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Toyotomi forces · Sanada

Sanada Nobushige (Yukimura)

“The Finest Warrior in Japan”

Second son of Sanada Masayuki. At the time of Sekigahara he sided with the Western Army alongside his father and held up Tokugawa Hidetada's great army at Ueda Castle. Afterwards he spent fourteen years confined at Kudoyama at the foot of Mount Kōya, but rallied to the Toyotomi for the Siege of Osaka. He ran rings around the Tokugawa from the Sanada Maru outwork, and in the Summer Campaign charged Ieyasu's headquarters three times, coming within a hair of success before dying as the last flower of the Sengoku age.

Epithet
“The Finest Warrior in Japan”
Rank / office
Saemon-no-suke
Domain / base
Ueda, Shinano → Kudoyama
Banner / crest
Six coins
Side
Toyotomi forces
Lived
1567–1615 (aged 49)

A million men from the Kantō, and not one of them a man.

Attributed, Siege of Osaka

Life

  1. Keichō 5 The Defence of Ueda Held Ueda Castle with his father Masayuki and kept Tokugawa Hidetada's great army from reaching Sekigahara in time.
  2. Keichō 5 Confinement at Kudoyama After the Western Army's defeat he spent fourteen years in confinement.
  3. Keichō 19 The Sanada Maru Built an outwork at the Winter Siege of Osaka and inflicted heavy losses on the great Tokugawa army.
  4. Keichō 20 Charging Ieyasu's Headquarters In the Summer Campaign he broke into Ieyasu's headquarters three times and toppled the commander's standard before his strength gave out.

Battles in this archive1 battles

  1. Siege of Osaka (Summer Campaign) 7th day of the 5th month, Keichō 20 Tennōji–Okayama, Settsu Province The 3,500 red-armoured troops of Mount Chausu. He toppled the commander's standard in three charges on Ieyasu's headquarters and was hailed as "the finest warrior in Japan." 3,500 troops · Commander-in-chief Watch ▸

Related sites

  • Ueda Castle
  • Kudoyama, Sanada-an (Wakayama)
  • Yasui Shrine (Osaka)