Oda Nobunaga

Razor blades were introduced in Japan around 538, coinciding with the introduction of Buddhism. Nobunaga Oda popularized the use of razor blades by creating the samurai hairstyle known as sakayaki, which eventually became a common grooming practice among samurai and the general public.

After Taira no Sukemori was killed in the Battle of Dannoura in 1185, his son Taira no Chikazane became the founder of the Oda clan according to the official genealogy, although modern theories question this lineage.

Oda Nobunaga's father, Oda Nobuhide, was born in 1510 and was a minor warlord from Owari Province.

Oda Nobunaga was born on June 23, 1534, in Owari Province, Japan. Initially named Oda Kichihoshi, he was the son of a minor daimyo named Oda Nobuhide.

Oda Nobunaga came to manhood and took the name Oda Saburō Nobunaga in 1546, marking an important transition in his life.

In 1548 or 1549, Nobuhide made peace with Saitō Dōsan through a political marriage between his son Nobunaga and Dōsan's daughter, Nōhime. This alliance helped to establish a peaceful relationship between the two provinces.

A political marriage was arranged between Oda Nobunaga and Saitō Dōsan's daughter, Nōhime, to make peace between the two families.

Imai Sōkyū, an upstart merchant from Sakai, established Japan's first comprehensive military industry to support Nobunaga's unification of Japan by mass-producing guns and securing an exclusive trading route for the import of potassium nitrate.

In 1551, an army led by Imagawa Sessai besieged the castle where Oda Nobuhiro, the illegitimate eldest son of Nobuhide, was residing. Nobuhiro was saved from being trapped by the Imagawa clan through negotiation by Oda Nobunaga, Nobuhide's second son.

In early 1552, Oda's senior retainer, Yamaguchi Noritsugu, and his son defected to the Imagawa clan, leading to a conflict between Nobunaga and the defectors. This event resulted in a temporary setback for Nobunaga in eastern Owari.

Masahide, a loyal servant of the Oda family, committed seppuku in 1553 due to concerns about the future of his master, Nobunaga.

After an assassination attempt in 1554, Nobunaga took control by defeating his rivals and consolidating his power within the Oda clan.

Oda Nobunaga orders the destruction of Kiyosu Town in Japan, demonstrating his ruthless tactics in consolidating power.

Nobunaga sent an army to aid his father-in-law, Saitō Dōsan, in Mino Province, but arrived too late to prevent Dōsan's death in battle.

Nobunaga's rivalry with his younger brother, Oda Nobuyuki, escalated in 1556 when Nobunaga defeated Nobuyuki at the Battle of Ino.

Nobunaga assassinated his brother, Nobuyuki, in Kiyosu Castle after discovering his treasonous plot against him.

Nobunaga challenged the Imagawa clan by gaining the support of Suzuki Shigeteru and engaging in battles to expand his influence.

In 1559, the leadership of the Oda clan shifted to Oda Nobunaga.

In the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, Oda Nobunaga launched a surprise assault that led to the death of Imagawa Yoshimoto.

Nobunaga's strategic surprise attack at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560 resulted in the defeat of Imagawa Yoshimoto and elevated Nobunaga's prestige.

Nobunaga's successful campaign in Mino Province in 1561 weakened the Saitō clan and expanded his influence in the region.

In 1564, Oda Nobunaga entered into a marital alliance with Azai Nagamasa, a powerful daimyo in the region. This marriage was a strategic move to strengthen political ties and expand influence.

Nobunaga's conquest of Mino Province in 1567 marked a significant step towards his goal of unifying Japan under his rule.

Ashikaga Yoshiaki sought Nobunaga's support to become the new shōgun, leading to Nobunaga's campaign to enter Kyoto in 1568.

Luís Fróis, in his letter dated 1 June 1568, described Oda Nobunaga as tall and lean with a very high voice, contradicting his previous description of medium height and lean build with a thin moustache and clear voice.

Nobunaga entered Kyoto in 1568, driving out the Miyoshi clan and installing Ashikaga Yoshiaki as the new shōgun, despite growing tensions between them.

On November 9, 1568, Oda Nobunaga entered Kyoto, ousted the Miyoshi clan, and appointed Yoshiaki as the 15th shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate. Despite his respect for Emperor Ōgimachi, Nobunaga declined the title of shogun's deputy.

In 1569, Jesuit missionary and historian Luis Frois wrote a letter providing a more revealing description of Nobunaga, offering a different perspective compared to the glorified biographies of the daimyo.

Nobunaga defeated the Rokkaku clan in southern Ōmi Province, solidifying his control in the region and gaining more allies.

Nobunaga's campaign against Asakura Yoshikage at Kanagasaki Castle in 1570 faced challenges but ultimately led to strategic retreats and realignments.

On July 30, 1570, the Battle of Anegawa took place between Oda Nobunaga's forces and the combined Azai-Asakura forces. The battle was a melee fought in the Anegawa River, where Nobunaga's troops, along with Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces, emerged victorious.

Nobunaga's prolonged siege of Ishiyama Hongan-ji against the Ikkō-ikki monks showcased his determination to eliminate opposition to his rule.

The brutal Siege of Mount Hiei in 1571 resulted in the destruction of the monasteries and marked the end of the power of the warrior monks in the region.

In 1572, Ashikaga and his allies including Azai Nagamasa, Matsunaga Hisahide, Sanninshu Miyoshi, and Miyoshi Yoshitsugu launched a siege against Nobunaga. The siege initially succeeded in defeating Oda armies and trapping them, but was stopped due to the sudden death of Takeda Shingen in 1573.

In 1573, Oda Nobunaga finally destroyed the Ashikaga bakufu, marking the end of their rule and paving the way for the establishment of new warrior governments in Japan.

Nobunaga's second siege of Nagashima in 1573 ended in failure due to tactical challenges and the resilience of the Ikkō-ikki defenders.

Nobunaga defeated Ashikaga Yoshiaki's forces, driving him out of Kyoto and effectively destroying the power of the Ashikaga, leading to the end of the Ashikaga Shogunate.

In 1574, Nobunaga finally succeeded in destroying Nagashima, a key fortress of the Ikkō-ikki, after facing significant resistance.

The Battle of Nagashino in 1575 showcased Nobunaga's strategic use of arquebuses to defeat the Takeda clan, solidifying his military reputation.

Nobunaga initiated a sword hunt to disarm potential enemies and consolidate his power, a common practice in Japanese history to ensure political stability.

The Tedorigawa Campaign in 1577 saw Uesugi Kenshin's victory over Oda forces, leading to a temporary shift in power dynamics in the region.

In the Second Battle of Kizugawaguchi in 1578, Oda Nobunaga is said to have used six armored ships.

The Tenshō Iga War involved Oda Nobunaga's invasions of Iga province, resulting in the eventual conquest of the region and consolidation of power.

By 1580, Oda Nobunaga had solidified his control over 31 out of Japan's 66 provinces, marking a significant milestone in his quest for dominance. This consolidation of power further strengthened his position in the country's political landscape.

In 1581, Nobunaga met a man whom he named Yasuke and granted the status of samurai, making Yasuke the first recorded foreigner to achieve that status. This event showcased Nobunaga's openness to foreign cultures and people.

In late June 1582, Oda Nobunaga was killed at the Honnō-ji temple by Akechi Mitsuhide. This event led to power struggles among Nobunaga's vassals and marked a significant turning point in the Sengoku period.

In 1582, Akechi Mitsuhide, one of Oda Nobunaga's generals, turned against his lord and attacked Nobunaga's castle due to Nobunaga's diplomatic actions that led to the murder of Mitsuhide's mother. Mitsuhide forced Nobunaga and his eldest son to commit seppuku.

Oda Nobunaga, a powerful daimyo in feudal Japan, was betrayed and committed suicide during the Honno-ji Incident.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi avenged Nobunaga's death by defeating Akechi Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki, continuing Nobunaga's legacy of unification.

After the death of Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi swiftly avenged him by defeating Akechi Mitsuhide at the Battle of Yamazaki and declared himself as Nobunaga's successor.

Tsuchida Gozen, Oda Nobunaga's mother, passed away in 1594.

After the destruction in 1571, Enryakuji monastic complex on Mt. Hiei was restored to its former glory in 1595 under the successors of Oda Nobunaga.

Shincho koki by Ota Gyuichi was published in 1598 as the first biography of Nobunaga in Japanese history, glorifying the famous daimyo and likely exaggerating his deeds.

The Kotegiri Masamune sword, made by the renowned swordsmith Masamune, was passed down to the Maeda clan in 1615. In 1882, the Maeda clan presented the sword as a gift to Emperor Meiji, who was a known sword collector.

Shincho Ki, published in 1622 by Oze Hoan, was the second biography of Nobunaga in Japanese history, serving as an extension of the earlier work Shincho koki. It also glorified Nobunaga and included legendary episodes.

In 1827, Nobunaga received high praise in Rai San'yō's Nihon Gaishi, where he was evaluated from the perspective of imperial ideology rather than military strategies.

Nobunaga was posthumously honored with the Imperial Court, Senior First Rank on November 17, 1917.

The hit film Fū-unji: Oda Nobunaga was released in 1959, based on the novel Oda Nobunaga by Yamaoka Sōhachi. It contributed to the popularity of Nobunaga in Japan.

Tsuji Kunio's novel The Signore: Shogun of the Warring States, which won an award in 1968, provided a unique perspective on Nobunaga's era through the eyes of missionaries traveling to Japan.

In Kurosawa Akira's film Kagemusha released in 1980, Nobunaga is depicted as the originator of the image seen in current fictional works, characterized by his appearance and demeanor.

Nobunaga is depicted as the Demon King in the video game Onimusha released by Capcom in 2001.

Nobunaga is depicted in the video game Samurai Warriors, released in 2004, highlighting his role in the historical battles of Japan.

Nobunaga is featured in the video game Sengoku Basara, released in 2005, showcasing his character in the Sengoku period.

In 2011, a survey revealed that the kamishimo portrait of Oda Nobunaga used for the memorial service had been redrawn from the original painting, with significant differences in coloring and design.

Yamada Masaki's novel Ōka Ninpōchō: Basilisk Shinshō, published in 2015, presents Nobunaga as a demonic and power-hungry warlord in a unique narrative setting.

The Netflix series The Age of the Samurai, released in 2021, explores the historical context of Nobunaga's rise to power, shedding light on the turbulent origins of Japan.

Keishi Ōtomo's film The Legend and Butterfly, set to be released in 2023, continues the cinematic portrayal of Nobunaga's story, adding to the diverse interpretations of his character.