Sengoku Era: Kawanakajima

After Shingen had begin his campaign north to Conquer the Shinano Plains, he defeated the Warlords, Yoshikiyo Murakami and Nagatoki Ogasawara. After his defeat, Yoshikiyo went to Kenshin Uesugi, his ally for help.

The Armies Meet: First Battle

1553 of June, and Shingen advanced deep into Kawanakajima Plain with his vanguard encountering Kenshin at a shrine at Hachimanbara. They disengaged, met up a few kilometers away and but no decisive battle was fought.

Part 2: Battle of Saigawa

Shingen Returns to Kawanakajima advancing his forces upon the banks of Sai river. He made camp on a hill south to the river, while Kenshin was camped east of the Zenkoji temple which provided advantageous view of the plain, however the Kurita Clan, allies of the Takeda held the Asahiyama forces a few kilometers away to the west. They menaced the Uesugi right flank. Kakuju Kurita's forces were bolestered with 3000 Takeda soldiers.

Kenshin launched a number of attacks against the Asahiyama fortress but were repulsed. He eventually moved his army onto the plain redirecting his attention on the Takeda main force. However rather than atacking both armies waited for months for the other to make a move. In the end the battle was avoided as both leaders retired to deal with their domestic affairs.

Part 3: Katsurayama

The third battle took place in 1557 when Shingen took the fortress of Katsurayama, overlooking Zenkoji temple in the Northwest. He then attempted to take Lityama temple but withdrew when Kenshin Advanced his forces led an army out of Zenkoji.

Part 4: 1561, Bloodshed and Casualties

The Fourth battle was the bloodiest out of the five clashes over Kawanakajima. Both Shingen and Kenshin waged their tactical brilliance during this epic of epic clashes and was one of the most interesting during the Sengoku period. In this crucial year in 1561 Kenshin left his Kasugayama fortress with over 18,000 men determined to eliminate Shingen once and for all. Leaving a remainder of his forces at Zenkoji but took up a position on, Saijoyama. A mountain west of and looking down on Shingen's Kaizu castle however to Kenshin's unknowing Kaizu had only 150 samurai amd their followers guarding it, and he had taken them bt complete surprise. However, the general of the castle Masonobu Danjo Kosaka, through a system of signal fires, informed Shingen in Tsutsujigasakai fortress, 130km away in Kofu, of Kenshin's move.

Shingen then left his Castle of Kofu with over 16,000 men, acquiring 4000 more as he traveled through Shinano Province, approaching Kawanakajima on the west back of Chikumagawa(Chikuma River), keeping the river between him and Saijoyama. Neither army made any move, knowing that victory would require the essential element of surprise. Shingwn was thus allowed to enter his fortress at Kaizu along with his (gun-bugyo) army comissioner, Kansuke Yamamoto. At that time, Kansuke formed the battle strategies that he believed proved effective against Kenshin's forces.

Masanobu Left Kaizu with 8,000 men, advancing upon Saijoyama, under cover of night, intending to drive Kenshin's forces down to the plain where Shingen would be waiting with another 8,000 man army at kakuyoku or "cranes wing", formation. However Kenshin guessed his intentions and led his own men down to the plain. Kenshin descended from Saijoyama by its western flanks. Instead of fleeing, Kosaka's dawn attack, Kenshin crept down the mountain, quietly using bits of cloth to deaden the noise of the horses hooves. With the beginning of dawn, Shingen's men found Kenshin's army ready to charge at them-as opposed fleeing the mountain as expected.

Kenshin's fprces attacked in waves, in a "Kurama Gakari Formation", in which every unit is replaved by another as it is weary and destroyed. Leading the Uesugi vanguard was one of, Kenshin's 28 Generals, Kageie Kakizaki. Kakizaki's unit onf mounted samurai clashed into Nobushige Takeda's forces, resulting in the unfortunate loss of Nobushige. While the Kakuyoku formation was holding surprisingly well, the Takeda commander eventualy fell one by one. Seeing that the pincer had failed, Kansuke charged alone into the mass of Uesugi samurai, suffering up to 80 bullet wounds before atop a mountain where he comitted Seppuku or "Ritual Suicide"

Eventually the Uesugi forces reached the Takeda Command post, as one of the most famous single combats in Japanese History took place. Kenshin himself bursted onto Headquaters attacking Shingen who unprepared defended himself with a signaling war fan as best he could and held of Kenshin long enough for one his retainers, Osumi-no-Kami, to spear Kenshin'a mount and drive him off.

The Takeda Main body held firm, despite fierce attacks by the Uesugi. Saburohei Obu fought against Kakizaki's forces. Nobukimi Anayama destroyed Shibata of Echigo and forced the Uesugi Main force back to Chikumigawa.

Meanwhile Kosaka's stealth force reached ther top of Saijoyama and finding the Uesugi position deserted. hurried down the mountain ford(Under the command of Genenral of Kagemochi Amakazu), then pressed on to aid Takeda's main force. The Kosaka force then attacked the retreating Uesugi from the rear. Throughout the battle, Shingen's Great Generals, Kansuke Yamamoto, his younger brother Nobushige Takeda and his great Uncle, Torasdada Murozumi were killed in the field.

In the end of this epic battle the Takeda forces losses was over 4,000 while the Uesugi's was over 3,000.

Part 5: One Final Battle

3 years after one of the bloddiest conflicts in Japanese History, Shingen and Kenshin met on the battlefield for the fifth and final time on Kwanakajima as their forces fought for over 60 days in intense skirmishes then finally withdrew.

Ending Summary

The Tiger of Kai and The Dragon of Echigo. Two warriors who tore through battlefields like demons graced the world with their presences and became true legends upon the battlefield and in the ways of strategy. Their magnificent armies stood tall and during their tine reigned supreme over the territories they held. Their names will forever go down in history as one of the greatest warrior tacticians of their time.