The Sekigahara Campaign was a series of battles in Japan fought between the Eastern Army aligned with

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 ...

and the Western Army loyal to

Ishida Mitsunari was a Japanese samurai and military commander of the late Sengoku period of Japan. He is probably best remembered as the commander of the Western army in the Battle of Sekigahara following the Azuchi–Momoyama period of the 16th century. He ...

, culminating in the decisive

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

. The conflict was sparked by a punitive expedition led by Ieyasu against the

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 the northeastern

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 ...

, providing Mitsunari with an opportunity to denounce Ieyasu in the name of the infant ruling '' taikō''

Toyotomi Hideyori was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who united all of Japan toward the end of the Sengoku period. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga. Early life Born in 1593, he was Hideyoshi's sec ...

while the Tokugawa troops were in the field. Much of the campaign consisted of a struggle to control key castles on the Tōkaidō and the

Nakasendō The , also called the ,Richard Lane, ''Images from the Floating World'' (1978) Chartwell, Secaucus ; pg. 285 was one of the centrally administered Edo Five Routes, five routes of the Edo period, and one of the two that connected the ''de facto'' ...

, the main roads linking

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

and the capital of

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 ...

. However, battles and sieges far from these key highways, both in the Tōhoku and in pockets of resistance around the capital, had wide-reaching effects on the manoeuvring and availability of troops for the decisive battle at Sekigahara. The campaign also spilled over briefly into the southern island of

Kyūshū is the third-largest island of Japan's four main islands and the most southerly of the four largest islands (i.e. excluding Okinawa and the other Ryukyu (''Nansei'') Islands). In the past, it has been known as , and . The historical regio ...

, but Ieyasu quickly ordered his forces to stand down following his victory for political reasons. The campaign dramatically changed the political landscape of Japan, resulting in the ascendancy of the

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 ...

over 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 ...

and the shifting of political power between the various

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 ...

who participated in it.

Background

With the death of

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: ...

in 1598, his 5 year-old son

succeeded him formally as the '' taikō'' or imperial regent, and rule of Japan fell under a

Council of Five Elders In the history of Japan, the was a group of five powerful formed in 1598 by the Toyotomi Hideyoshi, shortly before his death the same year. While Hideyoshi was on his deathbed, his son, Toyotomi Hideyori, was still only five years old and a ...

appointed by Hideyoshi as regents for Hideyori until he came of age.

, a member of the council, installed himself in Hideyoshi's former residence of

Fushimi Castle , also known as or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a Japanese castle located in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Fushimi Ward, Kyoto. Fushimi Castle was constructed from 1592 to 1594 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the end of the Sengoku period as his retirement residen ...

and arranged political marriages for his children in defiance of the council's restriction on doing so, drawing political ire.

, one of the

Five Commissioners 5 (five) is a number, numeral and digit. It is the natural number, and cardinal number, following 4 and preceding 6, and is a prime number. Humans, and many other animals, have 5 digits on their limbs. Mathematics 5 is a Fermat pri ...

appointed to civil administration by Hideyoshi, attempted to approach

Maeda Toshiie was one of the leading generals of Oda Nobunaga following the Sengoku period of the 16th century extending to the Azuchi–Momoyama period. His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as "Yari no Mataza" (槍の又左), Matazaemon (又左 ...

, a councilman and guardian of Hideyori, at

Ōsaka Castle is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi–Momoyama period. Layout The inner keep of O ...

to conspire against Ieyasu; however, the intervention of

Hosokawa Tadaoki was a Japanese samurai lord and daimyo of the late Sengoku period and early Edo period. He was the son of Hosokawa Fujitaka and Numata Jakō, and the husband of the famous Christian convert Hosokawa Gracia. For most of his life, he went b ...

, a friend of Ieyasu and of the Maeda clan, convinced Toshiie's son Toshinaga to dissuade Toshiie from opposing Ieyasu. Mitsunari resorted to attempting an assassination plot on Ieyasu, but when the plot failed, several of Ieyasu's generals independently attempted to eliminate Mitsunari. Mitsunari infamously escaped the castle at night disguised as a woman and fled to Fushimi Castle to beg Ieyasu to protect him from retaliation. Ieyasu agreed on the condition that Mitsunari go into exile in his holding at

Sawayama Castle was a castle in the city of Hikone, Shiga, Hikone, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. This castle was an important military stronghold of Ōmi Province. The Azai clan held this castle in the Sengoku Period. Niwa Nagahide held it after the ruin of the Az ...

in the spring of 1599. Soon after, Maeda Toshiie died in April, and Toshinaga was elected to replace him; however, Ieyasu himself took up guardianship of Hideyori, occupying Ōsaka Castle on 28 October and further enraging the commissioners and council.

Mobilisation

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 ...

, another councilman, defied Ieyasu by militarising, ordering 80,000 men to construct a castle in

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 ...

and expand its fortifications and road networks. On 7 May 1600, Ieyasu dispatched a letter to Kagekatsu demanding an explanation, Kagekatsu's chief advisor,

Naoe Kanetsugu was a Japanese samurai of the 16th–17th centuries. The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi ''daimyōs''. He was also known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami (山城守) or ...

responded with mocking refusal. Subsequent negotiations broke down, with Kagekatsu even attempting to have one of Ieyasu's envoys killed as a spy, and after Kagekatsu refused to present in person at Ōsaka to account for his actions, Ieyasu summoned a war council on 12 July to plan a punitive expedition. On 24 July, Ieyasu departed from Ōsaka Castle for his punitive campaign, stopping at Fushimi Castle the next night to give his retainer

Torii Mototada was a Japanese samurai and daimyo of the Sengoku-through late-Azuchi–Momoyama periods, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. Torii died at the siege of Fushimi, where his garrison was greatly outnumbered and destroyed by the army of Ishida Mitsunari. ...

instructions against a likely Ishida-backed assault before continuing towards Aizu. Ieyasu was wary of a sudden attack by Mitsunari and his allies, and so he marched at a slow pace to monitor his rivals' movements, arriving in Edo on 10 August where he began mustering troops.

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 ...

and his uncle

Mogami Yoshiaki was a ''daimyō'' of the Yamagata Domain in Dewa Province, in the late Sengoku period, Sengoku and early Edo periods. He was known as the "Fox of Dewa". His younger sister, Yoshihime, later became the wife of Date Terumune and gave birth to Ma ...

, rulers 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. ...

and Yamagata respectively on the border with the Uesugi clan's territory, returned swiftly to their home provinces to defend against Kagekatsu. Mitsunari immediately began summoning conspirators to Sawayama Castle following Ieyasu's departure, some even being convinced to abandon their journeys to join Ieyasu's campaign such as

Ōtani Yoshitsugu was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. He was also known by his court title ''Junior Assistant Minister of Justice'' or . He was born in 1558 to a father who was said to be a retainer of either Ōtom ...

. On 17 August Mitsunari's war council resolved to form the Western Army as a coalition against Ieyasu, with councilman

Mōri Terumoto Mōri Terumoto (毛利輝元, January 22, 1553 – June 2, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō''. The son of Mōri Takamoto, and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, he fought against Oda Nobunaga but was eventually overc ...

as its nominal commander-in-chief. According to the letters from Mitsunari to Kagekatsu, it was recorded that Mitsunari also sought cooperation with him to plan a joint attack against Ieyasu army. However, due to lack of coordination, and alleged mistrust from Kagekatsu, in the end he did not move his troops to pursue the Ieyasu's army which were on their way returning to Kyoto as Mitsunari intended. On 22 August 1600, the coalition entered Ōsaka Castle and proclaimed the creation of the Western Army, claiming guardianship of Hideyori. The same day, Mitsunari issued a series of 13 charges against Ieyasu on behalf of the Five Commissioners and three members of the Council of Five Regents. This proclamation effectively marked the declaration of war between the Western and Eastern armies.

Chūbu-Kansai theatre

Engagements around Kyoto

The first major assault of the Western Army in the region of the capital was the

siege of Fushimi Castle The siege of Fushimi was a crucial battle in the series leading up to the decisive Battle of Sekigahara which ended Japan's Sengoku period. Fushimi Castle was defended by a force loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu's Eastern army, led by Torii Mototada. K ...

commencing 27 August. Torii Mototada was resolved to defend the garrison to the last, and despite setbacks the defense held until 6 September when Mototada committed

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 ...

with his remaining forces, majorly setting back Mitsunari's attempts to support his castles along the Nakasendō road. Nine days later, Mitsunari entered

Ōgaki Castle 270px, Ōgaki Castle in 1933 270px, Edo period layout map of Ōgaki Castle is a flatlands-style Japanese castle located in the city of Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. During the Sengoku period, Ōgaki Castle was home to several of Toyotomi Hide ...

uncontested. Though the Western Army had attempted to win over the loyalty of

Hosokawa Fujitaka , also known as , was a Japanese ''daimyō'' and prominent samurai lord of the Sengoku period. A former senior retainer of Ashikaga Yoshiaki, the fifteenth and final Ashikaga shōgun, Fujitaka later aligned with Oda Nobunaga. As a reward fo ...

, the father of the Eastern Army general Hosokawa Tadaoki, Mitsunari had alienated Fujitaka during the period following Ieyasu's departure from Ōsaka through an abortive hostage-taking ploy resulting in the death of Tadaoki's wife. Fujitaka had instead fortified Tanabe in

Tango Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of northern Kyoto Prefecture. Tango bordered on Tanba Province, Tanba to the south, Tajima Province, Tajima to the west, and Wakasa Province, Wakasa to the east. Its abbreviated form name ...

with 500 men in support of Ieyasu. In mid-August, even prior to the official denouncement of Ieyasu, 15,000 Ishida troops under

Onoki Shigekatsu The manga and anime series features an extensive cast of characters created by Masashi Kishimoto. The series takes place in a Ninja World, fictional universe where countries vie for power by employing ninja who can use Jutsu (Naruto), special ...

had begun a siege of the fortress. However, Fujitaka's influence and prestige as a scholar-poet was so great that the sympathetic Ishida troops gave a weak offense, such as "forgetting" to load cannons before firing on the keep. The siege only ended 19 October following an order by the emperor to surrender to preserve his life and his precious library, following which the Western Army facilitated his retirement to Kyoto. Ōtsu Castle on the southwest shore of

Lake Biwa is the largest freshwater lake in Japan. It is located entirely within Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshu), northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Lake Biwa is an ancient lake, over 4 million years old. It is estimated to be the 13 ...

, garrisoned by

Kyōgoku Takatsugu was a ''daimyō'' (military feudal lord) of Ōmi Province and Wakasa Province during the late Sengoku period of History of Japan, Japan's history.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Edmond. (2003)''Nobiliare du Japon'', pp. 27–28./ref> Biography His chi ...

came under siege on 13 October by the 15,000-strong Western forces of Mōri Motoyasu,

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 ...

and

Tsukushi Hirokado was a military commander during the Sengoku period to the early Edo period in Japan. Based at Katsuo Castle in Hizen Province, he controlled an area extending to the southwestern part of Chikuzen Province. He was a son of . In 1578, he rebell ...

, along with a naval blockade by

Mashita Nagamori was a ''daimyō'' in Azuchi–Momoyama period, and one of the '' Go-Bugyō'' appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Also called Niemon (仁右衛門) or by his court title, Uemon-no-jō (右衛門尉). He was sent to Korea as one of the Three Burea ...

. The staunch resistance of the Eastern Army troops under Takatsugu was only ended on the 21 October after the Western Army bombarded the castle from Mount Nagara, by which point the Western besiegers, like Onoki Shigekatsu's troops at Tanabe, were too late to join the decisive battle at Sekigahara.

Tōkaidō campaign

On 29 August, Ieyasu had established a base of operations in Oyama, and by 1 September Ieyasu began relocating 50,000 troops mustered in Edo north to Oyama, preparing to strike at Kagekatsu in Aizu but not expecting to do so, believing the Date, Mogami and Maeda forces sufficient to halt the Uesugi advance. With the news of the fall of Fushimi, Ieyasu quickly returned to Edo by 10 September, already planning a westward return. Eager to secure the crossroads near

Gifu Castle is a Japanese castle located in the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Along with Mount Kinka and the Nagara River, it is one of the main symbols of the city. The castle is also known as . It was designated a National Historic Site in 2011. ...

now threatened by the Western Army at Ōgaki Castle, Ieyasu sent

Fukushima Masanori was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period to early Edo period and served as the lord of the Hiroshima Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583 and soon became known as one of the ...

Kuroda Nagamasa was a ''daimyō'' during the late Azuchi–Momoyama and early Edo periods. He was the son of Kuroda Kanbei, Toyotomi Hideyoshi's chief strategist and adviser. Biography Nagamasa's childhood name was Shojumaru (松寿丸). In 1577 his fathe ...

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

ahead along the Tōkaidō road with 16,000 men, followed by 15,000 men under

Ikeda Terumasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the early Edo period. His court title was ''Kokushi (officials), Musashi no Kami''. Terumasa was also known by the nickname ''saigoku no shōgun'', or, "The ''Shōgun'' of Western Japan". Terumasa fought in many ...

Asano Yoshinaga was a Japanese samurai and feudal lord of the late Sengoku and early Edo periods. His father served as one of the '' Go-Bugyō'' in the late Azuchi–Momoyama period. Asano Yoshinaga was born at Odani, in the Asai district of Ōmi Province, in ...

and

Yamanouchi Kazutoyo , also pronounced Yamanouchi (1545/1546? – November 1, 1605), was a retainer of Oda Nobunaga and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His father Yamauchi Moritoyo was a descendant of Fujiwara no Hidesato, a senior retainer of the Iwakura Oda clan (opp ...

, to fortify Masanori's holding of Kiyosu and to seize Gifu Castle from

Oda Hidenobu , the son of Oda Nobutada, was a samurai who lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the late-16th century. He was a convert to Catholicism. His childhood name was Sanbōshi (三法師). Succession dispute When Oda Nobutada and Oda Nobuna ...

. The combined 31,000 troops of this "Tōkaidō Corps" quickly besieged Gifu on 28 September and forced the capitulation of Hidenobu. At first, Mitsunari wanted to use

and

as choke points to impede the Eastern army advances. However, several developments of war forced him to abort the plan as: * Gifu castle was captured by the Eastern Army under

and

Ii Naomasa was a general under the Sengoku period ''daimyō'', and later ''shōgun'', Tokugawa Ieyasu. * On September 13,

Shimazu Yoshihiro was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and the younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. Traditionally believed to be the 17th head of the Shimazu clan, he was a skilled general during the Sengoku period who greatly contributed to the unificatio ...

was defeated by Mizuno Katsunari in the battle of Sone Castle, following which Katsunari burned the outer moat of Ōgaki Castle and forced Shimazu Yoshihiro to retreat into

Ise Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today includes most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered on Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History The name of Ise appears ...

. This forced Mitsunari to prepare for the open engagement on the field of

Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

. Meanwhile in Ōsaka,

Mōri clan The was a Japanese clan, Japanese samurai clan descended from Ōe no Hiromoto. Ōe no Hiromoto was descended from the Fujiwara clan. The family's most illustrious member, Mōri Motonari, greatly expanded the clan's power in Aki Province. Durin ...

retainer

Kikkawa Hiroie (December 7, 1561 – October 22, 1625) was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama period through early Edo period. Hiroie's father was Kikkawa Motoharu and his mother was a daughter of Kumagai Nobunao. Biography He initially ...

was enraged by Mitsunari confining Mōri Terumoto, nominal commander-in-chief of the Western Army, to the castle, and in response to the insult Hiroie secretly communicated with the Tōkaidō Corps promising to keep the 36,000 Mōri troops from engaging the Eastern Army. Mōri Hidemoto, Terumoto's cousin and deputy, also urged Terumoto to defect to the Eastern Army before any engagement occurred. On 29 September, the Tōkaidō Corps occupied the highlands of Akasaka to threaten Ōgaki Castle as Nabeshima Naoshige besieged the Eastern Army stronghold of Matsuoka Castle. The following day, 30,000 Western troops under Mori Hidemoto, Chōsokabe Morichika, and Nabeshima Katsushige besieged An'nōzu Castle, held by Fukuda Nobutaka and his 1,700-strong garrison. Ishida Mitsunari left Ōgaki Castle on 1 October for Sawayama Castle, where he relented and summoned Mōri Terumoto, who had returned to his own domain to raise troops, to return; one messenger was intercepted, and though a second messenger succeeded in prompting Terumoto to depart with his 30,000 troops, they were delayed from reaching the major confrontations. Ieyasu moved quickly towards the capital region, reaching Shimada in Suruga Province on 12 October and Nakaizumi in Totomi Province the following day. At the same time, Mōri Hidemoto and Kikkawa Hiroie entered Mino Province and fortified Mount Nangu. During this march, Ieyasu received a letter from Western Army commander Kobayakawa Hideaki offering to defect to the Eastern Army. On 17 October Ieyasu reached Kiyosu Castle, intending to bypass Ōgaki entirely to threaten Sawayama Castle or Ōsaka, and 2 days later he had arrived at Gifu Castle. Ieyasu arrived in Akasaka around noon on 20 October, meeting up with the main body of the Tōkaidō Corps, and encamped on the hill at Okayama. Western Army generals convinced Mitsunari to permit a testing raid, and

Shima Sakon , also known as Shima Tomoyuki and Shima Katsutake, was a Japanese samurai of the late Sengoku period. His nickname was (Shima Nearby on the Left). Sakon eventually left the service of the Hatakeyama clan, Tsutsui Junkei, Toyotomi Hidenaga an ...

and Akashi Masataka led a small force to attack the Eastern Army at the Kuisegawa river near Ōgaki, mauling the Eastern Army and forcing them to retreat to Sekigahara to regroup. That night,

with

Ukita Hideie was the ''daimyō'' of Bizen and Mimasaka Provinces (modern Okayama Prefecture), and one of the council of Five Elders appointed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Son of Ukita Naoie, he married Gōhime, a daughter of Maeda Toshiie. Having fought a ...

's support suggested a night assault on the exhausted Eastern Army troops, but was opposed by Shima Sakon who convinced Mitsunari to decline the proposal, insulting Yoshihiro. Mitsunari instead ordered a general withdrawal in the evening to the valley of Sekigahara after learning of Kobayakawa Hideaki's occupation of Mount Matsuo, emptying Ōgaki Castle of most of its garrison. On 21 October, the Western Army arrayed itself in the valley with Mitsunari's headquarters at the foot of Mount Sasao facing the Eastern Army, while Mōri Hidemoto led a separate formation at the Eastern Army's left flank at the foot of Mount Nangu. While both sides became aware of each others' positions at dawn, a thick fog halted plans initially and battle was not commenced until 8am when the fog cleared. The subsequent

battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was an important battle in Japan which occurred on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, ...

saw a decisive defeat for the Western Army, with Mitsunari's contingent annihilated by Kobayakawa Hideaki defecting to the Eastern Army and rolling down the formation's right flank, while after a smaller engagement and the treachery of

forced the eastern formation under Mōri Hidemoto to withdraw rather than join battle. From 21 to 30 October, Ōgaki Castle was subsequently besieged and taken by the Eastern Army, while on 22 October Kobayakawa Hideaki began besieging Sawayama, ostensibly as a sign of penance and loyalty to Ieyasu; Ishida Masazumi, Mitsunari's brother and commander at Sawayama, capitulated and committed suicide on the second day of the siege. Ishida Mitsunari and

Ankokuji Ekei was a military monk and descendant of the Takeda clan of Aki province. He served the Mōri clan and later the Toyotomi clan. Biography Although it is certain that he was from the Aki Takeda clan, there are various theories about his birth yea ...

were captured fleeing north from Sekigahara, and were subsequently executed in Kyoto on 9 November.

Nakasendō campaign

On 25 August, Ōtani Yoshitsugu had made contact with the

Sanada clan The is a Japanese clan.Edmond Papinot, Papinot, Jacques Edmond Joseph. (1906). ''Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie du Japon''; Papinot, (2003)("Sanada," ''Nobiliare du Japon'', p. 52 DF 56 of 80/nowiki> retrieved 2013-5-3. The Sana ...

at Ueda Castle and recruited

Sanada Masayuki was a Japanese Sengoku period lord and ''daimyō''. He was the head of Sanada clan, a regional house of Shinano Province, which became a vassal of the Takeda clan of Kai Province. Along with his father and brothers, Masayuki served the Taked ...

and his son Yukimura; the eldest son,

Sanada Nobuyuki was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period. He was the son of ''daimyō'' Sanada Masayuki and the older brother of Sanada Yukimura. Early life He was the first son of Sanada Masayuki and his wife, Kansho-in. His younger brother was Sanada Yu ...

, had already been sent by Masayuki to join the Tokugawa, with whom he already had marriage ties through his wife

Komatsuhime (1573 – March 27, 1620) was a female warrior (''onna-musha'') during the Azuchi-Momoyama period and early Edo period. Born the daughter of Honda Tadakatsu, she was adopted by lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, before marrying Sanada Nobuyuki. She is d ...

in an attempt to preserve the Sanada clan. After dispatching the Tōkaidō Corps, Ieyasu sent his son

Tokugawa Hidetada was the second ''shōgun'' of the Tokugawa dynasty, who ruled from 1605 until his abdication in 1623. He was the third son of Tokugawa Ieyasu. Early life (1579–1593) Tokugawa Hidetada was born to Tokugawa Ieyasu and the Lady Saigō on May ...

along the Nakasendō road with 36,000 men towards Mino, ordering him to threaten

Ueda Castle is a Japanese castle located in Ueda, northern Nagano Prefecture, Japan. At the end of the Edo period, Ueda Castle was home to a cadet branch of the Matsudaira clan, ''daimyō'' of Ueda Domain, but the castle is better known for its association w ...

while continuing on to meet the Tōkaidō Corps. He reached Karuizawa on 7 October and subsequently arrived in Komoro on 12 October; however, there he disobeyed his father's orders and instead marched on Ueda, encaping at Sometani. Komatsuhime herself had a brief but bloodless confrontation at Numata Castle with Masayuki and Yukimura before the

siege of Ueda Sekigahara campaign Sieges of the Sengoku period Attacks on castles in Japan Shinano Province Ueda, Nagano Military history of Nagano Prefecture The siege of Ueda was staged in 1600 by Tokugawa Hidetada, son and heir of the warlord Tokugawa ...

began in earnest.小松姫の墓（芳泉寺） , 上田市文化財マップ
/ref> Hidetada, being unexperienced in warfare at 21 years old, besieged Ueda Castle and its commander

unsuccessfully until 16 October, at which point he realised his delay and broke the siege to continue westward along the Nakasendō. He would still, however, only rendezvous with his disappointed father's forces late in the day on 21 October, after the

had been fought and decided.

Tōhoku theatre

Uesugi Kagekatsu's uprising began in earnest even before the Western Army's proclamation, but Date Masamune and Mogami Yoshiaki began responding to hostilities even before the declaration of war. The Satake clan of

Kubota Domain was a Han (Japan), feudal domain in Edo period Japan, located in Dewa Province (modern-day Akita Prefecture), Japan. It was centered on Kubota Castle in what is now the city of Akita, Akita, Akita and was thus also known as the . It was governe ...

declared neutrality in the conflict due to a secret treaty with the Uesugi and the divided sympathies of clan head

Satake Yoshinobu was a ''daimyō'' in Sengoku period and early Edo period Japan under the Tokugawa shogunate and the 19th head of the Satake clan and 1st ''daimyō'' of Kubota Domain in Dewa Province. His courtesy title was '' Sakon-no-e-shōshō'', later '' ...

. Maeda Toshinaga also declared for the Tokugawa, but was initially blocked from supporting the campaign due to an internal conflict with the pro-Western faction within the Maeda clan led by his brother Toshimasa in

Noto Province was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area that is today the northern part of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, including the Noto Peninsula (''Noto-hantō'') which is surrounded by the Sea of Japan. Noto bordered on Etchū Province, E ...

. Toshinaga eventually laid siege to Daishōji Castle on 7 September, prompting the suicide of the garrison commander and Toshimasa's capitulation.

Keichō Dewa Campaign

The northern campaign in and around Dewa province, known as the Keichō Dewa Campaign, was the key flashpoint providing the ''casus belli'' for the Sekigahara Campaign at large, and largely consisted of actions by the

against the combined forces of

and

in an unsuccessful attempt to draw Ieyasu's troops northward from Edo. In the course of responding to the Uesugi clan's mobilisation prior to the declaration of war,

seized

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 ...

south of Sendai from the Western Army-aligned Uesugi army in a short siege from the 18–19 August. Masamune's 20,000 troops under Katakura Kagetsuna, Oniniwa Tsunamoto and Yashiro Kageyori attacked Matsukawa, defended by 6,000 defenders under Honjo Shigenaga and Suda Nagayoshi, on October 6, but were repelled.

nominated

to lead the campaign against the Date and Mogami. The three-division invasion of Mogami territory was launched on 14 October with the aims of taking Yamagata Castle, the 10,000-strong headquarters of

. Kanetsugu advanced from Yonezawa on 14 October with 20,000 troops of the first division westward towards Yamagata Castle; en route, the Uesugi army besieged Hataya Castle on 18 October, where the garrison of 300 led by Eguchi Gohei fell defending it to the last man. Simultaneously, the 4,000-strong second division under Honmura Chikamori and Yokota Munetoshi besieged Kaminoyama Castle south of Yamagata, held by the Mogami retainer Satomi Minbu; the Uesugi forces conquered it but suffered setbacks thanks to a Mogami counterattack, losing Chikamori in battle and delaying the second division's approach towards Yamagata. The third division, comprising 3,000 men under Shida Yoshihide and Shimo Yoshitada, also advanced towards Yonegawa from the north via Shōnai. Kanetsugu arrived at Hasedō Castle on 21 October, the day of the

, commencing the

Siege of Hasedō The was one of a series of battles fought in the far north of Japan's main island of Honshū (the Tōhoku region) contemporaneous with the famous and decisive campaigns between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari further south. Prelude Over ...

. During the course of the siege, Date Masamune and

Rusu Masakage was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through Azuchi-Momoyama period. Served as a retainer of the Date clan Masakage was the uncle of the famous Date Masamune.

crossed the mountain passes to encamp 2.5 km east of Yamagata on 24 October, and

Rusu Masakage was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period through Azuchi-Momoyama period. Served as a retainer of the Date clan Masakage was the uncle of the famous Date Masamune.

led an attempt to relieve the siege, prompting Kanetsugu to attempt to storm Hasedō; the assault was repelled, and Kanetsugu retreated leaving a holding force to threaten Hasedō. On November 5, news finally reached Kanetsugu of the defeat at Sekigahara and orders were given to lift the siege entirely, withdrawing the skeleton force to Yonezawa. Date Masamune capitalised on this withdrawal by attempting to besiege Fukushima Castle on 12 November, but withdrew when Uesugi Kagekatsu led a force to relieve the defenders. The Uesugi conflict with the Date and Mogami would outlast the Sekigahara Campaign proper, with a subsequent abortive attempt by Date Masamune to take Fukushima Castle defeated in battle at Matsukawa on 28 May 1601.

Kyūshū theatre

In the run-up to hostilities,

Nabeshima Naoshige was a warlord of the Sengoku and early Edo periods and progenitor of the Nabeshima lords of the Saga Domain. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005)"Nabeshima Naoshige"in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 680. Naoshige was the second son of . His mothe ...

Saga Domain was a Japanese domain of the Edo period Tokugawa Shogunate. It encompassed most of what are now Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures and was ruled from Saga Castle in what is now the urban center of the city of Saga. It was ruled through its histo ...

intended to support the Tokugawa; however, his son Katsushige was present at Mitsunari's war council on 17 August and swayed him towards joining the Western Army. However, while the Nabeshima forces participated in some operations on Honshu including the assaults on Fushimi and Annotsu, Naoshige eventually recalled Katsushige to Kyūshū prior to the decisive battle at Sekigahara and switched allegiance to the Eastern Army. Tachibana clan head

also joined the Western Army forces under the Mōri clan, leaving the defense of their hegemon

Ōtomo clan The was a Japanese samurai family whose power stretched from the Kamakura period through the Sengoku period, spanning over 400 years. The clan's hereditary lands lay in Kyūshū. Origins The first family head, Ōtomo Yoshinao (1172–1223), ...

's territory to his wife and co-clan head Ginchiyo. However, following the defeat at Sekigahara which Muneshige could not attend due to the protracted siege of Ōtsu, Muneshige also returned to defend his Kyūshū holdings.

Katō Kiyomasa was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama period, Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. His court title was . His name as a child was ''Yashamaru'', and first name was ''Toranosuke''. He was one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Hideyoshi's Seven ...

quickly began a campaign in Kyūshū to besiege the holdings of

Konishi Yukinaga Konishi Yukinaga (小西行長, baptized under the Portuguese personal name Agostinho; 1558 – November 6, 1600) was a Japanese daimyō who served under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Known as a Kirishitan daimyo, he is notable for his role as the ...

, a Mōri vassal and rival of Kiyomasa's who had fought under the Western Army at Sekigahara and fled into hiding following the battle.

Kuroda Yoshitaka , also known as , was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the late Sengoku period, Sengoku through the early Edo period. Renowned as a man of great ambition, he succeeded Takenaka Hanbei as a chief strategist and adviser to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Kuroda b ...

also separately marched on Ōtomo Yoshitsugu's territory, taking Ishitatewara Castle easily on 19 October. Kiyomasa besieged Udo Castle before meeting up with

, who had already conquered several minor locations on Kyūshū, and Nabeshima Katsushige, whose family had defected to the Tokugawa. The two then began the siege of Yanagawa in

Chikugo Province was a province of Japan in the area of northern Kyūshū, corresponding to part of southwestern Fukuoka Prefecture. Chikugo bordered on Higo and Chikugo to the southeast, and Chikuzen to the north and east, Bungo to the east and Hizen to t ...

, defended by Tachibana Muneshige and Tachibana Ginchiyo. The Tachibana troops continued to hold out in the castle, with Ginchiyo organising an ad-hoc militia of nuns to slow the advance of the Eastern Army, donning armour herself to serve as Muneshige's rearguard. Muneshige eventually surrendered the castle following the suggestion that he defect to the Eastern Army in order to attack the

Shimazu clan The were the ''daimyō'' of the Satsuma han, which spread over Satsuma, Ōsumi and Hyūga provinces in Japan. The Shimazu were identified as one of the '' tozama'' or outsider ''daimyō'' familiesAppert, Georges ''et al.'' (1888). in contr ...

, their long-time rivals; however, Ieyasu instituted a plan of appeasement for the Shimazu to prevent unrest following their defeat at Sekigahara, and so forbade any further action against them.Kerr, George H. (2000).

Appendix

Footnotes

References

Bibliography

* * * *{{cite book, last=Turnbull , first=Stephen , title=War in Japan 1467-1615 , series=Osprey Essential Histories , volume=46 , location=Oxford , publisher=

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 ...

, isbn=978-1-84176-480-1 , year=2002