The War of the "One Million Kan": A Different Account of the Tensho-Komaki-Nagakute Campaign, Part 7 (8-part series)

November, Tensho 11 (1583). Rumors of "Nobukatsu Oda committing seppuku" circulated in Mikawa, but upon closer investigation, they proved to be groundless. However, the relationship between Hashiba Hideyoshi and Oda Nobukatsu had become so strained that such unsettling rumors were spreading.

January, Tensho 12 (1584). Concerned by the discord between Hashiba Hideyoshi and Oda Nobukatsu, Gamo Ujisato and Ikeda Tsuneoki arranged a meeting at Mii-dera Temple in Omi Province to attempt mediation.

When Oda Nobukatsu entered the main hall with a furrowed brow and tense shoulders, Hashiba Hideyoshi was waiting, bowing in greeting. Nobukatsu and Hideyoshi sat facing each other.

Oda Nobukatsu had a well-proportioned physique, fitting for one who practiced Noh, though he was somewhat slender. His appearance resembled Nobunaga's, but he was slightly more gentle.

Nobukatsu: "Chikuzen (Hideyoshi). I recently appointed Maeda Gen'i as the Kyoto Shoshidai, but I hear that he cannot get things done anywhere and that his administration is stalled. Do you have any idea why?"

Hideyoshi: "Well now. I am but a man who knows nothing but running around the battlefield with a spear in hand. What could you possibly mean?"

Nobukatsu looked puzzled. He had never heard that Hideyoshi was a man of martial arts or a braggart about his spear skills. Nobukatsu: "They say that nothing can be decided without your letter of endorsement, Chikuzen. What kind of behavior is that?"

Before Nobukatsu could finish speaking, Hideyoshi replied, "By the way, the red seal you use, Nobukatsu-sama. 'Authority over the Seas and Lands.' Perhaps you should stop using that. Acting like a mere ape mimicking the late Lord (Nobunaga) might actually tarnish his glorious name. Oh, that reminds me of the Iga campaign. Nobukatsu-sama, when you were in a difficult spot, the late Lord himself took the field, and we all worked ourselves to the bone to resolve the matter. Such things happened, didn't they?"

Hideyoshi said this in a deeply sentimental tone. Hearing the mention of the Iga campaign, Nobukatsu trembled with rage.

Nobukatsu: "I did not rely on Chikuzen for the Iga campaign...!"

Oda Nobukatsu had launched the Iga campaign on his own authority, only to suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of the local Iga clans. It was only in Tensho 9 (1581) that he had his father, Oda Nobunaga, send reinforcements to barely pacify the region.

Hideyoshi: "Was that so? Well, if it had been Nobutada-sama or Nobutaka-dono, perhaps such trouble would not have been necessary."

Nobukatsu raised his voice: "Chikuzen! Are you trying to mock me!"

Hideyoshi put on a look of surprise and trepidation.

Hideyoshi: "Mock you? Heaven forbid! I am merely doing my utmost because your senior retainers, Tsugawa-dono, Okada-dono, and Asai-dono, asked me to look after not only Sanboshi-kun but also you, Nobukatsu-sama..."

Hideyoshi brought his clenched fist to his eyes: "I am trying to repay even a ten-thousandth of the debt of gratitude I owe the late Lord. I am, I am truly saddened!"

Nobukatsu bristled and said, "Chikuzen! Remember this!"

Nobukatsu stormed out of the main hall with such force he nearly kicked the sliding doors. Ikeda Tsuneoki, who was waiting nearby, called out to him. Ikeda Tsuneoki: "Nobukatsu-sama! Please wait! Wait a moment!" Nobukatsu did not listen and left Mii-dera Temple behind.

Ikeda Tsuneoki slumped his shoulders. To think he would be so easily provoked by such transparent bait.

Ikeda Tsuneoki: "..., it is not Nobukatsu-sama, and certainly not Chikuzen, who will protect the late Lord's grandson, Sanboshi-kun. It is I, Katsusaburo (Tsuneoki)."

However, as things stood, his military achievements were insufficient. He had to earn more glory. That was what Ikeda Tsuneoki was thinking.

February, the 12th year of Tensho (1584). Late at night, Sakai Tadatsugu, Ishikawa Kazumasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, Ii Naomasa, and Honda Tadakatsu were gathered in the study room of Hamamatsu Castle.

The night was strangely warm. Tokugawa Ieyasu waited in the seat of honor for everyone to arrive, and Honda Masanobu was already standing by his side. The generals glanced at Masanobu with suspicion.

Ieyasu: "You are all here. First, look at this."
Ieyasu handed a secret letter to Sakai Tadatsugu. Tadatsugu read it once and passed it around. The secret letter was from Oda Nobukatsu. It was filled with bitter complaints about the treatment he had received from Hashiba Hideyoshi.

Sakakibara Yasumasa: "They say that a bird in distress seeking refuge is something a benevolent person should pity. But to be relied upon so openly is quite bewildering. His temperament does not seem to resemble his father's."

Ieyasu: "It means he has run out of options. I will side with Lord Nobukatsu."

Siding with Oda Nobukatsu meant that, at this point, it would lead to war with Hashiba Hideyoshi.

Ishikawa Kazumasa: "However, Hashiba is now a great daimyo who controls Harima and the northern half of the Kinai region. He is not an easy opponent."

Honda Tadakatsu, who was leaning against a pillar with one knee raised, interjected: "Well, war is not always decided by the number of soldiers, though."
Sakai Tadatsugu cleared his throat, "Ahem."

Ieyasu: "I have a strategy prepared for that. Masanobu."Honda Masanobu: "Yes, my lord."Masanobu spread out a map of the Kinai region and its surroundings and placed game pieces on it.

Masanobu: "Our house will side with Lord Oda Nobukatsu. We will also join hands with the Chosokabe of Shikoku. From there, we will join forces with the Saika Ikki of Kii and others who do not wish to submit to Hashiba, surrounding and tightening the noose around him. After that, we will win one victory to drive a wedge between us and Lord Ikeda Tsuneoki of Mino, and bring Lord Ikeda over to our side. If we do that, the various daimyo who are currently just following the momentum of Hashiba Hideyoshi will likely defect as well." It was a grand strategy that would involve the entire Kinai region.

Sakai Tadatsugu: "And how do you intend to win that one victory?"

Masanobu: "In all likelihood, Hideyoshi will build many field castles around the Mino front. Then, he will crush us with a large army once we are exhausted from attacking. This is Hideyoshi's standard tactic. Therefore, we will also build field castles on the Owari front. Hideyoshi, losing his patience, will likely attempt something against Mikawa. I believe there is an opening to exploit there."

Sakai Tadatsugu: "What kind of strategy is this 'something'?"

Masanobu: "It might be from land, or it might be from the sea."

Sakai Tadatsugu: "That is not very clear."

Ishikawa Kazumasa asked Masanobu: "You stated definitively that using a large army from field castles is Hideyoshi's standard tactic, but do you have any evidence?"

Masanobu: "Please look at this for that." Masanobu presented a dozen or so battle diagrams.

Masanobu: "These are things I collected while I was being looked after by Chaya Shirojiro. They summarize the major battles in the Kinai region."
The diagrams mainly contained the battle formations and approximate troop numbers for the battles Hideyoshi had fought. The diagrams also included the battle where Hideyoshi defeated Akechi Mitsuhide at Yamazaki and the battle where he defeated Shibata Katsuie at Shizugatake.

When Ieyasu picked up the map to look at it, everyone followed suit and picked up their own copies.

Ishikawa Kazumasa: 'Masanobu. Is there any proof that these maps are accurate?' Everyone's gaze turned to Masanobu.

Amidst this, Ii Naomasa said, 'I believe we can trust these maps. To compile such maps over more than a decade—this could not have been done without loyalty to our lord.'

Sakakibara Yasumasa: 'If we are to fight in the Owari region, I believe we should make Komakiyama Castle our main base. Lord Nobunaga used Komakiyama as a foothold to take Gifu Castle, and subsequently, the realm. If you and Lord Nobukatsu make Komakiyama your main base this time, it will make it widely known to the world that justice lies with us. The arrangements are already complete, so we can begin construction at any time.'

Ieyasu: 'Indeed. You are well-prepared. Make Komakiyama our main base and a stronghold. Yasumasa, I leave it to you.' Ieyasu thought to himself that Sakakibara Yasumasa was a man who looked at the big picture.

Next, Ieyasu instructed Sakai Tadatsugu and Ishikawa Kazumasa to issue a debt cancellation order (Tokuseirei) for Mikawa and Totomi provinces.

Hearing the mention of a debt cancellation order, Masanobu advised Ieyasu: 'My Lord. War is not fought by samurai alone. Please reconsider the debt cancellation order.'

Ieyasu picked up Masanobu's map and said: 'I have also looked at the maps you drew. According to these, at the Battle of Yamazaki, there were 40,000 Hashiba troops against 20,000 Akechi troops. At the Battle of Shizugatake, it says there were 60,000 Hashiba troops against 30,000 Shibata troops. That means for this battle, Hideyoshi will be fielding 90,000 soldiers.'

Masanobu: 'But you will earn the resentment of the townspeople.'

Ieyasu: 'Hideyoshi's schemes have already reached Mikawa and Totomi. This is to repel those schemes and keep them tied to our house. Right now, I need every single soldier I can get. If we collapse before the other daimyo defect from Hideyoshi, then all will be lost.' Masanobu was not convinced. However, because he could not clearly articulate the reason himself, he did not argue strongly.

March 6, 12th year of Tensho. Oda Nobukatsu executed his senior retainers Tsugawa Yoshifuyu, Okada Shigetaka, and Asai Nagatoki on suspicion of colluding with Hashiba Hideyoshi. The three senior retainers had exchanged written oaths with Hideyoshi before the meeting at Miidera Temple last February.

Meanwhile, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved to Okazaki Castle in Mikawa on March 7.

The news that Oda Nobukatsu had executed his three senior retainers, Tsugawa, Okada, and Asai, had reached Hashiba Hideyoshi in Osaka.

Hideyoshi said casually to his younger brother, Hashiba Hidenaga: 'It seems Lord Nobukatsu has punished Tsugawa-dono, Okada-dono, and Asai-dono. Even though those three had exchanged written oaths with me. War is unavoidable, it seems. What a pity.'

Hashiba Hidenaga felt that Hideyoshi's attitude was a bit too relaxed: 'Brother. Is it really alright to be so laid back?'

Hideyoshi said, using gestures: 'The opponents are Lord Nobukatsu, who is obsessed with Noh, and the ever-so-earnest Ieyasu-dono. It will be fine. The essence of military strategy is deception. Pretend to attack, then show your back. When the enemy lets their guard down, turn around quickly and strike. It was the same at Shizugatake, wasn't it?'

Hashiba Hidenaga: 'I have also recently started reading Sun Tzu. They say that in war, speed is of the essence, don't they?'

Hideyoshi: 'I get it, I get it. Koichiro (Hidenaga), strike into Northern Ise. You may handle the details as you see fit.'

March 9th. Hideyoshi declares war on Oda Nobukatsu and Tokugawa Ieyasu. On March 11th, the Hashiba forces invade North Ise, the territory of Oda Nobukatsu.

March 13th. Ieyasu enters Kiyosu Castle in Owari. In the Mino region, Ikeda Tsuneoki, lord of Ogaki Castle, invades Owari and captures Inuyama Castle.

Mori Nagayoshi, son-in-law of Ikeda Tsuneoki, was fortifying the Haguro Fortress, located south of Inuyama Castle.

The 17th. Acting on Ieyasu's orders, Matsudaira Ietada and Sakai Tadatsugu attack the Haguro Fortress and defeat Mori Nagayoshi's forces.

The curtain was raised on what is known to the world as the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute.

The 18th. Ieyasu enters Komakiyama Castle and makes it his main camp. Just as Sakakibara Yasumasa had said, laborers gather, timber is brought in, and construction begins. Starting from Komakiyama Castle, Tokugawa-side fortresses are built to the southeast at Kanishimizu, Kitatoyama, Udatsu, and Dengaku.

It was on March 21st that Hashiba Hideyoshi led his army and departed from Osaka Castle.

As the Hashiba army enters the castle town of Osaka, Hideyoshi, on horseback, shows the townspeople his surcoat made of tapestry with bird and beast patterns. It was a Persian rug remade into a surcoat. Hideyoshi: 'Everyone! Look at this, isn't it magnificent! I went all out to have it made! Thanks to that, I'm penniless! I'll go earn a fortune!'

Inaba Shigemichi watched Hideyoshi with a look of utter disgust.

Inaba Shigemichi was the son of Inaba Ittetsu, a senior vassal of the Mino Saito clan, and after the Kiyosu Conference, he followed Hideyoshi and became a member of his personal guard.

Inaba Shigemichi: 'What do you mean, penniless? Even though you're building such a massive castle. How disingenuous.'

Hori Hidemasa, who also followed Hideyoshi and held the 90,000-koku fief of Sawayama, brings his horse alongside Inaba Shigemichi.

Hori Hidemasa: 'However, he has certainly won the favor of the townspeople.'

Inaba Shigemichi's expression became even more displeased.

On March 27th, Hashiba Hideyoshi changed his plans to head for Ise and entered Inuyama Castle in Owari. On the 29th, he made Gakuden Fortress, south of Haguro Fortress, his main camp.

Hideyoshi builds the Oguchi, Aotsuka, and Tanaka fortresses in addition to Gakuden Fortress against the Oda-Tokugawa forces.

In front of them, he had an earthen wall built connecting the Iwasakiyama and Niju-bori fortresses, measuring about one and a half ri in length and one and a half ken in height.

Furthermore, the earthworks showed signs of extending even further south from the double moats, reaching as far as Shinogi and Moriyama.

Tokugawa Ieyasu looks at the Hashiba forces' earthworks from the turret of Komakiyama Castle.
Ieyasu: "I would say things have gone according to plan up to this point."
Honda Masanobu: "Now, how will Hideyoshi make his move?"
(To be continued in Part 8)