The siege of Shika castle, spanning the years 1546 to 1547, was one of many battles fought in 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...

's bid to seize control of Shinano Province

Shinano Province

or is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...

. Having just defeated Uesugi Norimasa

Uesugi Norimasa

was a daimyō of feudal Japan, and held the post of Kantō Kanrei, the Shogun's deputy in the Kantō. He is perhaps best known as the adoptive father of Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most famous warlords in Japanese history....

 at the battle of Odaihara

Battle of Odaihara

The 1546 Battle of Odaihara was one of many steps taken by Takeda Shingen, one of Japan's great warlords of the Sengoku period, in his bid to take over Shinano province. He met the forces of Uesugi Norimasa on the plains of Odaihara, and defeated Uesugi's army while devoting a portion of his own...

, Shingen made use of 300 severed heads obtained at that battle to intimidate Shika's garrison. He displayed the heads prominently outside the besieged castle until Kasahara Kiyoshige surrendered.