The battle of Sendanno was a battle during the Sengoku period

Sengoku period

The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...

 (16th century) of Japan, one of many fought by daimyo

Daimyo

is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...

(feudal lords) who sought to suppress the anti-samurai uprisings of the Ikkō-ikki

Ikko-ikki

', literally "Ikkoshū Uprising", were mobs of peasant farmers, Buddhist monks, Shinto priests and local nobles, who rose up against samurai rule in 15th to 16th century Japan. They followed the beliefs of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism which taught that all believers are equally saved by Amida...

. The Ikki were mobs of peasants, commoners, monks and low-ranking samurai who desired the overthrow of the daimyo.

In December 1536, Nagao Tamekage

Nagao Tamekage

was a retainer of Japanese feudal lord Uesugi Fusayoshi, and a daimyo in his own right, during Japan's Sengoku period. According to some scholars, such as George Bailey Sansom, Nagao Tamekage's career makes him representative of the emergence of the daimyo, and the shift of regional power from the...

 set out from the castle of Kasugayama

Kasugayama Castle

' was the primary fortress of the Japanese warlord Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku period. It is situated in what is now the city of Jōetsu, Niigata prefecture, and was originally built and ruled by the Nagao clan....

 to fight against the Ikkō-ikki of Kaga Province

Kaga Province

was an old province in the area that is today the southern part of Ishikawa Prefecture. It was sometimes called .Ruled by the Maeda clan, the capital of Kaga was Kanazawa. Kaga bordered on Echizen, Etchū, Hida, and Noto Provinces...

. They met in battle at a place called Sendanno, in Etchū Province

Etchu Province

was an old province in central Honshū, on the Sea of Japan side. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Echigo Provinces. It bordered Echigo, Shinano, Hida, Kaga, and Noto provinces...

. There, Tamekage was defeated and killed, along with many other Nagao clan warriors. Tamekage's son, known as Terutora, was not present at the battle, but would later become the famous Uesugi Kenshin

Uesugi Kenshin

was a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...

.