Itagaki Nobukata facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Itagaki Nobukata
Painting of Japanese samurai, Itagaki Nobukata, possibly from the 1860
Native name	板垣 信方
Nickname(s)	信形
Born	1489
Died	March 23, 1548
Allegiance	Takeda clan
Battles/wars	Battle of Ankokuji (1542) Battle of Odaihara (1547) Siege of Shika Castle (1547) Battle of Uedahara (1548)
Relations	Itagaki Taisuke

Itagaki Nobukata (板垣 信方, 1489 – March 23, 1548) was a brave Japanese samurai and a general. He was a trusted helper of the powerful Takeda family. People knew him as one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".

His name can also be written with different Japanese characters, like 信形. Nobukata worked for both Takeda Nobutora and his son, Takeda Shingen. He even helped teach young Shingen.

Itagaki Nobukata's Military Career

In 1541, Takeda Nobutora was no longer the leader of the Takeda clan. His son, Shingen, took over. Itagaki Nobukata became a main general for Shingen. He often led troops into battle when Shingen could not be there.

Early Victories and Success

In 1542, Nobukata personally defeated Takato Yoritsugu at the Battle of Ankokuji. This happened shortly after the Siege of Fukuyo.

In 1545, he successfully attacked and captured Takatō Castle. This was a big win for the Takeda clan.

In 1546, Nobukata defeated Uesugi Norimasa at Usui Toge during the Battle of Odaihara. These victories helped the Takeda clan take control of Shinano Province. Nobukata showed he was a very skilled planner and leader in battles. Because of his success, he was known as one of Shingen's "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen".

Challenges and Mistakes

After these many wins, Nobukata started to become a bit too proud. He would sometimes celebrate victories even before the battle was truly over. Because of this, his victories became less common.

Nobukata was the oldest of Shingen's trusted helpers. He had also helped teach Shingen when he was young. This made it hard for others to tell him when he was making mistakes.

In 1547, during the Siege of Shika Castle, Nobukata and his soldiers were almost completely defeated. If Hara Toratane had not arrived to help them, Nobukata himself would have been in great danger. Shingen sent Nobukata a special poem called a waka. This poem was meant to encourage Nobukata to learn from his mistakes.

The Final Battle

In 1548, at the Battle of Uedahara, Nobukata thought he had won the battle. He told his troops to stop fighting so they could have a victory ceremony. However, Murakami Yoshikiyo's troops quickly regrouped and attacked again. In this surprise attack, Itagaki Nobukata and Amari Torayasu were both killed.

Itagaki Nobukata's Personal Life

The famous politician Itagaki Taisuke, who lived much later in the Meiji era, was a direct descendant of Nobukata. He was 12 generations after him.

The poem Shingen sent to Nobukata was:

Dare mo Miyo Mitsureba Yagate Kaku Tsuki no Izayofu Ana ya Hito no Yo no Naka

誰もみよ 満つればやがて 欠く月の 十六夜ふ穴や 人の世の中

This poem means: "Everyone sees that even a beautiful full moon starts to change its shape, becoming smaller as time passes. Our lives are similar; things can change, and we should always be careful."

Itagaki Nobukata in Stories

In the 2007 Japanese TV show Fūrinkazan, Itagaki Nobukata was played by the actor Sonny Chiba. In this show, Nobukata was shown as a more heroic character. He was trying to help the young Takeda Shingen (who was called Harunobu back then) avoid being too arrogant. In the story, Nobukata chose to sacrifice himself so that Harunobu could survive the Battle of Uedahara.

Images for kids

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  Painting of Japanese samurai, Itagaki Nobukata, possibly from the 1860

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  The Takeda clan symbol