Official Background Guide
Oda Nobunaga’s Council
Model United Nations at Chapel Hill XVIII
February 22 – 25, 2018
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Table of Contents
Letter from the Crisis Director …………………………………………………………………… 3
Letter from the Chair …………………………………………………………………………… 4
Background Information ………………………………………………………………………… 5
The Imagawa Clan ……………………………………………………………………………… 13
Earthquakes …………………………………………………………………………………… 14
European Encroachment ……………………………………………………………………… 15
Position List …………………………………………………………………………………… 16
Oda Nobunaga’s Council Page 2
Letter from the Crisis Director Dear Delegates, It is my pleasure to welcome you to MUNCH XVIII, and to the unique committee Tyler, your chair, Mason, your co-chair, and I have put together -- Oda Nobunaga’s Council. My name is Thomas Poole and I am a freshman here at UNC Chapel Hill studying Political Science and Chinese. I was born and raised in Raleigh, North Carolina, and have participated in MUN for three years at Enloe High School. Coming into MUNCH, I knew I wanted to direct a historical crisis committee. As a delegate, there is nothing more entertaining to me than watching a historical committee get flipped on its head and rewriting history; that’s why I want to provide a similar experience for all of you. I chose the Sengoku Jidai as the setting for our committee because it naturally lends itself to Model UN. It is driven by individuals, by personalities that are remembered throughout history, and none more so than Oda Nobunaga. I’m excited for every delegate to interact with and become one of these personalities, and for all of the tense, strategic, and amusing interactions that are sure to come with it. Another focus I had when designing this committee was making sure that I created a level playing field for all delegates. That is why, even though each delegate has some special portfolio powers, many of these powers will be shared by all, and each delegate will start in very similar positions controlling their own portion of Owari province. Delegates should not feel as if they have had the cards stacked against them from the very beginning. Each delegate should forge a power structure through interactions in committee, not through the nature of their portfolio powers and resources. I am very excited to see how this new structure affects the committee progress, and how all of you will use it to your advantage. I cannot wait to see what everyone accomplishes in this committee. I’m sure there are going to be many complex crisis arcs, shocking twists, and lively debates. I hope you all have a great time, and come away understanding what Carolina is all about!
Sincerely, Thomas Poole Crisis Director
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Letter from the Chair Esteemed delegates,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to MUNCH XVIII. My name is Tyler Henkel, and I will be serving as your chair throughout the weekend. I am a junior from Gastonia, North Carolina, majoring in Public Policy and Peace, War, and Defense. This is my third year with the Carolina International Relations Association, as well as my third MUNCH.
Additionally, I serve as one of Carolina’s Head Delegates for our Model United Nations’ Travel Team. In my spare time, I also enjoy participating in Italian club, reading, and pondering the big questions in life (such as whether gif is pronounced “gif” or “gif”).
The Sengoku Jidai is a time of great social and political turmoil for Japan. The numerous clans in the Japanese feudal system have risen up against the Ashikaga shogunate, who have ruled Japan for over 200 years. Our honorable daimyo, Oda Nobunaga, will surely lead us to victory. As members of this council, you will be trusted to advise Nobunaga, and lead this clan to victory over all other contenders. This will be no easy feat; victory in this struggle will require superior military strategy, diplomatic tact, and steadfast courage. I am sure you will all be up to the task. Good luck!
Sincerely, Tyler Henkel Chair
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Background Information
In order to understand the history of feudal Japan, one must first understand the structure of society. At the de jure top of Japanese society was the Emperor, though de facto most of the political power lay in the hands of the Shogun. The Shogun was a military dictator, and effectively served as the head of the Japanese military. Later, the Emperor and Shogun would clash over control of Japan, but for this time period, the Shogun held most of the power. Next were the
Daimyos, the class Oda Nobunaga belonged to. Daimyos controlled large swaths of land, and the title of Daimyo was generally kept within a family. Think of Daimyos as Dukes to the Shogun’s
King. Samurai, the next lowest social class, were military nobility, and mostly served as military advisors to Daimyos. They were often landholders as well. All of the positions in our committee are members of the Samurai class. Ronin were the class below Samurai, and were used as paid soldiers.
Ronin were Samurai whose masters had perished, so they wandered the land looking for work, and were often hired to fight in the armies of Daimyos. After these came the peasants, artisans, and merchants, the lower rungs of society were the vast majority of the population found themselves.
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The Sengoku Jidai, otherwise known as the Age of Warring States, was a period in Japanese history defined by nearly constant conflict between many powerful warlords, or Daimyos. It began in 1467 with the outbreak of the Ōnin War, in which a regional conflict between two Daimyos spilled over into a nationwide conflict that eventually involved the Ashikaga Shogunate
(the ruling Shogunate at the time). Following the war, the
Ashikaga Shogunate effectively became the puppet of the
Hosokawa Clan. With the Shogunate weakened, the clans of
Japan were free to engage in conflict, in which they did. For
130 years, conflict raged in Japan, with clans competing for influence, and for the grand prize of being the Shogunate. For the first 100 years of the Sengoku Jidai, no clan had made the bold attempt to reunite Japan, but that was all about to change.
Oda Nobunaga was born on June 23, 1534 to Oda Nobuhide, a land-holder in Owari province, a small province located on the coast of central Japan. As a child he was known for his
bizarre behavior, earning him the nickname “The Big Fool of
Owari”. When Nobunaga was 17, Nobuhide died unexpectedly.
Nobunaga did not take the news well, and acted inappropriately
at his father’s funeral, throwing ceremonial incense at the altar.
Because of his apparent lack of self-control, many members of
the Oda clan began to side with his relatives over the matter of
inheritance, specifically with his younger brother Nobuyuki.
Nobuyuki staged a rebellion against Nobunaga shortly after
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Nobuhide’s death, but was soundly defeated at the Battle of Ino, even though Nobunaga was outnumbered 2 to 1.
Although he had defeated Nobuyuki, Nobunaga made the choice to spare him at the behest of his mother. However, in the following year, Nobunaga learned that Nobuyuki was planning another rebellion. This time, Nobunaga was not so lenient with Nobuyuki, and personally assassinated him. By 1559, Nobunaga skillfully eliminated all opposition within the Owari province, uniting it under Oda rule for the first time in decades. Unfortunately, there was not peace for long, as Nobunaga came into conflict with an adversary much more powerful than his brother, the great
Imagawa clan.
Although he had defeated Nobuyuki, Nobunaga made the choice to spare him at the behest
of his mother. However, in the following year, Nobunaga learned
that Nobuyuki was planning another rebellion. This time,
Nobunaga was not so lenient with Nobuyuki, and personally
assassinated him. By 1559, Nobunaga skillfully eliminated all
opposition within the Owari province, uniting it under Oda rule
for the first time in decades. Unfortunately, there was not peace
for long, as Nobunaga came into conflict with an adversary much more powerful than his brother, the great Imagawa clan.
Nobunaga was not fazed and at the Battle of Okehazama that followed, he won a legendary victory. A small portion of the Oda army lined up at one end of the gorge, making it appear as though his main force was going to attack head on. In reality, the majority of Oda’s troops were sneaking through the woods to attack Yoshimoto’s camp from behind. During a thunderstorm, while the Imagawa Army sat in their tents, Nobunaga’s forces attacked from behind, storming the camp. The majority of Yoshimoto’s army fled in the ensuing confusion, leaving Yoshimoto’s tent
Oda Nobunaga’s Council Page 7 undefended. Oda’s troops entered the tent, and though
Yoshimoto valiantly tried to fight them off single- handedly, he was slain in combat. Nobunaga won the day.
Following his incredible victory at Okehazama, the remaining Imagawa forces joined Nobunaga, and the Matsudaira, who had previously allied themselves with the Imagawa, allied with the Oda. Samurai flocked to Nobunaga, hoping to serve the young military genius who single-handedly defeated one of the most prominent clans in Japan. Our committee will begin in the wake of the battle, July 1560., The 25 members of our committee come from many walks of life, but all have chosen to serve Nobunaga.
In his generosity, Nobunaga decided to give each of these 25 Samurai land holdings in Owari province, and tasked you, the Samurai, with being his right-hand men in uniting Japan. It is up to this committee to decide where the Oda clan will head from here. Will Nobunaga conquer all of
Japan, or will this committee perhaps choose to forge your own path. No matter the choice, this council is sure to make history.
Warfare
It is impossible to accurately represent the Sengoku Jidai without including its defining feature, warfare. While there are many actions that the committee will be able to take, the primary way in which the committee will gain new lands and expand the influence of the Oda Clan is through conquest. War in feudal Japan was less about numbers, and more about strategy, making it the perfect place for tactical creativity to shine.
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While warfare in other MUN committees can be heavily influenced by chance, this
committee will require each member to be creative and quick-witted to be successful. Take
inspiration from Nobunaga’s strategy at
the battle of Okehazama; that is the
kind of thinking we want to see.
Creativity is the key to victory, so if this
council wishes to conquer Japan, each
delegate must be ready to think on their
feet and take risks.
There is a set formula for how warfare will be handled during committee. Firstly, the committee will be presented with a scenario. A rival
Daimyo has invaded Owari province, and is currently pillaging the northern border. The committee has decided to send the Oda army to stop him. Now that the Oda army is ready to fight, the committee will need to decide on how to approach the enemy. The committee will be given information such as the number of men the enemy has, and some information about the surrounding terrain. At this point, delegates will debate strategies, before one is decided on by a vote. Suppose that the committee ends up choosing to attack in the dead of night, trying to encircle the enemy without them noticing.
The plan goes off without a hitch, completely surrounded the enemy army routs, and the day is won. Nobunaga is pleased by the council’s cunning
Oda Nobunaga’s Council Page 9 and rewards the delegates who proposed the winning strategy. This could include money, resources, or even land. The best way to win favor with Lord Nobunaga is to show competence in battle, and this can be achieved by coming up with the best strategy. However, the opposite is true as well. If a delegate proposes a strategy that ends in disaster, they will surely fall out of favor with Nobunaga.
Espionage
Espionage was relatively uncommon before the Sengoku Jidai. To engage in it was considered beneath the status of the Samurai class, where there were strict rules regarding honor and combat. Throughout the Sengoku Jidai however, its use become increasingly common, as Daimyos became willingly to do whatever was necessary to gain the upper hand. It is from this period the idea of the “ninja” was established, though they were quite different from the pop culture depictions of today. Ninjas were people specialized in espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination and guerrilla warfare. At the beginning of the committee, each delegate will have access to one of these men, who will serve as a tool to engage in espionage.
The primary use of Ninja during the Sengoku Jidai was for general espionage. This was mostly restricted to information gathering, such as the layout of a castle or camp, the makeup of the enemy army, or any number of other things. They also worked to learn enemy passwords for encrypted letters and intercept communiques. While this was what most Ninjas did regularly, they also engaged in more high-profile work. Sabotage was another common task for Ninja, which was
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almost always done through arson. Oftentimes ninja would set a castle
or camp alight just before an assault, as the chaos of a fire would
distract the enemy. Lastly, ninja would sometimes carry out
assassination attempts, though these were rarely successful. Nobunaga
was once famously targeted by an Assassin, but the assassin’s arquebus
(a 15th century firearm) was not powerful enough to pierce
Nobunaga’s armor.
Diplomacy
While warfare and espionage may be the two main methods
of gaining influence, diplomacy enhances both of these. There are other clans within feudal Japan that are larger than the Oda, and an alliance with these clans could potentially help with the Oda clan’s expansion. In order to find success, choose allies and enemies carefully. War and espionage are costly, but skilled diplomacy can help ease the burden, or perhaps avoid both entirely.
Throughout committee, delegates will have many opportunities to communicate with other clans or individuals in Japan. There were many prominent clans in feudal Japan, but four were the most relevant to the Nobunaga.
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Key Clans:
o The Imagawa clan is a powerful rival of the Oda. Though their
army was recently defeated at the Battle of Okehazama, the conflict
between them and the Oda still continues. They will need to be dealt
with early.
o The Hosokawa clan resides on the northern coast of Japan. This storied
clan has grown powerful through trade with China as well as through its
influence over the Ashikaga Shogunate
o The Takeda clan are led by the enigmatic Takeda Shingen, widely
regarded as one of the greatest military minds of his time. They are
experts in the use of cavalry, making them a formidable opponent.
o The Ikko-Ikki are a group of Buddhists who rose up against their
Daimyo and became independent. Their movement has been gaining
traction across Japan, and could soon become highly influential.
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The Imagawa Clan
Though Oda defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto at the battle of Okehazama, the feud between the Oda and the
Imagawa continues. Following Yoshimoto’s death, his son
Ujizane has succeeded him as Daimyo, and he is intent on continuing his conflict with the Oda and avenging his late father. While the main Imagawa army was lost at the battle of
Okehazama, they still possess a formidable fighting force.
The committee must carefully decide how to handle their relations with the Imagawa in the
future. While the Oda currently possess a
larger fighting force, Suruga Province, the
Imagawa capital, is some of the most valuable
land in eastern Japan, land that other clans
will be eager to take, especially the
neighboring Takeda clan. In essence, victory
against the Imagawa could create more
conflict for the Oda clan.
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Earthquakes
In recent months a slew of earthquakes has plagued eastern Japan. While these first few have been relatively mild, their intensity has been steadily increasing. There are rumors flying amongst all levels of society that these earthquakes are the precursor to a far greater disaster. If this comes to fruition no clan will be safe.
The Oda Clan must make a difficult decision when it comes to earthquakes. Should the committee invest in greater protections against earthquakes and tsunamis, or ignore the rumors of a bigger earthquake soon to come? Public concern over this issue is extremely high, so the committee must also keep in mind how their actions will be perceived by the people. Improper handling of this topic could lead to ruin in more
ways than one.
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European Encroachment
In 1543 the first Europeans arrived in Japan. These Portuguese traders would go on to found the port of Nagasaki, and the many things they brought with them would become instrumental during the
Sengoku Jidai. Firstly, there were firearms, which were foreign to Japan before the arrival of Europeans. Firearms revolutionized warfare in Japan, and the clans that capitalize on their use and production will gain a significant advantage. Managing relations with the Portuguese will be essential.
While all of Japan’s major clans will want to capitalize on Portuguese firearms, there are
some negative aspects of increasing European involvement in
Japan. For one, the Portuguese introduced Christianity to
Japan, which disrupted served to disrupt the religious landscape
and stoke tension. Also concerning about the Portuguese's
ventures into Japan was the enslavement of women by
Portuguese traders. In the mid-16th century many Japanese women were purchased as concubines by Portuguese traders, which was a point of major contention in Japanese politics and society.
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Position List: *Note: Some dates and facts have been altered to allow certain positions to exist. Please go by the information in the background guide above information found elsewhere.
• Shibata Katsuie - Katsuie was born in the city of
Nagoya, the Oda capital, in 1522. He served as a retainer
to Oda Nobunaga’s younger brother, Oda Nobuyuki.
When Nobuyuki challenged Nobunaga’s claim for the
Oda Clan, Katsuie fought alongside him. When
Nobuyuki was eventually defeated, Nobunaga had him
and Katsuie’s brother executed. However, Nobunaga
decided to spare Katsuie, who then pledged to serve Nobunaga. After proving himself at the
Battle of Okehazama, he fell into favor with Nobunaga. He is famous for the elite force of
mercenaries that were under his control, the Echizen Band.
• Kinoshita Tōkichirō - Tōkichirō, more widely known as
Toyotomi Hideyoshi, was born in Owari Province in 1537.
Unlike many of the figures of the Sengoku Jidai, Tōkichirō
began life as a part of the peasant class, and was the son of
a foot-soldier named Yaemon. After spending some time
in the service of other clans during his early life, he
returned to serve the Oda Clan in 1558 as a foot-soldier.
At the Battle of Okehazama, he was one of the many who won favor with Nobunaga for his
bravery. Tōkichirō is perhaps best known for his shrewd negotiation skills, as he was able to
get many men to desert to their leaders and join the Oda cause.
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• Akechi Mitsuhide - Mitsuhide was born in Mino Province in 1528. A member of the Toki
Clan, Mitsuhide was groomed to be a competent general and
statesman from a young age. He served the Ashikaga Shogunate
as a loyal retainer until 1568, when he bravely defended the
Shogun from Nobunaga’s forces. Nobunaga respected this, and
invited him to join his army. However, because our committee
takes place beginning in 1561, we are going to move forward
under the assumption that Mitsuhide chose to join forces with
Nobunaga after witnessing his impressive victory at the Battle of Okehazama. Mitsuhide was
very well known for his skill with tea-ceremonies and poetry.
• Sassa Narimasa - Narimasa was born in Nagoya in 1536 to Sassa Morimasa. At the
age of 14, he entered Nobunaga's service. While
serving under Nobunaga, he had many great
accomplishments, which included quelling rebellions
in Ikko-Ikki province as well as assisting in the
construction of Komaru castle. Narimasa was also a
friend of Shibata Katsuie, and the two collaborated to
put down a revolt in the Echizen region. Narimasa is
known for his skill in leading the Matchlock infantry, and is considered the
“Matchlock expert” among Nobunaga’s generals.
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• Ikeda Tsuneoki - Tsuneoki was born in 1536, though his
place of birth is unknown. He served one of the four Karō
(top-ranking Samurai) at Kiyosu Castle, and fought in
multiple battles commanding Nobunaga’s troops. Tsuneoki
is renowned for having top of the line troops, and though
his forces are not always large in number, they are top of the
line in terms of training, equipment, and tactics.
• Sakuma Nobumori - Nobumori is one of Nobunaga’s earliest and most loyal supporters.
Born in 1527, he was entrusted with the care of a young
Nobunaga by Nobunaga’s father. He remained loyal to
Nobunaga during Nobuyuki’s rebellion and will fight in
virtually every important battle fought by Nobunaga. He is
well known for his skill on a horse, and is a member of
Nobunaga’s elite horse guard.
• Niwa Nagahide - In many ways Nagahide is very similar to Nobumori. Born in
Nagoya in 1535, he was also an early supporter of Nobunaga, siding with him during
Nobuyuki’s rebellion. However, while
Nobumori was more well-known for his
prowess on the field of battle, Nagahide was
more known for his success as a governor. He
is excellent at managing construction projects,
as shown through his management of Azuchi
castle.
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• Takigawa Kazumasu - Kazumasu was born in Omi
province in 1525, but later left home to serve
Nobunaga. While he had a spotty record as a general,
with many of his campaigns failing, he was adept in
domestic affairs, specifically in using the techniques of
land surveying to plan the administration of provinces. Effectively, Kazumasu is able
to get the most out of the land that he held, even in times of hardship.
• Maeda Toshiie - Toshiie was born in 1538 in the village of Arako, just outside the
Oda capital of Nagoya. He began serving Nobunaga from a very early age, first as a
page and then later as a general. As a high-ranking
member of the military, he was an acquaintance of
many other high-ranking members, such as
Narimasa, Tōkichirō, and Mitsuhide. While on all
accounts Toshiie is both an incredible general and
statesman, he is perhaps best remembered for his raw talent on the field of battle.
Known as “Yari no Mataza” (Mataza the Spear), he is famous for his abilities in single
combat, and is widely feared for his prowess on the battlefield.
• Matsunaga Hisahide - Hisahide was born in 1510,
and did not interact with Nobunaga at all before his
rise to power began. In history, Hisahide joined
Nobunaga after the fall of Kyoto. In our committee,
we are going forward under the assumption that he
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joined after the Battle of Okehazama. In modern Japanese culture, Hisahide is often
depicted as a schemer for his many plots against others (including Nobunaga).
Hisahide hasaccess to a more developed spy network than most of Nobunaga’s
generals, and uses it frequently.
• Araki Murashige - Born in 1535, Murashige was one of Nobunaga’s highest ranking
generals for the first decade of his rise to power. At the time our committee begins in
1561, he remains loyal to Nobunaga, but he
would go on to betray him and attempt to
rebel. In Japanese culture, he is oftentimes
depicted as a coward, as he let his entire
family die rather than sacrifice himself. He is
renowned for being able to escape
assassination attempts, and with very little
offensive espionage capabilities, he is very in-tune to any threats against him. He is
also a Christian.
• Takayama Ukon - Takayama was born in
1532 in Haibara Japan. His father
converted to Catholicism early in Ukon’s
life, and he was later baptized. Following a
near death experience, Ukon became more
religious, and unashamedly promoted
Christianity. He fought alongside
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Nobunaga throughout his campaigns in order to secure a place for himself and other
Christians. Because of his efforts, he was Beatified by the Catholic Church in 2017.
Takayama is known for converting other Daimyo to Catholicism and for securing the
cooperation of many Christians from all walks of life.
• Fuwa Mitsuharu - Not much is known about the life of Fuwa Mitsuharu, but what
we do know is that he loyally served Nobunaga until his death in 1581. He was a
member of the famous cavalry unit the
“Echizen Triumvirs”, and was a skilled
leader of the battlefield. Perhaps his most
notable trait is his ability as a diplomat.
While Tōkichirō is great at handling
individuals, Mitsuhara is superior in his
knowledge of clan politics, and is an
adept negotiator when it comes to negotiating with other clans or organizations.
• Hori Hidemasa - Hidemasa was born in 1533, and
became Nobunaga’s page at the age of 13. As he
aged, he gradually began spending more and more
time on the battlefield. By the time he was in his
twenties, he was one of Nobunaga’s most
respected generals. He is most famous for fielding
and heading a corps of arquebusiers, an early form
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of musket adapted from those brought over by the Portuguese. With these
formidable weapons, Hidemasa is able to turn the tide of many battles.
• Hosokawa Fujitaka - Fujitaka was born in 1534, and served in the court of Ashikaga
Shogunate. During his time at court, he studied
under Satomura Joha, a master of Renga, a style
of Japanese poetry. Later Fujitaka would leave
court to serve Nobunaga, acting as one of his
most trusted advisors on matters of etiquette
and verse. Fujitaka is most well-known for his
silver tongue, and while he is may be the least
militarily inclined member of the council, he has a way with words like no one else,
and is excellent at getting others to do his bidding.
• Kûki Yoshitaka - Yoshitaka was born in 1542 to Kûki Sadataka, a warlord who had a
reputation for piracy. As one of Japan’s
premier naval powers, an alliance with
the Kûki clan was a valuable asset to
have. When this alliance was formed,
Yoshitaka went to Owari province to
directly serve Nobunaga. When
Yoshitaka suffered some early defeats
against the navy of the Mino clan, he developed a new class of heavily armored ship
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that would outclassed the navies of nearly everyone in Japan. He is most well known
for being Nobunaga’s naval expert, and for pioneering new naval technology.
• Gamō Ujisato - Ujisato was born in 1542 to Gamō Katahide, who was a retainer to
Nobunaga. Because Katahide had been a
former enemy of Nobunaga’s, Ujisato
was taken as a hostage by Nobunaga.
Ujisato loyally served Nobunaga, and
showed prowess in battle from a young
age, participating in his first at the age of
13. Even as a young man, Nobunaga was
impressed by Ujisato’s abilities. Ujisato is best remembered for his prowess leading
troops on the field of battle and his unwavering loyalty to Nobunaga, even after his
death.
• Nakagawa Kiyohide - Kiyohide was born in 1542 in Settsu Province. In history,
Kiyohide surrendered to Nobunaga after he took
Kyoto, but in order for him to participate in this
committee we will continue under the assumption
that he surrendered to Nobunaga at the Battle of
Okehazama. Kiyohide was best known for being
disloyal to Nobunaga, and rising up against him
along with Murashige. He was also known for his
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ability to deal with the lower-classes of society, who were eager to cooperate with him
in both a military and non-combatant capacity.
• Tsutsui Junkei - Junkei was born in 1539 in Yamato province to Daimyo Tsutsui
Junshō. Following the Battle of Okehazama,
he became a retainer of Nobunaga, and fought
with him on many different campaigns.
Nobunaga assisted him in reclaiming his castle
when it was taken by Junkei’s rival, Matsunaga
Hisahide. Junkei is well known for his prowess
as a siege tactician, and is responsible for laying
siege to and destroying many castles for Nobunaga throughout his time serving the
Oda Clan.
• Wada Koremasa - Koremasa was born in 1536, and was originally a retainer of the
Natio clan, but following Nobunaga’s
early victories joined him as a retainer.
Though in history he died at a relatively
early age in battle, he was still a useful
asset to Nobunaga. Not only did he
loyally serve Nobunaga on the field of
battle, but he also arranged an audience
between Nobunaga and Luis Frois, a Portuguese missionary, which was a crucial link
between Nobunaga and the Europeans that were slowly beginning to arrive in Japan.
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• Yamauchi Kazutoyo - Kazutoyo was born in 1540
to Yamauchi Moritoyo, who died in battle when
Kazutoyo was only 14. After wandering for some
time as a Ronin (a Samurai with no lord), he enlisted
in the ranks of Nobunaga. Through his prowess in
battle, became a well-respected general. He is well
known for the brutal tactics he employed when
squashing a rebellion by Chôsokabe samurai. Kazutoyo is also known for his prowess
in single combat, and can hold his own in a fight better than most.
• Kanamori Nagachika - Nagachika was born in 1524, and would serve as an early
retainer for Nobunaga. He originally served
the Saito clan of Mino Province, however,
after their line died off, he left to serve the
Oda clan. While, like most of the Oda
generals, he was adept in battle, his defining
feature was his appreciation for Japanese tea
culture. He was a profound admirer and friend
of Sen no Rikyū, a very prominent figure of the time in Japanese tea culture.
• Maeda Gen'i - Gen’i was born in 1539 in Mt. Hiei. He served not only as a retainer of
Nobunaga, but also as Buddhist monk. After 1561, he served Nobunaga faithfully for
more than two decades before being appointed deputy of Kyoto the year of
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Nobunaga’s death. Nobunaga utilized his relationship with the
Buddhist community to reduce religious tensions.
• Mori Ranmaru - Ranmaru was born in 1545 in Mino province.
Beginning at a young age, he served as an attendant to
Nobunaga. He served as a loyal retainer of
Nobunaga for years, before perishing at a young
age while defending Nobunaga who was betrayed
at Honnō-ji, and is famous in popular culture for
his noble sacrifice..
• Inaba Yoshimichi - Yoshimichi was born in 1515 and served the Mino clan for much
of the early part of his life. He would later
become part of the “Mino triumvirate”, a group
of three Mino clan retainers who left the Mino
clan to serve Nobunaga. The reason Oda
allowed him to join his service was because of
how excellent of a defender Yoshimichi was.
Oda forces had tried repeatedly to take lands held by Yoshimichi only to be repelled
each time. Nobunaga was so ashamed of these defeats that he had these expunged
from his record. Yoshimichi is most well remembered for his ability to defend,
especially during sieges.
Oda Nobunaga’s Council Page 26