Takeda Shingen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Takeda Shingen
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武田 信玄
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Takeda Shingen
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| Head of Takeda clan | |
| In office 1541–1573 |
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| Preceded by | Takeda Nobutora |
| Succeeded by | Takeda Katsuyori |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 1, 1521 Kai Province, Japan |
| Died | May 13, 1573 (aged 51) Mikawa Province, Japan |
| Spouse | Lady Sanjō |
| Domestic partner | Suwa Goryōnin (concubine) |
| Children | Takeda Yoshinobu Takeda Nobuchika Takeda Katsuyori Nishina Morinobu Matsuhime |
| Parents |
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| Relatives | Takeda Nobushige (brother) Takeda Nobukado (brother) Takeda Nobuzane (brother) Imagawa Yoshimoto (brother-in-law) Anayama Nobutomo (brother-in-law) |
| Nickname | "claw of eye " |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Takeda clan |
| Rank | Lord (Daimyo) |
| Unit | Takeda clan |
| Commands | Tsutsujigasaki Castle |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Un no Kuchi Battle of Sezawa Siege of Uehara Siege of Kuwabara Siege of Fukuyo Battle of Ankokuji Siege of Nagakubo Siege of Takatō Siege of Ryūgasaki Battle of Odaihara Siege of Shika Castle Battle of Uedahara Battle of Shiojiritoge Siege of Katsurao Battles of Kawanakajima Siege of Kannomine Siege of Matsuo Siege of Matsuyama Siege of Minowa Siege of Hachigata Siege of Odawara Battle of Mimasetoge Battle of Tonegawa Battle of Mikatagahara Siege of Noda Castle |
Takeda Shingen (error: {{nihongo}}: Japanese or romaji text required (help)) was a powerful Japanese leader, known as a daimyō, during the Sengoku period of Japan. He ruled Kai Province. Shingen was famous for his amazing military skills and leadership. He was so strong in battle that people called him the "Tiger of Kai". He was one of the most important daimyo at the end of the Sengoku period.
Contents
Understanding Takeda Shingen's Name
When Shingen was a child, people called him "Tarō" or Katsuchiyo (勝千代). This was a common nickname for the oldest son in a Japanese family.
After his coming-of-age ceremony, called genpuku, he received the formal name Harunobu (晴信). This name included a special character from Ashikaga Yoshiharu, who was the 12th shogun of the Ashikaga shogunate. In old Japan, a higher-ranked samurai would often give a character from their own name to someone below them. This was a sign of respect and recognition. Even though the shogun's power was not as strong then, it was still a great honor to receive a character from the shogunate.
Both the Ashikaga clan and the Takeda clan came from the Minamoto clan. So, Harunobu and his family technically had the surname Minamoto. In official records, he was sometimes called "Minamoto no Harunobu" (源 晴信).
In February 1559, Harunobu decided to become a Buddhist monk, a pabbajja life. He received a new Buddhist name, Shingen (信玄), from his teacher. The characters for "Shingen" can also be read as "Nobuharu," which is his old name spelled backward. Even though he was widely known as Shingen, his official name remained Harunobu for the rest of his life.
Shingen was also known as "The Tiger of Kai" (甲斐の虎) because he was so fierce in battle. His main rival, Uesugi Kenshin, was often called "The Dragon of Echigo" (越後の龍). These two leaders enjoyed fighting each other and met many times in battle, especially at Kawanakajima.
Early Life and Becoming a Leader
Takeda Shingen was the first son of Takeda Nobutora, who was the leader of the Takeda clan and the daimyo of Kai Province. Shingen was a talented poet when he was young. He helped his father with the older family members and loyal followers of the Takeda clan. He became a very important part of the clan at a young age. In 1536, when he was just 15, he played a key role in helping his father win the Battle of Un no Kuchi.
Later, the young Shingen decided to challenge his father, Takeda Nobutora. He succeeded in 1540, taking control of the clan. The exact details of this change are not fully clear. However, it is thought that Nobutora had planned to make his second son, Takeda Nobushige, his heir instead of Shingen. As a result, Shingen and his supporters forced Nobutora to retire. He was sent to Suruga Province, where he was kept under the watch of the Imagawa clan. This clan was led by Imagawa Yoshimoto, who was Nobutora's son-in-law. Because the Imagawa clan helped in this peaceful takeover, an alliance was formed between the Imagawa and Takeda clans.
Takeda's Military Campaigns
Conquering Shinano Province
Shingen's first big goal was to take control of the area around him, especially Shinano Province. Several powerful warlords in Shinano tried to stop the young Shingen before he could expand. They planned to attack him at Fuchu. But Shingen's forces surprised them at the Battle of Sezawa. Shingen won quickly, which opened the way for him to move into Shinano that same year.
He made great progress, capturing the Suwa clan's main base in the Siege of Kuwabara. Then he moved into central Shinano, defeating Tozawa Yorichika and Takato Yoritsugu in the Siege of Fukuyo and Battle of Ankokuji. In 1543, he captured Nagakubo Castle. He continued to take more castles like Kojinyama Castle in 1544, and Takatō Castle and Ryūgasaki Castle in 1545. In 1546, he took Uchiyama Castle and won the Battle of Odaihara. In 1547, he captured Shika Castle.
In 1548, Shingen defeated Ogasawara Nagatoki in the Battle of Shiojiritoge. He then took Fukashi Castle in 1550. However, he faced a setback at Uedahara against Murakami Yoshikiyo, losing two of his generals. Shingen later got his revenge, and the Murakami clan was defeated in the sieges of Toishi. Murakami fled and asked for help from Echigo Province.
By 1553, Shingen had captured Katsurao, Wada, Takashima, and Fukuda castles. In 1554, he took Fukushima, Kannomine, Matsuo, and Yoshioka castles.
Rivalry with Uesugi Kenshin
After taking over Shinano Province, Shingen met a new rival: Uesugi Kenshin from Echigo Province. Their rivalry became famous. They fought five times on the battlefield in the Battles of Kawanakajima.
These battles were usually small fights, as neither leader wanted to risk everything in one big attack. The fourth battle was the fiercest. During this battle, a famous story tells how Kenshin's forces broke through the Takeda troops. Kenshin himself then fought Shingen one-on-one. The story says Kenshin attacked Shingen with his sword, and Shingen defended himself with his iron war fan. Both leaders lost many men in this battle. Shingen especially lost two of his main generals, Yamamoto Kansuke and his younger brother Takeda Nobushige.
After the fourth battle of Kawanakajima, the Takeda clan faced some internal problems. Shingen discovered two challenges to his leadership. The first was from his cousin Suwa Shigemasa. The second, a few years later, was from his own son Takeda Yoshinobu. His son was kept at the Toko-ji temple, where he died two years later. It is not known if his death was natural or if it was ordered by his father. After this, Shingen chose his fourth son, Takeda Katsuyori, to lead the clan after him until Katsuyori's own son was old enough.
Kōzuke Campaign
In 1563, Shingen formed an alliance with Hōjō Ujiyasu. He helped Ujiyasu capture Matsuyama Castle in Musashi Province. In 1565, Shingen then took Kuragano Castle and Minowa Castle in Kōzuke province.
In 1571, Uesugi Kenshin moved into Kozuke province and attacked Shingen's castle, Ishikura Castle. Both armies met in the Battle of Tonegawa. They fought well but eventually separated.
Suruga Campaign
The death of Takeda Yoshinobu is thought to be connected to Shingen changing his plans for the Imagawa clan. After Imagawa Yoshimoto died in a battle against Oda Nobunaga in 1560, Shingen made an alliance with the Oda clan and Tokugawa clan. He began planning to invade Suruga Province, which was now controlled by Yoshimoto's son, Imagawa Ujizane. Yoshinobu had strongly disagreed with this plan because his wife was Yoshimoto's daughter.
By 1567, Shingen had successfully kept Uesugi Kenshin out of northern Shinano Province. He also took an important castle in western Kōzuke Province and settled any internal disagreements about his plans. He was ready to invade the weakened Imagawa clan. Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu agreed to work together. They occupied the land that used to belong to the Imagawa clan, fighting against Yoshimoto's heir, Imagawa Ujizane.
During this time, Shingen also started a big project to build dams on the Fuji River. This was a major construction effort at the time.
Conflict with Hojo Clan
In 1568, the Hōjō clan interfered with Shingen's invasion of Suruga Province. In response, Shingen broke his alliance with the Hōjō. He marched into Musashi Province from his home in Kai Province, attacking Takiyama Castle. He then moved against the Hojo by attacking Hachigata Castle. After that, he began the Siege of Odawara (1569). He burned Odawara Castle and then successfully retreated. Hōjō Ujiteru and Hōjō Ujikuni could not stop him in the Battle of Mimasetoge.
After defeating the forces led by Hōjō Ujimasa, Shingen finally secured Suruga Province in 1569. This area, once the base of the powerful Imagawa clan, now belonged to the Takeda clan.
At this point, Shingen controlled Kai Province, Shinano Province, the western part of Kōzuke Province, Musashi Province, and Suruga Province.
Conflict with Oda–Tokugawa Alliance
By the time Takeda Shingen was 49 years old, he was one of the few daimyo powerful enough to challenge Oda Nobunaga's goal of ruling all of Japan.
In 1572, after making sure the Takeda clan controlled Suruga Province, northern Shinano Province, and western Kōzuke, Shingen captured Iwamura Castle. This caused the relationship between the Takeda clan and the Oda clan to get worse. Shingen fought Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces in 1572 and captured Futamata.
In early 1573, Shingen decided to march towards Kyoto. The shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki had urged him to do so. On his way from Kōfu to Kyoto, Shingen challenged the Oda clan–Tokugawa clan alliance in the Battle of Mikatagahara. This was one of Takeda Shingen's most famous battles and a great example of his tactics using cavalry. It was also one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's worst defeats. Ieyasu barely avoided a complete disaster. Shingen paused his advance for a short time, which allowed the Tokugawa clan to get ready for battle again. In mid-1573, he led a large army of over 30,000 soldiers into Tokugawa lands in Tōtōmi Province, Mikawa Province, and Mino Province.
Death of Takeda Shingen
In February 1573, Shingen entered Mikawa Province and began to besiege Noda Castle. However, he soon died in his army camp. The exact details of his death are not fully known. Some stories say he died from an old war wound. Others say a sniper wounded him earlier. Still others claim he died of pneumonia. He was buried at Erin-ji temple in what is now Kōshū, Yamanashi.
After Shingen's death, Takeda Katsuyori became the new daimyo of the Takeda clan. Katsuyori was ambitious and wanted to continue his father's work. He moved to take Tokugawa forts. However, an allied force of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga severely defeated the Takeda at the Battle of Nagashino. Nobunaga's infantry, armed with matchlock guns, destroyed the Takeda cavalry. Ieyasu then took the chance to defeat the weakened Takeda, led by Takeda Katsuyori, in the Battle of Tenmokuzan. Katsuyori died after this battle, and the Takeda clan never fully recovered.
Takeda Shingen's Lasting Impact
When Takeda Shingen died, Uesugi Kenshin reportedly cried. He had lost one of his strongest and most respected rivals. One of the greatest tributes to Shingen's skill came from Tokugawa Ieyasu himself. Ieyasu later used many of the ideas from Shingen's government and military systems. He did this after he took control of Kai Province during Toyotomi Hideyoshi's rise to power. Many of these ideas were later used in the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for a long time.
Even though the Takeda clan was mostly destroyed after Shingen's heir, Katsuyori, was defeated, Shingen had a big impact on Japan. He influenced many lords with his laws, tax systems, and ways of running things. Many stories were told about him. While he was aggressive towards his enemies in war, he was probably not as cruel as some other warlords. His war banner had the famous phrase Fū-Rin-Ka-Zan (風林火山, "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain"). This phrase came from Sun Tzu's book The Art of War. It means Swift as the Wind, Silent as a Forest, Fierce as Fire and Immovable as a Mountain. This motto showed how Shingen thought about his policies and military strategy.
Key Generals and Supporters
During the Edo period, 24 of Shingen's most important supporters were often featured in popular art and plays. Their names can vary, but the following list includes the most commonly agreed-upon generals. They did not all serve at the same time, as some died before others joined. However, they were all known for their great contributions to Shingen and the Takeda clan.
- Akiyama Nobutomo
- Amari Torayasu
- Anayama Nobutada
- Baba Nobuharu
- Hara Masatane
- Hara Toratane
- Ichijō Nobutatsu, Shingen's younger brother
- Itagaki Nobukata
- Kiso Yoshimasa
- Kōsaka Masanobu
- Naitō Masatoyo
- Obata Masamori
- Obata Toramori
- Obu Toramasa
- Oyamada Nobushige
- Saegusa Moritomo
- Sanada Nobutsuna
- Sanada Yukitaka
- Tada Mitsuyori
- Tsuchiya Masatsugu
- Takeda Nobukado
- Takeda Nobushige
- Yamagata Masakage
- Yamamoto Kansuke
- Yokota Takatoshi
Other important generals included:
- Hoshina Masatoshi
- Morozumi Torasada
- Ohama Kagetaka
- Sanada Masayuki
Shingen-ko Festival
The Shingen-ko Festival (信玄公祭り, Shingen-ko Matsuri) is a three-day event held every year in Kōfu, Yamanashi Prefecture. It takes place on the first or second weekend of April. This festival celebrates the life and legacy of the daimyo Takeda Shingen. Shingen died on the 12th day of the 4th month in the old lunar calendar, so April 12th is celebrated as the anniversary of his death.
During the festival, a famous Japanese celebrity often plays the role of Takeda Shingen. There are several parades that go between the Takeda Shrine and Kofu Castle. These parades show different parts of Takeda Shingen's life. The parades are very dramatic, with serious re-enactors who practice all year for this special weekend.
Family Members
- Father: Takeda Nobutora (1494–1574)
- Mother: Ōi no Kata
- Brothers:
- Takematsu (1517–1523)
- Inuchiyo (1523–1529)
- Takeda Nobushige (1525–1561)
- Takeda Nobumoto
- Takeda Nobukado (1529–1582)
- Matsuo Nobukore (c. 1530s–1571)
- Takeda Souchi
- Takeda Nobuzane (c. 1530s–1575)
- Ichijō Nobutatsu (c. 1539–1582)
- Sisters:
- Joukei-in (1519–1550), married Imagawa Yoshimoto
- Nanshou-in (born 1520) married Anayama Nobutomo
- Nene (1528–1543) married Suwa Yorishige
- Sons:
- Takeda Katsuyori by Suwa Goryōnin
- Takeda Yoshinobu by Lady Sanjō
- Takeda Nobuchika (also known as Unno Nobuchika) by Lady Sanjō
- Takeda Nobukiyo
- Nishina Morinobu
- Katsurayama Nobusada
- Daughters:
- Ōbai-in
- Kenshō-in
- Shinryu-in
- Matsuhime
- Kikuhime
See also
In Spanish: Takeda Shingen para niños
