Battle of Komaki and Nagakute
Encyclopedia
The consisted of two battles in 1584 between the forces of Hashiba Hideyoshi (who would become Toyotomi Hideyoshi
in 1586) and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu
and Tokugawa Ieyasu
. Hideyoshi and Ieyasu had both served Oda Nobunaga
and had not previously come into conflict; this would in fact be their only period of enmity. The battle is also sometimes referred to as the Komaki Campaign (小牧の役 Komaki no Eki).
, Hideyoshi supported Nobukatsu, the second son of Oda Nobunaga
, and defeated Shibata Katsuie
, who supported Nobunaga's third son, Nobutaka
. After winning the battle, Hideyoshi invited Nobukatsu and other generals to his residence at Osaka Castle
, which he had just completed that same year. The meaning of such an invitation was for all the men to pay homage to Hideyoshi, which would reverse the roles between Hideyoshi and Nobukatsu. Therefore, Nobukatsu broke his bonds to Hideyoshi and did not go to Osaka Castle. Hideyoshi offered reconciliation to three of Nobukatsu's chief retainers (Tsugawa Yoshifuyu, Okada Shigetaka
and Azai Nagatoki), which led to rumors that they were all in support of Hideyoshi. This in turn lead to Nobukatsu becoming paranoid and executing the three men on the sixth day of the third month. These actions gave Hideyoshi the justification for attacking Nobukatsu and, in response, Nobukatsu went to Ieyasu asking for auxiliary forces. The next day, when Ieyasu sent his forces out to battle, and it became a battle between Hideyoshi and Ieyasu.
and gave rise to the name "Battle of Komaki." The rest of the battles took place around Nagakute
, giving rise to the modern-day names for the conflict.
. On that same day, warriors of the Oda clan
's vassals who were led by Ikeda Tsuneoki
switched to the side of Hideyoshi and took over Inuyama Castle
, which had originally been built by Oda Nobunaga
. Ieyasu was upset upon hearing this news and rushed to Inuyama Castle, arriving two days later. At the same time, Mori Nagayoshi
began his attempt for the castle. (Nagayoshi was the brother of Mori Ranmaru
, who died at the Incident at Honnō-ji with Nobunaga.) Despite fierce arquebus
fire from Mori's men, Sakai Tadatsugu
succeeded at flanking and attacking Mori in the rear. Mori fled, having suffered 300 casualties.
On the sixteenth day of the month, forces called to support Inuyama Castle arrived in Haguro. Ieyasu, however, had already known of these plans and had Sakai Tadatsugu
and Sakakibara Yasumasa
move 5,000 troops to Haguro that same evening. Early the following morning, Tadatsugu's troops launched a surprise attack on Nagayoshi, whose troops barely escaped after the onslaught. On the eighteenth, without fear of raids from enemies, Ieyasu took over Inuyama Castle and finished the protections that had first been built up by Hideyoshi.
and if we were to move our arms against him, we will certainly win." The ambitious Hideyoshi decided to set out for Mikawa, along with the support of Nagayoshi (who had regained his reputation at the Battle of Haguro), Tsuneoki (who was embarrassed by his daughters marriage) and the young Hidetsugu (17yo, at the time). Toyotomi Hidetsugu was able to amass 8,000 men, which were supported by Hori Hidemasa
's 3,000 men, Mori Nagayoshi's 3,000 men and Tsuneoki's 6,000 men. On the following day, they all set out for Mikawa.
was fought between the forces of Niwa Ujishige and Ikeda Tsuneoki. Though it was just part of overall Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, it played an important role in the outcome.
On the seventh day of the month, Ieyasu learned of Hidetsugu's encampment at Shinogi (modern-day Kasugai
) through the information provided by farmers in Iga Province
. He entered into Obata Castle (Moriyama-ku
, Nagoya) the following day and chose to pitch camp for the evening. Early the next morning, he sent both the Niwa clan
and the forces of Sakakibara Yasumasa
to chase after Hidetsugu, and followed shortly thereafter with his own. Hidetsugu resumed his march on the eighth after hearing of Ieyasu's entrance to Obata Castle, but on the next morning, the situation changed very rapidly. Ikeda Tsuneoki
led the attack of Iwasaki Castle
(modern-day Nisshin
) and was promptly shot off of his horse. Embarrassed by his fall, Tsuneoki forgot about the hit-and-run tactics
and started a full assault on the castle. Though the defenders fought well, the castle fell.
During the battle, Mori Nagayoshi, Hori Hidemasa and Hidetsugu all rested their forces at the modern-day cities of Owariasahi
, Nagakute
and Nisshin, waiting for the oncoming forces, as Ieyasu was closing in on them.
) died.
with an army numbering 20,000. Tokugawa expected this and led a force to follow Hideyoshi's. Mizuno Tadashige
led Tokugawa's rearguard against Ikeda's force and the noise of the battle alerted Hori Hidemasa
, the head of one of Hideyoshi's divisions.
Hori Hidemasa led his men to the defense of his comrades, taking up position in the village of Nagakute. He held off the initial Tokugawa attacks, but was forced to withdraw as the main body of the Tokugawa army, numbering some 9000 warriors, arrived.
es and then charged the Ii clan
's divisions of the Tokugawa force. Mori Nagayoshi
, another of Hideyoshi's commanders, waited until Tokugawa moved in to support the Ii, so that he could flank
them. However, Tokugawa charged forward, rather than swinging around, and avoided the flanking maneuver. Mori Nagayoshi was shot off his horse, which demoralized Ikeda's force. Ikeda's head was taken soon afterwards and, despite Hideyoshi's arrival with reinforcements, Ieyasu decided to withdraw, unwilling to risk further casualties, and returned to Komaki.
attacked Ieyasu's Kanie Castle, but was driven back. As a result, Kazumasu had his responsibilities taken from him and removed from Ieyasu's group. On the ninth day of the ninth month, Sassa Narimasa
, at the behest of Ieyasu, attacked Suemori Castle
in Noto Province
, forcing out its resident, Maeda Toshiie
.
, the public records of the Tokugawa clan
and the shogunate
refer to these battles as Battle of Komaki (小牧陣 Komaki no Jin). However, there are also documents that refer to it as the Battle of Iwasakiguchi (岩崎口の戦い Iwasakiguchi no Tatakai). There are places where the fighting in Nagakute is called the Battle of Nagakute (長久手合戦 Nagakute Gassen), but the two battles have generally been merged into one. Many other names have also been used to describe these battles, some of which separate the two, while the others keep them together. During the Meiji Restoration
, the various Japanese words for battles, campaigns, etc., were mostly unified, leading to it sometimes being called the Komaki and Nagakute Campaign (小牧・長久手の役 Komaki-Nagakute no Eki). Through all of this, though, "Battle of Komaki and Nagakute" has come to be the accepted name.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
in 1586) and the forces of Oda Nobukatsu
Oda Nobukatsu
was a Japanese samurai of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. He was the second son of Oda Nobunaga. He survived the decline of the Oda clan from political prominence, becoming a daimyo in the early Edo period.-Kitabatake clan:...
and 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...
. Hideyoshi and Ieyasu had both served Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
and had not previously come into conflict; this would in fact be their only period of enmity. The battle is also sometimes referred to as the Komaki Campaign (小牧の役 Komaki no Eki).
Background
In 1583, at the Battle of ShizugatakeBattle of Shizugatake
The was a battle in Sengoku period Japan between supporters of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobutaka.In May, 1583, a former general of Nobunaga's named Shibata Katsuie coordinated a number of simultaneous attacks on Shizugatake, a series of forts held by Hideyoshi's generals among whom was Nakagawa...
, Hideyoshi supported Nobukatsu, the second son of Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
, and defeated Shibata Katsuie
Shibata Katsuie
or was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga.-Biography:Katsuie was born in the Shibata family, a branch of the Shiba clan . Note the differences between , , and the .Katsuie was the retainer of Oda Nobukatsu...
, who supported Nobunaga's third son, Nobutaka
Oda Nobutaka
was a samurai and member of Oda clan. He was adopted as the head of Kanbe clan that ruled the middle region of Ise Province and was also called Kanbe Nobutaka ....
. After winning the battle, Hideyoshi invited Nobukatsu and other generals to his residence at Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle
is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan.Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.-Description:...
, which he had just completed that same year. The meaning of such an invitation was for all the men to pay homage to Hideyoshi, which would reverse the roles between Hideyoshi and Nobukatsu. Therefore, Nobukatsu broke his bonds to Hideyoshi and did not go to Osaka Castle. Hideyoshi offered reconciliation to three of Nobukatsu's chief retainers (Tsugawa Yoshifuyu, Okada Shigetaka
Okada Shigetaka
' was a retainer of the Japanese clan of Oda following the Sengoku period to the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century of Japan. Shigetaka was the son of Okada Shigeyoshi, one of the Seven Spears of Azukizaka. Shigetaka along with his father both served under a son of Oda Nobunaga, known as...
and Azai Nagatoki), which led to rumors that they were all in support of Hideyoshi. This in turn lead to Nobukatsu becoming paranoid and executing the three men on the sixth day of the third month. These actions gave Hideyoshi the justification for attacking Nobukatsu and, in response, Nobukatsu went to Ieyasu asking for auxiliary forces. The next day, when Ieyasu sent his forces out to battle, and it became a battle between Hideyoshi and Ieyasu.
Order of Events
The first of these battles was fought around Mount KomakiMount Komaki
is an high mountain located in the city of Komaki, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. At one point, the mountain was topped with the original Komakiyama Castle, built by Oda Nobunaga. However, in modern days, the entire mountain has become a historical park, well-known for its sakura trees. The current...
and gave rise to the name "Battle of Komaki." The rest of the battles took place around Nagakute
Nagakute, Aichi
is a town located in Aichi District, Aichi, Japan.On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute...
, giving rise to the modern-day names for the conflict.
Battle of Haguro
On the thirteenth day of the third month, Ieyasu arrived at Kiyosu CastleKiyosu Castle
is a castle that acted as a base of operations for Oda Nobunaga during the latter half of the Sengoku period of feudal Japan. It is located in the city of Kiyosu, Aichi Prefecture, Japan....
. On that same day, warriors of the Oda clan
Oda clan
The was a family of Japanese daimyo who were to become an important political force in the unification of Japan in the mid-16th century. Though they had the climax of their fame under Oda Nobunaga and fell from the spotlight soon after, several branches of the family would continue on as daimyo...
's vassals who were led by Ikeda Tsuneoki
Ikeda Tsuneoki
, also known as Ikeda Nobuteru , was a daimyo and military commander during the Sengoku period and Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century of Japan. He was a retainer of the famous warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His father was Ikeda Toshitsune, who served Oda Nobuhide...
switched to the side of Hideyoshi and took over Inuyama Castle
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....
, which had originally been built by Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
. Ieyasu was upset upon hearing this news and rushed to Inuyama Castle, arriving two days later. At the same time, Mori Nagayoshi
Mori Nagayoshi
was an officer under the Oda clan following Japan's 16th-century Sengoku period, and the older brother of the famous Mori Ranmaru.Nagayoshi was known to have such a bad temper and to be particularly ruthless in battle that he came to be known as the "Devil." Nagayoshi's efforts for Toyotomi...
began his attempt for the castle. (Nagayoshi was the brother of Mori Ranmaru
Mori Ranmaru
, born Mori Nagasada , was the son of Mori Yoshinari, and had 5 brothers in total, from the province of Mino. He was a member of the Mori Clan, descendants of the Seiwa Genji....
, who died at the Incident at Honnō-ji with Nobunaga.) Despite fierce arquebus
Arquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
fire from Mori's men, Sakai Tadatsugu
Sakai Tadatsugu
was one of the most favored and most and successful military commanders serving Tokugawa Ieyasu in the late-Sengoku period. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa .along with Honda Tadakatsu, Ii Naomasa, and Sakakibara Yasumasa.-Sakai clan genealogy:The Sakai clan originated in...
succeeded at flanking and attacking Mori in the rear. Mori fled, having suffered 300 casualties.
On the sixteenth day of the month, forces called to support Inuyama Castle arrived in Haguro. Ieyasu, however, had already known of these plans and had Sakai Tadatsugu
Sakai Tadatsugu
was one of the most favored and most and successful military commanders serving Tokugawa Ieyasu in the late-Sengoku period. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa .along with Honda Tadakatsu, Ii Naomasa, and Sakakibara Yasumasa.-Sakai clan genealogy:The Sakai clan originated in...
and Sakakibara Yasumasa
Sakakibara Yasumasa
was a Japanese daimyo 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 "Four Guardian Kings"...
move 5,000 troops to Haguro that same evening. Early the following morning, Tadatsugu's troops launched a surprise attack on Nagayoshi, whose troops barely escaped after the onslaught. On the eighteenth, without fear of raids from enemies, Ieyasu took over Inuyama Castle and finished the protections that had first been built up by Hideyoshi.
Mission to Mikawa
Hideyoshi and his troops left his fortifications at Osaka Castle on the 21st day of the month, arriving at Inuyama Castle on the 27th day, and in Gakuden (present-day Inuyama) on the fifth day of the following month. Ieyasu, between entering Komakiyama Castle and arriving in Gakuden, had stayed away from battle, except for a few smaller skirmishes here and there. Hideyoshi was lulled into complacency by this situation, aided by Tsuneoki, who said to him, "Ieyasu is now in Komakiyama Castle. He is away from his main base in OkazakiOkazaki, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As of August 2011, the city had an estimated population of 373,339 and a population density of 964 persons per km². The total area was 387.24 km².-Geography:...
and if we were to move our arms against him, we will certainly win." The ambitious Hideyoshi decided to set out for Mikawa, along with the support of Nagayoshi (who had regained his reputation at the Battle of Haguro), Tsuneoki (who was embarrassed by his daughters marriage) and the young Hidetsugu (17yo, at the time). Toyotomi Hidetsugu was able to amass 8,000 men, which were supported by Hori Hidemasa
Hori Hidemasa
, also known as Hori Kyūtarō , was a samurai retainer of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku period. He was one of Hideyoshi's greatest generals, and commanded his forces in several of his most major battles....
's 3,000 men, Mori Nagayoshi's 3,000 men and Tsuneoki's 6,000 men. On the following day, they all set out for Mikawa.
Battle of Iwasaki Castle
The Battle of Iwasaki CastleIwasaki Castle
is a hill castle located in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was built during the Sengoku period in Owari Province and was a support castle to Shobata Castle .-History:...
was fought between the forces of Niwa Ujishige and Ikeda Tsuneoki. Though it was just part of overall Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, it played an important role in the outcome.
On the seventh day of the month, Ieyasu learned of Hidetsugu's encampment at Shinogi (modern-day Kasugai
Kasugai, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi, Japan. The city was founded on June 1, 1943. As of March 1, 2010, the city had an estimated population of 303,181 and a density of . The total area is ....
) through the information provided by farmers in Iga Province
Iga Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iga bordered on Ise, Ōmi, Yamato, and Yamashiro Provinces.-Geography:...
. He entered into Obata Castle (Moriyama-ku
Moriyama-ku, Nagoya
is one of the wards of the city of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.Moriyama Ward has one university, Kinjo University, and a campus of Aichi Prefectural University....
, Nagoya) the following day and chose to pitch camp for the evening. Early the next morning, he sent both the Niwa clan
Niwa clan
The ' was a Japanese samurai clan which rose to prominence in the Sengoku period. Its members claimed descent from the medieval Kodama family. Famous clan members included Oda Nobunaga's senior retainer Niwa Nagahide, as well as Nagahide's 19th century descendants Niwa Nagatomi, Niwa Nagakuni, and...
and the forces of Sakakibara Yasumasa
Sakakibara Yasumasa
was a Japanese daimyo 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 "Four Guardian Kings"...
to chase after Hidetsugu, and followed shortly thereafter with his own. Hidetsugu resumed his march on the eighth after hearing of Ieyasu's entrance to Obata Castle, but on the next morning, the situation changed very rapidly. Ikeda Tsuneoki
Ikeda Tsuneoki
, also known as Ikeda Nobuteru , was a daimyo and military commander during the Sengoku period and Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century of Japan. He was a retainer of the famous warlords Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. His father was Ikeda Toshitsune, who served Oda Nobuhide...
led the attack of Iwasaki Castle
Iwasaki Castle
is a hill castle located in Nisshin, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was built during the Sengoku period in Owari Province and was a support castle to Shobata Castle .-History:...
(modern-day Nisshin
Nisshin, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.As of July 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 83,120, with 32,471 households and a population density of 2,381.66 persons per km². Its total area is 34.90 km².The city was founded on October 1, 1994....
) and was promptly shot off of his horse. Embarrassed by his fall, Tsuneoki forgot about the hit-and-run tactics
Hit-and-run tactics
Hit-and-run tactics is a tactical doctrine where the purpose of the combat involved is not to seize control of territory, but to inflict damage on a target and immediately exit the area to avoid the enemy's defense and/or retaliation.-History:...
and started a full assault on the castle. Though the defenders fought well, the castle fell.
During the battle, Mori Nagayoshi, Hori Hidemasa and Hidetsugu all rested their forces at the modern-day cities of Owariasahi
Owariasahi, Aichi
is a city located in Aichi Prefecture, Japan.As of June 30, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 81,517 with 32,588 households and a population density of 3,878.07 persons per km². The total area is 21.02 km². The city was part of Higashikasugai District until December 1, 1970, which...
, Nagakute
Nagakute, Aichi
is a town located in Aichi District, Aichi, Japan.On March 25, 2005, Expo 2005 opened with its main site being in Nagakute...
and Nisshin, waiting for the oncoming forces, as Ieyasu was closing in on them.
Battle of Hakusanmori
At the time that Ikeda Tsuneoki was shot and fell from his horse at Iwasaki Castle, Toyotomi Hidetsugu moved his forces to Hakusanmori (present-day Owariasahi) to rest, but it was there that he met the forces of Ieyasu and Sakakibara Yasumasu. Hidetsugu's forces were pretty much destroyed by Ieyasu's surprise attack. Hidetsugu himself was knocked from his horse, but was able to get another horse and escape. It was at this battle that many members of the Kinoshita clan (including Sukehisa, the father of Hideyoshi's wife, NeneNene (person)
or One was an aristocratic lady during the Sengoku and Edo periods of Japanese history known for her intelligence and marriage to Toyotomi Hideyoshi...
) died.
Battle of Hinokigane
Following the battle of Hakusanmori, Tokugawa fortified Mt. Komaki, creating a stalemate there. Thus, Ikeda Nobuteru, one of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's chief commanders, decided to begin raids through neighboring Mikawa ProvinceMikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
with an army numbering 20,000. Tokugawa expected this and led a force to follow Hideyoshi's. Mizuno Tadashige
Mizuno Tadashige
was a retainer of the Japanese clan of Tokugawa following the later years of the Azuchi-Momoyama period of the 16th century. Tadashige was the son of Mizuno Tadamasa and the brother of Mizuno Nobumoto....
led Tokugawa's rearguard against Ikeda's force and the noise of the battle alerted Hori Hidemasa
Hori Hidemasa
, also known as Hori Kyūtarō , was a samurai retainer of Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi during Japan's Sengoku period. He was one of Hideyoshi's greatest generals, and commanded his forces in several of his most major battles....
, the head of one of Hideyoshi's divisions.
Hori Hidemasa led his men to the defense of his comrades, taking up position in the village of Nagakute. He held off the initial Tokugawa attacks, but was forced to withdraw as the main body of the Tokugawa army, numbering some 9000 warriors, arrived.
Battle of Nagakute
The battle proper began as Ikeda's men opened fire with their arquebusArquebus
The arquebus , or "hook tube", is an early muzzle-loaded firearm used in the 15th to 17th centuries. The word was originally modeled on the German hakenbüchse; this produced haquebute...
es and then charged the Ii clan
Ii clan
The ' is a Japanese clan which originates in Tōtōmi Province. It was a retainer clan of the Imagawa family, and then switched sides to the Matsudaira clan of Mikawa Province. A famed 16th century clan member, Ii Naomasa, served as one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's generals, and received the fief of Hikone...
's divisions of the Tokugawa force. Mori Nagayoshi
Mori Nagayoshi
was an officer under the Oda clan following Japan's 16th-century Sengoku period, and the older brother of the famous Mori Ranmaru.Nagayoshi was known to have such a bad temper and to be particularly ruthless in battle that he came to be known as the "Devil." Nagayoshi's efforts for Toyotomi...
, another of Hideyoshi's commanders, waited until Tokugawa moved in to support the Ii, so that he could flank
Flanking maneuver
In military tactics, a flanking maneuver, also called a flank attack, is an attack on the sides of an opposing force. If a flanking maneuver succeeds, the opposing force would be surrounded from two or more directions, which significantly reduces the maneuverability of the outflanked force and its...
them. However, Tokugawa charged forward, rather than swinging around, and avoided the flanking maneuver. Mori Nagayoshi was shot off his horse, which demoralized Ikeda's force. Ikeda's head was taken soon afterwards and, despite Hideyoshi's arrival with reinforcements, Ieyasu decided to withdraw, unwilling to risk further casualties, and returned to Komaki.
Aftermath
When news of the loss at the Battle of Hakusanmori arrived in the afternoon, the 20,000 troops of Hideyoshi rushed to Ryūsen-ji, near the battle site. Later that evening, when they heard that Ieyasu was staying at Obata Castle, they decided to assault it the next morning; however, during that time, Ieyasu had left Obata Castle, went to Komakiyama Castle and finally returned to Kiyosu Castle. Hideyoshi heard the news of Ieyasu's departure shortly thereafter and, on the tenth day of the fourth month, left Gakuden; he arrived back at Osaka castle on the first day of the following month. On the 16th day of the sixth month, Takigawa KazumasuTakigawa Kazumasu
, also known as Sakonshōgen , was a samurai retainer to Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during Japan's Sengoku period. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa and later served Nobunaga alongside Kazumasu and Toshimasu's adopted uncle, Maeda Toshiie.Originally from...
attacked Ieyasu's Kanie Castle, but was driven back. As a result, Kazumasu had his responsibilities taken from him and removed from Ieyasu's group. On the ninth day of the ninth month, Sassa Narimasa
Sassa Narimasa
, also known as Kura-no-suke , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama period. He became a retainer of Oda Nobunaga in 1550 and was granted Etchū Province as a reward for helping Shibata Katsuie fight the Uesugi clan. After Nobunaga's death, in 1584 he joined Tokugawa Ieyasu...
, at the behest of Ieyasu, attacked Suemori Castle
Suemori Castle
Suemori Castle is a former Japanese castle located in Nagoya.- History :It was originally outside the city of Nagoya in the countryside of the Owari Province. Lord Oda Nobuhide built this castle in 1548. The following year, his third son Oda Nobuyuki Suemori Castle (末森城) is a former Japanese...
in Noto Province
Noto Province
was an old province in the area that is today the northern part of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, including the Noto Peninsula which is surrounded by the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called . Noto bordered on Etchū and Kaga provinces....
, forcing out its resident, Maeda Toshiie
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 father was Maeda Toshimasa. He was the fourth of seven brothers. His childhood name was "Inuchiyo" . His preferred weapon was a yari and he was known as...
.
Names for the Battle
During the Edo periodEdo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, the public records of the Tokugawa clan
Tokugawa clan
The was a powerful daimyo family of Japan. They nominally descended from Emperor Seiwa and were a branch of the Minamoto clan by the Nitta clan. However, the early history of this clan remains a mystery.-History:...
and the shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
refer to these battles as Battle of Komaki (小牧陣 Komaki no Jin). However, there are also documents that refer to it as the Battle of Iwasakiguchi (岩崎口の戦い Iwasakiguchi no Tatakai). There are places where the fighting in Nagakute is called the Battle of Nagakute (長久手合戦 Nagakute Gassen), but the two battles have generally been merged into one. Many other names have also been used to describe these battles, some of which separate the two, while the others keep them together. During the Meiji Restoration
Meiji Restoration
The , also known as the Meiji Ishin, Revolution, Reform or Renewal, was a chain of events that restored imperial rule to Japan in 1868...
, the various Japanese words for battles, campaigns, etc., were mostly unified, leading to it sometimes being called the Komaki and Nagakute Campaign (小牧・長久手の役 Komaki-Nagakute no Eki). Through all of this, though, "Battle of Komaki and Nagakute" has come to be the accepted name.