great man

Yamagata military commander

Three Sengoku warlords from Yamagata Prefecture! Mogami Yoshimitsu, Naoe Kanetsugu, and Shimura Mitsuyasu

During the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, a major battle known as the Keicho Dewa War took place in Yamagata Prefecture. The battle between the Mogami forces of the Eastern Army, based at Yamagata Castle, and the Uesugi forces of Aizu and Yonezawa, who sided with the Western Army, was a fierce battle that has been passed down to future generations

What is the other Sekigahara, the "Keicho Dewa Battle"?

After Toyotomi Hideyoshi's death, while Tokugawa Ieyasu was on the campaign trail to conquer Uesugi Kagekatsu in Aizu, Ishida Mitsunari raised an army at Osaka Castle on July 24th, calling for the overthrow of Ieyasu. Ieyasu, who was in Shimotsuke (Tochigi Prefecture), returned to Edo, and the generals from the Tohoku region who had gathered for the campaign against Aizu also returned to their castles

When Ieyasu and Hidetada split up and set out for Edo, one along the Tokaido and the other along the Nakasendo, the Mogami clan of Yamagata was left behind, and the Uesugi forces led by Naoe Kanetsugu invaded Yamagata, resulting in a battle

"The great general who revived the Ushu Tandai family" Mogami Yoshiaki (1546-1614)

The Mogami clan is a family of "Ushu Tandai" (Ushu tandai), descended from the Seiwa Genji Ashikaga clan and the Shiba clan, one of the three kanrei (regents)

Statue of Mogami Yoshimitsu
Statue of Mogami Yoshimitsu (Yamagata Castle ruins)

Yoshimitsu was a great general who excelled in both literature and martial arts, and steadily expanded the territory of the Mogami clan, which had been pushed aside by the Date clan. After the Battle of Sekigahara, he became a powerful feudal lord with 570,000 koku of land, controlling almost all of present-day Yamagata Prefecture and Yurihonjo in Akita Prefecture (later exchanged for the inland part of Akita Prefecture for the Satake clan)

Yoshimitsu's sister, Yoshihime, married Date Terumune and gave birth to Masamune, making Yoshimitsu Masamune's uncle

Father of the Tragic Bride

Yoshimitsu married his daughter, Princess Koma, to the regent Toyotomi Hidetsugu as a concubine, but it was said to be an unwanted marriage. Hidetsugu was executed just before the 15-year-old Princess Koma arrived in Kamigata, and unfortunately, when Princess Koma arrived, she was also executed even before her marriage

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Is there a statue of a sumo wrestler crying at night? A legend passed down at Senshoji Temple, the family temple of Mogami Yoshiaki's daughter [Yamagata Prefecture]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/26862
Mysterious legends exist throughout Japan, and one such tale is found at Senshoji Temple in the heart of Yamagata City. This time, we'll introduce the "Legend of the Night-Crying Sumo Wrestler Statue," a tale passed down at Senshoji Temple. Senshoji Temple is the family temple of Mogami Yoshiaki's second daughter, Princess Koma. Senshoji Temple, a Jodo Shinshu Otani sect temple located in Midori-cho, Yamagata City, was originally located in Tendo City, north of Yamagata City, but was relocated to Yamagata City following an incident in 1595. Princess Koma, the second daughter of Mogami Yoshiaki, a feudal lord in Dewa Province at the time, was known for her beauty, and in 1595, the then regent Toyotomi Hidetsugu...
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As a result of this, Yoshimitsu was suspected of having a relationship with Hidetsugu and was placed under house arrest, which caused the Mogami clan to resent Toyotomi and thereafter to become more devoted to Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tensions rise as Uesugi Kagekatsu is transferred to Aizu

In 1598, Uesugi Kagekatsu, who had been fighting in the Shonai region, was transferred from Echigo to Aizu, and as the two regions shared a border, it was only a matter of time before they came into conflict with the Mogami clan

Eventually, Ieyasu became suspicious of the Uesugi clan's military buildup, and Naoe Kanetsugu sent him the "Naoe Letter," a declaration of war, which led to the conquest of Aizu. Yoshiaki, as the commander-in-chief of the Tohoku forces, was ordered to invade Aizu from the Yonezawa entrance

However, when Ishida Mitsunari raised an army, the Aizu campaign was called off, and Ieyasu ordered his second son, Yuki Hideyasu, Date Masamune, and Yoshimitsu to keep an eye on the Uesugi clan and head to Osaka. The Oshu generals who had gathered in the Mogami domain withdrew, and Date Masamune made peace with the Uesugi clan, leaving the Mogami forces of 7,000 isolated and facing off against an Uesugi force of over 20,000

The Battle of Hasedō Castle and the Yamagata Domain afterwards

While Shimura Mitsuyasu at Hasedō Castle was withstanding the fierce attack of the Uesugi army led by Naoe Kanetsugu, news of the Western Army's defeat at Sekigahara reached the Uesugi forces, causing them to retreat. However, Kanetsugu staged a brilliant retreat, allowing Yoshimitsu, who had gone on the offensive, to let Kanetsugu escape

View of Yamagata city from the ruins of Hasedō Castle
View of Yamagata city from the ruins of Hasedō Castle

Later, Yoshimitsu attacked and recaptured Shonai, becoming the first lord of the Dewa Yamagata domain with a fief of 570,000 koku. However, after Yoshimitsu's death, a dispute over the succession arose, which resulted in the Yamagata domain being abolished

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Kozenji Temple, the family temple of Mogami Yoshiaki, who built the largest territory of the Mogami clan, with 570,000 koku of land in Dewa (Yamagata Prefecture)
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/26994
Kozenji Temple, the family temple of Mogami Yoshiaki, the feudal lord of Dewa Province (present-day Yamagata Prefecture) who built the largest territory as a Sengoku daimyo from the Sengoku period to the Edo period, is located in Teppo-cho, central Yamagata City. Who was Mogami Yoshiaki? Mogami Yoshiaki was the 11th head of the Mogami clan, a Sengoku daimyo of Dewa Province, and the first head of the Dewa Yamagata Domain. Statue of Mogami Yoshiaki at Yamagata Castle Ruins. He came of age at the age of 15 in 1560. That same year, he made his debut in a battle against the Sagae clan, and continued to wage war against powerful local alliances, including the Tendo, Nobezawa, and Obanazawa clans, known as the Mogami Eight Shields, and pacified Dewa Province. He then led the present-day Yamagata...
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Yamagata Castle Ruins <Information>

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Yamagata Castle, also known as the Mist Castle, is so vast that the main citadel is obscured by mist! [Yamagata Prefecture]
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/24544
Yamagata City is the prefectural capital of Yamagata Prefecture. The prefecture is divided into four regions: the Okitama region in the south, the Murayama region in the center, the Mogami region in the northeast, and the Shonai region along the Sea of ​​Japan. Yamagata City is part of the Murayama region, and during the Edo period, the Yamagata Domain was located there. Initially, the Yamagata Domain's landholding was 570,000 koku, but by the end of the Edo period, it had been reduced to 50,000 koku. Tenpo Kuni Ezu (National Map of Dewa Province (Yamagata Territory)) Nationally Designated Important Cultural Property, Collection: National Archives of Japan. The Yamagata Domain was established by the Sengoku period daimyo Mogami Yoshiaki, who fought on the Tokugawa side in the Battle of Sekigahara. He then inherited all of present-day Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture (excluding the Okitama region) from Tokugawa Ieyasu.
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"One of the Greatest Military Strategists of the Sengoku Period" Naoe Kanetsugu (1568-1646)

Known for his helmet with the word "love" on the crest, Kanetsugu's talent was discovered by Kenshin, and letters have been preserved showing that he was a vassal of Kagekatsu even before he was adopted into the Naoe family. He supported his lord Kagekatsu, shouldering the domestic, foreign, and military affairs of the Uesugi family

Statues of Uesugi Kagekatsu and Naoe Kanetsugu
Statues of Uesugi Kagekatsu and Naoe Kanetsugu

He was originally a military commander from Echigo, but when Kagekatsu was transferred to Aizu, Hideyoshi gave him Yonezawa, even though he was still a vassal.After the Battle of Sekigahara, when the Uesugi clan was reduced to Yonezawa, he built the foundations of the Yonezawa domain government by increasing its rice yield, developing the town, and promoting industrial development and mining, and was therefore made a military commander of Yamagata Prefecture

Siege of Hasedō Castle and Retreat

During the Keicho Dewa War, after Ieyasu marched to Osaka, he received 18,000 soldiers from Kagekatsu and attacked the isolated Mogami forces after the Eastern Army generals returned home. While struggling to attack Hasedō Castle, the last stronghold of Yamagata Castle, he received news of the Western Army's defeat at Sekigahara and decided to retreat to Yonezawa

Soon, the 3,000-man Rusu Masakage corps sent by Date Masamune arrived at camp, and Mogami Yoshimitsu also set out from Yamagata Castle, so they began to retreat towards Yonezawa. Despite being relentlessly pursued, they successfully completed the retreat, and it is said that Mogami Yoshimitsu was so impressed by their performance that they were praised

Yonezawa Castle Ruins <Information>

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"Facing an Enemy 18 Times Larger" by Akiyasu Shimura (year of birth unknown - 1609 or 1611)

Finally, we would like to introduce Shimura Mitsuyasu, a retainer of the Mogami clan who achieved great military success in the Keicho Dewa War

It is said that he was born in Shimura, Urushiyama district, Dewa Province as the son of Shimura Mitsukiyo, a long-time retainer of the Mogami family, but the truth of this is unknown

He is popular among fans of the SLG "Nobunaga's Ambition" as a capable military commander, but he is also said to have been the most eloquent and wise general in the Mogami clan, and there is an anecdote that he was sent as an emissary to Oda Nobunaga and persuaded his lord, Mogami Yoshimitsu, to allow him to be appointed Dewa no Kami

Hasedō Castle Ruins
Hasedō Castle Ruins

During the Keicho Dewa War, he holed up in Hasedō Castle with 1,000 soldiers and successfully defended it against 18,000 Uesugi forces led by Naoe Kanetsugu, demonstrating his bravery as a military commander throughout the country

Hasedō Castle Ruins <Information>

  • Name: Hasedo Castle Ruins
  • Address: Hasedou, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, 990-2363
  • Official URL:

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summary

Yamagata Prefecture is also home to many other outstanding Sengoku period warlords. The prefecture is also connected to the Date clan, with Date Masamune being born in Yonezawa. The Mogami clan's vassals also included Shimura Mitsuyasu and Sakenobu Hidetsuna, among others, who were highly skilled in both bravery and strategy

Links to articles about famous warlords from other prefectures

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Three Sengoku warlords from Aomori Prefecture! Tsugaru Tamenobu, Ishikawa Takanobu, and Namioka Tomonaga
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/10172
During the Edo period, Aomori Prefecture was largely divided into the Tsugaru Domain in the west and the Nanbu Domain in the east, with the current prefectural border becoming the current one in the Meiji period. These two domains differed in language and culture, and are said to have had various feuds and not gotten along well, but the reason for this lies in the Sengoku period. Why did Tsugaru and Nanbu become so unfriendly? While this is often portrayed humorously on television variety shows, it doesn't seem to be as bad as it used to be. However, it is said that they were truly unfriendly until the Meiji period. During the Sengoku period, almost the entire Aomori Prefecture was under Nanbu territory, with the exception of the territory of the Kitabatake family, descendants of the Mutsu provincial governor. However, the Oura domain, connected to the Nanbu clan...
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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Three Sengoku Warlords from Iwate Prefecture! Nanbu Harumasa, Nanbu Nobunao, and Kunohe Masazane
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/9942
If you ask, "Do you know any Sengoku period warlords with ties to Iwate Prefecture?" most people will answer, "No." However, while Iwate may not have had any nationally popular warlords, there are some who deserve greater recognition. Here, we introduce a less obvious but more interesting Sengoku period warlord from Iwate Prefecture. Nanbu Harumasa (1517-1582), the man who expanded his territory the most. The Nanbu clan, a Sengoku period lord in Iwate, descended from the Kai Genji clan and entered Mutsu Province from what is now Nanbu Town, Yamanashi Prefecture, during the Kamakura period. Statue of Nanbu Harumasa (owned by Morioka Museum of History and Culture). It was Harumasa, the 24th head of the Nanbu clan, who expanded their territory the most. He encompassed most of Aomori Prefecture and the northern half of Iwate Prefecture...
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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Three Sengoku Warlords from Akita Prefecture! Ando Aki, Tozawa Moriyasu, and Onodera Kagemichi
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/10213
During the Sengoku period, Akita Prefecture was a land of many warlords, with the influence of the central powers of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu intertwined in complex ways. Among these were three highly regarded military commanders who expanded their territories and were known for their wisdom and bravery. Ando Chikasue (1539-1587), the "Big Dipper of Ugo." The Ando clan was a Sengoku daimyo whose domain encompassed nearly half of Akita Prefecture, with its castles at Hiyama Castle in Noshiro City and Wakimoto Castle in Oga City. Chikasue unified the Hiyama Ando clan and the Minato Ando clan, expanding their territory to its fullest extent. He was also praised as a military commander of exceptional wisdom and bravery, earning him the nickname "The Star of the North." Ando Chikasue (Tohoku University Library Collection) Source: Wikipedia...
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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Three Sengoku warlords from Miyagi Prefecture! Date Masamune, Katakura Kagetsuna, and Date Masazane
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/10227
During the Sengoku period, Miyagi Prefecture was a land of warring factions, with local feudal lords who had been granted territories by the shogunate during the Kamakura period competing for power. The Date clan, which had grown in power during this time, saw its power gradually weaken as the 14th head of the clan, Tanemune, and the 15th head of the clan, Harumune, fought in the Tenbun Rebellion. The 17th head of the Date clan, Masamune, and two military commanders who supported him later rebuilt the clan. Date Masamune (1567-1636), the "One-Eyed Dragon of Oshu," expanded the Date clan's territory to its largest extent and built the city of Sendai, known as the "City of Forests." However, he lost his right eye to smallpox as a child. While he is known today for wearing an eyepatch made from the tsuba (guard) of his sword, this appearance is believed to have been a later design. Date...
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Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT
Three influential warlords from Fukushima Prefecture during the Sengoku period: Ashina Moriuji, Soma Yoshitane, and Tamura Kiyoaki
https://jp.neft.asia/archives/10222
During the Sengoku period, Fukushima Prefecture, like today, was divided into three regions: Kaido (Hamadori), Sendō (Nakadō), and Aizu, where feudal lords and local lords competed for power. Most of these local lords were descendants of vassals who were granted territory after the Kamakura shogunate's subjugation of the Oshu Fujiwara clan (the Oshu War). In the second half of the 16th century, the Ashina clan of Aizu and the Date clan of the north fought over Sendō, with the local lords repeatedly coming together and scattering. The Ashina Moriuji (1521-1580), "highly regarded by Takeda Shingen," were a branch of the Miura clan, descended from the Kanmu Heishi clan. They were granted Aizu by the Kamakura shogunate and moved from Ashina in Sagami...
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