Yamamoto Kansuke (general) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Yamamoto Kansuke
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Portrait of Yamamoto Kansuke
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| Native name |
山本勘助
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| Born | 1501 Ushikubo, Mikawa Province, Japan |
| Died | October 18, 1561 Shinano Province, Japan |
| Allegiance | Takeda clan |
| Rank | Strategist |
| Battles/wars | Shinano Campaign (1543-1557) Battles of Kawanakajima (1561) |
Yamamoto Kansuke (山本 勘助, 1501 – October 18, 1561) was a famous Japanese samurai warrior. He lived during the Sengoku period, a time in Japan (1467-1615) when many powerful warlords fought for control. Kansuke was known as a brilliant strategist, meaning he was very good at planning battles and military moves.
He was one of the "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen". These were the most trusted and skilled leaders who served the powerful warlord Takeda Shingen. Kansuke is especially remembered for his clever plan during the fourth Battle of Kawanakajima. This was a big battle against another famous warrior, Uesugi Kenshin. Sadly, Kansuke thought his plan had failed. He bravely charged into the enemy lines and died in battle, not knowing his strategy would actually lead to success.
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Kansuke's Early Life
We don't know everything about where Kansuke came from. However, it's believed he was born in a town called Ushikubo. This town was in a region known as Mikawa Province. At that time, the Imagawa clan controlled this area.
In 1543, Kansuke began to serve Takeda Shingen. Shingen was a very powerful warlord in Kai Province. Kansuke started as an infantry commander, which meant he led groups of foot soldiers.
A Unique Warrior
Legend says that Yamamoto Kansuke had a physical challenge: he was blind in one eye and had a limp. Despite this, he was known as a fierce warrior and a very smart military planner. In many old artworks, he is shown holding a long pole weapon called a naginata. He used it to help him walk because of his weak leg.
Kansuke also played a part in bringing the daughter of a defeated leader, Suwa Yorishige, to Shingen. She became one of Shingen's wives.
The Battle of Kawanakajima
Kansuke was a key leader in the fourth Battle of Kawanakajima. He led a special attack plan called a Pincer movement. This is when an army attacks an enemy from two sides at once, like a crab's pincers.
During the battle, Kansuke thought his plan had failed. Because of this, he bravely charged directly into the enemy's soldiers. He was killed fighting, along with two of his main followers, Osaragi Shōzaemon and Isahaya Sagorō. Kansuke's adopted son, Yamamoto Kanzō Nobutomo, also died in the Battle of Kawanakajima.
Kansuke's Legacy
Yamamoto Kansuke was an ancestor of Yamamoto Yaeko. She was a famous woman warrior from the Bakumatsu period in Japan.
Kansuke is also linked to a book called Heihō Ōgisho. This book is about strategy and tactics in war. It is included in the Kōyō Gunkan, which is a historical record of the Takeda family. The book focuses on how individual warriors should act during battles.
Images for kids
- Yamamoto Kansuke
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Yamamoto Kansuke fighting a giant boar, in a woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi
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Kanesuke Yamamoto dies in the battle of Kawanakajima (Yoshitoshi)
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Grave of Kansuke, near site of Battle of Kawanakajima, Nagano
