The Emergence of Warring States Daimyos

Amid the disorder following the Ōnin War, practical-minded Warring States daimyos emerged throughout Japan. They won domains through ability rather than family background and built independent systems of rule.

Basic Knowledge

Warring States daimyos came from diverse backgrounds and can be classified as follows:
① Provincial constable daimyos who became Warring States daimyos: the Imagawa clan (Suruga), Takeda clan (Kai), Ōtomo clan (Bungo), and Shimazu clan (Satsuma)
② Deputy provincial constables who rose through gekokujō: the Asakura clan (expelled the Shiba clan in Echizen), Oda clan (Owari), and Nagao clan → Uesugi Kenshin (Echigo)
③ Those who rose from local warriors: the Mōri clan (Aki), Chōsokabe clan (Tosa), and Ryūzōji clan (Hizen)
④ Those who rose from low status: Hōjō Sōun (Izu and Sagami) and Saitō Dōsan (Mino)
Major Warring States daimyos in each region:
・Ōu: Date Masamune (Mutsu)
・Kanto: Later Hōjō clan (Sōun, Ujitsuna, Ujiyasu, Ujimasa, Ujinao), and Uesugi clan (Yamanouchi and Ōgigayatsu)
・Central Japan: Takeda Shingen (Kai), Uesugi Kenshin (Echigo), and Imagawa Yoshimoto (Suruga, Tōtomi, and Mikawa)
・Tōkai: Oda Nobunaga (Owari) and Tokugawa Ieyasu (Mikawa)
・Kinai: Miyoshi Nagayoshi and Matsunaga Hisahide
・Chugoku: Mōri Motonari (Aki) and the Amago clan (Izumo)
・Shikoku: Chōsokabe Motochika (Tosa)
・Kyushu: Ōtomo Sōrin (Bungo), Shimazu Yoshihisa (Satsuma), and Ryūzōji Takanobu (Hizen)

Further Study (Background and Influence)

Warring States daimyos called their domains bunkoku and ruled them like independent states. Their strength came from the following:
① Military power: group tactics centered on foot soldiers and the introduction of firearms
② Economic power: mining development (such as the Iwami Silver Mine and Sado Gold Mine), rakuichi-rakuza (later used by Nobunaga), and protection of commerce
③ Control of vassals: the oyako system (assigning mounted followers to powerful vassals), the kandaka system (measuring land in monetary value), and domain laws
Takeda Shingen was known for the famous saying, “People are my castle, people are my stone walls, people are my moats; kindness is my ally, hostility is my enemy.” He emphasized unity among his vassals.
Uesugi Kenshin was called “the man of righteousness” and repeatedly sent troops to the Kanto region to rescue Uesugi Norimasa, who had been attacked by the Hōjō clan.
Mōri Motonari was known for the lesson of the three arrows: he had each of his three sons break one arrow, then had them break three arrows together, teaching the importance of unity.

Points of Caution (Easily Confused)

① Hōjō Sōun (founder of the Later Hōjō clan, Warring States period) and the Hōjō clan of the Kamakura period (regent government) belonged to different lineages and had no connection.
② Takeda Shingen (the Tiger of Kai) and Uesugi Kenshin (the Dragon of Echigo) were rivals, famous for the Battles of Kawanakajima (1553-1564, five battles). Neither achieved a decisive victory.
③ Distinguish Mōri Motonari (Warring States period) from Mōri Terumoto (commander-in-chief of the Western Army at Sekigahara and Motonari's grandson).
④ The Shimazu clan (Satsuma), Ōtomo clan (Bungo), and Ryūzōji clan (Hizen) were the three major powers of Kyushu. These were the three major Kyushu powers.

Practice

1. Give the name of the person who became the founder of the Later Hōjō clan as a representative example of gekokujō.
2. Give the name of the place where Takeda Shingen of Kai and Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo fought repeatedly.
3. Give the name of the Warring States daimyo of Aki known for the story of the three arrows.