Kazumasu. Tadatsugu, Okanabe Mori, and Yamaguchi Shigemasa spearheading the attack towards Shimojima castle, while Sakakibara Yasumasa, Osuga Yasutaka were deployed to capture any fleeing defenders. During this siege, Ieyasu's
Hatamoto A was a high ranking samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate of feudal Japan. While all three of the Shōgun, shogunates in History of Japan, Japanese history had official retainers, in the two preceding ones, they were referred ...
retainers such as Mizuno Katsunari blockaded the port of the castle, and hijacked two ships belongs to
Kuki Yoshitaka (1542 – November 17, 1600) was a naval commander during Japan's Sengoku Period, under Oda Nobunaga, and later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He was also the ninth headmaster of the Kuki family's school of martial arts, Kukishin-ryū and thus a very ski ...
, to prevent any outside help for Kanie castle. After the fall of Shimojima castle, On June 22, Oda Nobuo and Tokugawa Ieyasu launch an all-out attack on Kanie Castle. The soldiers led by Tadatsugu, who has been deployed at the major entrance, were exhausted after days of fierce fighting, and in the evening, the soldiers of Yasumasa Sakakibara and Ietada Matsudaira entered Kaimonjiguchi in their place. On June 23, Ieyasu entered the castle with Sakakibara Yasumasa, thus the castle were subdued. In 1586, according to " Sakakibara clan historical records", Ieyasu sent Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasu, and Ii Naomasa as representatives to
Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
, where three of them being regarded as "''Tokugawa Sanketsu''"(Three great nobles of Tokugawa). Then in following month, the three of them joined by Tadatsugu Sakai to accompany Ieyasu in his personal trip to Kyoto, where the four of them "became famous".


Post retirement & Death

In 1590, during the Odawara Campaign, Tadatsugu was ordered to accompany Tokugawa Hidetada, Ieyasu's son and heir, to
Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
, where he served as hostage for Ieyasu's loyalty to the Toyotomi during that campaign. After the battle, Hideyoshi ordered to Tokugawa clan to relocate from their ancestral holdings to the
Kantō region The is a geography, geographical region of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. In a common definition, the region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures of Japan, prefectures: Chiba Prefecture, Chiba, Gunma Prefe ...
. Tadatsugu went into retirement, but his son Ietsugu received a 30,000 ''
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 ...
'' '' fudai''
fief A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
at Usui, in
Shimōsa Province was a province of Japan in the area of modern Chiba Prefecture and Ibaraki Prefecture as well as the bordering parts of Saitama Prefecture and Tokyo (the parts that used to be located east of the lower reaches of the old Tone River prior to the ...
, and Tadasugu accompanied them there. Tadatsugu died in
Kyoto Kyoto ( or ; Japanese language, Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan's largest and most populous island of Honshu. , the city had a population of 1.46 million, making it t ...
in the winter of 1596. After Tadatsugu's death, the Sakai clan continued to prosper.


Personal info

Sakai Tadatsugu was the most entrusted Ieyasu's vassal in most of military and political affairs of the Tokugawa clan. He also described by Oda Nobunaga as Ieyasu's right-hand man.


Arms & Weapons

Sakai Tadatsugu owns at least three sets of Japanese armor: # The first set is black and yellow laced infantry designed armor with
Kamakura period The is a period of History of Japan, Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the G ...
style named ''Iroiro Dō-maru''. It is said this set were mostly for ceremonial purpose. # The second set used by Tadatsugu were a Two pieces of vermilion-lacquered black thread armor which reportedly for practical combat use. This set of armor has a
Kabuto ' (兜, 冑) is a type of helmet first used by ancient Japanese warriors that, in later periods, became an important part of the traditional Japanese armour worn by the samurai class and their retainers in History of Japan#Medieval Japan (118 ...
helmet with golden antler horns, similar to horn motives owned by Sanada Yukimura or Tadakatsu Honda. This helmet piece is thought to date as far as from 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 ...
. In 2017, on commemorating the 140th anniversary of Shonai shrine in
Tsuruoka is a Cities of Japan, city in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 125,389 in 49,024 households, and a population density of 95.74 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Tsuruoka is the biggest city in ...
, Chidō Museum officials ordered the a replica of this helmet for exhibition to be made by professional blacksmith from Nagoya city. # Another set of armor believed to be used by Tadatsugu were a 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. ...
region influence which preserved in
Kanagawa Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...
collection In modern era. It has unusual feature of ridged shin-guard. it is believed that Tadatsugu used this armor during the battle of Nagashino. Furthermore, this armor type was first popularized by
Date Masamune was a Japanese ''daimyō'' during the Azuchi–Momoyama period through the early Edo period. Heir to a long line of powerful feudal lords in the Tōhoku region, he went on to found the modern-day city of Sendai. An outstanding tactician, he w ...
, Daimyo of Sendai. Another tools belonged to Tadatsugu which preserved in museum is a Gunbai Uchiwa(軍配団扇) or 'Signal fan', which passed down for generations by the Sakai clan. In 1560, during that time, it is said Tadatsugu killed a
boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
with his katana, earning it the name of the ''Inoshishi-giri'' or ''Inokiri'' (猪切 ''the Boar Slayer''). The blade itself was a work of Masazane from the Tegai school of Nara, and a colleague of the famous Muramasa (or maybe another name for Muramasa himself). Masazane also authored ''Tonbōgiri'' (蜻蛉切 ''the Dragonfly Slayer''), the most famous of the Three Great Spears of Japan (天下三名槍), favourite weapon of
Honda Tadakatsu , also called Honda Heihachirō (本多 平八郎) was a Japanese samurai, general, and daimyo of the late Sengoku through early Edo periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Honda Tadakatsu was one of the Tokugawa Four Heavenly Kings (Shitennō) a ...
, another one of the Tokugawa Shitennō. Another sword owned by Tadatsugu were a Tachi which were said given by Ieyasu for Tadatsugu. It had been passed down through generations by the Sakai clan. Aside from that, there are another Tachi sword possessed by Tadatsugu which forged by Nagamitsu, pupil of renowned swordsmith named Sanemitsu. It is said were given by Oda Nobunaga to Tadatsugu. A legend said that Tadatsugu personal
Yari is the term for a traditionally-made Japanese blade (日本刀; nihontō) in the form of a spear, or more specifically, the straight-headed spear. The martial art of wielding the is called . History The forerunner of the is thought to be a ...
were named ''Kame toshi no yari''(Jar breaking spear), because at some point of his life, he once found an enemy hiding behind a huge clay jar, which Tadatsugu pierce with his Yari spear along with the enemy behind it.


Sakai clan genealogy

The
Sakai clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan that claimed descent from the Nitta clan, Nitta branch of the Minamoto clan, who were in turn descendants of Emperor Seiwa. Serata (Nitta) Arichika, a samurai of the 14th century, was the common a ...
originated in 14th century
Mikawa Province was an Provinces of Japan, old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Mikawa''" in . Its abbreviated form name was . Mikawa bordered on Owari Province, O ...
,Appert, Georges ''et al.'' (1888)
''Ancien Japon,'' p. 76.
/ref> claiming descent from Minamoto Arichika. Arichika had two sons: one of them, Yasuchika, took the name Matsudaira; and the younger, Chikauji, took the name Sakai.Papinot, Jacques. (2003)
''Nobiliare du Japon'' -- Sakai, pp. 50
51; Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie du Japon.'' (in French/German).
Sakai Hirochika, who was the son of Chikauji, likewise had two sons, and their descendants gave rise to the two main branches of the Sakai clan.Papinot
p. 50.
/ref> Tadatsugu was heir to the senior branch of the clan. In 1604, his descendants moved to Takasaki Domain (50,000 ''koku'') in Kōzuke Province; in 1616, they relocated to Takata Domain (100,000 ''koku'') in
Echigo Province was an old provinces of Japan, old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen Province, Uzen, Iwashiro Province, Iwashiro, Kōzuke Province, Kōzuke, Shinano Province, Shinano, and Etchū Province, ...
; in 1619, they were transferred to Matsushiro Domain in
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 ...
; and then, from 1622 through to 1868, they were installed at Tsurugaoka Domain (120,000 ''koku'') in
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 ...
. The head of the Sakai clan was ennobled as a "Count" in the
Meiji period The was an era of Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feudal society at risk of colonizatio ...
.


Appendix


Footnotes


References


Bibliography

* * Appert, Georges and H. Kinoshita. (1888)
''Ancien Japon''.
Tokyo: Imprimerie Kokubunsha. * * * Meyer, Eva-Maria. (1999)
''Japans Kaiserhof in de Edo-Zeit: Unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Jahre 1846 bis 1867''.
Münster: Tagenbuch. * Bryant, Anthony J. (1994)
''Samurai, 1550–1600.''
Oxford:
Osprey Publishing Osprey Publishing is a British publishing company specializing in military history formerly based in Oxford. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company p ...
. * * * Jansen, Marius B. (1995)
''Warrior Rule in Japan''
. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...
. * * Papinot, Jacques Edmund Joseph. (1906) ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du japon''. Tokyo: Librarie Sansaish
..Click link for digitized 1906 ''Nobiliaire du japon'' (2003)
* Plutschow, Herbert. (1995)
''Japan's Name Culture: The Significance of Names in a Religious, Political and Social Context''.
London:
Routledge Routledge ( ) is a British multinational corporation, multinational publisher. It was founded in 1836 by George Routledge, and specialises in providing academic books, academic journals, journals and online resources in the fields of the humanit ...
. (cloth) * * * Turnbull, Stephen R. (2000)
''Nagashino 1575: Slaughter at the Barricades''.
Oxford:
Osprey Publishing Osprey Publishing is a British publishing company specializing in military history formerly based in Oxford. Predominantly an illustrated publisher, many of their books contain full-colour artwork plates, maps and photographs, and the company p ...
. *


External source

{{People of the Sengoku period , state=autocollapse Samurai Daimyo Sakai clan 1527 births 1596 deaths