The Tiger and the Dragon IV

The age of the samurai was full of great men and great stories to go along with them. None are more iconic than the tale of Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, the Tiger of Kai and the Dragon of Echigo. Although Sengoku Jidai is best remembered through the eyes of the three great unifiers, there were stories of bravery, cunning and deceit all throughout the land.
 
 This is the story of the Tiger and the Dragon, and their battle for domination of Eastern Japan.
 
 Topics Covered
 The Takeda Clan
 Takeda Shingen
 Uesugi Kenshin
 Kenshin Takes Control of Echigo
 The Battles of Kawanakajima
 Operation Woodpecker
 The Great Lords Meet Face to Face

Transcript

The Tiger and the Dragon

While Nobunaga was busy with the Ikko-Ikki, one of the greatest Samurai warlords answered the call to aid the Ashikaga Shogunate… A samurai who along with his rival are perhaps the most iconic in Japanese History… Shingen of the Takeda clan.

The Takeda clan bore a proud warrior heritage, descending from the Minamoto, The clan that predeceded the Ashikaga Shogunate, called the Kamakura Shogunate (they were based in the eastern city of Kamakura). These people were the first to be known as Samurai

The Takeda resided in the mountainous regions of Kai, east of The Oda and Tokugawa

Before Nobunaga’s birth his father, The Tiger of Owari ruled the Oda homeland, during this time another Tiger was rising to the east…

the Takeda were ruled by Nobutora, Nobutora was not a great leader described as coarse and arrogant. He kept invading Shinano province to the north and each time met with failure. He started to become unpopular with both the peasantry and the military.

However Nobutora had a son who would eventually take the name Takeda Shingen, he would go down in Japanese history as a legend. The prime example of Iconic Samurai and a great warrior.

In one of his fathers notorious failed attempts at taking the north Nobutora was routed and his troops were forced to retreat, Shingen just 15 years old at the time was in the rear he waited until his forces were clear of the fortress, then turned around, leading his men to defeat a castle garrison which was caught unprepared, having seen the Takeda flee.

Nobutora in spite of his sons military genius wished to pass his domain to his favorite younger son Nobushige and so in 1540 Shingen staged a coup and overthrew his father, exiling him

Nobutora was spared and sent to Suruga Province, on the southern border of Kai, to be kept in custody under the scrutiny of the Imagawa clan, led by Imagawa Yoshimoto (今川義元), the daimyō of Suruga. For their help in this bloodless coup, an alliance was formed between the Imagawa and the Takeda clans. This was the first step in the triple alliance that would form years later between the Imagawa, Hojo and Takeda clans.

Taking control of the Takeda, Shingen would lead the Takeda to a time of glory that hadn’t been seen in the Takeda since their ancestors held the Shogunate.

Shingen was also an honorable man, in addition to sparing his father he refused to kill his younger brother an uncommon act for the brutal times of Sengoku Jidai, Nobushige, the brother was himself a gifted general. Nobushige would be one of his older brothers most trusted generals, and go down as one of the famous "Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen"

Although Nobushige was destined to rule and it had been taken by his brother, he still showed extreme loyalty and intellect 

Saying – 

“One must never be perfidious to his master. In the Lun Yu it says: One should act according to the way even in times of haste. One should act according to the way even in times of danger. It says further: 'When one is serving his master, he should exert himself.

Takeda Nobushige

Shingen although remembered for his prowess on the battlefield started by upgrading the infrastructure of Kai, located deep in the mountains. Kai was subject to getting flooded. So Shingen began building a series of dike systems that would prevent the flooding of Kai. These dikes would take decades to complete, however they massively upgraded the infrastructure of Kai and prevented flooding in the years to come. 

Shingen’s next move was the conquest of Shinano province, which his father had failed to do. The mountainous Shinano region was ruled by numerous weak warlords, once they realized the imminent threat that was the Takeda Shingen they formed an alliance against him

As a result Shingen was greatly outnumbered when the two sides met at Sezawa, to the southeast of Lake Suwa, but he decided to give battle anyway and took the gamble of launching a night attack through misty rain. The gamble paid off and he succeeded in routing the allied forces.[2] In doing so he had won a startling victory, for the allies had gathered a force of 12,000 Shinano warriors, but Shingen defeated them all, with just 3,000 men; moreover he succeeded in inflicting about 3,000 casualties, while Shingen's forces suffered about 500 losses

The Anti-Takeda coalition fell apart, and ran away to the north where the great Uesugi clan resided to ask for help…

Chinese culture was greatly admired and respected in feudal Japan. Chinese philosophy and religion is all about duality, Yin and Yang.

In Chinese mythology the tiger and dragon are always trying to defeat each other, but neither is able to, forever locked in eternal battle each trying to get the upper hand.

Takeda Shingen was given the nickname the Tiger of Kai, for his martial prowess on the battlefield

His great rival who like Yin and Yang are posthumously, forever locked together, was a man named Uesugi Kenshin, who was given the nickname, The Dragon of Echigo, because of his  (懸かり亂れ龍) ensign displayed on the battlefield.

While Kenshin was just an infant the Ikko-Ikki began spreading in Echigo home province of the Uesugi 

Nagao Tamekage the biological father of Uesugi kenshin (kenshin was adopted Into the more powerful Uesugi clan later on) had garnered some respect from the Echigo province, he eventually went to war with the Ikko-Ikki who had amassed power in the region 

In 1536, Tamekage was defeated and killed at the Battle of Sendanno against the Ikkō-ikki of Kaga Province. Kenshin was just a boy of 6 years old and his youth probably saved his life, After his fathers death kenshins older brother assumed leadership of his fathers clan with another brother of theirs dying in the dynastic struggle that so often occurred between the sons of Daimyo

Kenshin as a young boy of 7 was moved to a Buddhist temple where he studied zen and martial arts 

Kenshin through his life was a devout Buddhist, he was an ardent believer in the Buddhist god of war—Bishamonten. Many of his followers and others believed him to be the Avatar of Bishamonten, and called Kenshin the "God of War"

At age 14 kenshin was contacted by his fathers former retainers to return to Echigo and take power over his brother, who was rather inept at leadership (some sources say we was sickly)

Kenshin refused to take up arms against his brother but soon realized Echigo would crumble under his rule if he did not.

Kenshin at age 15 assumed leadership of a castle and successfully defended it against invasions making a reputation for himself.

By 1548 kenshin took control of the Nagoa clan for himself, still a vassal of the more powerful Uesugi clan that they were retainers of

His older brother acknowledged Kenshin’s potential and stepped down willingly and Kenshin spared his life. When Kenshin was 21 years he was called upon to provide refuge to his lord, Uesugi Norimasa. Norimasa had been forced to flee due to the expansion to the south by the great Hojo clan. 

He agreed to give the warlord shelter, under specific terms, The terms were Norimasa's adoption of Kenshin as his heir, the change of name from Kagetora to Terutora (later Kenshin as he is most famously remembered), and the title Lord of Echigo

In 1552, the Uesugi started to wage war against the Hōjō clan.[4] Though his rule over the Nagao and Uesugi clan were now unquestioned, much of Echigo was still independent of this young warlord's grasp. Kenshin immediately set out to cement his power in the region, but these efforts were still in their infant stages when far more pressing concerns appeared

two Shinano lords, both appeared before Kenshin requesting his help in halting the advances of the powerful warlord Takeda Shingen. Who had just won major victories in the Shinano province

With the Takeda's conquests taking them remarkably close to the borders of Echigo, Kenshin agreed to take the field on two fronts,

Kenshin first reformed the economy of Echigo; he made reform efforts on trade, market, taxing mechanism in the port towns, and revenues generated by the cloth trade.[18] The result was control over commerce which the previous government did not have.

 He also established feudal ties with the warrior population by land grants.[19] The so-called Funai Statutes show the provisions that apply to the traditional elites and common folk, tax breaks due to war exhaustion, with intent to centralize and consolidate the lands around his capital,

Kenshin having established Echigo economically and cementing the respect of the military then marched out to meet Takeda Shingen head to head.

What happened next were a series battles that would take over a decade to complete, the long battles between the two rivals who would eventually grow to respect each other greatly.
 The battles of Kawanakajima

Shingen captured the castle of Katsurao located on the western edge of the Kawanakajima plain. The plain was south of Echigo and surrounded by mountains 

Kenshin marched an army of 5,000 including the remaining forces of Shinano province that Shingen had not wiped out, before settling down near a shrine to the war god on a riverbed.

 across the river just so happened to be the Takeda forces resting for the night. The two forces engaged in a skirmish and the Takeda retreated back to Katsurao castle, the following day Kenshin arrived at the castle to besiege it, the siege was a failure and Kenshin was forced to retreat back to the Kawanakajima plain, where Shingen followed him, A light Skirmish broke out between the Takeda and Uesugi and Shingen refused to commit his full army withdrew to the shrine Kenshin had camped at when he first met Takeda forces.

The two armies clashed again with momentum on the Uesugi side, Shingen ordered a chaotic retreat. The year was 1553 and winter was beginning to set it, both armies returned home to prevent being trapped in the mountain passes by the snow

The next year no fighting occurred between the two warlords, Uesugi Kenshin sought to strengthen his position by building 2 new castles for strategic advantage atop the plain and Takeda Shingen sought to rid Shinano of all opposition and subjugated the Kiso clan to his cause. This year is when the Takeda-Hojo-Imagawa triple alliance was formed through a series of marriages to one another’s families.

Shingen resumed hostilities in 1555 by having his retainers attack the western mountain passes that led to Echigo province causing concern for Kenshin. Kenshin stationed his army between the western and eastern passes and hoped to wait in secret at a temple, however the temple priest was a Takeda loyalist and told Shingen of Kenshin’s plans

Shingen stationed 300 arquebusiers at a nearby castle in secret.

Shingen marched his forces to meet Kenshin’s and the two once again had a light skirmish with both Shinen and Kenshin refusing to fully commit their armies (both understood the talents of the other) for months the two armies faced off against one another in a strategic game of chess, cautiously maneuvering against one another with no direct engagement only raids, minor skirmishes and maneuvers.

Kenshin eventually sent his army to take the nearby castle and was hit by the hidden arquebusiers.

After four months of little engagement both armies were needed back home and so the two made peace.         

Two years later in 1557 Shingen devised a new plan of attack, with fresh spring snow blocking the mountain passes, Shingen took one of Kenshins castles that had been constructed during the first engagement, this gave him access to a small mountain pass that he would use to flank the Uesugi forces and take the remaining castles in the region, however Kenshin managed to get an army led by his brother-in-law through the snowy passes and they broke the siege of the flanked castles. 

Kenshin returned to the temple between the fork in the river he had held up in 2 years earlier, again waiting for the Takeda, Kenshin attempted to lure Shingen to a position where he could hit him in the flank but Shingen didn’t take the bait.

The two began raiding each other until Shingen got the advantage by taking a flank position, Kenshin ordered his soldiers to return home. The Takeda forces once again only sent light skirmishers and attacked the Uesugi Vanguard. The Uesugi line held and Kenshin was able to safely retreat…

Takeda Shingen must have truly been frustrated, his rapid advances in Shinano had been put on hold for 5 years. Both Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen began to form a great respect for the others expert knowledge of warfare.

The two would make a temporary peace while the Takeda sought to regroup and deal with events at home, and the Uesugi went back towar with the Hojo to the south.

During this 4 year peace between the two great lords of Takeda and Uesugi, Oda Nobunaga cemented himself as no longer a fool and as one of the great Daimyo of Japan, defeating the great Imagawa clan at Okehazama ridding the triple alliance of one of their members and replacing it with the Tokugawa, an Oda ally.

In 1561 Kenshin marched south to invade the Hojo provinces. Due to a famine he rapidly took many lands. Positioning himself nearby the Hojo capitol and stronghold of Odawara castle deep within enemy territory, Shingen began marching his army to cut off Kenshin who was forced to retreat before could take the capital.

While Kenshin was preoccupied with the Hojo, Shingen broke the impenetrable defensive barrier set up by Kenshin in the Kawanakajima plain, taking many castles and creating a great defensive position for himself.

Kenshin under great concern raised an army of 18,000 and returned to the plain, this time to face Shingen and destroy his army. Originally Kenshin returned to the temple he had fought at years before but after seeing the strategic positioning of the castles taken by Shingen opted for a new strategy.

Leaving 5,000 men behind at Zenkoji temple as a rearguard, Kenshin took positioning in a nearby mountain overlooking the Kawakajima plain and one of the castles of the Takeda, Kaizu. Using signal fires like something out of lord of the rings Takeda Shingen who was at home In Kai province was alerted in a matter of hours and prepared his forces to march. Raising 16,000 men and an additional 4,000 along the way. he made haste to Kawanakajima setting up his position across the river and blocking Kenshin’s rearguard and route home.

Yamamoto Kansuke one of Shingens great 24 generals formulated a plan called “operation Woodpecker” by splitting his army in 2 he attempted to draw Kenshin into combat. Shingen would wait on the Kawakajima plain with some 8,000 soldiers while Kansuke commanding an army of 12,000 would attack from the rear forcing Kenshins forces into the army led by Shingen. Under the cover of night the two forces got into position. During the night a thick mist overtook the plain making it difficult to see

When the Takeda army arrived at the top of the hill Kenshin’s army had vanished. Early in the same night Kenshin had snuck his troops down the hill. 

While Shingen was setting up his forces in the middle of Kawakajima plain, Kenshin ordered the attack and using cavalry rammed into Shinen’s unsuspecting left flank, led by his younger brother Nobushige. Nobushige was cut down in the combat.

Kenshin withdrew his cavalry and sent in foot samurai to keep the pressure on the left flank. 

Kenshin then smashed into the right flank of Shingen, using his invoative tactic of rotating his fatigued soldiers on the front lines with fresher troops in the back he was able to put immense pressure on both flanks.

Finally, the Tiger and the Dragon were meeting in head-to-head combat.

Shingen, who was trying to organize and rally his troops was located at his headquarters in the center, massively outnumbered by the Uesugi forces this was a difficult task but his forces held on

Uesugi Samurai led by Kenshin, himself began breaking through in the center flank. Kenshin seeing his grival rode his horse directly through the Takeda center and Attacked his great rival Shingen with his sword. Shingen caught off guard desperately parried blow after blow from Kenshin using his Iron War-fan the surprise attack didn’t give him enough time to draw his sword. This was the first time the two Daimyo had met face to face. Kenshin ferociously attacking Shingen for about one minute but was unable to land a successful blow, by this time Shingen’s bodyguard had joined the scene and after one attempted to stab Kenshin’s horse, Kenshin spurred his horse and made a quick retreat.

Kansuke seeing his Takeda forces being crushed down the hill Rushed madly into the front line charging into the enemy, he would be greatly wounded and committed Seppoku in the middle of battle for his “failed” plan

With Kansuke’s army of 12,000 strong fresh troops joining the battle, the tide began to turn for Kenshin. Kenshin ordered a full retreat, 

The 4th battle of Kawakajima plain is recorded as one of the bloodiest of the entire Sengoku Jidai, ironically the Takeda were victorious by holding the plain. Uesugi sustained a 62% casualty rate with the Takeda suffering 72%. Both armies were in no position to continue fighting and returned home. Shingen was particularly distraught at having lost his loyal younger brother Nobushige and great general Kansuke.

The two armies wouldn’t meet again until 1564, while the Uesugi were busy dealing with other external problems the Takeda had taken complete control of the plain… this time Kenshin refused to engage and the two armies merely looked at each other for 60 days.

The tale of the Tiger and the Dragon proved true as both understood the other was too strong to overcome. The 5 battles of Kawakajima plain as is the story of Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin would go down in Japanese history as one of the most romanticized in Samurai history. 

Takeda Shingen having spent a decade fighting his rival with very minimal gains decided to turn his attention west for outward expansion, The death of his brother-in-law Imagawa Yoshimoto and dissolution of the Imagawa clan opened new areas for conquest.