The 1566 siege of Minowa was one of several battles fought by the Takeda clan in their campaigns to seize the lands of the Uesugi clan

Uesugi clan

The was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....

, during Japan's 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...

. After a period of intense hand-to-hand fighting, Minowa Castle

Minowa Castle

is a castle located in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, Japan.-History:Minowa Castle was built in 1526 by Nagano Narimasa from the Nagano clan based out of Nagano in Kozuke Province...

's lord, Nagano Narimori, was killed, and the castle fell.

Some years before, Nagano Narimasa, lord of Minowa castle and faithful retainer to the Uesugi, died; in order to protect the region from the depredations of the Takeda, the Nagano family kept his death a secret until his heir could settle into power. The Takeda attacked in 1566, and were held off for a time, with the young heir, Nagano Narimori, and famous swordsman Kamiizumi Hidetsuna, leading the defence. Intense hand-to-hand fighting eventually led to Hidetsuna leading a bold charge from the castle, which was initially successful. However, Narimori was killed soon afterwards, and the defence fell apart.