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photo credits: wikipedia.org
Sanada (Yukimura) Nobushige era uno dei più grandi samurai del periodo Sengoku. Secondogenito di Sanada Masayuki e fratello minore di Sanada Nobuyuki, non fu mai chiamato “Yukimura” durante la sua vita, poiché il suo vero nome era Nobushige. Sembra che Yukimura sia stato ottenuto durante la fine del periodo Edo. Conosciuto come “Crimson Demon of War” per i suoi striscioni rosso sangue e l’armatura rossa, è stato anche riconosciuto come “il più grande guerriero del Giappone” e persino “L’ultimo eroe Sengoku” dai suoi pari.
Da giovane era stato mandato da suo padre come ostaggio del clan degli Uesugi in cambio del sostegno di Uesugi contro i Tokugawa. Il padre che più tardi si schierò con Toyotomi Hideyoshi, come aveva fatto Uesugi, gli permise di tornare a casa da Ueda.
Sanada Nobushige ha servito direttamente Hideyoshi. La sua prima moglie, Aki-hime, era la figlia di Otani Yoshitsugu anche se adottata da Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Nobushige ebbe sette figlie e tre figli con quattro mogli, l’ultimo nato due mesi dopo la morte del padre.
photo credits: samurai-world.com
Il castello di Ueda, costruito nel 1583, era la casa del clan Sanada. Il fatto che fosse ben costruito fu provato per la prima volta nel 1583, quando il castello resistette all’attacco di una forza Tokugawa numericamente superiore. La sconfitta sarebbe stata imbarazzante per i Tokugawa nel futuro. Un altro simile assedio del castello di Ueda nel 1600 al tempo della battaglia di Sekigahara vide anche Tokugawa Hidetada, figlio ed erede di Ieyasu, che ha guidato il suo esercito lungo Nakasendo, strategicamente importante. Lungo la strada, si fermò e assediò il castello di Ueda. Nonostante ci fosse una grande distanza dal campo di battaglia di Sekigahara, gli eventi al castello di Ueda avrebbero quasi distrutto le intenzioni delle legioni Tokugawa. I Sanada resistettero abbastanza a lungo perché Hidetada arrivasse in ritardo alla battaglia stessa, privando Tokugawa di circa 38.000 uomini. Nobushige comandava solo 2.000 uomini all’interno del castello.
Sanada Masayuki e suo figlio Nobushige mantennero il castello di Ueda come alleato delle forze occidentali, tuttavia, Sanada Nobuyuki, stava combattendo per i Tokugawa. Ciò assicurava che almeno un membro della famiglia Sanada sarebbe stato tra i vincitori, indipendentemente dal risultato. Questo era chiaramente un piano per preservare il nome di famiglia. In seguito a Sekigahara, Nobushige e suo padre furono privati del loro dominio e furono esiliati sul santo monte, Koya.
Photo Credits: tozandoshop.com
14 anni dopo che Sanada padre e figlio erano stati mandati in esilio, Nobushige si sarebbe ribellato contro i Tokugawa di nuovo durante l’assedio invernale di Osaka, e ancora una volta l’anno successivo nella campagna estiva. Nobushige aveva costruito una fortezza a forma di mezzaluna nell’angolo sud occidentale del Castello di Osaka, noto come Sanada Maru. L’avamposto fortificato era circondato da un fossato ampio, profondo e asciutto. La terra del fossato era ammucchiata all’interno, e lungo la cima di questo terrapieno c’era un semplice muro di legno a due piani, con piattaforme ad intervalli regolari. Apparentemente il Sanada Maru era armato di cannoni lungo le mura. Sanada Nobushige e circa 7.000 uomini respinsero ripetutamente circa 25.000 alleati dei Tokugawa. A volte i samurai di Sanada lasciavano i confini del Sanada Maru per contrattaccare le truppe nemiche.
L’anno seguente, durante l’assedio estivo di Osaka, Sanada Nobushige comandava il fianco destro delle forze di Toyotomi. Il 3 giugno, nonostante fosse completamente esausto dalla battaglia contro le forze di Date Masamune, Nobushige ed i suoi uomini erano tornati al Castello di Osaka per trovare le 150.000 uomini di Tokugawa che si preparavano a fare un ultimo assalto. Sperando di prenderli alla sprovvista e distruggere le loro formazioni, Nobushige mandò suo figlio, Daisuke, per istruire Hideyori a cercare opportunità per uscire dal castello e attaccare i Tokugawa.
photo credits: pinterest.it
Tuttavia, al momento dell’attacco, Hideyori sembra aver perso il controllo e non riuscì a lanciare il contrattacco che avrebbe potuto invertire l’assedio. Le truppe dei Sanada furono sopraffatte. Gravemente ferito nella feroce battaglia contro Matsudaira Tadanao che lo aveva impegnato per la maggior parte di questo giorno, dalle 12 alle 17, Nobushige si sedette sotto un pino nel terreno del Santuario Yasui, incapace di proseguire. Quando l’ondata di forze nemiche si avvicinò, disse con calma il suo nome, e nel dire che era troppo stanco per continuare a combattere, permise a un samurai dei Tokugawa di nome Nishio Nizaemon di prendere la sua testa. Sanada Nobushige aveva 47 anni. La notizia della sua morte si diffuse rapidamente e il morale tra le truppe di Osaka cadde.
Il nome Yukimura venne conosciuto in tutto il Giappone a causa dei suoi combattimenti senza paura.
Shimazu Iehisa di Satsuma ha elogiato Yukimura, scrivendo “Sanada era il più grande guerriero in Giappone, più forte di qualsiasi guerriero nelle storie dei tempi antichi. L’esercito Tokugawa era mezzo sconfitto. Dico questo solo in generale.”
Una statua dello stanco guerriero si trova ora sotto l’albero di pino di seconda generazione nel terreno del santuario.
photo credits: samurai-world.com
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photo credits: wikipedia.org
Sanada (Yukimura) Nobushige was one of the greatest samurai of the Sengoku period. Second child of Sanada Masayuki and younger brother of Sanada Nobuyuki, he was never called “Yukimura” during his lifetime, since his real name was Nobushige. It seems that Yukimura was obtained at the end of the Edo period. Known as “Crimson Demon of War” for his blood-red banners and red armor, he was also recognized as “the greatest warrior of Japan” and even “The last Sengoku hero” by his peers.
As a young man, he was sent by his father as a hostage to the Uesugi clan in exchange for Uesugi’s support against the Tokugawa. The father who later sided with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, as Uesugi had done, allowed him to return home to Ueda.
Sanada Nobushige served Hideyoshi directly. His first wife, Aki-hime, was the daughter of Otani Yoshitsugu even though adopted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Nobushige had seven daughters and three children with four wives, the last was born two months after his father’s death.
photo credits: samurai-world.com
Ueda Castle, built in 1583, was the home of the Sanada clan. The fact that it was well built was first tested in 1583 when the castle resisted the attack of a numerically superior Tokugawa force. The defeat would have been embarrassing for the Tokugawa in the future. Another similar siege of Ueda Castle in the 1600s at the time of the Battle of Sekigahara also saw Tokugawa Hidetada, son and heir of Ieyasu, who led his army along Nakasendo, strategically important. Along the way, he stopped and besieged Ueda Castle. Although there was a great distance from the battlefield of Sekigahara, events at Ueda Castle would have almost destroyed the intentions of the Tokugawa legions. The Sanada resisted long enough for Hidetada to arrive late to the battle itself, depriving Tokugawa of about 38,000 men. Nobushige commanded only 2,000 men inside the castle.
Sanada Masayuki and his son Nobushige kept Ueda’s castle as an ally of Western forces, however, Sanada Nobuyuki, was fighting for the Tokugawa. This ensured that at least one member of the Sanada family would be among the winners, regardless of the outcome. This was clearly a plan to preserve the family name. Following Sekigahara, Nobushige and his father were deprived of their domain and exiled to the holy mountain, Koya.
Photo Credits: tozandoshop.com
14 years after Sanada’s father and son were sent into exile, Nobushige would rebel against the Tokugawa again during the winter siege of Osaka, and again the following year in the summer campaign. Nobushige had built a crescent-shaped fortress in the southwestern corner of Osaka Castle, known as Sanada Maru. The fortified outpost was surrounded by a wide, deep and dry moat. The earth of the moat was piled up inside, and along the top of this embankment, there was a simple two-story wooden wall, with platforms at regular intervals. Apparently, the Sanada Maru was armed with cannons along the walls. Sanada Nobushige and about 7,000 men repeatedly repulsed around 25,000 Tokugawa allies. Sometimes the Sanada samurai left the borders of the Sanada Maru to counter the enemy troops.
The following year, during the summer siege of Osaka, Sanada Nobushige commanded the right flank of Toyotomi’s forces. On June 3, despite being completely exhausted from the battle against Date Masamune’s forces, Nobushige and his men had returned to Osaka Castle to find the 150,000 Tokugawa men preparing to make one final assault. Hoping to catch them off guard and destroy their formations, Nobushige sent his son, Daisuke, to instruct Hideyori to look for opportunities to get out of the castle and attack the Tokugawa.
photo credits: pinterest.it
However, at the time of the attack, Hideyori appears to have lost control and failed to launch a counterattack that could have reversed the siege. The Sanada troops were overwhelmed. Seriously wounded in the fierce battle against Matsudaira Tadanao who had pledged him for most of this day, from 12 to 17, Nobushige sat under a pine tree in the Yasui Shrine grounds, unable to continue. When the wave of enemy forces approached, he calmly said his name, and saying that he was too tired to continue fighting, he allowed a Tokugawa samurai named Nishio Nizaemon to take his head. Sanada Nobushige was 47 years old. The news of his death spread rapidly and the morale of Osaka’s troops fell.
The name Yukimura was known throughout Japan due to its fearless fighting.
Shimazu Iehisa of Satsuma praised Yukimura, writing “Sanada was the greatest warrior in Japan, stronger than any warrior in the stories of ancient times. The Tokugawa army was half defeated. I say this only in general.”
A statue of the weary warrior is now found under the second-generation pine tree in the ground of the sanctuary.
photo credits: samurai-world.com
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photo credits: wikipedia.org
Sanada (Yukimura) Nobushige was one of the greatest samurai of the Sengoku period. Second child of Sanada Masayuki and younger brother of Sanada Nobuyuki, he was never called “Yukimura” during his lifetime, since his real name was Nobushige. It seems that Yukimura was obtained at the end of the Edo period. Known as “Crimson Demon of War” for his blood-red banners and red armor, he was also recognized as “the greatest warrior of Japan” and even “The last Sengoku hero” by his peers.
As a young man, he was sent by his father as a hostage to the Uesugi clan in exchange for Uesugi’s support against the Tokugawa. The father who later sided with Toyotomi Hideyoshi, as Uesugi had done, allowed him to return home to Ueda.
Sanada Nobushige served Hideyoshi directly. His first wife, Aki-hime, was the daughter of Otani Yoshitsugu even though adopted by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Nobushige had seven daughters and three children with four wives, the last was born two months after his father’s death.
photo credits: samurai-world.com
Ueda Castle, built in 1583, was the home of the Sanada clan. The fact that it was well built was first tested in 1583 when the castle resisted the attack of a numerically superior Tokugawa force. The defeat would have been embarrassing for the Tokugawa in the future. Another similar siege of Ueda Castle in the 1600s at the time of the Battle of Sekigahara also saw Tokugawa Hidetada, son and heir of Ieyasu, who led his army along Nakasendo, strategically important. Along the way, he stopped and besieged Ueda Castle. Although there was a great distance from the battlefield of Sekigahara, events at Ueda Castle would have almost destroyed the intentions of the Tokugawa legions. The Sanada resisted long enough for Hidetada to arrive late to the battle itself, depriving Tokugawa of about 38,000 men. Nobushige commanded only 2,000 men inside the castle.
Sanada Masayuki and his son Nobushige kept Ueda’s castle as an ally of Western forces, however, Sanada Nobuyuki, was fighting for the Tokugawa. This ensured that at least one member of the Sanada family would be among the winners, regardless of the outcome. This was clearly a plan to preserve the family name. Following Sekigahara, Nobushige and his father were deprived of their domain and exiled to the holy mountain, Koya.
Photo Credits: tozandoshop.com
14 years after Sanada’s father and son were sent into exile, Nobushige would rebel against the Tokugawa again during the winter siege of Osaka, and again the following year in the summer campaign. Nobushige had built a crescent-shaped fortress in the southwestern corner of Osaka Castle, known as Sanada Maru. The fortified outpost was surrounded by a wide, deep and dry moat. The earth of the moat was piled up inside, and along the top of this embankment, there was a simple two-story wooden wall, with platforms at regular intervals. Apparently, the Sanada Maru was armed with cannons along the walls. Sanada Nobushige and about 7,000 men repeatedly repulsed around 25,000 Tokugawa allies. Sometimes the Sanada samurai left the borders of the Sanada Maru to counter the enemy troops.
The following year, during the summer siege of Osaka, Sanada Nobushige commanded the right flank of Toyotomi’s forces. On June 3, despite being completely exhausted from the battle against Date Masamune’s forces, Nobushige and his men had returned to Osaka Castle to find the 150,000 Tokugawa men preparing to make one final assault. Hoping to catch them off guard and destroy their formations, Nobushige sent his son, Daisuke, to instruct Hideyori to look for opportunities to get out of the castle and attack the Tokugawa.
photo credits: pinterest.it
However, at the time of the attack, Hideyori appears to have lost control and failed to launch a counterattack that could have reversed the siege. The Sanada troops were overwhelmed. Seriously wounded in the fierce battle against Matsudaira Tadanao who had pledged him for most of this day, from 12 to 17, Nobushige sat under a pine tree in the Yasui Shrine grounds, unable to continue. When the wave of enemy forces approached, he calmly said his name, and saying that he was too tired to continue fighting, he allowed a Tokugawa samurai named Nishio Nizaemon to take his head. Sanada Nobushige was 47 years old. The news of his death spread rapidly and the morale of Osaka’s troops fell.
The name Yukimura was known throughout Japan due to its fearless fighting.
Shimazu Iehisa of Satsuma praised Yukimura, writing “Sanada was the greatest warrior in Japan, stronger than any warrior in the stories of ancient times. The Tokugawa army was half defeated. I say this only in general.”
A statue of the weary warrior is now found under the second-generation pine tree in the ground of the sanctuary.
photo credits: samurai-world.com
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