Incident at Honnoji
Encyclopedia
The refers to the forced suicide
on June 21, 1582 of Japan
ese daimyo
Oda Nobunaga
at the hands of his samurai
general Akechi Mitsuhide
. This occurred in Honnō-ji
, a temple in Kyoto
, ending Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority.
the Takeda family
earlier that year. He had central Japan firmly under his control, and his only rivals were the Mōri clan
, the Uesugi clan
, and the Late Hōjō clan
, each weakened by internal affairs. After the death of Mōri Motonari
, his grandson, Mōri Terumoto
only strived to maintain the status quo, aided by his two uncles, as per Motonari's will. Hōjō Ujiyasu
, a renowned strategist and domestic manager, had also died, leaving his less prominent son Ujimasa
in place. Finally, the death of Uesugi Kenshin
, arguably Sengoku period
's most formidable general, left the Uesugi clan, devastated also by an internal conflict between his two adopted sons, weaker than before.
It was at this point that Oda Nobunaga began sending his generals aggressively into all directions to continue his military expansion. He ordered Hashiba Hideyoshi
to attack the Mori clan; Niwa Nagahide
to prepare for an invasion of Shikoku
; Takigawa Kazumasu
to watch the Hōjō clan from Kozuke province
and Shinano province
; and Shibata Katsuie
to invade Echigo province
, the home domain of the Uesugi clan.
At the same time, Nobunaga also invited his ally, Tokugawa Ieyasu
to tour the Kansai
region in celebration of the demise of the Takeda clan. Around this time, Nobunaga received a request for reinforcements from Hashiba Hideyoshi, whose forces were stuck at the Siege of Takamatsu
. Nobunaga then parted way with Ieyasu, who went on to tour the rest of Kansai while Nobunaga himself made preparations to aid Hashiba in the frontline. He ordered Akechi Mitsuhide
also to go to Hideyoshi's aid, and travelled to Honnō-ji, his usual resting place when he stopped by in Kyoto. The only people he had around him were court officials, merchants, upper-class artists, and dozens of servants.
. Around this time, he had a session of Renga
with several prominent poets, where he made clear his intentions to rebel.
Mitsuhide saw an opportunity to act, when not only was Nobunaga resting in Honnō-ji and unprepared for an attack, but all the other major daimyo and the bulk of Nobunaga's army were occupied in other parts of the country.
Mitsuhide led his army toward Kyoto, claiming that Nobunaga wanted to show a procession. It was not the first time that Nobunaga had demonstrated his modernized and well-equipped troops in Kyoto, so this excuse was not doubted. Finally, when getting near to Honnō-ji, Mitsuhide announced, "The enemy awaits at Honnō-ji!" (Teki wa Honnōji ni ari! 敵は本能寺にあり)
Before dawn, the Akechi army had Honnō-ji surrounded in a coup
. Nobunaga and his servants and bodyguards resisted, but they realized it was futile against the overwhelming numbers of Akechi troops. Nobunaga committed suicide, reportedly his last words were, "Ran, don't let them come in..." (Referring to his young page, Mori Ranmaru who set the temple on fire as Nobunaga requested so that no one would be able to get his head). Ranmaru then followed suit. His loyalty and devotion makes him a revered figure in history. Nobunaga's remains were not found, a fact often speculated about by writers and historians.
After capturing Honnō-ji, Mitsuhide attacked Nobutada
, eldest son and heir of Nobunaga. Nobutada committed suicide.
After trying to persuade Oda vassals in the vicinity to recognize him as the new master of former Oda territories, Akechi entered Azuchi Castle
and began sending messages to the imperial court
to boost his position and force the court to recognize him as well.
When Nobunaga invited Tokugawa Ieyasu over to Azuchi Castle
, Akechi was the official in charge of catering to the needs of Ieyasu's group. Subsequently, he was removed from this post for some reason. One story spoke of Nobunaga yelling at him in front of the guests for serving rotten fish.
Another story said that when Nobunaga gave Akechi the order to assist Hashiba Hideyoshi, it was somehow hinted that Akechi would lose his current territories and would have to fight for land which was not even under Oda control yet. As Nobunaga had sent two senior retainers under him, Sakuma Nobumori
and Hayashi Hidesada
, into exile for poor performance, Akechi might have thought that he could suffer a similar fate. Akechi was already in his early fifties, and some believe he might have felt insecure about such a grim future.
Furthermore, when invading Tamba province
, Akechi Mitsuhide supposedly sent his mother as a hostage into the hostile Yagami Castle to convince the Hatano clan to surrender. Nobunaga, however, had the Hatano brothers executed, an act that caused former Hatano retainers to kill Akechi's mother. Akechi Mitsuhide felt humiliated and depressed by this and eventually decided to kill his master. This story, however, only began to circulate during the Edo period
, and is of dubious historical origin.
Luís Fróis
wrote Mitsuhide like using treachery, evil scheme, diversion as his strategy, and also he wrote Daimyos didn't like him, and his position as Daimyo was threatened, because Akechi was not a Fudai
, famous clan served his master's clan long enough. Many books said Nobunaga insulted and kicked, or even forced Mitsuhide to drink Sake in party, even though he was not a heavy drinker.
Whatever the reason, before Akechi began his march toward Kyoto
, he held a Renga
session with several prominent poets. One line he said was as the following:
Toki wa ima, ame ga shitashiru satsukikana.
(時は今 雨がした滴る皐月かな)
Literally, it meant "The time is now, the fifth month when the rain falls." However, it could also be taken to mean the following without changing a single sound:
土岐は今 天が下治る 皐月かな
Toki, which means time, sounds identical to Toki
, which was Akechi's ancestral family name. The whole phrase could be construed as "Toki shall now rule the realm under the sky".
, Hideyoshi returned from the Chūgoku region
within ten days. He quickly absorbed remnants of Nobunaga's army along the way, and met up with Niwa Nagahide
and Oda Nobutaka
in Sakai
. Marching toward Kyoto, he defeated Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki
, and Mitsuhide himself was killed while fleeing back to his castle.
Ieyasu with the help of his retainer and ninja leader Hattori Hanzō
, at first touring Sakai, fled through several provinces and crossed the mountains of Iga
, finally reaching the shore in Ise
. He returned to his home Mikawa province
by sea, and it took him so long that by the time he consolidated his position, Hideyoshi had already had most of Nobunaga's territories under firm control.
Takigawa Kazumasu
suddenly faced the assault of the Hōjō clan
and lost most of his land there, a defeat that cost him his previous prestige in the Oda clan.
Shibata Katsuie
and his forces in the north were bogged down by an Uesugi counterattack in Echizen province
, and remained unable to act for quite a while. He would later fall in the Battle of Shizugatake
against Hideyoshi a year later.
The fact that no one else had the chance, resources, or ability to act decisively ensured Hashiba Hideyoshi's supremacy and spiritual inheritance of Oda Nobunaga's legacy.
Forced suicide
Forced suicide is a method of execution where the victim is coerced into committing suicide to avoid facing an alternative option they perceive as much worse, such as suffering torture or having friends or family members imprisoned, tortured, or killed...
on June 21, 1582 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...
ese daimyo
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...
Oda Nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
was the initiator of the unification of Japan under the shogunate in the late 16th century, which ruled Japan until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. He was also a major daimyo during the Sengoku period of Japanese history. His opus was continued, completed and finalized by his successors Toyotomi...
at the hands of his samurai
Samurai
is the term for the military nobility of pre-industrial Japan. According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany a person in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau...
general Akechi Mitsuhide
Akechi Mitsuhide
, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
. This occurred in Honnō-ji
Honno-ji
is a temple of the Nichiren branch of Buddhism located in Kyoto, Japan. Its honzon is mandara-honzon from Nam Myoho Renge Kyo.-History:...
, a temple in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, ending Nobunaga's quest to consolidate centralized power in Japan under his authority.
Context
Oda Nobunaga was at the height of his power, having destroyedBattle of Temmokuzan
The 1582 in Japan, also known as the Battle of Toriibata, is regarded as the last stand of the Takeda family. This was the final attempt by Takeda Katsuyori to resist the combined forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga, who had been campaigning against him for some time.In his bid to hide from...
the Takeda family
Takeda family
The ' was a famous clan of daimyō in Japan's late Heian Period to Sengoku period.The Takeda were descendants of Emperor Seiwa and are a branch of the Minamoto clan , by Minamoto no Yoshimitsu , brother to the Chinjufu-shogun Minamoto no Yoshiie...
earlier that year. He had central Japan firmly under his control, and his only rivals were the Mōri clan
Mori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
, the Uesugi clan
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 ....
, and 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...
, each weakened by internal affairs. After the death of Mōri Motonari
Mori Motonari
was a prominent daimyō in the west Chūgoku region of Japan during the Sengoku period of the 16th century.-Early years:Mōri Motonari was born under the name Shojumaru in a small domain of Aki province in 1497. He is said to have been born at Suzuo Castle, his mother's homeland...
, his grandson, Mōri Terumoto
Mori Terumoto
Mōri Terumoto , son of Mōri Takamoto and grandson and successor of the great warlord Mōri Motonari, fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi but was eventually overcome, participated in the Kyūshū campaign on Hideyoshi's side and built Hiroshima Castle, thus essentially founding Hiroshima.Terumoto was a...
only strived to maintain the status quo, aided by his two uncles, as per Motonari's will. 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...
, a renowned strategist and domestic manager, had also died, leaving his less prominent son Ujimasa
Hojo Ujimasa
was the fourth head of the late Hōjō clan, and daimyo of Odawara.Ujimasa commanded in many battles, consolidating his clan's position, and retired in 1590. His son Hōjō Ujinao became head of the clan and lord of Odawara, but later that year they failed to hold Odawara against the forces of Toyotomi...
in place. Finally, the death of Uesugi Kenshin
Uesugi Kenshin
was a daimyo who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku period of Japan.He was one of the most powerful lords of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries...
, arguably 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...
's most formidable general, left the Uesugi clan, devastated also by an internal conflict between his two adopted sons, weaker than before.
It was at this point that Oda Nobunaga began sending his generals aggressively into all directions to continue his military expansion. He ordered Hashiba Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
was a daimyo warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period. He unified the political factions of Japan. He succeeded his former liege lord, Oda Nobunaga, and brought an end to the Sengoku period. The period of his rule is often called the Momoyama period, named after Hideyoshi's castle...
to attack the Mori clan; Niwa Nagahide
Niwa Nagahide
, also known as Gorōzaemon , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama periods of the 16th century. He served as a retainer to the Oda clan, and was eventually a daimyo in his own right....
to prepare for an invasion of Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
; Takigawa Kazumasu
Takigawa Kazumasu
, also known as Sakonshōgen , was a samurai retainer to Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during Japan's Sengoku period. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa and later served Nobunaga alongside Kazumasu and Toshimasu's adopted uncle, Maeda Toshiie.Originally from...
to watch the Hōjō clan from Kozuke province
Kozuke Province
was an old province located in the Tōsandō of Japan, which today comprises Gunma Prefecture. It is nicknamed as or .The ancient provincial capital was near modern Maebashi. During the Sengoku period, Kōzuke was controlled variously by Takeda Shingen, Uesugi Kenshin, the late Hōjō clan, and...
and Shinano province
Shinano Province
or is an old province of Japan that is now present day Nagano Prefecture.Shinano bordered on Echigo, Etchū, Hida, Kai, Kōzuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Tōtōmi Provinces...
; and Shibata Katsuie
Shibata Katsuie
or was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga.-Biography:Katsuie was born in the Shibata family, a branch of the Shiba clan . Note the differences between , , and the .Katsuie was the retainer of Oda Nobukatsu...
to invade Echigo province
Echigo Province
was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called , with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Today the area is part of Niigata Prefecture, which also includes the island which was the old Sado Province. This province was the northernmost part of the...
, the home domain of the Uesugi clan.
At the same time, Nobunaga also invited his ally, Tokugawa Ieyasu
Tokugawa Ieyasu
was the founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan , which ruled from the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu seized power in 1600, received appointment as shogun in 1603, abdicated from office in 1605, but...
to tour the Kansai
Kansai
The or the lies in the southern-central region of Japan's main island Honshū. The region includes the prefectures of Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyōgo, and Shiga. Depending on who makes the distinction, Fukui, Tokushima and even Tottori Prefecture are also included...
region in celebration of the demise of the Takeda clan. Around this time, Nobunaga received a request for reinforcements from Hashiba Hideyoshi, whose forces were stuck at the Siege of Takamatsu
Siege of Takamatsu
In the 1582 siege of Takamatsu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi laid siege to Takamatsu Castle, which was controlled by the Mōri clan. He diverted a nearby river with dikes to surround and flood the castle, leading to a relatively speedy surrender. He also constructed towers on barges from which his...
. Nobunaga then parted way with Ieyasu, who went on to tour the rest of Kansai while Nobunaga himself made preparations to aid Hashiba in the frontline. He ordered Akechi Mitsuhide
Akechi Mitsuhide
, nicknamed Jūbei or called from his clan name and title, was a samurai who lived during the Sengoku period of Feudal Japan.Mitsuhide was a general under daimyo Oda Nobunaga, although he became infamous for his betrayal in 1582, which led to Nobunaga's death at Honno-ji...
also to go to Hideyoshi's aid, and travelled to Honnō-ji, his usual resting place when he stopped by in Kyoto. The only people he had around him were court officials, merchants, upper-class artists, and dozens of servants.
Akechi's treachery
Upon receiving the order, Mitsuhide returned to Sakamoto Castle and moved to his base in Tamba provinceTamba Province
was an old province of Japan. The ambit of its borders encompassed both the central part of modern Kyoto Prefecture and the east-central part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Tango Province...
. Around this time, he had a session of Renga
Renga
' is a genre of Japanese collaborative poetry. A renga consists of at least two or stanzas, usually many more. The opening stanza of the renga, called the , became the basis for the modern haiku form of poetry....
with several prominent poets, where he made clear his intentions to rebel.
Mitsuhide saw an opportunity to act, when not only was Nobunaga resting in Honnō-ji and unprepared for an attack, but all the other major daimyo and the bulk of Nobunaga's army were occupied in other parts of the country.
Mitsuhide led his army toward Kyoto, claiming that Nobunaga wanted to show a procession. It was not the first time that Nobunaga had demonstrated his modernized and well-equipped troops in Kyoto, so this excuse was not doubted. Finally, when getting near to Honnō-ji, Mitsuhide announced, "The enemy awaits at Honnō-ji!" (Teki wa Honnōji ni ari! 敵は本能寺にあり)
Before dawn, the Akechi army had Honnō-ji surrounded in a coup
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
. Nobunaga and his servants and bodyguards resisted, but they realized it was futile against the overwhelming numbers of Akechi troops. Nobunaga committed suicide, reportedly his last words were, "Ran, don't let them come in..." (Referring to his young page, Mori Ranmaru who set the temple on fire as Nobunaga requested so that no one would be able to get his head). Ranmaru then followed suit. His loyalty and devotion makes him a revered figure in history. Nobunaga's remains were not found, a fact often speculated about by writers and historians.
After capturing Honnō-ji, Mitsuhide attacked Nobutada
Oda Nobutada
was the eldest son of Oda Nobunaga, and a samurai who fought in many battles during the Sengoku period. He commanded armies under his father in battles against Matsunaga Hisahide and against the Takeda clan....
, eldest son and heir of Nobunaga. Nobutada committed suicide.
After trying to persuade Oda vassals in the vicinity to recognize him as the new master of former Oda territories, Akechi entered Azuchi Castle
Azuchi Castle
' was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga. It was built from 1576 to 1579, on the shores of Lake Biwa, in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built it close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but, being outside the city, his fortress would be...
and began sending messages to the imperial court
Imperial Court
An Imperial Court is the noble court of an empire .For example:*The noble court of an Emperor of China, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Ethiopia, Emperor of Austria, Emperor of India, Emperor of Persia, etc....
to boost his position and force the court to recognize him as well.
Reasons for the coup
Akechi Mitsuhide's reasons for the coup are a mystery that has been a source of controversy and speculation. Although there have been several theories, the most common ones maintain that Mitsuhide bore a personal grudge, acted out of fear, had the ambition to take over Japan, was simply acting to protect the imperial court whose authority was not respected by Nobunaga, or was trying to remove the iconoclastic revolutionary. Many think it was a combination of at least some of the above assumed reasons.When Nobunaga invited Tokugawa Ieyasu over to Azuchi Castle
Azuchi Castle
' was one of the primary castles of Oda Nobunaga. It was built from 1576 to 1579, on the shores of Lake Biwa, in Ōmi Province. Nobunaga intentionally built it close enough to Kyoto that he could watch over and guard the approaches to the capital, but, being outside the city, his fortress would be...
, Akechi was the official in charge of catering to the needs of Ieyasu's group. Subsequently, he was removed from this post for some reason. One story spoke of Nobunaga yelling at him in front of the guests for serving rotten fish.
Another story said that when Nobunaga gave Akechi the order to assist Hashiba Hideyoshi, it was somehow hinted that Akechi would lose his current territories and would have to fight for land which was not even under Oda control yet. As Nobunaga had sent two senior retainers under him, Sakuma Nobumori
Sakuma Nobumori
was a retainer for the Oda clan. Nobumori's banishment by Oda Nobunaga to Mount Koyasan has widely been regarded as symbolic of Nobunaga's ruthlessness against even his longest-serving retainers, highlighting the leader's shortcomings as a military commander....
and Hayashi Hidesada
Hayashi Hidesada
was a Japanese samurai and retainer of Oda clan, who lived during the Sengoku period. He was also known as . His tsūshō was , and his court title was Sado no Kami.-Biography:...
, into exile for poor performance, Akechi might have thought that he could suffer a similar fate. Akechi was already in his early fifties, and some believe he might have felt insecure about such a grim future.
Furthermore, when invading Tamba province
Tamba Province
was an old province of Japan. The ambit of its borders encompassed both the central part of modern Kyoto Prefecture and the east-central part of Hyōgo Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Tango Province...
, Akechi Mitsuhide supposedly sent his mother as a hostage into the hostile Yagami Castle to convince the Hatano clan to surrender. Nobunaga, however, had the Hatano brothers executed, an act that caused former Hatano retainers to kill Akechi's mother. Akechi Mitsuhide felt humiliated and depressed by this and eventually decided to kill his master. This story, however, only began to circulate during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, and is of dubious historical origin.
Luís Fróis
Luís Fróis
Luís Fróis was a Portuguese missionary.He was born in Lisbon and in 1548 joined the Society of Jesus . In 1563, he came to Japan to engage in missionary work, and in the following year arrived in Kyoto, meeting Ashikaga Yoshiteru who was then Shogun...
wrote Mitsuhide like using treachery, evil scheme, diversion as his strategy, and also he wrote Daimyos didn't like him, and his position as Daimyo was threatened, because Akechi was not a Fudai
Fudai
was a class of daimyo who were hereditary vassals of the Tokugawa in Edo period Japan. It was primarily the fudai who filled the ranks of the Tokugawa administration.-Origins:...
, famous clan served his master's clan long enough. Many books said Nobunaga insulted and kicked, or even forced Mitsuhide to drink Sake in party, even though he was not a heavy drinker.
Whatever the reason, before Akechi began his march toward Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, he held a Renga
Renga
' is a genre of Japanese collaborative poetry. A renga consists of at least two or stanzas, usually many more. The opening stanza of the renga, called the , became the basis for the modern haiku form of poetry....
session with several prominent poets. One line he said was as the following:
Toki wa ima, ame ga shitashiru satsukikana.
(時は今 雨がした滴る皐月かな)
Literally, it meant "The time is now, the fifth month when the rain falls." However, it could also be taken to mean the following without changing a single sound:
土岐は今 天が下治る 皐月かな
Toki, which means time, sounds identical to Toki
Toki clan
The was a powerful clan that ruled in Japan from the Kamakura period to the Edo period. It descended from Emperor Seiwa by Minamoto no Yorimitsu from the Minamoto clan and used Toki in Mino Province as their hometown...
, which was Akechi's ancestral family name. The whole phrase could be construed as "Toki shall now rule the realm under the sky".
After the incident
Quickly making peace with the Mori clanMori clan
The Mōri clan was a family of daimyō, descended from Ōe no Hiromoto and established themselves in Aki Province. Their name was derived from a shōen in Mōri, Aikō District, Sagami Province. The generation of Hiromoto began to name themselves Mōri.After the Jōkyū War, Mōri was appointed to the jitō...
, Hideyoshi returned from the Chūgoku region
Chugoku region
The , also known as the , is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. It has a population of about 7.8 million.- History :...
within ten days. He quickly absorbed remnants of Nobunaga's army along the way, and met up with Niwa Nagahide
Niwa Nagahide
, also known as Gorōzaemon , was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku through Azuchi-Momoyama periods of the 16th century. He served as a retainer to the Oda clan, and was eventually a daimyo in his own right....
and Oda Nobutaka
Oda Nobutaka
was a samurai and member of Oda clan. He was adopted as the head of Kanbe clan that ruled the middle region of Ise Province and was also called Kanbe Nobutaka ....
in Sakai
Sakai, Osaka
is a city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been one of the largest and most important seaports of Japan since the Medieval era.Following the February 2005 annexation of the town of Mihara, from Minamikawachi District, the city has grown further and is now the fourteenth most populous city in...
. Marching toward Kyoto, he defeated Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki
Battle of Yamazaki
The was fought in 1582 in Yamazaki, Japan, located in current day Kyoto Prefecture. This battle is sometimes referred to as the Battle of Mt. Tennō ....
, and Mitsuhide himself was killed while fleeing back to his castle.
Ieyasu with the help of his retainer and ninja leader Hattori Hanzō
Hattori Hanzo
, also known as , was a famous samurai and ninja master of the Sengoku era, credited with saving the life of Tokugawa Ieyasu and then helping him to become the ruler of united Japan. Today, he is often a subject of modern popular culture.-Biography:...
, at first touring Sakai, fled through several provinces and crossed the mountains of Iga
Iga Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today western Mie Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Iga bordered on Ise, Ōmi, Yamato, and Yamashiro Provinces.-Geography:...
, finally reaching the shore in Ise
Ise Province
or was a province of Japan including most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces.The ancient provincial capital was at Suzuka...
. He returned to his home Mikawa province
Mikawa Province
is an old province in the area that today forms the eastern half of Aichi Prefecture. It was sometimes called . Mikawa bordered on Owari, Mino, Shinano, and Tōtōmi Provinces....
by sea, and it took him so long that by the time he consolidated his position, Hideyoshi had already had most of Nobunaga's territories under firm control.
Takigawa Kazumasu
Takigawa Kazumasu
, also known as Sakonshōgen , was a samurai retainer to Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during Japan's Sengoku period. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa and later served Nobunaga alongside Kazumasu and Toshimasu's adopted uncle, Maeda Toshiie.Originally from...
suddenly faced the assault of the 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...
and lost most of his land there, a defeat that cost him his previous prestige in the Oda clan.
Shibata Katsuie
Shibata Katsuie
or was a Japanese military commander during the Sengoku Period who served Oda Nobunaga.-Biography:Katsuie was born in the Shibata family, a branch of the Shiba clan . Note the differences between , , and the .Katsuie was the retainer of Oda Nobukatsu...
and his forces in the north were bogged down by an Uesugi counterattack in Echizen province
Echizen Province
was an old province of Japan, which is today the northern part of Fukui Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Etchū and Echigo Provinces.Echizen is famous for washi . A text dated AD 774 mentions the washi made in this area. Echizen-produced Washi is still the most commonly sold traditional...
, and remained unable to act for quite a while. He would later fall in the Battle of Shizugatake
Battle of Shizugatake
The was a battle in Sengoku period Japan between supporters of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Oda Nobutaka.In May, 1583, a former general of Nobunaga's named Shibata Katsuie coordinated a number of simultaneous attacks on Shizugatake, a series of forts held by Hideyoshi's generals among whom was Nakagawa...
against Hideyoshi a year later.
The fact that no one else had the chance, resources, or ability to act decisively ensured Hashiba Hideyoshi's supremacy and spiritual inheritance of Oda Nobunaga's legacy.
Popular culture
- Incident at Honnō-ji is one of the key stages in the Samurai WarriorsSamurai Warriorsis the first title in the series of video games created by Koei's Omega Force team based loosely around the Sengoku period of Japanese history and it is a spinoff of the Dynasty Warriors series...
video game series and Onimusha 3: Demon SiegeOnimusha 3: Demon SiegeOnimusha 3: Demon Siege, released in Japan and Europe as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Capcom. It is the third game of the Onimusha series and was released for the PlayStation 2 on April 27, 2004. It was later ported to Windows on December 8, 2005.-Plot:The game opens...
. In the former game, it is one of the turning points of the game with one of its associated cutscenes appearing during the story modes of many characters not present at the battle and is the climax of Nobunaga's story.
- Kamenashi Kazuya (member of KAT-TUN) has a solo song named 1582. The song allegedly refers to Oda Nobunaga and the incident at Honnō-ji. Oda Nobunaga is also Kamenashi's favourite historical figure.
- In the manga Flame of Recca Chapter 328, Kurei, the head of the Hokage ninja, was the person who set the temple ablaze using his flames and who thereafter killed Oda Nobunaga in revenge for his annihilation of the Hokage ninja clan