Upon his return to NikkouNikkou-shi (日光市)

Nikkou City, located in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture, is a popular tourist destination known for the Nikkou Toushou Shrine, where Tokugawa Ieyasu's remains are enshrined, as well as Futarasan Shrine, built in 767. that evening, Tooyama YasuhideTooyama Yasuhide (遠山康英)

Also known as: Naomasa (直昌), possibly Tooyama Naotsugu (遠山直次)

Tooyama Yasuhide was a vassal of the Houjou Clan, son of Tooyama Yasumitsu. His family traditionally served the Houjou in the capacity of musicians, but in 1560 became the magistrate of the Miura District in Sagami for Houjou Ujiyasu. He along with his uncle Tooyama Tsunakage held the front line against the Satomi Clan. After Oota Ujisuke's death in 1567, Yasuhide became master of Iwatsuki Castle. He was part of the Houjou force that met Takeda Shingen's invasion of Suruga. He was sent along with his father as a Houjou representative to the peace negotiations with the Uesugi in the Echigo-Sagami Alliance. He later became a close advisor to Houjou Ujimasa and was responsible for contact with the Uesugi Clan.

Opinions differ on how he died. One view hold that he committed suicide with his father and Uesugi Kagetora in the Otate no Ran, while another says that he served Nakamura Kazuuji after the fall of Odawara Castle. immediately proceeded to his master Houjou UjimasaHoujou Ujimasa (北条氏政) 1538 - Aug. 10, 1590

Title: Sagami no Kami
Also known as: Matsuchiyomaru (松千代丸—childhood), Shinkurou (新九郎—nickname), 慈雲院松巌傑公 (posthumous)

Ujimasa was born in 1538 as the second son of Houjou Ujiyasu and his principle wife Zuikeiin, daughter of Imagawa Ujichika, and was older brother of Houjou Ujiteru, Houjou Ujikuni, Houjou Ujinori, Houjou Ujitada, Houjou Saburou (Uesugi Kagetora), and Houjou Ujimitsu. He became heir to the clan when his older brother Shinkurou died before reaching adulthood.

Ujimasa married Oubaiin, eldest daughter of Takeda Shingen and Sanjou-no-Kata, on the occasion of the three-way alliance between the Takeda, Imagawa, and Houjou clans in 1554. Their marriage was thought to be a happy one.

Ujimasa succeeded his father as the fourth head of the Sagami Houjou Clan in 1559 upon Ujiyasu's retirement. His first task upon becoming heir of the clan, per clan convention, was a a land survey evaluating how the Houjou lands were being used and the condition of the people serving on those lands. His relationship with his brothers was good throughout, and they were be a huge help to him in the governing of the clan.

In 1561, Uesugi Masatora (Uesugi Kenshin) of Echigo laid siege to Odawara Castle with a huge army gathered from the Kantou and south Mutsu. Under the leadership of his father Ujiyasu, Ujimasa was able to drive back the army. After the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima, he was able to take back a large part of North Kantou from the Uesugi in concert with Shingen.

In 1568, seizing the opportunity presented by the decline of the Imagawa Clan after Imagawa Yoshimoto's death at Oda Nobunaga's hand, Takeda Shingen invaded Suruga, laying siege to Yoshimoto's heir, Imagawa Ujizane in Kakegawa Castle. Ujimasa led the Houjou forces to repel the Takeda army and formed an alliance with Tokugawa Ieyasu of Mikawa in order to rescue Ujizane (his brother-in-law by way of his younger sister Hayakawadono). Ujimasa then had Ujizane adopt his son Ujinao as his heir, thus giving the Houjou Clan a legitimate claim to the territory of Suruga. In order to hold back Takeda, he formed an alliance with his old enemy Uesugi Kenshin, giving his younger brother Saburou (Uesugi Kagetora) as hostage. The severing of ties with the Takeda Clan, however, meant the dissolution of his marriage with his beloved wife Oubaiin.

In 1569, Takeda Shingen laid siege to Odawara Castle, delivering a crushing defeat to the Houjou Clan (though recent analysis by historians indicate that Shingen lost a great many men as well). In 1570, Suruga belonged almost wholly to Shingen.

In October of 1571 upon his father's death, Ujimasa broke off his alliance with Kenshin and reformed the alliance with Shingen in accordance with his father's will, after which fighting between the Houjou and Uesugi clans flared up again.

Kenshin's death in 1578 triggered a fight for succession to the Uesugi Clan between his two adopted sons, Uesugi Kagekatsu and Uesugi Kagetora (the Otate no Ran). Ujimasa was tied up at that time in a confrontation with Satake Yoshishige and Utsunomiya Kunitsuna in Shimotsuke, so sent his brother Houjou Ujikuni to their brother's aid in his place while asking Takeda Katsuyori for reinforcements. Katsuyori betrayed the Houjou and formed an alliance with Uesugi Kagekatsu, and the Otate no Ran ended with Kagetora's death and Kagekatsu's succession.

Ujimasa broke off the alliance with the Takeda clan a second time and formed an alliance with Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu to attack the Takeda territory in a pincer movement, but shifting alliances and hard fighting left the conclusion unclear. In 1580 Ujimasa proposed to Oda Nobunaga, who had just taken Ishiyama Hongan Temple, that the Houjou Clan become a vassal of the Oda Clan, but Takeda Katsuyori managed to form an alliance with Oda first. Ujimasa retired from the position of clan head in the same year, but like his father before him still held onto the government and military affairs of the clan.

In the following years, the Houjou Clan managed to gain control over a vast territory: Sagami, Izu, Musashi, Shimousa, Kazusa, Hitara, Shimotsuke, and a part of Suruga. Interestingly, however, Ujimasa did not seem to hold the ambition of ruling the entire country, a tradition passed down from the founder of the Late Houjou Clan, Houjou Souun. Instead, Ujimasa concentrated on independence for the 8 Kantou provinces under Houjou rule and alliances with other strong warlords such as Tokugawa Ieyasu and Date Masamune.

In 1589, using Ujimasa's refusal to proceed to the capital to attend him as pretext, Toyotomi Hideyoshi gathered an army of 220,000 to lay siege to Odawara Castle. It overran castles in the Houjou territory in quick succession. The siege against Odawara Castle lasted from May to August. On August 4, Ujimasa offered to surrender his life for the lives of his men. Toyotomi demanded the lives of both Ujimasa and his brother Ujiteru, as well as the lives of their vassals Matsuda Norihide and Daidouji Masashige. Ujimasa and Ujiteru committed seppuku on August 10.

Ujimasa left behind the following tanka verses for his death poem:

「雨雲の　おほえる月も　胸の霧も　はらいにけりな　秋の夕風」
「我身今　消ゆとやいかに　おもふへき　空よりきたり　空に帰れば」

translated (Sadler 1978, pp. 160–161):

Autumn wind of eve,
blow away the clouds that mass
over the moon's pure light
and the mists that cloud our mind,
do thou sweep away as well.

Now we disappear,
well, what must we think of it?
From the sky we came.
Now we may go back again.
That's at least one point of view.

There is another verse which is sometimes attributed to his brother Ujiteru, but is most often attributed to Ujimasa:

「吹くと吹く　風な恨みそ　花の春　もみじの残る　秋あればこそ」

which may be translated:

The wind's resentment—
Oh, see how it blows against
The flowering spring.
Yet it will leave us anon
The bright colors of autumn.’s chambers to apprise him of Ujiteru’s acquiescence to the sacrifice of Kagetora. Ujimasa thanked him with a ‘well done.’

“And how did you obtain his agreement? Well do I know Ujiteru, and it would surprise me much if he did not object to such a plan with vehemence.”

Ujimasa’s chosen spirit vessel was a tall bespectacled man in his mid-forties whose oval face and narrow eyes bore more than a passing resemblance to the Ujimasa of four hundred years ago.

Houjou Ujimasa’s residence, which doubled as his base in Nikkou, was located in the near Kirifuri FallsKirifuri-no-taki (霧降ノ滝)

Kirifuri Falls is a waterfall along the Kirifuri River. Its name, "Mist Falling", comes from the mist of spray formed during the waterfall's descent. Along with Kegon Falls and Urami Falls, it is one of Nikkou's three famous waterfalls.

The waterfall is split into two sections; the upper half is 82 feet (25 meters), while the lower half is 85 feet (26 meters). It spans 246 feet (75 meters). A path goes from the viewing platform on the south side to the basin.. It was a relatively large structure for the area, and might easily be mistaken for a resort hotel. His vessel, already serving as the managing director of the board of a major hotel chain despite his youth, had obtained it about five years ago. The back of the house dropped away slightly into a small valley out of which the soothing murmur of a brook could be heard.

Ujimasa received Tooyama’s report now in the second-floor study.

“And...did you meet Saburou?”

“N-no... I did not think it wise...”

“Hmm...”

In their previous lives, the polar opposite personalities of Ujimasa, eldest of the Houjou brothers, with his brilliant intellect and foresight and Ujiteru, with his hot-blooded belligerence, had combined into a superb partnership in both governance and war.

“I suppose the lie regarding knowledge of Father’s whereabouts was an unfortunate necessity, since Ujiteru would not have given in otherwise,” Ujimasa muttered to himself as he gazed at the woods outside the window. “He, unlike me, still bears ‘brotherly feelings’ for Saburou.”

“Ujimasa-sama, might I inquire about the progress of the ‘Nikkou Offering?’”

“He was successfully acquired through the efforts of our allies, and is now watched o’er with care by my servants. We may make the offering as soon as the drawing out of the ‘great power’ is complete.”

“He is to be bound to the master tree at Futarasan ShrineFutarasan Jinja (二荒山神社)

Futarasan Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in the city of Nikkou founded by Holy Priest Shoudou. It enshrines three mountain deities: Ookuninushi, Tagorihime, and Ajisukitakahikone of Mt. Nantai (also called Mt. Futara), Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou.

Its main shrine (Honden) was built in 767, its middle shrine (Chuuguushi ) in 784, and its rear shrine (Okumiya) in 782.?”

“Quite so. We do not, however, have enough tree-bound souls at Mt. NikkouNikkou-san (日光山)

Mt. Nikkou, located in the north-west part of Tochigi Prefecture, is one of the 100 famous mountains of Japan and centers on Mt. Nantai, Mt. Nyohou, and Mt. Tarou.; as I predicted, the massed power of the unpurified spirits in this area is insufficient. We must obtain additional life force from living people. Yet the tsutsugatsutsuga

Also known as: crimson beast

A spirit-beast which takes the form of a long-tailed lion around five-six feet in length with golden eyes, surrounded by red fire, tsutsuga have the ability to devour the souls of people, tigers, and leopards, and spit fire. They can interact with the physical world, their razor-sharp claws and teeth making them ferocious predators, but can be affected by mind powers, such as nenpa and hypnotic suggestion.

Legend has it that Holy Priest Shoudou trapped a male and female pair of the tsutsuga into the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The female tsutsuga has the power to devour spirits as well as the souls of living people who look into the tsutsuga's eyes, entrapping them within the Tsutsuga Mirrors. The male tsutsuga eats fire and exhales fire instead of air. Their cubs inherit both abilities. are already devouring souls as quickly as they can.”

Ujimasa brought a cigarette to his lips, and Tooyama immediately presented him with a lit lighter.

“My brothers are making steady progress with the ‘lightning rods’ at HakoneHakone-jinja (箱根神社)

Hakone Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Hakone Town, Kanagawa Prefecture, at the foot of Mt. Hakone along the shores of Lake Ashi. The shrine itself lies hidden in a dense forest, but its large red "floating" shrine gates (Torii of Peace) stand prominently in the lake.

From chronicles stretching back as far as the Nara Period (710-794), Hakone has been named as a spot sacred to the mountain-worshiping religion. The original shrine was founded during the reign of Emperor Koushou (475 BC – 393 BC) on Mt. Komagatake. Holy Priest Mangan revived and relocated the shrine to Lake Ashi in 757. It was separated into three parts dedicated to the deities whom legends says appeared to him in a dream as a Buddhist acolyte, government official and woman and asked him to deliver the grace of the Buddhist and Shinto religions onto mankind.

In the year 801, before general and shogun Sakanoue no Tamuramaro set out on an expedition to quell the Northeast by imperial command, he left an arrow as offering in front of a cedar tree at Hakone Shrine as a prayer for his victory. The tree become known as the Yatate Cedar, or 'Standing Arrow Cedar,' and in later years other legendary generals such as Minamoto no Yoshiie, shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, and Minamoto no Yoshitsune all left arrows as offerings there.

The shrine was destroyed by fire in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Siege of Odawara and rebuilt by Tokugawa Ieyasu., Mt. KunouMount Kunou (久能山)

Mt. Kunou is a steep mountain 216 meters high (709 feet) high located on Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture. In the Asuka Period Kunou Tadahito of the Fujiwara Clan began building a temple near present-day Kunou-zan Toushou-guu which the monk Gyouki named Kunou Temple in the later Nara Period.

In 1570 Takeda Shingen built Kunou Castle there, moving the temple to what is now Shimizu Ward. The Tokugawa Clan took control of Suruga Province after the fall of the Takeda Clan and continued to maintain the fortifications on Mt. Kunou. After Tokugawa Ieyasu's death, his son Tokugawa Hidetaka erected the first Toushou Shrine on Mt. Kunou and buried Ieyasu there. Though Ieyasu's grandson Tokugawa Iemitsu relocated Ieyasu’s grave to the Nikkou Toushou-guu, it is held that a portion of his deified spirit remains on Mt. Kunou., and Mt. TateTate-yama (館山)

There are several mountains called Mt. Tate ("tate" meaning "mansion" or "small castle") in Japan. The Mt. Tate referenced in the Houjou arc of Mirage of Blaze is located near the south-western tip of Chiba Prefecture. It was a part of Awa-no-kuni in the Sengoku Era and ruled by the Satomi Clan, who built Tateyama Castle there. Tateyama City grew out of the old castle town.. But if we cannot complete preparations for the main stage, this play will end a farce. We must move quickly and carefully, for we are surrounded by Takeda and Oda, and we cannot allow our enemies to perceive our plans.”

"What are your commands for me, my lord?

“I have more work for you in the role of messenger: I will entrust you with word toUjinoriHoujou Ujinori (北条氏規) 1545 - Mar. 22, 1600

Title: Mino no-Kami

Houjou Ujinori was the fifth-born son of Houjou Ujiyasu (fourth son to survive childhood), younger brother of Houjou Ujimasa, Houjou Ujiteru, and Houjou Ujikuni, and older brother of Houjou Ujitada, Houjou Saburou (Uesugi Kagetora), and Houjou Ujimitsu. He was the master of Misaki Castle in Sagami and chamberlain of Nirayama Castle in Izu. He married Kougen'in, the daughter of Houjou Tsunashige.

As a child, Ujinori was sent to Suruga as a hostage of Imagawa Yoshimoto. It was said that he became friends with Tokugawa Ieyasu, who was also a hostage in Suruga at the time, during this period. He returned to the clan somewhere in the period between 1558-1570, and in 1571 was again sent as hostage to the Takeda Clan in Kai along with his younger brother Houjou Ujitada.

Though his brothers Ujiteru and Ujikuni were known for their diplomatic skills, Ujinori surpassed both of them. This finesse was evident in his negotiations with Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Katsuyori, and later in alliances with Tokugawa Ieyasu, Date Masamune, and the Ashina Clan. Tokugawa Ieyasu saw Ujinori as his window into the Houjou Clan, and communicated with him extensively.

Ujinori journeyed to the capital several times to negotiate with Toyotomi Hideyoshi as his brother Ujimasa's representative, but these negotiations failed, and Hideyoshi attacked Odawara Castle in 1590. Ujinori withstood siege from Hideyoshi's army for 3 months, but finally surrendered on Ieyasu's recommendation. He was also given the role of persuading his brother Ujimasa to surrender.

After the battle, Ujinori followed Houjou Ujinao to Mt. Kouya. He was pardoned in 1591 by Hideyoshi and given a territory of 2000-koku, then 6,980-koku in Kawachi and Sayama Castle in 1594. He died of illness at the age of 60, and his son Houjou Ujimori was allowed the continued governance of Sayama-han. His line continued until the Meiji Restoration. at Mt. Kunou and UjikuniHoujou Ujikuni (北条氏邦) 1541 - Sept. 19, 1597

Also known as: Fujita Awa-no-Kami (藤田安房守), Fujita Ujikuni (藤田氏邦)
Title: Awa-no-Kami

Houjou Ujikuni was the fourth-born son of Houjou Ujiyasu (third son to survive childhood), younger brother of Houjou Ujimasa and Houjou Ujiteru, and older brother of Houjou Ujinori, Houjou Ujitada, Houjou Saburou (Uesugi Kagetora), and Houjou Ujimitsu.

He married Ofukugozen, daughter of Fujita Yasukuni of Musashi (a vassal of the Houjou Clan who had years before submitted under attack) and was adopted as heir to the Fujita Clan. He later adopted his older brother Ujimasa's 6th son, Houjou Naosada.

Like his brother Ujiteru, Ujikuni was known for his courage and wise governance. He was entrusted with the military affairs of the front line of the North Kantou, Kouduke-no-kuni and distinguished himself in battles leading to the expansion of the Houjou territory, though was defeated at the Battle of Mimasetoge in 1569 by Shingen.

Ujikuni's quick temper was said to be one of the contributing factors to the fall of the Houjou Clan. In 1578, he poisoned his brother-in-law Fujita Juuren to ensure his own position, thus earning the hatred of his other brother-in-law, Fujita Nobuyoshi, who entered the service of Takeda Katsuyori and later Uesugi Kagekatsu.

When Odawara Castle fell to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the Siege of Odawara in 1590, Ujikuni cut off his hair and begged for his life, which he was granted with a fief of 1000 koku in Noto. He lived until the age of 57, when he died of illness at Kanazawa in Kaga (there are also theories that he killed himself). at Mt. Tate. Like your father Tooyama YasumitsuTooyama Yasumitsu (遠山康光) - Apr. 29, 1579

Tooyama Yasumitsu was a vassal of the Houjou Clan, son of Tooyama Naokage and younger brother of Tooyama Tsunakage. He was master of Shinjou Castle in Sagami. His wife was Uesugi Kagetora's aunt (mother's older sister).

In 1569, Yasumitsu and his son Tooyama Yasuhide were sent by Houjou Ujiyasu to participate in peace negotiations with Uesugi Kenshin in the Echigo-Sagami Alliance, and when Ujiyasu's son Saburou was adopted by Kenshin in 1570, he went with Saburou to Echigo. When Kagetora was defeated by Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran, Yasumitsu committed suicide alongside him., who was an excellent diplomat, you will act as my emissary. I put every faith in you. You have my thanks for your work.”

“Yes, my lord!” Tooyama responded just as a knock came at the door.

“Enter.”

The door opened to admit one of Ujimasa’s aides. “My lord. Date-dono requests an audience. He awaits in the reception room.”

“It’s all right, show him in. —Tooyama, you may retire.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Tooyama and the aide left the room. Ujimasa turned back to the map of the entire KantouKantou-chihou (関東地方)

Lit.:"East of the Gate", the easternmost of five regions located on Honshuu Island which comprises of the seven prefectures of Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. This is the most highly developed and industrialized region of Japan and was the heart of feudal power during the Edo Period.

During the Edo Period, the area was also called the "Kanhasshuu" (関八州), or Eight Kantou Provinces: Musashi, Sagami, Kazusa, Shimousa, Awa, Kouzuke, Shimotsuke, and Hitachi. region spread across his desk. His gaze traced the notes inscribed in red marker. An intricate tapestry of plans was already woven in his mind.

(It must be Saburou.)

The strategist’s eye.

(Our clan is blessed with much talent.)

A smile tilted the corners of Ujimasa’s lips. There was a knock from the door, and at his invitation a short young man who appeared to be around high school age entered.

“Well met, Kojirou-dono.” Ujimasa stood and stepped forward to greet him with a smile. “I trust your accommodations here have been tolerable?”

Kojirou took Ujimasa’s proffered seat on the sofa. “Did I see your messenger to Hakone just now? I trust the question of Kagetora-dono has been satisfactorily resolved?” he inquired, intelligent eyes attentive. “I witnessed Kagetora-dono’s powers of «choubukuchoubuku (調伏)

Also known as: choubukuryoku (調伏力)

The special power given to the Yasha-shuu to banish onryou to the Underworld using the dharani of Uesugi Kenshin's guardian deity, Bishamonten. The types of choubuku include "kouhou-choubuku", "ressa-choubuku", "kekkai-choubuku", etc. Each choubuku is begun with the incantation "bai" and the ritual hand gesture of Bishamonten's symbol.

Choubuku does not work against kanshousha, who have bodies of their own.» at SendaiSendai-shi (仙台市)

The capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, it is also the largest city in the northeast region of Japan. It is home to one million people, and is aptly nicknamed Mori no Miyako, the Capital of Trees.. It is as terrible as the rumors suggest. ...I, too, agree that he is most suitable as the Hakone Offering, if for no other purpose than to ensure that his powers can never be turned against us.”

“I am pleased you agree, Kojirou-dono,” Ujimasa responded as he folded the map. “Your offer of aid surprised me, for I never imagined I might receive such an overture from the brother of Masamune-dono himself. Our plans are progressing nicely, with your assistance.”

“...”

“I could only dream of an alliance with Date-dono in the east four hundred years ago. I am much delighted to have the aid of his brother now.” Ujimasa suddenly fixed Kojirou with hawk-like eyes. “...You will be a chief vassal of the Houjou Clan. I honor my promises.”

“...”

Kojirou looked down and nodded once. “May I ask, Ujimasa-dono, if you have ascertained Lord Ujiyasu’s location?”

A hint of wariness entered Ujimasa’s eyes. “Ah, indeed, Ujiteru was told Saburou’s fate is our father’s command, though I do not yet have knowledge of his precise whereabouts. The lie was necessary, for he would not have agreed otherwise.”

“...”

“But I am certain of his existence, of the fact that he watches over us still. He has saved us from crisis many times since we brothers were resurrected into this age. Yet where he might be found...”

“Then Lord Ujiyasu himself does not intend to go to battle in the «Yami-SengokuYami Sengoku (闇戦国)

Lit.: "Dark Sengoku", the civil war still being fought by the spirits of the warlords of the Sengoku period in modern-day Japan.»?”

“I know not what Father intends. In our previous lives he stood behind us always, and I believe he is doing the same now. Though he retired and yielded the position of clan head to me when he was yet in his prime, he watched over us in our wars and in the administration of our lands, sometimes offering counsel and guidance. I remember that time...” Ujimasa smiled. “But now he will see the Houjou become the conquers of the Kantou. That is the moment when he will be resurrected—no, when he must be resurrected. I will make make him ruler of the country, for he is worthy to assume the mantle of absolute power...” A light kindled deep in Ujimasa’s intelligent eyes. “If Father had lived, neither the TaikouToyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) 1536 - 1598

Also called: Hiyoshimaru (日吉丸), Kinoshita Tokichiro (木下藤吉郎), Hashiba Hideyoshi (羽柴秀吉)
Titles: Kanpaku, Taikou, Chikuzen no Kami

Historically: The second of the "Three Unifiers"; he was born a peasant but rose quickly through the ranks of Oda Nobunaga's vassals to the position of one of Nobunaga's most distinguished generals. After Nobunaga's death, he took over the work of unifying the nation through military strength and brought an end to the Sengoku period. nor IeyasuTokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康) 1543 – 1616

Also called: Matsudaira Takechiyo, Matsudaira Motoyasu
Titles: Mikawa no Kami, Shogun

Historically: The third of the "Three Unifiers"; an ally of Oda Nobunaga, after Nobunaga's death he first battled against then became an ally of Toyotomi Hideyoshi. When Hideyoshi died in 1598, Tokugawa moved against Hideyoshi's son and heir Toyotomi Hideyori and the five regents appointed to protect the Toyotomi rule. Tokugawa, along with his allies the Date and Mogami, and the defected Kobayakawa and Mouri clans, defeated the opposition at the Battle of Sekigahara and established the Tokugawa Shogunate. would have taken the country. I will show the world that Houjou UjiyasuHoujou Ujiyasu (北条氏康) 1515 - 1571

Title: Sagami-no-Kami
Also known as: The Tiger of Sagami, The Lion of Sagami

Son of Houjou Ujitsuna and third head of the Late Houjou Clan, one of the greatest daimyo of the Sengoku in both military and political arenas. He expanded the Houjou holdings to five territories and battled both Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin over the Kantou and Suruga regions.

He retired in 1560 and handed over the clan to his eldest son Houjou Ujimasa, but continued to guide the clan until his death of palsey or stomach cancer in 1571. He made an alliance with the Takeda Clan in 1562 and gave over his 7th son, Houjou Saburou, to Takeda Shingen for adoption.

Houjou Ujiyasu was a great admirer of poetry, culture and learning as well as a outstanding administrator who created unique bureaucratic organizations such as litigation processes for the ruling of his lands. He was much beloved of his people and widely mourned at his death. is the true ‘supreme ruler.’”

“... Ujimasa-dono. The Offering has regained consciousness... Do you wish to meet him?”

“Ah, so he is awake? He is in good health, I trust?”

“He is physically unharmed. Will you see him?”

“Very well,” Ujimasa said, rising calmly.

Kojirou’s so-called “Offering” was confined to the basement of the mansion. The estate overlooked a valley, and a small brook could be seen from the basement window. Iron bars had been fitted over those same windows to prevent any chance of escape.

Ujimasa came to the door after walking down a long corridor. Standing in front of it was a young man unfamiliar to him.

“Kojirou-dono, who is this?”

“My vassal. One who knows how to draw out the Offering’s «power».”

“I see...”

The young man, a beautiful, fair-skinned youth with light brown hair and hazel eyes, raised his head slightly and gave Ujimasa a quick sidelong glance. His coloring and the shape of his face declared him a half-blood. His dainty red lips quirked in a smile, but both Ujimasa, who was already entering the room, and his aide missed it. Neither did they notice the look he and Kojirou exchanged.

At first glance, the white-themed interior appeared completely normal, simple yet clean. The only ornamentation consisted of small paintings on the walls. The room held a bed, table, and unit bath. If not for the bars on the windows, it would be a very pleasant and ordinary guest room.

The ‘Offering’ was seated on the bed. As Ujimasa and the others entered, his large eyes fixed on them angrily.

“You look well.”

“...Who are you people?” Narita Yuzuru demanded harshly. He had briefly regained consciousness from the blow he’d received during his kidnapping, only to be immediately drugged into a stupor. He had just re-awoken to realize that he was confined to this room. “What are you planning to do with me? Why are you doing this?”

He spoke in his ordinary low tones, though it was obvious that he was furious. He had every right to be: though he had not been mistreated, his kidnapping was still a crime. Ujimasa only smiled at his angry hostility.

“It appears my younger brother is much in your debt for your care.”

“Younger brother? What’re you talking about?”

“I had heard that you and he are close. Yet Saburou intentionally betrayed the fact of your existence to the warlords.”

“Saburou? You can’t mean...”

Ujimasa folded his arms deliberately, eyes flashing behind his glasses. “My name is Houjou Ujimasa. I am Saburou Kagetora’s elder brother.”

“Kagetora’s...! Then you’re Takaya’s...!”

Yuzuru immediately recognized the name. He might not be a Japanese history buff, but he’d encountered the names of the Houjou brothers in video games and the like. After hearing about Kagetora and the others from Chiaki, he’d started reading up on the warriors of the SengokuSengoku (戦国)

The "warring states" period, lasting from 1467 to 1615, in which the warlords of Japan battled each other for the rule of the country.—even more than Takaya, for some reason.

Houjou Ujimasa became the fourth head of the Houjou Clan upon Houjou UjiyasuHoujou Ujiyasu (北条氏康) 1515 - 1571

Title: Sagami-no-Kami
Also known as: The Tiger of Sagami, The Lion of Sagami

Son of Houjou Ujitsuna and third head of the Late Houjou Clan, one of the greatest daimyo of the Sengoku in both military and political arenas. He expanded the Houjou holdings to five territories and battled both Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin over the Kantou and Suruga regions.

He retired in 1560 and handed over the clan to his eldest son Houjou Ujimasa, but continued to guide the clan until his death of palsey or stomach cancer in 1571. He made an alliance with the Takeda Clan in 1562 and gave over his 7th son, Houjou Saburou, to Takeda Shingen for adoption.

Houjou Ujiyasu was a great admirer of poetry, culture and learning as well as a outstanding administrator who created unique bureaucratic organizations such as litigation processes for the ruling of his lands. He was much beloved of his people and widely mourned at his death.’s retirement. Watched over by his father, he had tightened his control of the Kantou and vied for power with the various warlords of the Sengoku. He had stood against the Taikou Hideyoshi to the last, and, defeated in the famous Siege of OdawaraOdawara no Eki (小田原の役)

The Siege of Odawara in 1590 was the campaign by which Toyotomi Hideyoshi killed Houjou Ujimasa, exiled his son Houjou Ujinao, and eliminated the mighty Later Houjou Clan, ruler of the eight provinces of the Kantou, as a threat to his power.

The Houjou were not caught unprepared; guessing at Hideyoshi's intentions, they had made preparations by making a massive recruitment effort targeting men from 15 to 70 years of age, shoring up arms, and making large-scale renovations and repairs to Odawara Castle, Hachiouji Castle, Yamanaka Castle, Nirayama Castle, and others.

Toyotomi's main force consisted of Toyotomi Hidetsugu, Tokugawa Ieyasu, Oda Nobukatsu, Gamou Ujisato, Kuroda Yoshitaka, Hashiba Hidekatsu, Ukita Hideie, Oda Nobukane, Hosokawa Tadaoki, Kobayakawa Takakage, Kikkawa Hiroie, Hori Hidemasa, Ikeda Terumasa, Asano Nagamasa, Ishida Mitsunari, Natsuka Masaie, Hasegawa Hidekazu, Ootani Yoshitsugu, Ishikawa Kazumasa, Mashita Nagamori, Kanamori Nagachika, Tsutsui Sadatsugu, Ikoma Chikamasa, Hachisuka Iemasa, Ootomo Yoshimune, and Shimadu Hisayasu leading approx. 170,000 troops. His navy was lead by Chousokabe Motochika, Katou Yoshiakira, Kuki Yoshitaka, and Wakizaka Yasuharu with approx. 10,000 troops. An additional army lead by Maeda Toshiie, Maeda Toshinaga, Uesugi Kagekatsu, Sanada Masayuki, and Yoda Yasukuni came down from the north with approx. 35,000 troops.

In all, around 210,000 troops faced the Houjou 82,000 (though opinions differ on those numbers).

For the Houjou, Houjou Ujimasa, Houjou Ujinao, Houjou Ujitada, Houjou Ujiteru, Oota Ujifusa, Narita Ujinaga, Minagawa Hiroteru, Haga Yasutada, Matsuda Norihide, Kasahara Masaharu and Kasahara Masataka held Odawara Castle. Matsuda Yasunaga held Yamanaka Castle, Houjou Ujikatsu Yamanaka Castle then Tamanawa Castle, Houjou Ujinori Nirayama Castle, Daidouji Masashige Matsuida Castle, and Houjou Ujikuni Hachigata Castle.

Toyotomi's basic strategy held the troops from the north in reserve while sending his main army towards Odawara Castle, taking Yamanaka Castle, Nirayama Castle, and Ashigara Castle along the way. At the same time, his navy circled Izu Peninsula toward Odawara from the south. Though Toyotomi controlled an overwhelming force, the Houjou had gathered an elite force of 50,000 at Odawara Castle, with the most elite among them placed at Yamanaka, Nirayama, and Ashigara Castles.

One by one, the Houjou's supporting castles fell either to Toyotomi's main force or to the reserves from the north. At Odawara, however, only a night attack by Oota Ujifusa on the Houjou side and some skirmishes from the Toyotomi side could be called actual fighting.

In July, Ujinori and Ujifusa began peace negotiations via Ieyasu. The Houjou agreed to surrender, and Ujimasa and Ujiteru were moved to the guardhouse. They committed seppuku on the 10th of August., had committed ritual suicide with his younger brother Ujiteru according to Hideyoshi’s command.

Ujimasa was Kagetora’s biological brother, and his command had sent Kagetora to EchigoEchigo-no-kuni (越国)

An ancient province in north-central Japan which was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku Period. Now a part of Niigata Prefecture.. Takaya was surely not indifferent to this man.

(But why would he have...)

“Your name is Narita Yuzuru, I believe?” Ujimasa’s voice pulled him back to the conversation. "I have heard that you wielded a ‘great power’ in Sendai—that Daiitoku MyououDaiitoku Myouou (大威徳明王)

Also known as: Yamantaka Vidya-raja, Conqueror of Death, Vajrabhairava, Rokusokuson (六足尊)—"Venerable Six-Footed One".

One of the Five Great Kings of Wisdom, whose direction is the west. He is the wrathful manifestation of Amida Nyorai and is represented with six faces, six arms, and six legs. He rides a sacred cow or buffalo and is worshipped as a god of victory. He fights pain, poisons, snakes, and dragons.

Sometimes represented with the makouin/bakouin, or "horse-mouth mudra" (馬口印).

His wisdom is the pratyaveksana-jnana (妙観察智), or "wisdom of wondrous observation". and Gouzanze MyououGouzanze Myouou (降三世明王)

Also known as: Trailokyavijaya Vidya-raja, Conqueror of the Three Worlds

One of the Five Great Kings of Wisdom, whose direction is the east, his name signifies victory over enemies of the three worlds of the manifested universe, which are the celestial, earthly, and infernal realms. He is a wrathful god whose color is blue. He is generally depicted with three faces, eight arms, and two of his hands crossed at his breast in the mudra known as vajrahumkara (dairikikei 大力契, or "vow of immense strength" in Japanese).

His wisdom is the adarsa-jnana (大円鏡智), or "great perfect mirror wisdom", which is the wisdom to clearly elucidate all things. destroyed MogamiMogami Yoshiyasu (最上義康) 1575 - 1611

Mogami Yoshiyasu was the eldest son and heir of Mogami Yoshiaki, but the two were not on good terms. In 1611, while en route from house arrest to Mount Kouya, he was attacked and badly wounded. He killed himself, crying "Damn you, cruel Father!"’s ‘Kinrin no HouKinrin no hou (金輪の法)

Lit.: "Method of metal rings"; a Dakiniten spell using spirit foxes to induce mass hypnotic suggestion. In ancient times, performed at the emperor's enthronement.’ by your will.

“I’m not really sure what you’re talking about.” Yuzuru was not dissembling, for he had virtually no memory of those events. Though Takaya and others had told him about the part he played in Sendai after the fact, he still found it difficult to believe that he had actually done any of it. “...What does that have to do with anything?”

“We wish to borrow this unearthly power,” Ujimasa answered, approaching. “The power to move the gods.”

“I refuse,” Yuzuru immediately retorted, eyes sharp. “I don’t know anything about this ‘power.’ I certainly don’t know anything about using it. ...But even if I did, I wouldn’t help you.”

“You’re Saburou’s friend. Do you not think it would be to Saburou’s benefit to help us?”

“Takaya’s benefit?” His words agitated Yuzuru. “What do you mean?”

“Saburou has returned to us. He will fight for us as a warrior of the Houjou.”

“You’re lying!” Yuzuru exclaimed, involuntarily raising his voice. “Takaya would never help you!”

“Why do you doubt me? Saburou is our brother. Of course he would help us. As Saburou’s friend, you should understand his feelings.”

“Takaya is Takaya, not Kagetora! Even if Kagetora’s memories did return, even if Takaya remembered everything, he would still be Takaya!”

“And if this ‘Takaya’ should disappear, and he became ‘Kagetora’ completely...?”

“!” Yuzuru’s expression immediately froze. “He couldn’t have...”

“It is the truth. Saburou is wholly ‘Saburou Kagetora’ once more and has agreed to help the Houjou.”

“That...can’t...”

“If your friendship for him is true, you would aid him by lending us your power. You will do so sooner or later in any case.”

“Wait! Are you saying... that Takaya was the one who told you to bring me here?!”

“You may think of it that way. Your stubbornness will not help you here; you will not be harmed if you simply obeyed quietly and allowed these people to draw out your power.”

“Takaya! Where is he? Let me see him! I want to talk to him!”

“I leave him to you,” Ujimasa said to Kojirou, and left the room. The men guarding Yuzuru held him down as he struggled violently.

“Let me see Takaya! I want to see him!”

“Stop this.”

Yuzuru’s eyes narrowed at Kojirou. Kojirou looked back at him expressionlessly.

“There is no escape. If you don’t want anything bad to happen to you, be silent and obey.”

Yuzuru bit his lip. He had never been so frustrated before in his life. Takaya would never deceive him like this: he was certain of it. Yet why did that statement cause him such uneasiness?

It’s not true! he cried out silently. You’re still in there somewhere, aren’t you? Even if you did become Kagetora, you would never do this to me!

(You wouldn’t, would you, Takaya...?)

It was a lie. Please let it be a lie, Yuzuru prayed, biting on his lip hard enough to draw blood.

(Tell me it’s a lie! Takaya!)

After taking his leave of Ujimasa, Tooyama YasuhideTooyama Yasuhide (遠山康英)

Also known as: Naomasa (直昌), possibly Tooyama Naotsugu (遠山直次)

Tooyama Yasuhide was a vassal of the Houjou Clan, son of Tooyama Yasumitsu. His family traditionally served the Houjou in the capacity of musicians, but in 1560 became the magistrate of the Miura District in Sagami for Houjou Ujiyasu. He along with his uncle Tooyama Tsunakage held the front line against the Satomi Clan. After Oota Ujisuke's death in 1567, Yasuhide became master of Iwatsuki Castle. He was part of the Houjou force that met Takeda Shingen's invasion of Suruga. He was sent along with his father as a Houjou representative to the peace negotiations with the Uesugi in the Echigo-Sagami Alliance. He later became a close advisor to Houjou Ujimasa and was responsible for contact with the Uesugi Clan.

Opinions differ on how he died. One view hold that he committed suicide with his father and Uesugi Kagetora in the Otate no Ran, while another says that he served Nakamura Kazuuji after the fall of Odawara Castle. called a car to take him to his hotel in .

Ujimasa had offered him rooms, but the idea of staying under one roof with his master filled him with dread; he had declined and booked a hotel for himself and his underlings.

When the car arrived, Tooyama thanked the driver and alighted, heading straight for the front door.

“Tooyama-sama.” A young woman greeted him in the lobby: his subordinate, SaheiSahei (左平)

Tooyama Yasuhide's subordinate, who was formerly one of his mounted guards and possesses a young woman in the current era. Appears to be Yasuhide's second-in-command. Likely fictional., formerly one of his mounted guards. “Welcome back, my lord. Is Ujiteru-sama well?”

“Yes, and as obstinate as ever.”

Sahei peered at Tooyama’s face uncertainly. “What has happened? You look exhausted.”

Tooyama did indeed look haggard. He couldn’t remember the last time he had not been strung-out with tension. Because of the audience with his master? No, there was something more.

“Tooyama-sama?” Sahei asked worriedly.

“He wanted me to see Saburou-sama...” Abruptly Tooyama’s expression shifted to a fierce glare, and Sahei cringed back. “It doesn’t concern you. We’re feasting tonight! Call everyone here and make arrangements for a banquet!”

“Ye-yes, my lord...”

Bewildered, Sahei looked at Tooyama, wondering what had happened to arouse this strange irritation. Tooyama continued into the glass-sided corridor of the new wing, walking quickly, and Sahei hurried to follow.

“If you are tired, I can have food brought to your room...”

“No need, no need! Call me once everything is ready. Go!” Tooyama snapped, gaze drifting to the glass. He suddenly froze as if he had caught a glimpse of something within the glass. He shook his head and looked again.

“To-Tooyama-sama?”

Just a figment of my imagination, Tooyama thought, relieved. He stiffly began walking again, his eyes wandering restlessly as if something had spooked him. He didn’t hear Sahei’s voice calling after him as he entered his room and closed the door behind him.

 
Back in his own room, Tooyama nervously latched the door chain before finally drawing in a deep calming breath.

(What is going on?)

He’d been haunted since last night by the feeling of someone watching him. No matter where he was, the gaze followed. His nerves were completely shot.

(Just my imagination?)

He was just tired, he told himself, sinking into the sofa. That was it. There was no one else in the room. He poured himself a glass of ice water and drank it straight down.

(Nothing to worry about.)

He was simply unused to having a body after so long. His skin would stop crawling once he was rested.

(It has nothing to do with Lord Saburou.)

There was no connection. There couldn’t be.

Four hundred years had passed. Too much time to still remember Tooyama, surely. Remember what he had done. Besides, Lord Saburou was asleep, comatose. He knew nothing.

(Why am I even thinking about this?) he asked himself, even as the past re-awakened in the back of his mind.

His father Tooyama YasumitsuTooyama Yasumitsu (遠山康光) - Apr. 29, 1579

Tooyama Yasumitsu was a vassal of the Houjou Clan, son of Tooyama Naokage and younger brother of Tooyama Tsunakage. He was master of Shinjou Castle in Sagami. His wife was Uesugi Kagetora's aunt (mother's older sister).

In 1569, Yasumitsu and his son Tooyama Yasuhide were sent by Houjou Ujiyasu to participate in peace negotiations with Uesugi Kenshin in the Echigo-Sagami Alliance, and when Ujiyasu's son Saburou was adopted by Kenshin in 1570, he went with Saburou to Echigo. When Kagetora was defeated by Uesugi Kagekatsu in the Otate no Ran, Yasumitsu committed suicide alongside him. had served the Houjou as a magistrate and a diplomat, participating in strategic negotiations with the Uesugi. The Echigo-Houjou Alliance was one of his triumphs, and he later accompanied Kagetora to EchigoEchigo-no-kuni (越国)

An ancient province in north-central Japan which was ruled by Uesugi Kenshin during the Sengoku Period. Now a part of Niigata Prefecture. as his vassal. In that alien land he became Kagetora’s support and sole confidante. When the alliance fell apart, it was Yasumitsu’s unwavering loyalty in addition to Kenshin’s deep affection and care which had made it possible for Kagetora to remain in Echigo despite the rancor of the Uesugi vassals. He stayed at Kagetora’s side to the very end, serving and protecting him, until he was cut down by Kagekatsu’s forces in the Otate no RanOtate no Ran (御館の乱)

Lit.: "War of the Castle". The Otate no Ran was the name given to the intra-clan war fought between Uesugi Kagekatsu and Uesugi Kagetora, both adopted sons of Uesugi Kenshin, for succession to the position of head of the Uesugi Clan after Kenshin died. The war bifurcated the Uesugi commanders and in the end significantly weakened Uesugi's power. The "Otate", or "Castle/Mansion" refers to the residence Uesugi Kenshin built for the Kantou Kanrei, Uesugi Norimasa, near Kasugayama Castle. He used it as a government office after Norimasa passed on the title to him and the lands around Kasugayama Castle were developed.

On March 9th in the 6th year of Tenshou (April 15th, 1578), Uesugi Kenshin collapsed at Kasugayama Castle's privy from an "unforeseen nervous weakness" (some speculate poison or assassination) and died on the 13th (April 19th, 1578) without ever regaining consciousness.

Traditionally, it is held that he died without ever deciding on an heir. Some point to evidence such as Uesugi Kagetora accompanying him on shrine visits at the New Year and not being forced to perform military service (though proof of the latter is sketchy), to support theories that Kenshin favored Kagetora. It is evident that Kagetora, who was adopted from the mighty Houjou Clan, ruler of the Kantou, had unshakeable standing within the Uesugi Clan even after the Echigo-Sagami Alliance fell apart in 1571.

On the other hand, Kenshin had conferred the highest military powers within the Uesugi family on Kagekatsu, and the Uesugi retainers used similar titles for Kenshin and Kagekatsu.

Pointing to some of the above reasons, many historians argue that Kenshin had intended to pass the title of Kantou Kanrei and position of clan head of the Sannai-Uesugi Clan to Kagetora while making Kagekatsu the master of Echigo and the head of the Echigo-Uesugi Clan. There is no way of telling based on current evidence which would have been the sole heir.

In any case, a dispute over the rightful heir to Kenshin arose between Kagekatsu and Kagetora immediately. Kagekatsu moved first. On the day following Kenshin's death, Kakizaki Haruie, viewed as being in the Kagetora faction, was assassinated (there is another theory that Haruie was killed before the Otate no Ran, when his father was accused of treason). Also, according to one primary historical record, Kagekatsu moved quickly to occupy the inner citadel, treasury, and armory of Kasugayama Castle, though the exact date is unknown. Kagekatsu proclaimed himself the rightful heir in a letter dated March 24th (April 30th) and began attacking Kagetora, barricaded in the Third Wing.

Kagekatsu and Kagetora's forces fought in what is now Jouetsu City on May 5th (June 10th, 1578), and until Kagetora evacuated in the middle of the month, hostilities continued within Kasugayama Castle. During that time, both Kagekatsu and Kagetora tried to win the various Echigo generals to their side.

Commanders committed to Kagekatsu:
- Amakasu Kagemochi: Oumi no Kami
- Higuchi Kanetoyo, Naoe Kanetsugu, Ookuni Saneyori
- Honjou Shigenaga: Echizen no Kami
- Irobe Nagazane: Son of Irobe Katsunaga, master of Hirabayashi Castle
- Joujou Masashige: one of Kenshin's adopted sons, Kagekatsu's brother-in-law, head of the Joujou-Uesugi family
- Kakizaki Noriie: Noto no Kami
- Kanou Hideharu
- Kawada Nagachika: Buzen no Kami
- Murakami Kunikiyo: head of the Yamaura-Uesugi family
- Naoe Nobutsuna: Yamato no Kami, master of Yoita Castle
- Ooishi Tsunamoto: Harima no Kami
- Saitou Tomonobu: Shimotsuke no Kami, master of Akada Castle
- Shibata Nagaatsu, Shibata Shigeie, Ijimino Nobumune
- Suda Mitsuchika
- Yamayoshi Kagenaga: head of the Yamayoshi Clan, master of Koba Castle
- Yasuda Akimoto: head of the Echigo-Yasuda Clan, master of Iiyama Castle
- Yasuda Nagahide: master of Yasuda Castle
- Yoshie Munenobu, Yoshie Kagesuke, Nakajou Kageyasu


Commanders committed to Kagetora:
- Ashina Moritaka: head of the Ashina Clan
- Ayukawa Morinaga: master of Oobasawa Castle
- Daihouji Yoshiuji: head of the Dewa Daihouji Clan
- Horie Munechika (who later betrayed him): Suruga no Kami, master of Samegao Castle
- Honjou Hidetsuna: master of Numata Castle
- Honjou Saneyori
- Houjou Ujimasa, Houjou Ujiteru, Houjou Ujikuni: Kagetora's elder brothers, head and generals of the Houjou Clan
- Kaji Hidetsuna: nephew of Uesugi Kenshin, master of Kaji Castle
- Kanamari Chikatsuna: master of Sanjou Castle
- Kawada Shigechika: Houki no Kami
- Kitajou Takahiro, Kitajou Kagehiro
- Kurokawa Kiyozane: master of Kurokawa Castle
- Nagao Kagenao
- Sanbonji Sadanaga: head of the Sanbonji-Uesugi Clan, master of Fudouzan Castle, Iyo no Kami
- Shimodaira Shurinosuke: master of Jouhukuji Castle
- Takeda Katsuyori (who was later bribed by Kagekatsu and entered into an alliance with him): head of the Takeda Clan
- Uesugi Norimasa: Kenshin's adopted father, former Kantou Kanrei
- Uesugi Kagenobu: originally Nagao, head of the Koshin-Nagao family
- Uesugi Norishige: son of Uesugi Norimasa

On May 13th (June 18th), with the lines between the commanders drawn, Kagetora finally retreated from the Third Wing to the Otate and requested aid from his brother Houjou Ujimasa while ordering his troops to set fire to the lands around Kasugayama Castle. He attacked Kasugayama Castle with around 6000 troops on May 17th (June 22nd), but was repelled.

He regrouped and attacked again on the 22nd (June 27th) with the same result. Around this time, hostilities between Kagekatsu and Kagetora's forces also began within the broader region. In Kouzuke, Kitajou Takahiro and Kitajou Kagehiro (father and son) sent forth troops with their aim on Kunohe Castle. Kagekatsu had no troops to spare at this point, and Kagetora's side easily took several castles in Miyano and Ogawa. Kagetora's side had completed organization for drawing Houjou troops into Echigo at this point, but since the distance was great, the Houjou requested assistance from their ally Takeda Katsuyori. Katsuyori sent an advance guard of 20,000 under the command of Takeda Nobutoyo, which arrived at the Echigo-Shinshuu border on May 29th (July 4th).

Aside from the Houjou and Takeda, Kagetora also received assistance from Ashina Moritaka. However, Moritaka met dogged resistance from Kagekatsu's forces and was stopped in his tracks. Still, Kagetora held the advantage at this point. The only problem: Ujimasa had little interest in moving to the offensive.

Kagekatsu, at a disadvantage now that he was being attacked from three directions, took a big gamble. He sent an advance guard to Katsuyori's camp offering a large amount of money and Kouzuke's rice fields in exchange for a Kagekatsu-Takeda alliance. How Kagekatsu knew that Katsuyori was painfully short on funds after his ignominious defeat at the Battle of Nagashino to Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu is unknown. Katsuyori arrived at Kaidu Castle and conferred with Nobutoyo. He entered into an alliance with Kagekatsu on June 12th (July 16th).

Now that Kagekatsu's side had successfully bought Takeda, they no longer needed to watch their backs. On the day the alliance was made Kagekatsu took Noumine Castle, allowing him to communicate with Sakato Castle from Kasugayama Castle. On the following day, Kagetora's side lost Uesugi Kagenobu, and their situation worsened day by day. Kagekatsu pressed towards various castles held by Kagetora's forces in Ecchuu. Katsuyori continued peace negotiations with Kagekatsu at full tilt; they were concluded on June 29th (August 2nd), and he withdrew his troops on August 28th (September 29th).

In the following month, Ujimasa finally began moving in earnest. Houjou Ujiteru and Houjou Ujikuni set out for Echigo by Ujimasa's command. They crossed Mikuni Pass and took Kabasawa Castle, within striking distance of Sakato Castle. However, the castle was well-guarded by Kagekatsu's forces, and with the onset of winter the Houjou forces could not advance to Kasugayama.

Finally, with Ujikuni and Takahiro left behind to guard Kabasawa Castle and Kagehiro acting as rear guard, they retreated. The Takeda forces, withdrawing from the lands around Kasugayama Castle, loitered between Kasugayama/Otate and Sakato Castle, in the end acting as a deterrent against Kagetora and Houjou forces. At the end of the year (January in the Gregorian calendar) Kagekatsu married Katsuyori's younger sister.

Having skillfully removed external threats and gathered support within the clan, Kagekatsu decided that the internal war would be resolved before the snow thawed. On the other hand, Kagetora was losing both supporters and castles. On February 2nd (February 27, 1579) Kagekatsu ordered a general offensive against Kagetora at Otate. Kagehiro was killed.

Kagekatsu recaptured Kabasawa Castle from the Houjou. Kagetora escaped from Otate and, with no hope of relief from the Houjou, who were blocked off by snow, sent his eldest son along with Kenshin's adopted father Uesugi Norimasa to negotiate for peace. On the way to Kagekatsu's camp, they were surrounded by Kagekatsu's troops and killed (there are accounts that the order actually came from Kasugayama Castle). On his flight from Otate towards the Kantou, Kagetora stopped at Samegao Castle. There he was betrayed by its master, Horie Munechika, and committed suicide along with his family on March 24th (April 19th, 1579).

Though Kagekatsu won the internal war, he would continue to face resistance from Honjou Hidetsuna, Kanamari Chikatsuna and others, and would not have total control of the clan until a year later.

The Otate no Ran would become one of the underlying reasons for the destruction of the Takeda Clan and the drastic decline of the Uesugi Clan's power.

Note: Japanese dates given in this entry are based on the lunar calendar; Gregorian Calendar dates in () were calculated using NengoCalc..

You must protect Lord Saburou to the last. Understand, Yasuhide?

His father’s last words to him.

(My father was a good man.)

A good man. A brave man who died a heroic death. His father’s last request lingered in Tooyama’s heart, its echoes stirring his guilt and shame again and again. He had failed his father. He had failed his master, Saburou Kagetora.

(It’s all in the past.) Tooyama stood and went into the bathroom.

He turned on the faucet and roughly splashed water on his face before reaching for a towel.

(Lord Saburou is going to be the ‘Hakone Offering.’) He wiped his face and looked into the mirror. (It’s all right. I’ll never have to see him again.)

He had no reason for fear. No one knew. I’ll be fine. I’ll be fine, I’ll be fine. He repeated the words silently as he shut off the water.

Then—

«...suhide...»

He shuddered at the sound of a voice calling his name. He spun around and around, naked terror on his face, seeking its source. Just as he decided that there was no one there, he heard again:

«Yasuhide.»

He whirled reflexively, and what he saw stopped his heart.

“Aaaaaah!”

Another figure had appeared in the mirror.

Tooyama lost all capacity for speech. He gasped, choking, his mouth opening and closing. He backed away in utter denial of the sight before him until he hit the wall.

“No...no...it can’t be...”

The reflection in the mirror was his former lord, Saburou Kagetora. Looking just as he had four hundred year ago.

«It has been a long time, Tooyama Yasuhide.»

“L-Lord...Sa-Saburou...”

Kagetora regarded the shock and terror twisting his face with a calm, cool gaze.

“Aa...aaaaaaah!” he screamed. He bolted, stumbling out of the bathroom into the main room—and saw Kagetora again in the dresser mirror.

“Aiyeeee!” He backed away, but Kagetora was there again in the hand-mirror behind him. He stared at the dresser mirror, trembling.

Kagetora returned his gaze coolly.

«I have always wished to see you again, to speak with you.»

“I...I-I-I...I...”

«I wanted to ask you: how far were you able to run after deserting me at Samegao CastleSamegao-jou (鮫ヶ尾城)

A castle once located in Myoukou City, Niigata Prefecture belonging to vassals of the Uesugi Clan.

The date of its construction is undetermined, but during the 1500s the Uesugi (Nagao) Clan used it as a defensive fortress to protect and service the highway through the northern provinces.

During the Otate no Ran, Horie Munechika welcomed Uesugi Kagetora into the castle, seated on the only viable escape route into the Kantou, after the surrender of Kasugayama Castle to Uesugi Kagekatsu. However, Munechika had already been persuaded to betray Kagetora, and he set fire to the outer citadel before evacuating. Samegao fell to Kagekatsu's general offensive two days later.?»

“I...I don’t know...what...”

«There is no need for lies. I already know the answer.»

Tooyama froze.

«I know that you colluded with HorieHorie Munechika (堀江宗親)

Title: Suruga no Kami

A vassal of the Uesugi Clan, master of Samegao Castle.

At the outbreak of the Otate no Ran after Uesugi Kenshin's death, he fought on the side of Uesugi Kagetora with his troops. After the surrender of the clan's main castle, Kasugayama Castle, to Uesugi Kagekatsu, he welcomed Kagetora and his family into Samegao Castle, from which they would attempt to escape into Sagami. But by the time they entered the castle he had already made a secret pact with Yasuda Akimoto to set fire to the outer citadel once Kagetora was in the castle and evacuate. Kagetora and his wife and children committed suicide during Kagekatsu's general offensive thereafter, ending the war.

There have been no records found of what happened to Horie Munechika after the war other than the fact that his territory was seized. at Samegao Castle. That you informed the enemy of my attempt to cross the mountains. Then you abandoned me and ran. You alone escaped from that place.»

“P-please forgive me—!” Tooyama screamed, prostrating himself on the floor. “Forgive me! I...I...I just...!”

«—Valued your own life above that of your lord?» Kagetora asked coldly, eyes narrowing. «It’s not difficult to understand. Rather than matyring yourself in a strange land for your defeated lord, you chose to survive. You’re a shrewd man. You renunciated a master who had no chance of victory and ran for your life. An exceedingly intelligent choice. How could I fault such wisdom? How could your foolish father, who squandered his life to stand with me to the last, possibly compare?»

The words pierced Tooyama’s heart like bullets. He stood frozen, rooted to the spot. “...Lord Saburou...please forgive me...”

«Forgive? For what possible reason could you need my forgiveness? I offer you only admiration: for your sense of self-preservation, for the cowardice which allowed you to forsake your lord, a feat of which no one would have believed a vassal of the Houjou was capable.»

Kagetora laughed mockingly.

«Yet you were cut down in the mountains of ShinanoShinano-no-kuni (信濃国)

An ancient province of Japan which is now the Prefecture of Nagano. Its abbreviated name is Shinshuu. Shinano was one of Takeda Shingen's centers of power during his battles with Uesugi Kenshin and bordered on the provinces of Echigo, Etchu, Hida, Kai, Kozuke, Mikawa, Mino, Musashi, Suruga, and Totomi. Its capital was located near the present-day city of Matsumoto. by bandits without even reaching Odawara. How humiliated you must have been! I do not wonder that you became an onryouonryou (怨霊)

Lit.: "vengeful ghost"; the spirits of those who died in the Sengoku period who are still so filled with rage and hatred that they continue to exist in the world as vengeful spirits instead of being purified and reborn..»

Kagetora had seen through him so thoroughly that Tooyama could muster no response at all. He could only tremble in shame and terror.

“I beg you...I beg you to forgive me...”

«You have never known the anguish of those forsaken, have you?» Kagetora’s smile vanished, and hatred filled his eyes. «You have much to atone for.»

“..!”

Tooyama shivered. His teeth clattered together as he stared into the mirror. Kagetora’s razor-sharp eyes seared straight into him like crimson flames.

«You dream so tranquilly of conquest by my brother’s side. I will rip that dream to shreds. I will take my retribution for your betrayal four hundred years ago!»

“Forgive me! Please forgive me!”

«I will not forgive you!» Kagetora stated mercilessly. «Would you dare deny me my revenge? You betrayed me. No retribution would be enough to sate my hatred for you.»

“Lord Saburou...”

«You will atone for your treachery.»

“...”"

«I will extract my vengeance from you.»

His fear was so extreme that he lost control of his bladder. Kagetora continued to look at him, a cruel smile on his handsome face. But what he said next absolutely petrified Tooyama.

«You will pay me back in full, Tooyama,» he whispered malevolently. «You will obey all my commands to the letter from this moment.»

“Lord Saburou...”

«I will make you pay.»

Terror overwhelmed every other feeling. Kagetora’s words snatched his breath away.

“...Lord Saburou, you...you can’t...”

Steal the male Tsutsuga MirrorTsutsuga Kyou

The Tsutsuga Mirrors were originally a treasure of Futarasan Shrine, formed of a male and female pair. The female mirror has the power to entrap souls, and is called the soul-sealing mirror (Fuukonkyou—封魂鏡), while the male is able to release entrapped souls. Legend has it that when Holy Priest Shoudou founded the first shrine on the Nikkou mountains, he turned the two tsutsuga causing mischief on Nantai-san into magic mirrors with his spells.

Four hundred years ago, the Fuuma Clan mated the two halves of the mirror to give birth to a tsutsuga cub which High Priest Tenkai sealed into the female mirror by order of Tokugawa Ieyasu..

That was Kagetora’s command.