Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima
Part of the Sengoku period
A painting of a battle at Kawanakajima
Date September 10, 1561 Location Kawanakajima, Shinano Province Result Takeda Victory
Combatants
Takeda forces	Uesugi forces
Commanders
Takeda Shingen, Yamamoto Kansuke†, Kōsaka Masanobu, others	Uesugi Kenshin, Kakizaki Kageie, others
Strength
20,000	18,000
Casualties
(62%) Takeda Nobushige Morozumi Torasada Yamamoto Kansuke Hajikano Tadatsugu	(72%) Shida Yoshitoki Shoda Sadataka

The battles of Kawanakajima (川中島の戦い, Kawanakajima no tatakai^?) were fought in the Sengoku Period of Japan between Takeda Shingen of Kai province and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo province in the plain of Kawanakajima, in the north of Shinano Province, located in the southern part of the city of Nagano. “Sengoku” redirects here. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (590x828, 167 KB) An old Japanese painting depicting a battle during the Sengoku period [1] File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battles of Kawanakajima Sashimono ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots. ... Shinano (信濃国; -no kuni) is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano prefecture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Yamamoto Kansuke )(d. ... Kōsaka Masanobu )(d. ... Uesugi Kenshin February 18, 1530—April 19, 1578) was a warlord who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan. ... Print of Takeda Sama-no-suke Nobushige by Kuniyoshi Takeda Nobushige )(d. ... Yamamoto Kansuke )(d. ... The Takeda (武田氏) was one of many families of daimyō (feudal lords) in Japans Sengoku period; its importance derives almost entirely from the power and fame of Takeda Shingen. ... Combatants Takeda clan Hōjō clan Commanders Takeda Nobutora Hōjō Ujitsuna The 1526 battle of Nashinokidaira was one of many battles fought between the Takeda and Hōjō clans in Japans Sengoku period. ... The battle of Un no Kuchi was the first major victory for Takeda Harunobu, aged fifteen at the time. ... The battle of Sezawa was one of many battles fought by Takeda Shingen in his bid to take control of Shinano Province. ... The siege of Uehara was the first of many steps taken by Takeda Shingen in his bid to seize control of Shinano Province. ... The siege of Kuwabara took place the day after the siege of Uehara; Takeda Shingen continued to gain power in Shinano Province by seizing Kuwabara castle from Suwa Yorishige. ... The siege of Fukuyo was the one of many steps taken by Takeda Shingen in his bid to seize control of Shinano Province. ... The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter. ... In the 1544 siege of Kojinyama, Takeda Shingen continued his invasion of Shinano Provinces Ima Valley, seizing Kojinyama fortress from the Tozawa family. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen forces of Takatō Yoritsugu Commanders Takeda Shingen Takatō Yoritsugu The 1545 siege of Takatō castle marked the first time Takatō had been besieged. ... Combatants Forces loyal to Tozawa Yorichika Takeda family forces Commanders Unknown Takeda Shingen Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The 1545 siege of RyÅ«gasaki was one of many battles fought by Takeda Shingen in his bid to control Shinano Province during Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen Uchiyama garisson Commanders Takeda Shingen Oi Sadakiyo The 1546 siege of Uchiyama was simply one of many battles fought in Takeda Shingens bid to gain control of Shinano Province. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen forces of Uesugi Norimasa Commanders Takeda Shingen Uesugi Norimasa The 1546 battle of Odaihara was one of many steps taken by Takeda Shingen, one of Japans great warlords of the Sengoku period, in his bid to take over Shinano province. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen castle garrison Commanders Takeda Shingen Kasahara Kiyoshige The siege of Shika castle, spanning the years 1546 to 1547, was one of many battles fought in Takeda Shingens bid to seize control of Shinano Province. ... The Battle of Uedahara took place in 1548. ... The Battle of Shirojiritoge was fought in 1548 between the forces of Takeda Shingen and the forces of Ogasawara Nagatoki. ... The Siege of Fukashi was fought in 1549 between the forces of Takeda Shingen and the forces of Ogasawara Nagatoki. ... Combatants forces of Takeda family forces of Murakami Yoshikiyo Commanders Sanada Yukitaka, Yokota Takatoshi Murakami Yoshikiyo Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown 1000+ killed The sieges of Toishi castle took place during Takeda Shingens campaign to take over Shinano Province. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen Katsurao garisson Commanders Takeda Shingen Murakami Yoshikiyo The 1553 siege of Katsurao was simply one of many sieges undertaken by the warlord Takeda Shingen in his bid to gain control of Japans Shinano province. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen Fukushima castle garrison Commanders Takeda Shingen Kiso Yoshiyasu The 1554 siege of Kiso-Fukushima was a siege by Takeda Shingen on Fukushima castle, in the Kiso River Valley of Shinano province. ... Combatants Forces of Takeda Shingen Kannomine castle garrison Commanders Takeda Shingen Chiku Yoritomo The 1554 siege of Kannomine was one of many battles fought in Takeda Shingens campaign to seize control of Shinano province. ... Combatants Forces of Takeda Shingen Castle garrisons Commanders Takeda Shingen Ogasawara Nobusada The 1554 siege of Matsuo was one of many sieges undertaken by the daimyo Takeda Shingen in his campaign to conquer Japans Shinano province. ... Combatants Uesugi clan castle garrison Combined Hōjō-Takeda clan forces Commanders Uesugi Norikatsu Hōjō Ujiyasu, Takeda Shingen The 1563 siege of Musashi-Matsuyama was a successful attempt by a combined Takeda clan-Hōjō clan army to regain Musashi-Matsuyama castle from the Uesugi clan; the Hōj... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen Kuragano garrison Commanders Takeda Shingen Kuragano Naoyuki The 1565 siege of Kuragano was one of many battles fought during Takeda Shingens quest for power during Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants Castle garrison Takeda forces Commanders Kamiizumi Hidetsuna, Nagano Narimori Takeda Shingen The 1566 siege of Minowa was one of several battles fought by the Takeda clan in their campaigns to seize the lands of the Uesugi clan, during Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants forces of the Hōjō clan forces of Takeda Shingen Commanders Hōjō Ujikuni Takeda Shingen The first siege of Hachigata took place in 1568; Takeda Shingen laid siege to the castle, which was controlled by Hōjō Ujikuni, but were unable to capture it. ... Combatants Takeda forces forces of the Hōjō clan Commanders Takeda Shingen Strength Casualties The Siege of Odawara was fought in 1569 between the forces of Takeda Shingen and the Hojo clan. ... The Battle of Mimasetoge took place in 1569 in Japan. ... Combatants Takeda forces Hōjō forces Commanders Takeda Katsuyori Hōjō Tsunashige Strength Unknown 1000 The 1569 siege of Kanbara was one of many sieges undertaken by the Takeda clan against the territories of the Hōjō clan during Japans Sengoku period. ... Combatants Takeda forces Imagawa forces Commanders Takeda Shingen, Nagasaka Tsuruyasu, Hajikano Saemon Ohara Sukenaga The siege of Hanazawa the Siege of Hanazawa was a battle during the later years of the Sengoku period (16th century) of Japan. ... Combatants Hōjō clan castle garrison Takeda family forces Commanders Hōjō Tsunanari Takeda Shingen The 1571 siege of Fukazawa was one of a number of battles which formed Takeda Shingens campaigns against the Hōjō clan, during Japans Sengoku period. ... The Siege of Futamata was fought in 1572 between the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and the forces of Takeda Shingen. ... Combatants forces of Takeda Shingen forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu Commanders Takeda Shingen, Takeda Katsuyori, others Tokugawa Ieyasu, Matsudaira Ietada, Sakai Tadatsugu, others Strength Roughly 30,000 8000 Tokugawa troops, plus 3000 reinforcements from Oda Nobunaga The Battle of Mikata ga Hara ) was one of the most famous battles of Takeda... The Siege of Iwamura was fought in 1573 between the forces of Takeda Shingen and the castles garrison led by Toyama Kageto. ... Siege of Noda took place in 1573. ... Combatants forces loyal to the Takeda family forces loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu Commanders Takeda Katsuyori Ogasawara Nagatada The first siege of Takatenjin occurred in 1574, when it was attacked by the forces of Takeda Katsuyori. ... Combatants Takeda clan Tokugawa clan Commanders Takeda Katsuyori Sakai Tadatsugu Strength Unknown 6000 The 1575 siege of Yoshida was undertaken by Takeda Katsuyori against the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu. ... Combatants Takeda forces combined Oda-Tokugawa forces Commanders Takeda Katsuyori, Anayama Nobukimi, Takeda Nobukado, Takeda Nobutoyo Oda Nobunaga, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Okudaira Sadamasa Strength 15,000 38,000 Casualties 10,000 dead, incl. ... Combatants Hojo forces Takeda forces Commanders Hojo Ujimasa Takeda Katsuyori The battle of Omosu the Battle of Omosu was a battle during the Azuchi-Momoyama period (16th century) of Japan. ... Combatants forces loyal to the Takeda Unknown Commanders Okabe Naganori Unknown Casualties 680 killed The second siege of Takatenjin came only six years after Takeda Katsuyori took the fortress. ... The Battle of Temmokuzan was fought in 1582 between the combined forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga and those of Takeda Katsuyori. ... Combatants Oda/Tokugawa forces Takeda remnants Commanders Oda Nobutada Takeda Morinobu The siege of Takatō was a one of the final battles of the Takeda clan against the forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. ... “Sengoku” redirects here. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Kai province (甲斐国; -no kuni) is an old province in Japan that corresponds to Yamanashi prefecture today. ... Uesugi Kenshin February 18, 1530—April 19, 1578) was a warlord who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan. ... Echigo (越後国; -no kuni) was an old province in north-central Japan, on the Sea of Japan side, northernmost part of the Hokurikudo (北陸道）circuit. ... Shinano (信濃国; -no kuni) is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano prefecture. ... Nagano (長野市, Nagano-shi) is the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, situated in the northern part of the prefecture near the junction of the Chikuma River and the Sai River, on the main island of HonshÅ«, Japan. ...

The five major battles took place in 1553, 1555, 1557, 1561 and 1564. The best known and severest among them was fought on September 10, 1561. // Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... Events Russia breaks 60 year old truce with Sweden by attacking Finland February 2 - Diet of Augsburg begins February 4 - John Rogers becomes first Protestant martyr in England February 9 - Bishop of Gloucester John Hooper is burned at the stake May 23 - Paul IV becomes Pope. ... Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. ... // Events The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots. ... Events March 27 — Naples bans kissing in public under the penalty of death June 22 — Fort Caroline, the first French attempt at colonizing the New World September 10 — The Battle of Kawanakajima Ottoman Turks invade Malta Modern pencil becomes common in England Conquistadors crossed the Pacific Spanish founded a colony... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // Events The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots. ...

The battles started after Shingen conquered Shinano province, expelling Murakami Yoshiharu and Ogasawara Nagatoki who subsequently turned to Kenshin for help. Shinano (信濃国; -no kuni) is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano prefecture. ... Ogasawara Nagatoki (小笠原長時)(1519-1583) was a daimyo (feudal lord) of Shinano Province during the Sengoku Period in Japan. ...

The first battle

In the First Battle of Kawanakajima, in June of 1553, Takeda Shingen penetrated far into the Kawanakajima plain, his vangard encountering the forces of Uesugi Kenshin at a shrine to Hachiman. They disengaged, and met up again a few kilometers away, but no decisive battle was fought. // Events June 26 - Christs Hospital in London gets a Royal Charter July 6 - Edward VI of England dies July 10 - Lady Jane Grey is proclaimed Queen of England - for the next nine days July 18 - Lord Mayor of London proclaims Queen Mary as the rightful Queen - Lady Jane Grey... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Uesugi Kenshin February 18, 1530—April 19, 1578) was a warlord who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan. ... Hachiman in the Guise of a Buddhist Monk, statue from Kamakura period, 1201 AD Hachiman (Japanese, 八幡神 -shin, also can be read as Yawata no kami) is the Shinto god of war, and divine protector of Japan and the Japanese people. ...

The second battle

In 1555, the second battle of Kawanakajima, also known as the Battle of Saigawa, began when Takeda Shingen returned to Kawanakajima, advancing up to the Sai River. He made camp on a hill to the south of the river, while Uesugi Kenshin was camped just east of the Zenko-ji temple, which provided him an excellent view of the plain. However, the Kurita clan, allies of the Takeda, held Asahiyama fortress a few kilometers to the west; they menaced the Uesugi right flank. Kurita Kakuju's defenses were bolstered by 3000 Takeda warriors. Events Russia breaks 60 year old truce with Sweden by attacking Finland February 2 - Diet of Augsburg begins February 4 - John Rogers becomes first Protestant martyr in England February 9 - Bishop of Gloucester John Hooper is burned at the stake May 23 - Paul IV becomes Pope. ... Zenkō-ji Hōndo (The Main Hall), 2007 The Main Hall, 2005 The Main Hall, 2004 The Gardens of Zenkō-ji, 2004 Zenkō-ji ) is a Buddhist temple, located in Nagano, Japan. ...

Kenshin launched a number of attacks against the Asahiyama fortress, but all were repulsed. Eventually he moved his army onto the plain, redirecting his attention on Takeda's main force. However, rather than attacking, both armies waited, for months, for the other to make a move. Finally, battle was avoided as both leaders retired to deal with domestic affairs in their home provinces.

The third battle

The third battle took place in 1557 when Takeda Shingen captured a fortress called Katsurayama, overlooking the Zenkoji temple from the north-west. He then attempted to take Iiyama castle, but withdrew after Uesugi Kenshin led an army out of Zenkoji. Events Spain is effectively bankrupt. ... Zenkoji Temple, Nagano Zenkōji (善光寺) is a 7th century Buddhist temple in Nagano City, Japan. ...

The fourth battle

The fourth battle resulted in greater casualties for both sides, as a percentage of total forces, than any other battle in the Sengoku Period, and is one of the most tactically interesting battles of the period as well. In September of 1561, Uesugi Kenshin left his Kasugayama fortress with 18,000 warriors, determined to destroy Takeda Shingen. He left some of his forces at Zenkoji, but took up a position on Saijoyama, a mountain to the west of, and looking down upon, Shingen's Kaizu castle. Unbeknownst to Kenshin, the Kaizu castle contained no more than 150 samurai, and their followers, and he had taken them completely by surprise. However, the general in command of the castle, Kosaka Danjo Masanobu, through a system of signal fires, informed his lord, in Tsutsujigasaki fortress, 130 km away in Kōfu, of Kenshin's move. “Sengoku” redirects here. ... // Events The Edict of Orleans suspends the persecution of the Huguenots. ... Kōsaka Masanobu )(d. ... Kofu (甲府市; Kōfu-shi) is the capital city of Yamanashi, Japan. ...

Shingen left Kōfu with 16,000 men, acquiring 4000 more as he traveled through Shinano Province, approaching Kawanakajima on the west bank of the Chikumagawa (Chikuma River), keeping the river between him and Saijoyama. Neither army made a move, knowing that victory would require the element of surprise, to throw the enemy off-balance; Shingen was allowed into his fortress at Kaizu. Along with his gun-bugyō (army commissioner), Yamamoto Kansuke, a strategy was conceived. The Shinano River (信濃川 Shinanogawa) is a river which flows from Nagano Prefecture to Niigata Prefecture in Japan. ... Yamamoto Kansuke )(d. ...

Kōsaka Danjo Masanobu left Kaizu with 8000 men, advancing up Saijoyama under cover of night, intending to drive Kenshin's army down to the plain where Takeda Shingen would be waiting with another 8000 men in kakuyoku, or "crane's wing", formation. However, whether via spies in Kaizu or scouts looking down from Saijoyama, Kenshin guessed Shingen's intentions, and led his own men down to the plain. Kenshin descended from Saijoyama by its western flanks. Instead of fleeing Kosaka's dawn attack, Uesugi Kenshin's army crept down the mountain quietly; Using bits of cloth to deaden the noise of the horse's hooves. As dawn broke, Shingen's men found Kenshin's army ready to charge at them, not fleeing from the mountain.

Uesugi's forces attacked in waves, in a 'Kuruma Gakari' formation, in which every unit is replaced by another as it becomes weary or destroyed. Leading the Uesugi vangaurd was one of Uesugi's 'Twenty-Eight Generals, Kakizaki Kageie. Kakizaki's unit of mounted samurai clashed into Takeda Nobushige's unit; Nobushige died following in fierce hand-to-hand combat. While the kakuyoku formation held surprisingly strongly, the Takeda commanders eventually fell, one by one. Seeing that his pincer plan had failed, Yamamoto Kansuke charged alone into the mass of Uesugi samurai, suffering upwards of 80 bullet wounds before retiring to a nearby hill and committing seppuku. Yamamoto Kansuke )(d. ... Seppuku (Japanese: 切腹, belly-cutting) is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. ...

Eventually, the Uesugi forces reached the Takeda command post, and one of the most famous single combats in Japanese history ensued. Uesugi Kenshin himself burst into the headquarters, attacking Takeda Shingen who, unprepared for such an event, parried with his signalling fan as best as he could, and held Kenshin off long enough for one of his retainers, Hara Osumi-no-Kami, to spear Kenshin's mount and drive him off. Uesugi Kenshin February 18, 1530—April 19, 1578) was a warlord who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A tessen (iron fan), on display in Iwakuni Castle, Japan A number of war fans were used in Japanese feudal warfare, of varying size and material, for different purposes. ...

The Takeda main body held firm, despite fierce rotating attacks by the Uesugi. Obu Saburohei fought back against Kakizaki's samurai. Anayama Nobukumi destroyed Shibata of Echigo, and forced the Uesugi main force back to the Chikumigawa.

Meanwhile, Kosaka's stealth force reached the top of Saijoyama and, finding the Uesugi position deserted, hurried down the mountain to the ford, taking the same path they had expected the fleeing Uesugi to take. After desperate fighting, they punched their way through the 3000 Uesugi warriors defending the ford ( under the command of Uesugi general, Amakazu Kagemochi.), and pressed on to aid Takeda's main force. The Kosaka force then attacked the retreating Uesugi from the rear. Takeda Shingen's many great generals including his younger brother Takeda Nobushige and great uncle Murozumi Torasada were killed in the field. Print of Takeda Sama-no-suke Nobushige by Kuniyoshi Takeda Nobushige )(d. ...

In the end, the Uesugi army suffered 72% losses, while the Takeda had 62% casualties. The chronicles seem to indicate that the Takeda made no effort to stop the Uesugi from retreating after the battle, burning the encampment at Saijoyama, returning to Zenkoji, and then to Echigo Province. Echigo (越後国; -no kuni) was an old province in north-central Japan, on the Sea of Japan side, northernmost part of the Hokurikudo (北陸道）circuit. ...

The fifth battle

In 1564, Shingen and Kenshin met for the fifth and final time on the plain of Kawanakajima. Their forces skirmished for 60 days, and then both withdrew. Events March 27 — Naples bans kissing in public under the penalty of death June 22 — Fort Caroline, the first French attempt at colonizing the New World September 10 — The Battle of Kawanakajima Ottoman Turks invade Malta Modern pencil becomes common in England Conquistadors crossed the Pacific Spanish founded a colony...

In popular culture

As the fourth battle between Shingen and Kenshin was the most famous among all of them, it is one of the stages in the Samurai Warriors series. This article is about the video game. ...

References

• Sansom, George (1961). "A History of Japan: 1334-1615." Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
• Turnbull, Stephen (2002). 'War in Japan: 1467-1615'. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.