About the Battle of Anegawa
The Battle of Anegawa was fought in 1570 (28th day of the 6th month, Genki 1) at Anegawa River, Ōmi Province. A melee that dyed the shallows of the Anegawa red. The Oda nearly break under the Azai onslaught, but the Tokugawa beat the Asakura and strike the flank, turning the battle.
- Year
- 1570 (28th day of the 6th month, Genki 1)
- Place
- Anegawa River, Ōmi Province
- Era
- Sengoku / Azuchi–Momoyama
How the battle unfolded
- Lines Across the Anegawa
Daybreak, the 28th day of the 6th month, Genki 1, in high summer. The Azai and Asakura, out from Odani Castle, deploy north of the Anegawa. To the south stand the Oda, who had been besieging Yokoyama Castle, with the Tokugawa to their west. Across a single shallow stream, more than 20,000 men face each other.
- Azai Eleven Ranks Broken
The battle opens with a furious Azai assault. The vanguard under Isono Kazumasa forces the Anegawa and smashes through eleven of the Oda's thirteen ranks. As the Azai close on his headquarters, Nobunaga kicks over his camp stool and rises to his feet.
- Tokugawa The Tokugawa Split the Asakura
To the west the Tokugawa collide with the Asakura. Honda Tadakatsu stands alone in mid-stream, while the giant Magara Naotaka rampages with his great sword. Then Sakakibara Yasumasa swings round onto the Asakura flank, and their formation begins to tear.
- Flank Striking the Flank
Having broken the Asakura, the Tokugawa turn on the Azai flank. Then the mobile force of Inaba Ittetsu drives in from the east. Pressed from three sides, the Azai assault that had carried all before it begins to flow backward like a burst dam.
- Turn Blood Dyes the Anegawa
The Isono contingent is surrounded, and Azai Nagamasa's main force can no longer hold. The shallows of the Anegawa are said to have run red with the blood of the slain. The allied counter-push can no longer be stopped.
- Odani Retreat to Odani
The Azai and Asakura withdraw north to Odani. Yokoyama Castle surrenders to the Oda, and Nobunaga drives a wedge into northern Ōmi. But Azai resistance continues, and the war will last three more years until the fall of Odani.
Generals and units
- Oda–Tokugawa alliance Oda Nobunaga Commander-in-chief
- Oda–Tokugawa alliance Inaba Ittetsu
- Oda–Tokugawa alliance Tokugawa Ieyasu Commander-in-chief
- Oda–Tokugawa alliance Honda Tadakatsu
- Oda–Tokugawa alliance Sakakibara Yasumasa
- Azai–Asakura forces Azai Nagamasa Commander-in-chief
- Azai–Asakura forces Isono Kazumasa
- Azai–Asakura forces Asakura Kagetake
- Azai–Asakura forces Magara Naotaka
FAQ
- What was the Battle of Anegawa?
- A melee that dyed the shallows of the Anegawa red. The Oda nearly break under the Azai onslaught, but the Tokugawa beat the Asakura and strike the flank, turning the battle.
- When and where did the Battle of Anegawa take place?
- It took place in 1570 at Anegawa River, Ōmi Province (28th day of the 6th month, Genki 1).
- Who fought in the Battle of Anegawa?
- Oda Nobunaga of the Oda–Tokugawa alliance, Tokugawa Ieyasu of the Oda–Tokugawa alliance, Azai Nagamasa of the Azai–Asakura forces were among the commanders.
- Can I watch the Battle of Anegawa in 3D?
- Yes. This page plays a free three-minute 3D animated overview showing the deployments, the movements of each army and how the battle was decided.