The Rise of Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga rose from a minor daimyo in Owari to the verge of unifying Japan in only 20 years. He changed his era through innovative tactics and policies.

Basic Knowledge

Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) was the son of Oda Nobuhide of Owari (Aichi Prefecture). In his youth, he was called an “outsider” (great fool), but after inheriting the family leadership, he rapidly rose to prominence.
1560: Battle of Okehazama — Nobunaga ambushed and killed Imagawa Yoshimoto of Suruga (25,000 troops) at Okehazama with 2,000-3,000 troops. It was a historic reversal.
1567: He defeated Saito Tatsuoki of Mino, renamed Inabayama Castle Gifu Castle, and began using the seal “Tenka Fubu”.
1568: He entered Kyoto supporting Ashikaga Yoshiaki and installed him as the 15th shogun.
1570: Battle of Anegawa — He defeated the allied forces of Azai Nagamasa and Asakura Yoshikage.
1571: Burning of Mount Hiei — He burned down Enryakuji, which had opposed him.
1573: He expelled Ashikaga Yoshiaki, bringing about the fall of the Muromachi shogunate.
1575: Battle of Nagashino — He defeated Takeda Katsuyori’s cavalry with firearms.
1576: He began building Azuchi Castle in Omi, the origin of early-modern castles with keeps.
1580: He made peace with Ishiyama Honganji, ending the approximately ten-year Ishiyama War.
1582: Honnoji Incident — He committed suicide at Honnoji Temple in Kyoto after his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide rebelled (aged 49).
His policies included free markets and guilds (abolishing guild privileges and liberalizing commerce), abolishing barriers, the Coin Selection Edict (prohibiting the selection of coins), protection of Nanban trade, and protection of Christianity (which also suppressed Buddhism).

In Depth (Background and Effects)

Nobunaga’s radical nature lay in the “thorough destruction of the existing order.” He ruthlessly suppressed religious forces by burning Mount Hiei, fighting the ten-year war against Honganji (Ishiyama War), and destroying the Nagashima Ikko uprising. This dismantled medieval religious authority and prepared the way for an early-modern state.
His free markets and guilds abolished the monopolies of medieval guilds and created markets where anyone could trade freely. The castle towns of Azuchi and Gifu developed economically.
Militarily, in addition to firearms and ashigaru group tactics, he pioneered the separation of warriors and farmers by having his retainers live together in the castle town as professional warriors. This was another major transition to the early-modern period.
The motive for the Honnoji Incident remains uncertain. Possible explanations include Nobunaga’s dictatorial personality, Mitsuhide’s dissatisfaction with plans concerning Shikoku and Kanto, and conflict between Nobunaga and Mitsuhide. At Honnoji, Nobunaga is said to have said, “There is nothing to be done,” before committing suicide.

Points to Note (Easily Confused)

① Do not confuse Okehazama (1560) and Nagashino (1575). Okehazama = Imagawa Yoshimoto; Nagashino = Takeda Katsuyori.
② Honnoji Incident (1582) = Akechi Mitsuhide’s rebellion; Battle of Yamazaki (1582) = Hashiba Hideyoshi defeated Mitsuhide. Both occurred in June 1582.
③ Free markets and guilds = Nobunaga (and later Hideyoshi); guilds = occupational associations of the Muromachi period. “Free” means “unrestricted.”
④ Ashikaga Yoshiaki (15th shogun) was installed by Nobunaga but later opposed and was expelled by him. This symbolized the end of the Muromachi shogunate.

Practice

1. State the name of the battle in 1560 in which Oda Nobunaga defeated Imagawa Yoshimoto.
2. State the name of the last shogun of the Muromachi shogunate whom Oda Nobunaga expelled in 1573.
3. State the name of the retainer who attacked Oda Nobunaga at Honnoji in 1582.