Battle of Kawagoe
Encyclopedia
The 1545-1546 was part of a failed attempt by the Uesugi clan
to regain Kawagoe Castle
from the Late Hōjō clan
in the sengoku period
of Japan
. Uesugi Tomomasa of the Ogigayatsu branch of the Uesugi clan was joined by his more powerful relative Uesugi Norimasa
, by Ashikaga Haruuji, the Kantō Kubō
in Koga
, and by a host of anti-Hōjō daimyō
from the Kantō region
.
Despite an overwhelming attacking force, numbering around 85,000, the 3,000 men in Kawagoe Castle
's garrison, led by Hōjō Tsunanari
, held off the siege until the relief force arrived. That relief force, numbering only 8,000, was led by Tsunanari's brother, Hōjō Ujiyasu
, and a single warrior was sent to sneak past the Uesugi siege lines to inform the garrison of the relief's arrival. Though still strongly outnumbered, ninja
spies informed the Hōjō forces that the attackers, Ashikaga Haruuji in particular, had relaxed their vigilance due to their overconfidence in victory.
The Hōjō tried a risky tactic, coordinating a night attack between the garrison and the relieving force. Going against battlefield custom, the samurai were ordered to leave behind any heavy armor, which would slow them down and perhaps reveal their position, and to not bother taking the heads of their defeated enemies. This would deny the warriors much honor, as their triumphs would not be known or recorded, but the intense loyalty of the Hōjō samurai caused them to follow these orders.
The tactic succeeded, and the Hōjō foiled the siege. This defeat for the Uesugi would lead to the near-extinction of the family.
Uesugi clan
The was a Japanese samurai clan, descended from the Fujiwara clan and particularly notable for their power in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods ....
to regain Kawagoe Castle
Kawagoe castle
' is a flatland Japanese castle in the city of Kawagoe, in Japan's Saitama Prefecture. It is the closest castle to Tokyo to be accessible to visitors, as Edo castle is now the Imperial palace, and largely inaccessible....
from the Late Hōjō clan
Late Hojo clan
The ' was one of the most powerful warrior clans in Japan in the Sengoku period and held domains primarily in the Kantō region.The clan is traditionally reckoned to be started by Ise Shinkurō, who came from a branch of the prestigious Ise clan, a family in the direct employment of the Ashikaga...
in the sengoku period
Sengoku period
The or Warring States period in Japanese history was a time of social upheaval, political intrigue, and nearly constant military conflict that lasted roughly from the middle of the 15th century to the beginning of the 17th century. The name "Sengoku" was adopted by Japanese historians in reference...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Uesugi Tomomasa of the Ogigayatsu branch of the Uesugi clan was joined by his more powerful relative Uesugi Norimasa
Uesugi Norimasa
was a daimyō of feudal Japan, and held the post of Kantō Kanrei, the Shogun's deputy in the Kantō. He is perhaps best known as the adoptive father of Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most famous warlords in Japanese history....
, by Ashikaga Haruuji, the Kantō Kubō
Kanto kubo
was a title equivalent to shogun assumed by Ashikaga Motouji after his nomination to Kantō kanrei, or deputy shogun for the Kamakura-fu, in 1349. Motouji transferred his original title to the Uesugi family, which had previously held the hereditary title of , and would thereafter provide the Kantō...
in Koga
Koga, Ibaraki
is a city located in Ibaraki, Japan.-Old City of Koga:The city has its origins in the Tokugawa period when a castle was built in the 16th century at the river crossing point and a town sprang up around it. The site of the castle is still visible near Koga 1st elementary school. The modern city was...
, and by a host of anti-Hōjō daimyō
Daimyo
is a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings...
from the Kantō region
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
.
Despite an overwhelming attacking force, numbering around 85,000, the 3,000 men in Kawagoe Castle
Kawagoe castle
' is a flatland Japanese castle in the city of Kawagoe, in Japan's Saitama Prefecture. It is the closest castle to Tokyo to be accessible to visitors, as Edo castle is now the Imperial palace, and largely inaccessible....
's garrison, led by Hōjō Tsunanari
Hojo Tsunanari
was a samurai commander of the Hōjō clan during Japan's Sengoku period. The adopted brother of Hōjō Ujiyasu, he commanded the defense of Kawagoe castle against siege in 1545....
, held off the siege until the relief force arrived. That relief force, numbering only 8,000, was led by Tsunanari's brother, Hōjō Ujiyasu
Hojo Ujiyasu
was the son of Hōjō Ujitsuna and a daimyō of the Odawara Hōjō clan.Upon his father's death in 1541, a number of the Hōjō's enemies sought to take advantage of the opportunity to seize major Hōjō strongholds...
, and a single warrior was sent to sneak past the Uesugi siege lines to inform the garrison of the relief's arrival. Though still strongly outnumbered, ninja
Ninja
A or was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, and assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations...
spies informed the Hōjō forces that the attackers, Ashikaga Haruuji in particular, had relaxed their vigilance due to their overconfidence in victory.
The Hōjō tried a risky tactic, coordinating a night attack between the garrison and the relieving force. Going against battlefield custom, the samurai were ordered to leave behind any heavy armor, which would slow them down and perhaps reveal their position, and to not bother taking the heads of their defeated enemies. This would deny the warriors much honor, as their triumphs would not be known or recorded, but the intense loyalty of the Hōjō samurai caused them to follow these orders.
The tactic succeeded, and the Hōjō foiled the siege. This defeat for the Uesugi would lead to the near-extinction of the family.