[Historical Analysis] The man who mastered 'information' before Nobunaga. The truth about Miyoshi Nagayoshi and the 'Army of Darkness'

A little before Oda Nobunaga declared his goal of 'unifying the realm under military rule,' there was a man who built a massive military regime in the Kinai region (the current Kinki region) and was feared as the 'Viceroy of Japan'.

Miyoshi Nagayoshi is his name.

Although he tends to be overshadowed by Nobunaga in textbooks, did you know that he actually created a system that surpassed even Nobunaga in the use of 'information warfare' and 'special forces (ninjas)'?

This time, we will explore the 'invisible power' that supported the Miyoshi regime and the true image of the ninjas buried in the darkness of history, while letting our imaginations run wild.

The fastest 'fiber optic network' of the Sengoku period? The signal fire system of Iimoriyama Castle

The base of Nagayoshi's later years was Iimoriyama Castle, located in what is now Daito City, Osaka Prefecture. This castle was not just a fortress; it was what we would call a 'communications satellite base station' in modern times.

Imagine this: from the castle terrace, you can overlook everything from the Osaka Plain to Kyoto and Nara. Nagayoshi built an astonishing communications infrastructure here. That was the signal fire (noroshi) network.

Signal fires at the time were not just about sending up smoke. It is possible that they encoded and transmitted messages such as 'The enemy is from the east,' 'There are over a thousand of them,' or 'Requesting urgent reinforcements' through the color of the smoke or the flashing patterns of the fires at night.

If there were enemy movements at the border with Nara, the frontline fort would light a signal fire. A relay point (messenger castle) would catch it and pass it on to Iimoriyama Castle in a relay format. It took only a few dozen minutes. Information traveled at a speed close to the speed of light (optical communication) over a distance that would take half a day to cover on horseback.

The reason Nagayoshi could rule such a vast territory while staying in one place is precisely because he possessed this Sengoku-era optical line.

The 'ninjas' who were contract employees: Friend or foe?

When you hear the word 'ninja,' you might imagine an army of shadows that swears absolute loyalty to their lord. However, in the era of Miyoshi Nagayoshi, they were much more pragmatic and dangerous entities.

At that time, Iga and Koga were independent autonomous organizations (like republics) called 'Sokoku Ikki' that were not under the control of any daimyo. For them, war was a business, and Nagayoshi was merely a 'huge client'.

• On Monday, they were scouts for the Miyoshi army

• On Tuesday, they were saboteurs for the opposing Rokkaku clan

They were 'professional mercenaries (contractors)' who would become enemies or allies depending on the contract. Nagayoshi did not place them under his complete control, but he skillfully utilized them through money and negotiation. It must have been a relationship filled with hair-raising tension, like taming a wild beast to hunt while keeping yourself inside its cage.

The impregnable castle brought down by a user of 'sorcery'

The episode of the legendary shinobi who was active in this era, Tateoka no Dojun (Igasaki Dojun), tells the story of the terrifying nature of special operations at the time.

At one point, the 'Sawayama Castle,' where the enemy was holed up, would not fall no matter what. So, a mixed team of 48 people from Iga and Koga led by Dojun was deployed. It is recorded that they used the 'art of sorcery (bakemono no jutsu)'.

They infiltrated the castle under the cover of darkness, set fires simultaneously, swung lanterns, and let out terrifying screams to throw the interior into chaos. The castle soldiers fell into a panic (a state of hysteria), thinking, 'A large army has flooded into the castle!' or 'A monster has appeared!' Even sturdy castle walls cannot withstand terror from within. It is truly the pinnacle of psychological warfare, as it was chanted: Once Igasaki enters, the castle is sure to fall.

The villainous power broker Hisahide Matsunaga and the shadow of the 'illusionist'

One cannot discuss the Miyoshi regime without mentioning Nagayoshi's right-hand man and rare schemer, Hisahide Matsunaga. He was not bound by social status and utilized any ability he could find.

Legend has it that a mysterious illusionist named Koji Kashin frequented Hisahide's circle. It is said he used techniques akin to mass hypnosis to make people see visions. If this is historical fact, it means Hisahide employed not only physical spies but also 'mentalists' and 'propaganda experts' who could manipulate the human heart.

Even spreading rumors like 'If you make an enemy of him, you'll be cursed' was a highly effective information weapon.

The Shogun's assassination: The 'special operation' that changed history

Then, in 1565, the historic 'Eiroku Incident' occurred. This was the event where the incumbent Shogun, Yoshiteru Ashikaga, was attacked and killed by the forces of Miyoshi and Matsunaga.

Known as a master swordsman, Shogun Yoshiteru fought valiantly with his own blade. However, he was outnumbered. What is noteworthy here is the precision of the attack. The forces approached the palace under the guise of 'litigation (petitioning),' caught them off guard, and surrounded them in one fell swoop. Furthermore, there are signs that they had prior knowledge of the palace's structural weaknesses and escape routes.

This was not merely a 'battle,' but a meticulously planned 'decapitation strike (assassination mission of a key figure)'. There is no doubt that there was someone inside the palace providing assistance (an insider/mole). Even the strongest swordsman Shogun was powerless against organized information warfare and covert operations.

Summary: The 'world of information' envisioned by Nagayoshi

Nagayoshi Miyoshi was the first ruler to operate not just military force, but 'information' and 'dark power' as a system. By hosting tea ceremonies and renga poetry gatherings, he would extract information about various provinces from the cultural spies (renga poets and merchants) who participated. He detected enemy movements with signal fires and used shinobi to collapse enemies from within.

Later heroes like Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu may have studied and further developed this 'model of information dominance' created by Nagayoshi Miyoshi.

The 'real ninjas' who never appeared on the center stage of history and did not wear black costumes. Their covert activities were the very foundation that supported the massive tower known as the Miyoshi regime.