Stories of the Japanese 00956 [Early Northern and Southern Courts Period] Battle of Hitachi: The Opening of Oda Castle
For a while now, we will be focusing on the story of Hitachi (Ibaraki Prefecture) and depicting Chikafusa's lonely battle. It is pitiful that Chikafusa cannot seem to advance his battles very well, but due to his personality, there are some troublesome aspects to him, making it difficult to truly empathize with him.
The Southern Court forces in Hitachi, having lost their momentum, were gradually being pushed back.
First, on June 15, 1341 (the 2nd year of Kokoku/4th year of Ryakuo), Mount Hokyo (Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture), located behind Oda Castle, was seized by the army of Ko no Morofuyu. From the summit of Mount Hokyo, one could look down upon Oda Castle, and losing this position can be considered strategically fatal.
On June 20, Kitabatake Chikafusa sent a letter to Yuki Tomotomo, stating,
"The villainous forces led by Morofuyu have descended upon us. While there has been no battle near the castle yet, the safety of the Bando region depends entirely on this fight. I need you to rush to our aid immediately."
He conveyed the urgency of the situation, but Tomotomo still did not move. As for Tomotomo, he likely wanted to remain on the winning side at all costs. I cannot help but feel that the more Chikafusa pleaded his desperate situation, the more counterproductive it became.
In the end, on June 23, Oda Haruhisa successfully repelled the army of Ko no Morofuyu, avoiding a crisis, but the dominance the Southern Court had enjoyed until last year was no longer visible. The presence of the 15-year-old Prince Noriyoshi, who held the title of Seii Taishogun, did not seem to make the war situation any more favorable.
For Oda Haruhisa, who no longer saw a chance of winning, Prince Noriyoshi and Kitabatake Chikafusa, who were guests in his castle, were becoming a nuisance.
By October, the rift within Oda Castle had reached an irreparable point. The conflict between the castle lord, Oda Haruhisa, who wanted to reconcile with the Northern Court, and Kitabatake Chikafusa, who wanted to fight to the end, had surfaced.
In a letter sent by Chikafusa to Yuki Tomotomo dated October 23, he expressed his tragic resolve:
"People with disloyal hearts have emerged within Oda Castle. As for me, I wish to repay the late Emperor (Emperor Go-Daigo) by risking my life."
On November 10, Oda Haruhisa finally pushed aside Chikafusa's opposition and reconciled with Ko no Morofuyu. He must have concluded that there was no future for the Southern Court. Kitabatake Chikafusa, who had opposed the reconciliation, was driven out and moved to Seki Castle (Chikusei City, Ibaraki Prefecture), while Prince Noriyoshi and Kasuga Akikuni moved to Daibo Castle (Shimotsuma City, Ibaraki Prefecture). Seki Castle was a Southern Court stronghold governed by Seki Munesuke, and Daibo Castle was governed by Shimotsuma Masayasu.
Afterward, the Southern Court forces fought from their bases at Seki Castle and Daibo Castle, but they were gradually pushed back by the army of Ko no Morofuyu, which was overwhelmingly superior in numbers. Both Seki Castle and Daibo Castle were shaped like peninsulas jutting out from the north into marshlands, and while they were difficult to attack, they were also locations where resupply was difficult. It is safe to say that the Southern Court in Hitachi was now like a candle in the wind.