The Battle of Maibara was an engagement 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...

 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...

. Kizawa Nagamasa

Kizawa Nagamasa

Kizawa Nagamasa was a daimyo of the Sengoku Period in Japan.Nagamasa built Shigisan Castle for the Hatakeyama clan in 1536, an accomplishment that earned him the title of shugo of Yamato Province. In 1561 he expanded into Shiga Prefecture when he defeated the Rokkaku clan at the Battle of Maibara...

 defeated the forces of Rokkaku Yoshikata

Rokkaku Yoshikata

was a samurai head of the Rokkaku clan during Japan's Sengoku period. He was shugo and later daimyō of an area of southern Ōmi province, he served as castellan of Kannonji Castle...

 using ninja

Ninja

A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...

 to launch fire attacks and sneaky assaults.

Battle

Kizawa Nagamasa

Kizawa Nagamasa

Kizawa Nagamasa was a daimyo of the Sengoku Period in Japan.Nagamasa built Shigisan Castle for the Hatakeyama clan in 1536, an accomplishment that earned him the title of shugo of Yamato Province. In 1561 he expanded into Shiga Prefecture when he defeated the Rokkaku clan at the Battle of Maibara...

 entrusted his forces to Imai Kenroku and Isono Tamba-no-kami

Isono Tamba-no-kami

Isono Tamba was an officer of Kizawa Nagamasa during the Sengoku Period in Japan. Tamba was lord of Sawayama Castle in Omi Province and a retainer of the Azai clan. He fought at the Battle of Maibara in 1561 infamously distinguishing himself as the one who accidentally attacked his comrade Imai...

. They employed three genin from Iga

IGA

Iga or IGA may stand for:-Given name:* a female given name of Polish origin. The name originates from the female given name Jadwiga and stands for gia,or gina in the USA....

 to attack the castle. According to the Shima kiroku, "the Iga shu entered in secret, starting fires in the castle, and the signal keep and second bailey were conquered.

Soon, the ninja were in position and the regular infantry moved out. Soon, however, Kenroku knew that the ninja were not in position and since his samurai did not understand ninja tactics, he would have to wait. In a little bit, the fire attack occurred and the infantry began their march. The ninja leader advised Kenroku to regroup his forces, but his forces blundered in front of Tamba's forces. Then, the two forces engaged in combat, thinking that Kenroku's forces were an enemy dawn attack. Kishizawa Yoichi

Kishizawa Yoichi

Kishizawa Yoichi was a retainer of the Azai clan, as well as a talented swordsman. However, his reputation was marred at the Battle of Maibara when he killed general Imai Sadakiyo with a spear, thinking that he was the enemy commander...

jumped up at Kenroku (thinking he was the "enemy" commander) and killed him with a spear thrust in the back. After the death of Imai, the real enemy army attacked. The two armies fought, and 20 of the Kizawa army had been killed before order was restored. By then, the fire attack had come late and the castle was stormed.