The battle of Mimasetōge took place in 1569, as the forces of Takeda Shingen

Takeda Shingen

, of Kai Province, was a preeminent daimyo in feudal Japan with exceptional military prestige in the late stage of the Sengoku period.-Name:Shingen was called "Tarō" or "Katsuchiyo" during his childhood...

 withdrew from repeated failed sieges of the Hōjō clan

Late Hojo clan

The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...

's Odawara Castle

Odawara Castle

is a landmark in the city of Odawara in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.-History:Odawara was a stronghold of the Doi clan during the Kamakura period, and a fortified residence was built by their collateral branch, the Kobayakawa clan stood on the approximate site of the present castle...

 in the Kanagawa Prefecture

Kanagawa Prefecture

is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...

 of 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 Hōjō forces, led by the brothers Ujiteru

Hojo Ujiteru

' was a Japanese samurai, who was the son of Hōjō Ujiyasu and lord of Hachiōji Castle in what is now Tokyo.Ujiteru commanded a major force at the battle of Mimasetoge, where he unsuccessfully attempted to prevent Takeda Shingen from withdrawing to his home province of Kai after sieging the Hōjō's...

 and Ujikuni

Hojo Ujikuni

was a samurai of the Sengoku period, and the third son of Hōjō Ujiyasu. Ujikuni was a high ranking commander in the invasion of Kozuke. He was also the castellan in command of Hachigata Castle in Musashi province, which came under siege twice, in 1568 and in 1590.After losing his castle to...

, laid in wait for him in the pass of Mimase. The Takeda vanguard, which included Baba Nobuharu

Baba Nobuharu

, also known as ', was a samurai of Japan's Sengoku period and one of Takeda Shingen's so-called "Twenty-Four Generals"; they were his most trusted commanders. Baba fought at the battles of Mikatagahara and Nagashino, where he led the vanguard of Takeda Katsuyori's right-wing.When Takeda Shingen...

, was hard-pressed; Shingen himself led up the Takeda main body. The battle turned in favor of the Takeda when Yamagata Masakage

Yamagata Masakage

was one of the 24 generals of the Takeda clan. He was famous for his red armour and skill in battlefield, and was a personal friend of Takeda Shingen. He was the younger brother of Obu Toramasa who was also a retainer of Shingen leading the famous "red fire unit"...

launched a furious counterattack, inflicting heavy casualties on the Hôjô. The Hôjô were defeated and forced to retreat north, allowing the Takeda to return to Kai - though leaving behind some 900 dead.