Posted by Thankyou for reading my work. This is an ongoing research project documenting the life of Takanobu Ryuzoji in English. I hope I can make it a nice little book series soon.
Part 3 (Kyushu Sangokushi)
Relative peace came to Hizen over the next few years. Otomo Sorin’s reputation took a hit after being defeated by Takanobu. Whereas ‘The Bear of Hizen’ continued to subdue his weaker neighbours. Between 1576 to 78 Ryuzoji forces successfully fought against the Arima, Harada and Matsuura which just about gave Takanobu full control of Hizen province. The Shimazu clan from Kagoshima had slowly expanded their own power from the south of Kyushu and by 1578 the borders of the Ryuzoji, Otomo and Shimazu were connected. The famous Kyushu Sangokushi had arrived. The first major battle in Kyushu was between the Otomo and Shimazu at Mimigawa in November of 1578. The result of this battle was to have huge implications for the Bear of Hizen and the Kamachi clan of Yanagawa.
Up to now the Shimazu had expanded their territory but not shown any of their full battle potential. The year before the battle of Mimigawa, Yoshisuke Ito of Hyuga Province (now Miyazaki Prefecture) was defeated by the Shimazu in their move north to siege territory away from Otomo influence. Ito turned to Otomo Sorin for support and finally Sorin agrees to assist Yoshisuke in his desire to regain Hyuga. Sorin was under pressure from both the Ryuzoji and now the Shimazu. Skirmishes between the Ryuzoji were frequent but the Shimazu were an unknown army and Sorin feared further Shimazu expansion to the north, bringing him closer to his own homelands. Not only that, but messengers had told Sorin about smaller vassals who were being pressured by the Shimazu to join them. Furthermore, Sorin was furious that Chikashige Tsuchimochi from the northern part of Hyuga Province, which borders the Otomo homelands, joined Shimazu as a result of political cunning by the Shimazu clan. This particular betrayal seems to have been a major factor in Sorin’s decision to march into Hyuga with is army and face the Shimazu at once.
I’m getting a little off topic now, so I’ll just do a review of the battle. Otomo mobilised about 50,000 samurai led by Tawara Chikataka, Sorin’s brother in law and Sorin set up camp in a small town named Mushika (modern day Nobeoka city). The main army headed south a further 30km to the Mimi River. The Shimazu arrived with 30,000 led by Yoshihisa. After a number of skirmishes, the two armies met at either side of the river. During the battle, Shimazu use their famous ‘fishing’ tactics. It is a similar tactic the Mongols famously used with their cavalry. Feign a centre retreat then lure the attackers into a pocket, then attack from the sides with hidden troops and archers. The Otomo samurai were lured into the mudflats where they became stuck then the Shimazu archers opened up on helplessly stuck Otomo forces. The Otomo were decimated.
Reading various accounts, I also came across some information that would have had a considerable effect for the loss of the Otomo troops. Firstly, it appears there was a considerable amount of opposition and dissent resulting in low morale among the Otomo forces. The Otomo army was made up with combined Christian and Buddhist samurai and ashigaru. Most of the Christian vassals lived in Bungo, the Otomo homelands, but vassals outside of the region were traditionally Buddhist. Reports say that the Christian vassals who marched through Hyuga were ordered to destroy temples and Buddhist monuments from Sorin himself. Otomo vassals who were Buddhist, of course, were quite angry at the destruction of their temples and monuments. Another major factor were the vassals who had come all the way from places like Chikuzen (northwest Fukuoka Prefecture) and Chikugo (southern Fukuoka Prefecture). These samurai were on the border of Ryuzoji and Otomo lands but sent to war on the other side of Kyushu which was a one week walk. They virtually arrived and were sent straight into battle without any rest. Lastly, source documents suggest that anti Otomo Buddhist lords were already trying to make secret deals with the Shimazu. Not only did Sorin miscalculate the cunning of the Shimazu but also the effect his Christian belief had amongst his Buddhist vassals.
As the battle began to fall to pieces, Otomo Sorin, who was in Mushika, received news of his army’s defeat from several messengers. Panic set in and he immediately packed up camp and fled with only the clothes on his back. The weather was cold with the onset of winter, but Otomo and his subordinates managed to escape to Bungo. An interesting tidbit popped up during my research although I cannot confirm whether it is true or not. While retreating back to his homelands of Bungo, the group had asked for lodgings and food from various temples and shrines, the same ones he destroyed, but the monks happily refused any help. I don’t think he thought through that scenario so well. One other terrible loss for the Otomo clan and, personally for Takanobu was the loss of Kamachi Akimori, and his son, the heir of the Kamachi clan. If you remember, Akimori was the man who had helped both Takanobu and Iekane. His loss as well as his son, is to have a profound impact on the region in a couple of years’ time.
While all this was playing out in the east of Kyushu, Takanobu took advantage of his friendly relations with Mori Terumoto and Akizuki Tanemi to win over Buddhist vassals dissatisfied with the Otomo clan. He subsequently expanded his power and was, for a time, more powerful than the Shimazu who had now become a true threat for the Ryuzoji. At his peak, Ryuzoji Takanobu was ruler of five of the nine provinces of Kyushu, and the Ryuzoji clan was known as the “Grand Governor of Goshu and Futashima”. However, administration of the Ryuzoji lands, politics and war was beginning to take a toll on Takanobu, he began drinking heavily and started to distrust his subordinates and vassals which would be the start of some questionable decisions he will make very soon.
The loss of Kamachi Akimori and one of his sons at Mimigawa left Shigenami the next in line of the Kamachi clan. Shigenami had also participated in the battle of Mimigawa but left before the final battle claiming illness. Some say he fell from his horse and injured himself, others say he faked illness as he was not as loyal as his father was to Otomo Sorin and desired independence from Otomo. Either way, he escaped certain death by the retreat along with 2000 of his troops.
Soon after the loss at Mimigawa, the Otomo clan suffered from several internal rebellions which weakened Sorin’s control further. Once news reached Shigenami about his father and brother’s fate he immediately pursued an alliance with Takanobu. The Kamachi clan had always supported the Ryuzoji, both Takanobu and his great grandfather Iekane were both helped by the Kamachi, so this official alliance seemed like a good deal and to sweeten the alliance even more Takanobu offered Shigenami his daughter in marriage.
At time to time, skirmishes broke out against Takanobu and Otomo loyalist Tachibana Dosetsu, but these were intervened by Sorin. Eventually, Takanobu held talks with Sorin himself and sought a three-way alliance with himself and Kamachi Shigenami. Sorin agreed to let Shigenami back into the Otomo realm, but the alliance was tenuous at best. Overall, Takanobu gained the most out of the alliance and gained control of a further nine counties in Chikuzen. This was to be the peak of Ryuzoji power. Up until about 1580 Takanobu had gradually passed on official duties to his son, Masaie who was more of a politician than his father, became lord of Saga castle and Takanobu semi-retired to Suko castle in western Hizen.
However, retired life seems to have been detrimental to Takanobu’s behaviour, who gradually indulged himself in food and sake. Rumours also started to spread that Takanobu was behind the murder of several retainers whom he perceived as a threat to his rule. Ryuzoji power was at its peak, but Takanobu was unable to deal with the politics of administration and often neglected his responsibilities, instead he began to suffer paranoia and became suspicious of everyone, even his most loyal retainers.
Takanobu’s retainers and vassals were at breaking point and two years later, the first alliance to fall apart was between Takanobu and Shigenami. Their relationship became sour, both claiming disloyalty. Shigenami had become very vocal about Takanobu’s continued push into Kamachi homelands and meddling in Yanagawa affairs. Eventually, Takanobu decided to lead his 20,000 strong army and take Yanagawa castle for himself. A few sources have hinted at Takanobu’s erratic and impulsive actions which had become increasingly brutal began to lay the foundations to the Ryuzoji demise, most that were against the wishes of his senior retainers.
The siege of Yanagawa castle was a miserable failure. The Ryuzoji army were not able to break through solid defences which makes this whole incident a little comical if it wasn’t true. Yanagawa castle was a flatland castle, but it had a wide range of canals, moats and creeks protecting it. After a hundred day siege, morale on the decline and running out of food, Takanobu gave up and retreated back to Suko castle. Shortly after a messenger was sent from Takanobu to Yanagawa requesting peace, and he offered up his daughter in marriage to Shigenami, who accepted, believing that peace would once more be restored, but unfortunately this is not the end of the story.
A year after the siege of November 1580, Shigenami who had had enough of Takanobu, secretly sent an envoy to the Shimazu and began talks with them. As a matter of terrible luck, the messenger Nishimuta of Mizuma castle, a Kamachi vassal, gave the job of delivering the message to the Shimazu. The vassal was Mukai who was a staunch supporter of the Ryuzoji. This secret communication was told to Takanobu’s uncle, Kanetake Taijiri and he informed Takanobu about Shigenami’s plans to join the Shimazu. Takanobu was furious and decided that action needed to be taken out against Shigenami’s disloyalty, but as he had failed against a direct attack on Yanagawa castle a year earlier, another plan had to made to lure Shigenami out of the castle.
Takanobu sent the local governor with a message which goes along the lines of – His Lordship Ryuzoji Takanobu has retired to Suko castle to forget hardships of the recent past which he deeply regrets. We are planning a retirement celebration at Suko castle and as your Lordship is a master of poetry, string, and wind instruments, it would be a great honour if you could perform on behalf of the Kamachi clan in front of all our loyal retainers.
Well, despite the flattering invitation, Shigenami wasn’t stupid and politely declined. However, the governor, probably scared of his own welfare, sought a meeting with Shigenami’s mother and uncle. The same flattery continued and went like this – With all due respect to Lord Shigenami and the Kamachi clan, it is of vital importance that Lord Shigenami attend the banquet at Suko castle to celebrate Lord Takanobu’s retirement. If Lord Shigenami was to refuse, it will be a terrible look for the Kamachi clan and be negatively viewed by all Ryuzoji retainers and allies. I say this with warm heart and open conscience.
Shigenami’s mother and uncle believed the sincerity of the governor and suggested that Shigenami attend the banquet in the hope that the Ryuzoji and Kamachi clans will once again be as strong as they once were. They also hoped that the event would be a great success for the future of the Ryuzoji and all the retainers. Shigenami’s mother prepared a letter, some sake and local snacks as gifts to be presented to Takanobu. In the texts of the Ryuzoji clan it is written – we are the masters of persuasion!
After a couple of days, Shigenami assembled an entourage of about 700. This included 130 of his closest senior retainers, musicians, comedians, poets, and servants along with foot samurai. As the group began their journey Oki Tsunemitsu, senior retainer, who was given the job to look after Yanagawa castle in Shigenami’s absence, galloped on horseback, at full speed to catch up with the group. Oki had information and demanded that Shigenami return to Yanagawa and that they were heading into a trap. Shigenami replied that it was too late, and that he would be disgraced to turn back now. The group headed west, crossed the Chikugo river and by nightfall had arrived at Suko castle.
Apon arrival, Shigenami exchanged greetings with Takanobu, Nabeshima and other guests. Takanobu put on a fabulous banquet with plays, poetry readings and music which lasted for days. Shigenami and his entourage stayed at the Hongyoji just to the north of Suko castle. Everyday Takanobu served sake, food and sweets. And the entertainment continued. Shigenami had requested an audience with Nabeshima, but he always declined explaining that he was too busy with organising the event and too tired to talk. Eventually, Ryuzoji retainers began to return home with happy memories and full bellies. Shigenami had also sent unnecessary staff home over the course of the event. About a hundred were left. The group once again departed Hongyoji early in the morning, on their way to Suko castle. On this day as they walked through Honenin temple on the outskirts of Suko castle they were met by two Ryuzoji senior retainers Ogawa Nobunuki and Tokushima Nagafusa. Shigenami jumped off his horse and approached the two men. One of the men said ‘It is what we had in mind at Yanagawa, did you fall for the words of Onbe’s (the Governor) request?’ Shigenami replied ‘I have nothing to say at this time, except that I will never have a problem with hypocrisy nor double mindedness. He jumped back onto his horse and yelled out to the pair, ‘I have no words to say to those dirty Ryuzoji’.
Suddenly Ryuzoji samurai appeared on the rooftops of the temple and surrounding buildings. The two Ryuzoji retainers ran out of the way as the archers rained arrows down upon the Kamachi. Volley after volley of arrows hit their targets. Some Kamachi samurai were quick enough to take the fight to the Ryuzoji samurai, and fierce hand to hand skirmishes broke out, but it was futile. Shigenami was hit with an arrow and the story goes that he said to his guards ‘that’s all for now’ but managed to escape to a cottage along with three retainers and a servant. He ordered the cottage owner to make him a bath, but Ryuzoji samurai quickly found him and killed him along with the servant and guards. Back at the temple, most of the entourage were killed but some were taken prisoner. Those killed were not only samurai, but also servants, maids and Shigenami’s son was among the dead. Soon after Takanobu ordered all prisoners to be executed, everyone was killed. Shigenami was 35 years old.
Stu.
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