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Assassin’s Creed Shadows (2025)

Portrait of Oichi-no-kata (お市) | c. 1580s - 1590s Artist unknown

#oichi #oichi no kata #mother of yodo dono #oda clan #portrait #sengoku period #japanese art #japanese history #1500s #16th century #curators on tumblr #*

Nobutada, Nobukatsu, and Nobutaka in the words of the Europeans

I am most grateful to that Crasset book, because I have finally found the text about Nobunaga's sons that I've heard referenced in various Japanese talking circles. That is, one of the Europeans had said that the one who is most similar to Nobunaga was Nobukatsu, much to everyone's incredulousness.

Since the source of it was one of the missionaries' writings, it was also present in the book:

Transcript:

Nobunanga (as is already said) had three Children. To the Eldest, call'd Jonosuquendono, he had given the Kingdoms of Boari and Mino. This Prince was so taken with Father Organtin's late Discourse, that he gave him full Licence to Preach in his States, and assign'd him a place in the Mitropolis of Mino for building a Church. The second called Oquaxen Fungedono, took much after his Father, both in Humour and Thoughts, for he was an able Man, and one that seem'd quality'd for the weightiest Employs in the Kingdom. Nobunanga had given him a promise of the Kingdom of Farima, and was at the very time upon the Conquest of it. This young Prince going to visit the Church at Meaco, after a long Conference with the Father, sent him upon his return a Present, with a short word in Writing, to show how much he was pleased with his Discourse, and withall, to let him know his desire of being fully instructed, in order to receive the Faith. The third was call'd Sanxichindono King of Ixe, who confessed that he was already better than half a Christian, and wou'd suddainly declare himself.

A lot of Japanese people, who mostly knew Nobukatsu for bungling his attack on Iga, were naturally in full disbelief of these high praises being sung about him. Although, this would make perfect sense if you consider that he might be a capable domestic ruler, but not very good at being a military commander. Even Japanese news articles says that during Hideyoshi's reign, Nobukatsu's governance of Owari was incredible.

In Japanese pronunciation "g" is indeed sometimes pronounced with a sound that is similar to "ng". The Europeans transcribe the names by ear, and so that's how Nobunaga ends up being "Nobunanga". It's not a typo, it's just how it sounds to them.

Meaco is Miyako, which is a term to refer to the "capital city" (Kyoto). Boari is Owari. Farima is Harima.

Jonosuquendono is Jou no Suke-dono, which is Nobutada's title. The full title is Akita-jou no Suke (which I discussed here), but is often shortened to simply "Jou no Suke" in address.

This story is also in the Murdoch book, translated directly from the original writings. It further detailed that Nobutada was impressed by the Christian teachings, but cannot accept it because apparently the commandment against adultery was too difficult to practice. He wasn't formally married, and I suppose the practice of taking concubines/consorts would be considered "adultery" here.

Oquasen is Ochasen, but I am not certain what "Fungedono" is supposed to be. My best guess is that it's supposed to be "Honjo", because at the time Nobukatsu's address was sometimes "Ochasen Gohonjo".

This text doesn't say which "Father" he talked to, but according to the Japanese articles, this was quoted from the letter written by one João Francisco, so perhaps Father Francisco was the one he talked to.

Also Nobukatsu being promised to be assigned Harima is something I'd never heard of before, and the Japanese articles that was discussing this European account didn't mention it. This is an interesting find.

Sanxichindono is Sanshichi-dono, Nobutaka. It's interesting that he was called "King of Ise" here. The division of the rulership might not have been so clear to the Europeans because from what I knew was that Nobutaka and Nobukatsu shared the province of Ise. Nobutaka in the northern half, and Nobukatsu towards the south, with Nobukatsu seemingly owning more territory due to his adopted family (Kitabatake) being the more powerful one.

#japanese history #oda nobukatsu #oda nobutada #oda nobutaka #sengoku #sengoku period #sengoku era #samurai #jean crasset #european account #oda family #oda clan

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, Fire, Picture of Sassa Narimasa’s Hard Fight in Kyushu, 1867, 9th lunar month

#fav #painting #sengoku period #kyushu #art #1867 #tsukioka yoshitoshi #samurai #oda clan #toyotomi clan

Shout-out to my boy Yasuke

We love a badass black samurai

#japan #japanese #japanese culture #samurai #oda clan #yasuketheblacksamurai #black history month #please remind me to draw him someday

The True Cost of an Alliance

So for anyone who doesn’t know I am unapologetically a fan of the Sengoku Musou/Samurai Warriors series. While It was actually the series Kessen that got me into the Sengoku Period to begin with it was Sengoku Musou that really helped keep me interested in the era. With Samurai Warriors 5 coming this year and the introduction of a rather unexpected character named Sena (whom I will be referring to as Lady Tsukiyama) I thought this would be the perfect time to discuss one of the most infamous incidents of the period. This is a facts tumblr so I’m not going to really touch on them until after the story is done, but I will start by saying that this event has spawned several tales of both ghosts and curses throughout Japanese history. Now that I have your attention let me set the scene for you. It is the year 1579. Oda Nobunaga and his clan have taken over all of central Japan. To the West is the Mori clan, and to the East is the Uesugi. The mighty Takeda clan had been decimated at the battle of Nagashino and the Oda-Tokugawa alliance was taking over more and more Takeda land by the year. While the Takeda’s home province of Kai would not fall for another four years, no one would consider the Takeda clan a viable opponent to the Oda-Tokugawa alliance at this point. Nobunaga’s alliance with Ieyasu, forged after the fall of the Imagawa in 1560 and sealed three years later in 1563 by a marriage of Nobunaga’s five year old daughter Tokuhime to Ieyasu’s five year old son Nobuyasu was considered unparalleled at this point. However, in 1579 Ieyasu would learn the true cost of this alliance. His eldest son Nobuyasu was considered a rising star in Japanese politics. He seemed to have a natural talent for leadership and battle alike and was being perfectly groomed by Ieyasu to be the next head of the Tokugawa clan. He had a loving wife whom he treated well and was said to be quite popular across the Tokugawa and Oda controlled provinces. Ieyasu even put Nobuyasu in charge of his home castle, Okazaki. Nobuyasu was deeply loved by his father and adored by his mother Lady Tsukiyama. So much so, in fact, that his wife Tokuhime apparently had a long standing grudge with her mother in law. While we don’t know the exact reason some speculate that the two butted heads quite a bit over what was best for Nobuyasu, how Tokuhime could be a better wife, and what Tokuhime could and couldn’t do to properly respect her inlaws. One tale states that Tokuhime only gave birth to two daughters for Nobuyasu and failed to produce an heir. Wanting a grandson Lady Tsukiyama arranged for the daughter of a Takeda retainer to become Nobuyasu's concubine in hopes of the concubine having a son. While this certainly wasn’t unheard of at this time it apparently this didn’t sit well with the 21 year old. I want to take a brief pause to say that some sources also say that Tokuhime and Nobuyasu’s marriage was horrible, Nobuyasu was a mama’s boy, he never took his wife’s side and despised her for arguing with his mother, etc. etc. but we can’t verify any of that and given that Tokuhime didn’t seem to have any direct problem with Nobuyasu himself I’m going to say this was unlikely. Anyway, back to the story of Nobunaga’s angry daughter. Deciding she had enough of her mother in law’s interference into her marriage Tokuhime wrote a letter to her father. For anyone who knows about Nobunaga, I’m sure you’ve realized this can’t go anywhere good. Tokuhime told her father that since the concubine was from the Takeda, clearly Ieasyu’s wife was colluding with the Takeda forces and had been in direct contact with Takeda Katsuyori to undermine the Oda-Tokugawa alliance and possibly even get the Tokugawa to switch sides. Obviously this didn’t sit well with Nobunaga and Nobunaga demanded that in order to keep the Oda-Tokugawa alliance alive Ieyasu would have to execute his wife. Understanding how important the alliance was, being aware that his son had in fact received a Takeda clan daughter as a concubine, and not wanting a war to break out in which he would be pinned between the Oda, Hojo, and Takeda, Ieyasu agreed. On 9 September 1579, Lady Tsukiyama (Sena in Samurai Warriors 5) was beheaded on the shore of Lake Sanaru, in Hamamatsu on Ieyasu’s order. Her primary grave is at Seiryū temple in Hamamatsu. However, her head rests in Hachioji Shrine. Sadly the tragedy doesn’t stop there. Remember the entire point of this was to maintain the Oda-Tokugawa alliance. Nobuyasu now had a reason to despise the Oda and when he became head of the Tokugawa household would likely have no sympathy if the Oda ever found themselves in danger. Knowing that his son would now have a grudge Ieyasu would also order his first born son, the rising star Nobuyasu, to commit seppuku. This meant Tokuhime would live the rest of her days as a widow, returning to the Oda clan and that leadership of the Tokugawa after Ieyasu died would go to Tokugawa Hidetada. ultimately this would prove a good thing as it would mean Hidetada’s son Iemitsu would become Shogun. Though we are left to wonder how history may have changed if Nobuyasu had been allowed to live or if his wife never sent that letter to Nobunaga. Now as I said at the opening this in and of itself isn’t a ghost story. However, for the next 400+ years several tales would arise of seeing the ghosts of Lady Tsukiyama and Matsudaira Nobuyasu. When Nobunaga died a few years later at the hands of his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide some would say it was Lady Tsukiyama’s curse. Some would even go so far as to say that it was actually planned out by the Akechi and Tokugawa together in revenge for the loss of Ieyasu’s son and wife. Even when it came to Ieyasu losing the battle of Komaki and Nagakute it would be labeled as his late wife’s curse. Just like at any point throughout history whenever something bad happened to the Oda or the Tokugawa people would be quick to find a horrible story from the past and claim that it must be a curse from someone involved with that event. Will Sena’s fate be the same in Samurai Warriors 5? I doubt it. Koei tends to leave out particularly gruesome things like this from their titles. However, it will be curious to see what fate they have in store for Ieayasu’s wife and how long she lasts within the game’s world. Though, some of you may recognize this story from Nioh 1 as the wraith of Lady Tsukiyama appears as a demon mourning the death of her son before attacking William.