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© The Shogunate

1467 - 1615

Sengoku Jidai



The Sengoku period, or Warring States Period, was a period in the history of Japan near-constant civil war and social upheaval from 1467-1615. The Sengoku period was initiated by the Ōnin War in 1464 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga Shogunate. Various samurai warlords and clans fought for control over Japan in the power vacuum, while the Ikkō-ikki emerged to fight against samurai rule. The arrival of Europeans in 1543 introduced the arquebus into Japanese warfare, and Japan ended its status as a tributary state of China in 1700. Oda Nobunaga dissolved the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573 and launched a war of political unification by force, including the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, until his death in the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582. Nobunaga's successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed his campaign to unify Japan and consolidated his rule with numerous influential reforms. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592, but their eventual failure damaged his prestige before his death in 1598. Tokugawa Ieyasu displaced Hideyoshi's young son and successor Toyotomi Hideyori at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and re-established the feudal system under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Sengoku period ended when Toyotomi loyalists were defeated at the siege of Osaka in 1615. The Sengoku period was named by Japanese historians after the similar but otherwise unrelated Warring States period of China. Modern Japan recognizes Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu as the three "Great Unifiers" for their restoration of central government in the country.





1467 Jan 1

Prologue

Japan



During this period, although the Emperor of Japan was officially the ruler of his nation and every lord swore loyalty to him, he was largely a marginalized, ceremonial, and religious figure who delegated power to the shōgun, a noble who was roughly equivalent to a general. In the years preceding this era, the shogunate gradually lost influence and control over the daimyōs (local lords). Many of these lords began to fight uncontrollably with each other for control over land and influence over the shogunate.


1467 Jan 1

Beginning of Ōnin War

Japan

Beginning of Ōnin War
Onin War


A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide civil war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyō in many regions of Japan. The war initiated the Sengoku period, "the Warring States period". This period was a long, drawn-out struggle for domination by individual daimyō, resulting in a mass power-struggle between the various houses to dominate the whole of Japan.


1477 Jan 1

End of Onin War

Kyoto, Japan

End of Onin War
End of Onin War


After the Ōnin War, the Ashikaga bakufu completely fell apart; for all practical purposes, the Hosokawa family was in charge and the Ashikaga shōguns became their puppets. The Hosokawa family controlled the shogunate until 1558 when they were betrayed by a vassal family, the Miyoshi. The powerful Ōuchi were also destroyed by a vassal, Mōri Motonari, in 1551. Kyoto was devastated by the war, not really recovering until the mid-16th century.


1487 Oct 1

Kaga Rebellion

Kaga, Ishikawa, Japan

Kaga Rebellion
Ikko-Ikki
Kaga RebellionKaga RebellionKaga Rebellion


The Kaga Rebellion or Chōkyō Uprising was a large-scale revolt in Kaga Province (present-day southern Ishikawa Prefecture), Japan, in late 1487 through 1488. Togashi Masachika, who ruled Kaga Province as shugo, had been restored to power in 1473 with aid from the Asakura clan as well as the Ikkō-ikki, a loose collection of lesser nobility, monks, and farmers. By 1474, however, the Ikkō-ikki grew discontent with Masachika, and launched some initial revolts, which were easily quelled. In 1487, when Masachika left on a military campaign, between 100,000 and 200,000 Ikkō-ikki revolted. Masachika returned with his army, but the Ikkō-ikki, backed by several disaffected vassal families, overwhelmed his army and surrounded him in his palace, where he committed seppuku. The former vassals of Masachika granted the position of shugo to Masachika's uncle Yasutaka, but over the next several decades, the Ikkō-ikki increased their political hold on the province, which they would effectively control for almost a century.


During the 15th century in Japan, peasant revolts, known as ikki, became much more commonplace. During the turmoil of the Ōnin War (1467–1477) and subsequent years, these rebellions increased in both frequency and success. Many of these rebels became known as Ikkō-ikki, a collection of peasant farmers, Buddhist monks, Shinto priests, and jizamurai (lesser nobles) who all espoused belief in the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism. Rennyo, the Hongan-ji abbot who led the Jōdo Shinshū movement, attracted a large following in Kaga and Echizen Province, but distanced himself from the political goals of the ikki, advocating violence only for self-defense or defense of one's religion.During the mid-15th century, a civil war broke out among the Togashi clan over the position of shugo.


1493 Jan 1

Hōjō Sōun seizes Izu Province

Izu Province, Japan

Hōjō Sōun seizes Izu Province
Hojo Soun


He gained control of Izu Province in 1493, avenging a wrong committed by a member of the Ashikaga family which held the shogunate. With Sōun's successful invasion in Izu province, he is credited by most historians as being the first "Sengoku daimyō". After building a stronghold at Nirayama, Hōjō Sōun secured Odawara Castle in 1494, the castle which would become the center of the Hōjō family's domains for nearly a century. In an act of treachery, he seized the castle after arranging for its lord to be murdered while out hunting.


1507 Jan 1

Fall of the Hosokawa clan

Kyoto, Japan

Fall of the Hosokawa clan
Fall of the Hosokawa clan


Following the fall of the Ashikaga shogunate, which was based in Kyoto, control of the city, and thus ostensibly the country, fell into the hands of the Hosokawa clan (who held the post of Kyoto Kanrei – Shōgun's deputy in Kyoto) for a few generations.


Katsumoto's son, Hosokawa Masamoto, held power in this way at the end of the 15th century, but was assassinated by Kōzai Motonaga and Yakushiji Nagatada in 1507. After his death, the clan became divided and was weakened by internecine fighting. What power they still had, however, was centered in and around Kyoto. This gave them the leverage to consolidate their power to some extent, and came to be strong rivals with the Ōuchi clan, both politically, and in terms of dominating trade with China.


1531 Jan 1

Hosokawa Harumoto gains power

Kyoto, Japan

Hosokawa Harumoto gains power
Hosokawa Harumoto gains power


Harumoto succeeded to a house at the age of seven, after his father's death in 1520. While still a minor, he was supported by his caretaker Miyoshi Motonaga. In 1531, Harumoto defeats Hosokawa Takakuni. He feared Motonaga who had got credit and killed him next year. After that, Harumoto ruled the whole area of Kinai (Yamashiro Province, Yamato Province, Kawachi Province, Izumi Province and Settsu Province) and took hold of the Ashikaga shogunate as the Kanrei.


1535 Dec 5

Battle of Idano

Mikawa (Aichi) Province, Japan

Battle of Idano
Battle of Idano


The battle took place seven days after the murder of Matsudaira leader Kiyoyasu (grandfather of Tokugawa Ieyasu) at the hands of his vassal Abe Masatoyo. The forces of Matsudaira set out to take revenge against the rebel Masatoyo and his army, and were victorious.


1543 Jan 1

Portuguese arrive in Japan

Tanegashima, Kagoshima, Japan

Portuguese arrive in Japan
Portuguese arrive in Japan
Portuguese arrive in JapanPortuguese arrive in JapanPortuguese arrive in JapanPortuguese arrive in JapanPortuguese arrive in Japan


The Portuguese land on Tanegashima, becoming the first Europeans to arrive in Japan, and introduce the arquebus into Japanese warfare. This period of time is often entitled Nanban trade, where both Europeans and Asians would engage in mercantilism.


1545 May 19

Siege of Kawagoe Castle

Remains of Kawagoe Castle, 2 C

Siege of Kawagoe Castle
Siege of Kawagoe Castle


This was part of a failed attempt by the Uesugi clan to regain Kawagoe Castle from the Later Hōjō clan. This Hōjō victory marked the decisive turning point in the struggle for the Kanto region. The Hōjō tactics which said to be "the one of the most notable examples of night fighting in samurai history". This defeat for the Uesugi would lead to the near-extinction of the family, and with Tomosada's death, the Ōgigayatsu branch came to an end.


1549 Jan 1

Miyoshi Clan Rises

Kyoto, Japan

Miyoshi Clan Rises
Miyoshi Nagayoshi | ©David Benzal


In 1543, Hosokawa Ujitsuna who was the foster son of Takakuni, raised his armies, and in 1549, Miyoshi Nagayoshi who was a dominant retainer and the first son of Motonaga betrayed Harumoto and took side with Ujitsuna. Because of that, Harumoto was defeated. After Hosokawa Harumoto's fall, Miyoshi Nagayoshi and the Miyoshi clan would experience a great rise of power, and engage in a protracted military campaign against the Rokkaku and the Hosokawa. Harumoto, Ashikaga Yoshiteru who was the 13th Ashikaga shōgun and Ashikaga Yoshiharu who was the father of Yoshiteru were purged to Ōmi Province.


1551 Sep 28 - Sep 30

Tainei-ji incident

Taineiji, 門前-1074-1 Fukawayumo

Tainei-ji incident
Tainei-ji incident


The Tainei-ji incident was a coup in September 1551 by Sue Takafusa (later known as Sue Harukata) against Ōuchi Yoshitaka, hegemon daimyō of western Japan, which ended in the latter's forced suicide in Tainei-ji, a temple in Nagato Province. The coup put an abrupt end to the prosperity of the Ōuchi clan, though they ruled western Japan in name for another six years under the figurehead Ōuchi Yoshinaga, who was not related to the Ōuchi by blood.


The downfall of the Ōuchi had far-reaching consequence beyond western Honshu. Since the courtiers in Yamaguchi were slaughtered, the imperial court in Kyoto became at the mercy of Miyoshi Nagayoshi. Warriors across Japan no longer ruled through the court but only used it to confer legitimacy. The once-peaceful Ōuchi territories in northern Kyushu descended into warfare among the Ōtomo, the Shimazu, and the Ryūzōji, who struggled to fill the void. The Ōtomo came to control much of these former Ōuchi domains in northern Kyushu, and their city of Funai flourished as a new centre of trade after the fall of Yamaguchi. At sea, foreign trade with China also suffered. The Ōuchi had been the official handlers of the Japan-China trade, but the Ming Chinese refused to acknowledge the usurpers and cut off all official trade between the two countries. Clandestine trade and piracy replaced the official trade of the Ōuchi, as the Ōtomo, the Sagara, and the Shimazu vied with each other to send ships to China. In the end, it was the Portuguese traders, with their near exclusive access to the Chinese market, who became the most successful intermediaries of the Japan–China trade for the rest of the 16th century.


1553 Jan 1 - 1564

Battles of Kawanakajima

Kawanakajimamachi, Nagano, Jap

Battles of Kawanakajima © The Shogunate


The Battles of Kawanakajima were a series of battles fought in the Sengoku period of Japan between Takeda Shingen of Kai Province and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo Province from 1553 to 1564. Shingen and Kenshin contested each other for control of the plain of Kawanakajima between the Sai River and Chikuma River in northern Shinano Province, located in the present-day city of Nagano. The battles were triggered after Shingen conquered Shinano, expelling Ogasawara Nagatoki and Murakami Yoshikiyo, who subsequently turned to Kenshin for help. Five major battles of Kawanakajima occurred: Fuse in 1553, Saigawa in 1555, Uenohara in 1557, Hachimanbara in 1561, and Shiozaki in 1564. The most famous and severe battle was fought on 18 October 1561 in the heart of the Kawanakajima plain, thus being known the Battle of Kawanakajima. The battles were ultimately inconclusive and neither Shingen or Kenshin established their control over the plain of Kawanakajima.


The Battles of Kawanakajima became one of "the most cherished tales in Japanese military history", the epitome of Japanese chivalry and romance, mentioned in epic literature, woodblock printing, and movies.


1554 Jan 11

Tripartite pact among Takeda, Hōjō and Imagawa

Suruga Province, Shizuoka, Jap

Tripartite pact among Takeda, Hōjō and Imagawa
Tripartite pact among Takeda, Hōjō and Imagawa


The Imagawa, Hojo, and Takeda clans met at the Zentoku-ji temple in Suruga province and established a peace treaty. The proceedings were moderated by a monk named Taigen Sessai. The three daimyo agreed not to attack each other, as well as made agreements on support and reinforcements if necessary. This agreement was held together by three marriages - Hojo Ujimasa married the daughter of Takeda Shingen (Obai-in), Imagawa Ujizane married a daughter of Hojo Ujiyasu, and Takeda Yoshinobu had already married the daughter of Imagawa Yoshimoto in 1552, further strengthening ties between the Takeda and the Imagawa. Due to these agreements, the three daimyo were able to focus on their own goals without fear of attack.


1555 Oct 16

Battle of Miyajima

Miyajima, Miyajimacho, Hatsuka

Battle of Miyajima
Mōri Motonari


The 1555 Battle of Miyajima was the only battle to be fought on the sacred island of Miyajima; the entire island is considered to be a Shinto shrine, and no birth or death is allowed on the island. Extensive purification rituals took place after the battle, to cleanse the shrine and the island of the pollution of death. The Battle of Miyajima was the turning point in a campaign for control of the Ōuchi clan and of Aki Province, a strategically important province for establishing control of western Honshu. It was an important step for the Mōri clan in taking the foremost position in western Japan, and cemented the reputation of Mōri Motonari as a cunning strategist.


1560 May 1

Battle of Okehazama

Dengakuhazama, Owari Province,

Battle of Okehazama
Mori Shinsuke attacks Yoshimoto
Battle of OkehazamaBattle of Okehazama


In this battle, the heavily outnumbered Oda clan troops commandeered by Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto and established himself as one of the front-running warlords in the Sengoku period. The Battle of Okehazama is regarded as one of the most significant turning points in Japanese history. The Imagawa clan was greatly weakened and would soon be destroyed by its neighbors. Oda Nobunaga gained greatly in prestige, and many samurai and minor warlords (including Imagawa's former retainer, Matsudaira Motoyasu, the future Tokugawa Ieyasu) pledged fealty.


1565 Jan 1

Eiroku Incident

Kyoto, Japan

Eiroku Incident
Miyoshi Group of Three


In 1565, Matsunaga Danjo Hisahide's son Matsunaga Hisamichi and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu laid siege against a collection of buildings where Yoshiteru lived. With no help arriving in time from the daimyōs that could have supported him, Yoshiteru is killed in this incident. Three years passed before his cousin Ashikaga Yoshihide became the fourteenth shōgun.


1568 Nov 9

Nobunaga drives out Miyoshi clan

Kyoto, Japan

Nobunaga drives out Miyoshi clan
Oda installs Yoshiaki Ashikaga | ©Angus McBride


On November 9, 1568, Nobunaga entered Kyoto, drove out the Miyoshi clan, who had supported the 14th shogun and who fled to Settsu, and installed Yoshiaki as the 15th shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate. However, Nobunaga refused the title of shogun's deputy (Kanrei), or any appointment from Yoshiaki, even though Nobunaga had great respect for the Emperor Ōgimachi.


1570 Aug 1

Ishiyama Hongan-ji War

Osaka, Japan

Ishiyama Hongan-ji War
Ishiyama Hongan-ji War


The Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, taking place from 1570 to 1580 in Sengoku period Japan, was a ten-year campaign by lord Oda Nobunaga against a network of fortifications, temples, and communities belonging to the Ikkō-ikki, a powerful faction of Jōdo Shinshū Buddhist monks and peasants opposed to the rule of the samurai class. It centered on attempts to take down the Ikki's central base, the cathedral fortress of Ishiyama Hongan-ji, in what is today the city of Osaka. While Nobunaga and his allies led attacks on Ikki communities and fortifications in the nearby provinces, weakening the Hongan-ji's support structure, elements of his army remained camped outside the Hongan-ji, blocking supplies to the fortress and serving as scouts.


1573 Jan 1 - 1583

Unification of Shikoku

Shikoku, Japan

Unification of Shikoku
Motochika Chōsokabe


In 1573, While still lord of the Hata district of Tosa, Ichijō Kanesada was unpopular and had already suffered the defection of a number of important retainers. Seizing the opportunity, Motochika wasted no time in marching on the Ichijō's headquarters at Nakamura, and Kanesada fled to Bungo, defeated. In 1575, at the Battle of Shimantogawa (Battle of Watarigawa), he defeated the Ichijo family. Thus he ended up gaining control of Tosa Province.


Following his conquest of Tosa, Motochika turned north and prepared for an invasion of Iyo province. The lord of that province was Kōno Michinao, a daimyo who had once been driven from his domain by the Utsunomiya clan, returning only with the assistance of the powerful Mōri clan. However, it was unlikely that Kōno could count on that sort of help again as the Mōri were embroiled in a war with Oda Nobunaga. Nonetheless, Chōsokabe's campaign in Iyo did not go off without a hitch.


In 1579, 7,000-man Chōsokabe army, commanded by Kumu Yorinobu, met the forces of Doi Kiyonaga at the Battle of Mimaomote. In the ensuing battle, Kumu was killed and his army defeated, though the loss proved little more than an unfortunate delay. The next year, Motochika led some 30,000 men into Iyo Province, and forced Kōno to flee to Bungo province.


With little interference from either the Mōri or the Ōtomo, Chōsokabe was free to press onwards, and in 1582, he stepped up ongoing raids into Awa province and defeated Sogō Masayasu and the Miyoshi clan at the Battle of Nakatomigawa.


Later, Motochika advanced to Sanuki province defeated Sengoku Hidehisa at Battle of Hiketa. By 1583, Chōsokabe forces had subdued both Awa and Sanuki. Over the ensuing decade, he extended his power to all of Shikoku island, making Motochika's dream of ruling all of Shikoku a reality.


1573 May 13

Death of Takeda Shingen

Noda Castle, Iwari, Japan

Death of Takeda Shingen
Takeda Shingen


Takeda Katsuyori became the daimyō of the Takeda clan. Katsuyori was ambitious and desired to continue the legacy of his father. He moved on to take Tokugawa forts. However an allied force of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga dealt a crushing blow to the Takeda in the Battle of Nagashino. Katsuyori committed suicide after the battle, and the Takeda clan never recovered.


1573 Sep 2

End of Ashikaga shogunate

Kyoto, Japan

End of Ashikaga shogunate
Ashikaga Yoshiaki - the last Ashikaga shogun


The Ashikaga shogunate was finally destroyed in 1573 when Nobunaga drove Ashikaga Yoshiaki out of Kyoto. Initially, Yoshiaki fled to Shikoku. Afterwards, he sought and received protection from the Mōri clan in western Japan. Later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi requested that Yoshiaki accept him as an adopted son and the 16th Ashikaga shōgun, but Yoshiaki refused.

1574 Jan 1

Third Siege of Nagashima

Nagashima fortress, Owari, Jap

Third Siege of Nagashima
Third Siege of Nagashima


In 1574, Oda Nobunaga would finally succeeded in destroying Nagashima, one of the primary fortresses of the Ikkō-ikki, who numbered among his most bitter enemies.A fleet of ships led by Kuki Yoshitaka blockaded and bombarded the area, using cannon and fire arrows against the Ikki's wooden watchtowers. This blockade and naval support allowed Nobunaga to seize the outer forts of Nakae and Yanagashima, which in turn allowed him to control access to the west of the complex for the first time.Nobunaga's men built a wooden wall from one outer fort to another, cutting the Ikkō-ikki off from the outside completely. A large wooden palisade was constructed and then set aflame, resulting in the complete destruction of the entire fortress complex; no one escaped or survived.

1575 Jun 28

Battle of Nagashino

Nagashino Castle, Mikawa, Japa

Battle of Nagashino
Lethal arquebus fires mows down the famous Takeda cavalry


Takeda Katsuyori attacked the castle when Okudaira Sadamasa rejoined the Tokugawa, and when his original plot with Oga Yashiro for taking Okazaki Castle, the capital of Mikawa, was discovered. Nobunaga's skillful use of firearms to defeat Takeda's cavalry tactics is often cited as a turning point in Japanese warfare; many cite it as the first "modern" Japanese battle.


1577 Nov 3

Battle of Tedorigawa

Tedori River, Ishikawa, Japan

Battle of Tedorigawa
Battle of Tedorigawa


The Battle of Tedorigawa took place near the Tedori River in Japan's Kaga Province in 1577, between the forces of Oda Nobunaga against Uesugi Kenshin. Kenshin tricked Nobunaga into launching a frontal attack across the Tedorigawa and defeated him. Having suffered the loss of 1,000 men, the Oda withdrew south. This was destined to be Kenshin's last great battle.


1578 Apr 19

Death of Uesugi Kenshin

Echigo (Niigata) Province

Death of Uesugi Kenshin
Uesugi Kenshin


The death caused local power struggles, with the result of almost decade long infighting in Echigo between 1578–1587, usually divided into "Otate Disturbance" (1578–1582) and "Shibata rebellion" (1582–1587).

1580 Aug 1

Surrender of Ikko-ikki

Osaka Castle, Japan

Surrender of Ikko-ikki
Surrender of Ikko-ikki


The Mori clan lost their strategic castle at Miki. By then, the siege was beginning to swing in Nobunaga's favor. The majority of the Ikki's allies were already inside the fortress with them, so they had no one to call on for aid. The Ikki under the leadership of Shimozuma Nakayuki, eventually the defenders were nearly out of ammunition and food, the Abbot Kōsa held a conference with his colleagues after receiving a letter of Advice via Imperial Messenger in April. Kōsa's son surrendered a few weeks later. The fighting finally ended in August 1580. Nobunaga spared the lives of many of the defenders, including Shimozuma Nakayuki, but burned the fortress to the ground. Three years later, Toyotomi Hideyoshi would begin construction on the same site, building Osaka Castle, a replica of which was constructed in the 20th century.


1582 Jun 21

Honnō-ji Incident

Honnō-ji temple, Kyoto, Japan

Honnō-ji Incident
Akechi Mitsuhide


The Honnō-ji Incident was the assassination of Oda Nobunaga at the Honnō-ji temple in Kyoto on 21 June 1582. Nobunaga was betrayed by his general Akechi Mitsuhide during his campaign to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority. Mitsuhide ambushed the unprotected Nobunaga at Honnō-ji and his eldest son Oda Nobutada at Nijō Palace which resulted in both committing seppuku.


1582 Jul 1

Tenshō-jingo Conflict

Japan

Tenshō-jingo Conflict
Tenshō-jingo Conflict | ©Angus McBride


The Tenshō-Jingo conflict is a collection of battles and posturing between the Hōjō, Uesugi, and Tokugawa after the death of Oda Nobunaga. The campaign began with the Hōjō driving out the demoralized Oda forces under Takigawa Kazumasu. The Hōjō managed to capture Komoro castle, placing it under Daidoji Masashige. They pushed further into Kai, capturing and rebuilding Misaka Castle as they squared off against Ieyasu, who had made inroads by absorbing former Takeda officers into his army. Takigawa Kazumasu lost decisively against the invading Hōjō army at the Battle of Kannagawa and on July 9th, Masayuki defected to Hōjō's side. Meanwhile, Uesugi forces were invading northern Shinano. Both armies came to face each other at Kawanakajima on July 12th, but direct combat was avoided as the Hōjō army turned back and advanced south towards Kai province, which was in turn invaded by Tokugawa forces. At one point, the Hōjō clan had come close to controlling most of Shinano province, but Masayuki helped Yoda Nobushige, a local lord who had been resisting against Hōjō's advances in Shinano and was in touch with Tokugawa Ieyasu. He then defected to the Tokugawa's side on September 25. Faced with this sudden betrayal, Hōjō Ujinao saw his position in the conflict weaken and decided for a peace treaty and alliance with the Tokugawa clan, which was agreed upon on October 29th. This event marked the end of the conflict which lasted for roughly 5 months after Nobunaga's death.


1582 Jul 2

Battle of Yamazaki

Yamazaki, Japan

Battle of Yamazaki
Battle of Yamazaki


In the Honnō-ji Incident, Akechi Mitsuhide, a retainer of Oda Nobunaga, attacked Nobunaga as he rested in Honnō-ji, and forced him to commit seppuku. Mitsuhide then took over Nobunaga's power and authority around the Kyoto area. Thirteen days later, Oda's forces under Toyotomi Hideyoshi met Mitsuhide at Yamazaki and defeated him, avenging his lord (Nobunaga) and taking Nobunaga's authority and power for himself.


1584 Jan 1

Shimazu Yoshihisa controlls Kyushu

Kyushu, Japan

Shimazu Yoshihisa controlls Kyushu
Shimazu clan


Working together with his brothers Yoshihiro, Toshihisa, and Iehisa, he launched a campaign to unify Kyūshū. Starting in 1572 with a victory against Itō clan at the battle of Kizaki and the Siege of Takabaru in 1576, Yoshihisa continued to win battles. In 1578, he defeated the Ōtomo clan at the battle of Mimigawa, though he did not take their territory. Later, in 1581, Yoshihisa took Minamata castle with a force of 115,000 men. In early 1584, he was victorious in Battle of Okitanawate against Ryūzōji clan and defeated the Aso clan.


By the middle of 1584, the Shimazu clan controlled; Chikugo, Chikuzen, Hizen, Higo, Hyūga, Osumi, and Satsuma, most of Kyūshū with the exception of Ōtomo's domain and unification was a feasible goal.


1585 Jan 1

Hashiba Hideyoshi is granted title of Kampaku

Kyoto, Japan

Hashiba Hideyoshi is granted title of Kampaku
Toyotomi Hideyoshi


Like Nobunaga before him, Hideyoshi never achieved the title of shōgun. Instead, he arranged to have himself adopted by Konoe Sakihisa, one of the noblest men belonging to the Fujiwara clan and secured a succession of high court titles Chancellor (Daijō-daijin), including, in 1585, the prestigious position of Imperial Regent (kampaku). In 1586, Hideyoshi was formally given the new clan name Toyotomi (instead of Fujiwara) by the Imperial court.


1585 Jun 1

Shikoku Campaign: Hidenaga force

Akashi, Japan

Invasion of Shikoku from the Shogunate Youtube Channel


In June, 1585, Hideyoshi amassed a giant army of 113,000 men to invade Shikoku and divided them into three forces. The first, under his half-brother Hashiba Hidenaga and nephew Hashiba Hidetsugu, consisted of 60,000 men, and assaulted the provinces of Awa and Tosa, approaching Shikoku via Akashi island.


1585 Jun 2

Shikoku Campaign: Ukita's force

Sanuki, Japan

Shikoku Campaign: Ukita's force
Shikoku Campaign: Ukita's force


The second force was led by Ukita Hideie, consisted of 23,000 men, and assaulted the province of Sanuki.

1585 Jun 3

Shikoku Campaign: Mori force

Iyo, Japan

Shikoku Campaign: Mori force
Shikoku Campaign: Mori force


The third force was led by Mōri "Two Rivers", Kobayakawa Takakage and Kikkawa Motoharu, consisted of 30,000 men, and advanced on the province of Iyo. In total, it took 600 larger ships and 103 smaller ships to transport Hideyoshi's army across the Seto Inland Sea to Shikoku.


1585 Aug 1

Shikoku Campaign: Siege of Ichinomiya Castle

Ichiniomiya Castle, Japan

Shikoku Campaign: Siege of Ichinomiya Castle
Shikoku Campaign | ©David Benzal


By August, Hideyoshi's invasion culminated in the siege of Ichinomiya Castle, with around 40,000 men under Hidenaga besieging the castle for 26 days. Hidenaga managed to destroy the water source of Ichinomiya Castle, Chōsokabe half-heartedly tried to relief the castle from siege, Ichinomiya finally surrendered. With the surrender of the castle, Chosokabe Motochika himself surrendered


1586 Jan 1

Kyūshū campaign

Kyushu, Japan

Kyūshū campaign from the Shogunate Youtube Channel


The Kyūshū campaign of 1586–1587 was part of the campaigns of Toyotomi Hideyoshi who sought to dominate Japan at the end of the Sengoku period. Having subjugated much of Honshū and Shikoku, Hideyoshi turned his attention to the southernmost of the main Japanese islands, Kyūshū, in 1587.


1588 Jan 1

Taikō's Sword Hunt

Japan

Taikō's Sword Hunt
The Sword Hunt


In 1588, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, having become kampaku or "imperial regent", ordered a new sword hunt; Hideyoshi, like Nobunaga, sought to solidify separations in the class structure, denying commoners weapons while allowing them to the nobility, the samurai class. In addition, Toyotomi's sword hunt, like Nobunaga's, was intended to prevent peasant uprisings and to deny weapons to his adversaries. Toyotomi claimed that the confiscated weapons would be melted down and used to create a giant image of the Buddha for the Asuka-dera monastery in Nara.


1590 Aug 4

Unification of Japan

Odawara Castle, Kanagawa, Japa

Unification of Japan
Siege of Odawara Castle


Toyotomi Hideyoshi defeats the Hōjō clan, unifying Japan under his rule. The third siege of Odawara was the primary action in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign to eliminate the Hōjō clan as a threat to his power. Tokugawa Ieyasu, one of Hideyoshi's top generals, was given the Hōjō lands. Though Hideyoshi could not have guessed it at the time, this would turn out to be a great stepping-stone towards Tokugawa's attempts at conquest and the office of Shōgun.


1592 May 23 - 1598 Dec 16

Imjin War

Korean Peninsula

Imjin War
Imjin War


The invasions were launched by Toyotomi Hideyoshi with the intent of conquering the Korean Peninsula and China, which were respectively ruled by the Joseon and Ming dynasties. Japan quickly succeeded in occupying large portions of the Korean Peninsula, but the contribution of reinforcements by the Ming, as well as the disruption of Japanese supply fleets along the western and southern coasts by the Joseon navy, forced a withdrawal of Japanese forces from Pyongyang and the northern provinces to the south in Busan and nearby regions. Afterwards, with righteous armies (Joseon civilian militias) launching guerrilla warfare against the Japanese and supply difficulties hampering both sides, neither were able to mount a successful offensive or gain any additional territory, resulting in a military stalemate. The first phase of the invasion lasted from 1592 until 1596, and was followed by ultimately unsuccessful peace negotiations between Japan and the Ming between 1596 and 1597.


1598 Sep 18

Toyotomi Hideyoshi dies

Kyoto Japan

Toyotomi Hideyoshi dies
Toyotomi Hideyoshi dies


Without leaving a capable successor, the country was once again thrust into political turmoil, and Tokugawa Ieyasu took advantage of the opportunity. On his deathbed, Toyotomi appointed a group of the most powerful lords in Japan—Tokugawa, Maeda Toshiie, Ukita Hideie, Uesugi Kagekatsu, and Mōri Terumoto—to govern as the Council of Five Regents until his infant son, Hideyori, came of age. An uneasy peace lasted until the death of Maeda in 1599. Thereafter a number of high-ranking figures, notably Ishida Mitsunari, accused Tokugawa of disloyalty to the Toyotomi regime. This precipitated a crisis that led to the Battle of Sekigahara.


1600 Oct 21

Battle of Sekigahara

Sekigahara, Gifu, Japan

Battle of Sekigahara
Battle of Sekigahara


The Battle of Sekigahara was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 at the end of the Sengoku period. This battle was fought by the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu against a coalition of Toyotomi loyalist clans under Ishida Mitsunari, several of which defected before or during the battle, leading to a Tokugawa victory. The Battle of Sekigahara was the largest battle of Japanese feudal history and is often regarded as the most important. Toyotomi's defeat led to the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate.


Tokugawa Ieyasu took three more years to consolidate his position of power over the Toyotomi clan and the various daimyō, but the Battle of Sekigahara is widely considered to be the unofficial beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate.


1603 Jan 1

Tokugawa shogunate

Tokyo, Japan

Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa Ieyasu


The Tokugawa shogunate was established by Tokugawa Ieyasu after victory at the Battle of Sekigahara, ending the civil wars of the Sengoku period following the collapse of the Ashikaga shogunate. Ieyasu became the shōgun, and the Tokugawa clan governed Japan from Edo Castle in the eastern city of Edo (Tokyo) along with the daimyō lords of the samurai class. This period if Japanese history is known as the Edo period.


The Tokugawa shogunate organized Japanese society under the strict Tokugawa class system and banned most foreigners under the isolationist policies of Sakoku to promote political stability. The Tokugawa shoguns governed Japan in a feudal system, with each daimyō administering a han (feudal domain), although the country was still nominally organized as imperial provinces. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, Japan experienced rapid economic growth and urbanization, which led to the rise of the merchant class and Ukiyo culture.


1614 Nov 8

Siege of Osaka

Osaka, Japan

Siege of Osaka
Siege of Osaka


The Siege of Osaka was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages (winter campaign and summer campaign), and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege put an end to the last major armed opposition to the shogunate's establishment. The end of the conflict is sometimes called the Genna Armistice (元和偃武, Genna Enbu), because the era name was changed from Keichō to Genna immediately following the siege.

1615 Jan 1

Epilogue

Tokyo, Japan



The period culminated with a series of three warlords – Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu – who gradually unified Japan. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's final victory at the siege of Osaka in 1615, Japan settled down into over 200 years of peace under the Tokugawa shogunate.





Appendices

Supplementary stuff we didn't know where else to place. Some videos might not show in certain countries (please use a VPN).



APPENDIX 1

Samurai Army Ranks and Command Structure


Samurai Army Ranks and Command Structure ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 2

Samurai Castles: Evolution and Overview


Samurai Castles: Evolution and Overview ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 3

Samurai Armor: Evolution and Overview


Samurai Armor: Evolution and Overview ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 4

Samurai Swords: Evolution and Overview


Samurai Swords: Evolution and Overview ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 5

Samurai Spears: Evolution and Overview


Samurai Spears: Evolution and Overview ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 6

Introduction to Firearms in Medieval Japan


Introduction to Firearms in Medieval Japan ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 7

History of the Ashigaru - Peasant Foot Soldiers of Premodern Japan


History of the Ashigaru - Peasant Foot Soldiers of Premodern Japan ©The Shogunate




APPENDIX 8

Samurai in foul weather gear, c. 1550


Samurai in foul weather gear, c. 1550
Samurai in foul weather gear, c. 1550 ©Osprey Publishing




APPENDIX 9

Samurai with matchlock and equipment


Samurai with matchlock and equipment
Samurai with matchlock and equipment ©Osprey Publishing




APPENDIX 10

Ashigaru arquebusier and equipment, c. 1600


Ashigaru arquebusier and equipment, c. 1600
Ashigaru arquebusier and equipment, c. 1600 ©Osprey Publishing





Characters

Key Figures for Sengoku Jidai.







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Seven Samurai

Seven Samurai

Ran

Ran

Kagemusha

Kagemusha

The Hidden Fortress

The Hidden Fortress





Play Game

Sengoku Jidai Timeline Game.



Sengoku Jidai
Play Timelines





References

References for Sengoku Jidai.



  • "Sengoku Jidai". Hōfu-shi Rekishi Yōgo-shū (in Japanese). Hōfu Web Rekishi-kan.
  • Hane, Mikiso (1992). Modern Japan: A Historical Survey. Westview Press.
  • Chaplin, Danny (2018). Sengoku Jidai. Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu: Three Unifiers of Japan. CreateSpace Independent Publishing. ISBN 978-1983450204.
  • Hall, John Whitney (May 1961). "Foundations of The Modern Japanese Daimyo". The Journal of Asian Studies. Association for Asian Studies. 20 (3): 317–329. doi:10.2307/2050818. JSTOR 2050818.
  • Jansen, Marius B. (2000). The Making of Modern Japan. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 0674003349/ISBN 9780674003347. OCLC 44090600.
  • Lorimer, Michael James (2008). Sengokujidai: Autonomy, Division and Unity in Later Medieval Japan. London: Olympia Publishers. ISBN 978-1-905513-45-1.
  • "Sengoku Jidai". Mypaedia (in Japanese). Hitachi. 1996.







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