Battle of Uedahara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Uedahara |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Sengoku period | |||||||
 Uedahara today |
|||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| Takeda clan | Murakami clan | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Takeda Shingen Itagaki Nobukata † Amari Torayasu † Hajikano Den'emon † |
Murakami Yoshikiyo | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 7,000 | 3,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 700 men | 120 | ||||||
The Battle of Uedahara (上田原の戦い) was a really important fight in Japan during a time called the Sengoku period. It happened on February 14, 1548, in a place now known as Ueda, Nagano Prefecture. This battle was special for two big reasons: it was the first time the famous warrior Takeda Shingen ever lost a battle, and it was also the first time guns (called firearms) were used in a major field battle in Japan.
Contents
The Battle of Uedahara
Why the Battle Happened
The Battle of Uedahara was part of Takeda Shingen's plan to take control of a region called Shinano Province. His family had already taken over the southern part of this area. Shingen's campaign started when he captured Shika Castle. This made Murakami Yoshikiyo very worried because Shika Castle was close to his lands.
Yoshikiyo sent an army to help Shika Castle, but Shingen's troops surprised them. After this, Yoshikiyo gathered his own forces in March 1548. He wanted to capture Shiga Castle back and push Shingen out of Shinano.
The Fight Begins
Shingen then joined up with his soldiers who had taken Shika Castle. He led about 7,000 men north to face Yoshikiyo's army. Shingen's first group of soldiers was led by a general named Itagaki Nobukata. When they charged directly into Murakami's first group, the attack was stopped, and Itagaki Nobukata was killed.
Guns on the Battlefield
Murakami's army used 50 ashigaru (foot soldiers) who had Japanese "hand cannons" or arquebuses. These guns were meant to help the archers. Murakami's army also used small Chinese handguns to fight against the enemy's cavalry (soldiers on horseback).
Shingen, however, stuck to older battle methods. He did not use the tanegashima (a type of Japanese firearm) first. This was a big mistake for his army.
Casualties and Shingen's Injury
About 700 of Takeda's men were killed in the battle. This included important generals like Itagaki Nobukata, Amari Torayasu, and Hajikano Den'emon. Even Shingen himself was hurt, getting a spear wound on his left arm.
What Happened After the Battle
Murakami's Victory and Challenges
Even though Murakami Yoshikiyo won the Battle of Uedahara, his power became weaker afterward. This was because many of his best samurai (warriors) were killed. This made it harder for him to fight on his own.
Shingen's Gains
On the other hand, Takeda Shingen actually gained from the conflict in the long run. He was able to expand his power even more. He took control of several new areas, including the Kousaka, Inoue, Mennai, Suda, Takanashi, and Seba districts.
