Battle of Gifu Castle
Encyclopedia
The was a battle in August 1600 that led to the destruction of Gifu Castle
in Gifu
, Mino Province
(modern-day Gifu Prefecture
), Japan
. The battle served as a prelude to the Battle of Sekigahara
the following month. It pitted Oda Hidenobu
of the western forces (and loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori
) against Ikeda Terumasa
and Fukushima Masanori
of the eastern forces (and loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu
). The castle was destroyed as a result of the battle.
, Hidenobu was not able to predict where the eastern forces would cross the Kiso River
and continue their westward march. To defend against all possibilities, Hidenobu set up fortifications throughout the area, with Gifu Castle at the center, dividing his forces and weakening their total strength.
's Kōda (present-day city of Ichinomiya
, Aichi Prefecture
) in Owari Province
to the neighboring Haguri District's Kōdajima (present-day city of Kakamigahara
, Gifu Prefecture) in Mino Province
. (The two Haguri Districts had previously been one district in Owari Province, hence their same names and proximity.) During their march, they crossed the Kiso River.
While crossing the river, a contingent of Hidenobu's musketeers fought their advance in the Battle of Kōda Kisogawa Tokō (河田木曽川渡河の戦い Kōda Kisogawa Tokō no Tatakai). After defeating the musketeers, Terumasa's forces continued their march. On the afternoon of August 22, they arrived in the village of Komeno (present-day town of Kasamatsu
) and fought a force of 3,000 men under Dodo Tsunaie (百々綱家) at the Battle of Komeno (米野の戦い Komeno no Tatakai) and defeated them. At the time of the defeat, Hidenobu was in the nearby village of Injiki (present-day Ginan
) and decided to remove his forces to Gifu Castle, instead of attacking the eastern forces where they were.
(present-day Ichinomiya), but they found western forces deeply entrenched on the opposite banks and decided to head further south to cross the river. They eventually crossed at Higashikaganoi and traveled by Kaganoi Castle (加賀野井城 Kaganoi-jō) (in present-day Hashima
, Gifu Prefecture) before they turned north and surrounded Takegahana Castle. Sugiura Shigekatsu (杉浦重勝) initially resisted Masanori's forces, but Mōri Hiromori (毛利広盛), the leader of his supporting forces, capitulated to Masanori and Shigekatsu had no choice but to do the same and Takegahana Castle fell.
After the victories by Terumasa and Masanori, the two forces joined together at the Arata River
(荒田川 Arata-gawa) south of Gifu Castle to begin their final advance.
and Inuyama
castles. While waiting for the forces to arrive, Hidenobu stayed in Gifu Castle thinking that they would be able to trap the opposing forces between his castle and the supporting forces from Ōgaki and Inuyama. The Toyotomi clan
also sent some forces to Gifu Castle to help with the defense.
Even though Hideyoshi thought that Gifu Castle could withstand any attack, he still put forces at mountain passes around the castle, protecting each route to it. Hidenobu and his brother Oda Hidenori (織田秀則) were put in charge of the men at Gifu Castle, with Tsuda Tōsaburō (津田藤三郎), Kozukuri Tomoyasu (木造具康) and Dodo Tsunaie in charge of the remaining men, again dividing and weaking Hidenobu's forces.
At daybreak on August 23, the eastern forces received warning of the buildup of forces from Ōgaki and Inuyama castles. To prepare for battle by placing the forces of Yamauchi Kazutoyo
, Arima Toyōji (有馬豊氏), Togawa Tatsuyasu (戸川達安) and Horio Tadauji
in villages to the southeast of Gifu Castle and the forces of Tanaka Yoshimasa (田中吉政), Tōdō Takatora
and Kuroda Nagamasa
to the southwest.
Later in the morning, they began to move towards Zuiryū-ji
, where they encountered Asano Yoshinaga and the fighting began. As Ii Naomasa
fought through other mountains on the way to Gifu Castle, Masanori joined him and threw all of his forces into the battle, completely surrounding the castle.
During the battle, no supporting forces from Inuyama Castle arrived. The lord of the castle, Ishikawa Sadakiyo (石川貞清) remained in his castle with other leaders after he made an agreement with Naomasa not to join in the battle. Ōgaki Castle did send supporting forces; however, they were too late to help with the battle.
All of Gifu Castle, other than the donjon, fell to the eastern forces. Hidenobu kept fighting until the end, but his army was reduced to just tens of men. Hidenobu was prepared to fight until his death, but was convinced to surrender to the eastern forces. In the end, Gifu Castle fell in just one day.
and became a monk. He died there five years later.
Gifu Castle
is a 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.-History:Gifu Castle was first built by the Nikaidō clan between 1201 and 1204 during the Kamakura Period....
in Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
, Mino Province
Mino Province
, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....
(modern-day Gifu Prefecture
Gifu Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Chūbu region of central Japan. Its capital is the city of Gifu.Located in the center of Japan, it has long played an important part as the crossroads of Japan, connecting the east to the west through such routes as the Nakasendō...
), Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. The battle served as a prelude to the Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara
The , popularly known as the , was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 which cleared the path to the Shogunate for Tokugawa Ieyasu...
the following month. It pitted Oda Hidenobu
Oda Hidenobu
was the son of Oda Nobutada and lived during the Azuchi-Momoyama period in the late-16th century. His other name was Sanpōshi .-Succession dispute:...
of the western forces (and loyal to Toyotomi Hideyori
Toyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
) against Ikeda Terumasa
Ikeda Terumasa
was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. His court title was Musashi no Kami.Terumasa fought in many of the battles of the late Azuchi-Momoyama Period, and due to his service at the Battle of Sekigahara, received a fief at Himeji....
and Fukushima Masanori
Fukushima Masanori
was a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku Period to early Edo Period who served as 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 Seven Spears of Shizugatake which also included Katō Kiyomasa and...
of the eastern forces (and loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
). The castle was destroyed as a result of the battle.
Prelude
As the eastern forces progressed up the TōkaidōTokaido (road)
The ' was the most important of the Five Routes of the Edo period, connecting Edo to Kyoto in Japan. Unlike the inland and less heavily travelled Nakasendō, the Tōkaidō travelled along the sea coast of eastern Honshū, hence the route's name....
, Hidenobu was not able to predict where the eastern forces would cross the Kiso River
Kiso River
The is a river in Japan roughly 193 km long, flowing through the prefectures of Nagano, Gifu, Aichi, and Mie before emptying into Ise Bay a short distance away from the city of Nagoya. It is the main river of the Kiso Three Rivers and forms a major part of the Nōbi Plain...
and continue their westward march. To defend against all possibilities, Hidenobu set up fortifications throughout the area, with Gifu Castle at the center, dividing his forces and weakening their total strength.
Terumasa's forces
Hearing of Hidenobu's movements, Terumasa's forces grouped together to combine their strengths. Early on the morning of August 22, 1600, the combined forces moved from Haguri DistrictHaguri District, Aichi
Haguri was a district located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.As of 2003-final population count, the district had an estimated population of 31,684 and a density of 3,331.65 persons per km²...
's Kōda (present-day city of Ichinomiya
Ichinomiya, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city is often called Owari-Ichinomiya to avoid confusion with another Ichinomiya . The pre-expansion city was once part of now-defunct Nakashima District until September 1, 1921....
, Aichi Prefecture
Aichi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...
) in Owari Province
Owari Province
was an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....
to the neighboring Haguri District's Kōdajima (present-day city of Kakamigahara
Kakamigahara, Gifu
is a city located in the Gifu Prefecture of central Japan. It was founded on 1 April 1963 by the merger of Naka, Sohara, Unuma, and Inaba. Kakamigahara covers a total area of...
, Gifu Prefecture) in Mino Province
Mino Province
, one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassed part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mino Province bordered Echizen, Hida, Ise, Mikawa, Ōmi, Owari, and Shinano Provinces....
. (The two Haguri Districts had previously been one district in Owari Province, hence their same names and proximity.) During their march, they crossed the Kiso River.
While crossing the river, a contingent of Hidenobu's musketeers fought their advance in the Battle of Kōda Kisogawa Tokō (河田木曽川渡河の戦い Kōda Kisogawa Tokō no Tatakai). After defeating the musketeers, Terumasa's forces continued their march. On the afternoon of August 22, they arrived in the village of Komeno (present-day town of Kasamatsu
Kasamatsu, Gifu
is a town located in Hashima District, Gifu, Japan., the town has an estimated population of 22,829. The total area is 10.36 km². The town of Kasamatsu was created in July 1889 when the village of Kasamatsu gained town status.-External links:*...
) and fought a force of 3,000 men under Dodo Tsunaie (百々綱家) at the Battle of Komeno (米野の戦い Komeno no Tatakai) and defeated them. At the time of the defeat, Hidenobu was in the nearby village of Injiki (present-day Ginan
Ginan, Gifu
is a town located in Hashima District, Gifu, Japan., the town has an estimated population of 23,856. The total area is 7.90 km².-External links:*...
) and decided to remove his forces to Gifu Castle, instead of attacking the eastern forces where they were.
Masanori's forces
Around the same time, Masanori's forces tried to cross the Kiso River near Owari Province's Nakashima DistrictNakashima District, Aichi
was a district located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, which existed until 2005.As of 2003, the district had an estimated population of 36,239 and a population density of 1,170.89 persons per km². The total area was 30.95 km².-Merger:...
(present-day Ichinomiya), but they found western forces deeply entrenched on the opposite banks and decided to head further south to cross the river. They eventually crossed at Higashikaganoi and traveled by Kaganoi Castle (加賀野井城 Kaganoi-jō) (in present-day Hashima
Hashima, Gifu
is a city located in the Gifu Prefecture of central Japan.Hashima covers a total area of 87.77 km². As of July 2011 the city has an estimated population of 67,041 inhabitants.The city was founded on 1 April 1954.-External links:*...
, Gifu Prefecture) before they turned north and surrounded Takegahana Castle. Sugiura Shigekatsu (杉浦重勝) initially resisted Masanori's forces, but Mōri Hiromori (毛利広盛), the leader of his supporting forces, capitulated to Masanori and Shigekatsu had no choice but to do the same and Takegahana Castle fell.
After the victories by Terumasa and Masanori, the two forces joined together at the Arata River
Arata River
The is a river in Japan which flows through the city of Gifu, Gifu Prefecture. It originates in the eastern part of the city and flows westward before joining with the Nagara River. It is part of the Kiso River system....
(荒田川 Arata-gawa) south of Gifu Castle to begin their final advance.
Battle
On the evening of August 22, the combined eastern forces continued their pursuit of Hidenobu. To strengthen his own forces, Hidenobu sent out requests for help to nearby ŌgakiOgaki Castle
is a castle located in the city of Ōgaki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. Other names for the castle include Bi Castle and Kyoroku Castle .-History:...
and Inuyama
Inuyama Castle
is located in the city of Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The castle overlooks the Kiso River, which serves as the border between Aichi and Gifu prefectures. Inuyama Castle is one of the 12 Japanese castles still in existence which were built before the Edo period....
castles. While waiting for the forces to arrive, Hidenobu stayed in Gifu Castle thinking that they would be able to trap the opposing forces between his castle and the supporting forces from Ōgaki and Inuyama. The Toyotomi clan
Toyotomi clan
Originating in Owari Province, the served as retainers to the Oda clan throughout 16th-century Japan's Sengoku 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 unifier and the...
also sent some forces to Gifu Castle to help with the defense.
Even though Hideyoshi thought that Gifu Castle could withstand any attack, he still put forces at mountain passes around the castle, protecting each route to it. Hidenobu and his brother Oda Hidenori (織田秀則) were put in charge of the men at Gifu Castle, with Tsuda Tōsaburō (津田藤三郎), Kozukuri Tomoyasu (木造具康) and Dodo Tsunaie in charge of the remaining men, again dividing and weaking Hidenobu's forces.
At daybreak on August 23, the eastern forces received warning of the buildup of forces from Ōgaki and Inuyama castles. To prepare for battle by placing the forces of Yamauchi Kazutoyo
Yamauchi Kazutoyo
' also spelled Yamanouchi , was born the son of Yamanouchi Moritoyo in Owari Province at the end of the Sengoku period of Japan. Kazutoyo held the title of Tosa no kami....
, Arima Toyōji (有馬豊氏), Togawa Tatsuyasu (戸川達安) and Horio Tadauji
Horio Tadauji
Horio Tadauji was a tozama daimyō in the Azuchi-Momoyama period and Edo period.His father was Horio Yoshiharu....
in villages to the southeast of Gifu Castle and the forces of Tanaka Yoshimasa (田中吉政), Tōdō Takatora
Todo Takatora
was a Japanese daimyo of the Azuchi-Momoyama period through Edo period. He rose from relatively humble origins as an ashigaru to become a daimyo...
and Kuroda Nagamasa
Kuroda Nagamasa
was a daimyo of Japan. He was the son of Kuroda Kanbei.In 1577, When Nagamasa was a small child, his father was condemned as a spy by Oda Nobunaga. Nagamasa was kidnapped and nearly killed as a hostage. Takenaka Hanbei ended up rescuing him....
to the southwest.
Later in the morning, they began to move towards Zuiryū-ji
Zuiryu-ji (Gifu)
is a Buddhist temple of the Rinzai sect built in Mino Province . It is a branch temple of Myōshin-ji in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan....
, where they encountered Asano Yoshinaga and the fighting began. As Ii Naomasa
Ii Naomasa
was a general under the Sengoku period Daimyo, and later Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa along with Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa and Sakai Tadatsugu.-Early life:...
fought through other mountains on the way to Gifu Castle, Masanori joined him and threw all of his forces into the battle, completely surrounding the castle.
During the battle, no supporting forces from Inuyama Castle arrived. The lord of the castle, Ishikawa Sadakiyo (石川貞清) remained in his castle with other leaders after he made an agreement with Naomasa not to join in the battle. Ōgaki Castle did send supporting forces; however, they were too late to help with the battle.
All of Gifu Castle, other than the donjon, fell to the eastern forces. Hidenobu kept fighting until the end, but his army was reduced to just tens of men. Hidenobu was prepared to fight until his death, but was convinced to surrender to the eastern forces. In the end, Gifu Castle fell in just one day.
Aftermath
Hidenobu continued fighting in support of Hideyori; however, after Hideyori's forces lost the Battle of Sekigahara the following month, Hidenobu moved to Mount KōyaMount Koya
is the name of mountains in Wakayama Prefecture to the south of Osaka. Also, Kōya-san is a modifying word for Kongōbuji . There is no one mountain officially called Kōya-san in Japan....
and became a monk. He died there five years later.