The year: Shingen Takeda ...
Kofu was, in the 16 st century, the headquarters of Takeda clan. This city is renowned for its vineyards and its spa. Shingen Takeda was born November 3, 1521, the first year of the Taei, under the name of Taro. Some say that was not born in a cradle but at the foot of a mountain, while others argue in the temple of Sekisui-Ji. We do not know the exact identity of her mother, if that was not the daughter of his wife and Nobusato legitimate Nobutora Takeda. The same year, the famous Nobutora was elevated to the rank of jui-goi-noge, would say to 5 ° level of Matsu-no-kami, head of general services and responsible for the western part of Kyoto, the then capital. Taro is grown in the middle of fighting between clans. An episode of his childhood was marked by ceremony Kohakusai-ki, during which he was handed the hakama, a kind of skirt-pants that used exclusively men.
This took place on 3 December 1523. He had only two years. At 13 years old, had the gift of war. Especially disobedient, his father ended with detestarlo and gave his preference to his second son Jiro, Nobushige renamed after the ceremony transition to adulthood. In "Koyo gunkan (the Treaty of military science written in the Corsican the Edo period), wrote that Taro is already 13 years of age, asked his father a magnificent horse, which was found in his stall, called Okinage. "... I you when you give him the right age and at the same time, we shall give a support, a sword and the banner of family, "replied Nobutora. However Taro persisted in his request, adding "... Get all these treasures to the day when erediterò the house of Takeda. So I want this horse now to be able to train nell'equitazione. So you can watch your back when you go to fight ...". Nobutora is angry with him, not appreciating that he spoke with a tone that. He was so nervous, it is said, that ferì mortally guards who accompanied him with his sword, the same sword that had promised to Taro and that ended, however, with her sister on the day of his marriage to Omagawa Yoshimoto.
So this sword became property of Mr. Yoshimoto and will later owned by Oda Nobunaga. Thus, throughout his youth, Shingen opposed to his father. In 1533 he Nobutora Taro marry his son with the daughter of Tomoki, Uesugi. He just turned twelve years. This was clearly a political marriage, as was frequently at in Europe. His wife died after a miscarriage. Taro was renamed Harunaru, before taking the final name of Shingen.
A life warrior
Younger adolescent, Shingen Takeda is already devoted to the battles on the field against the enemies of his father, with bushi of his clan. They say they had carried out its first military campaign immediately after marriage. After obtaining the succession in the Takeda clan, once banned his father, Shingen Takeda not stopped ever to move through the country, especially against his worst enemy, monaco-warrior Kanshin Uesugi. At that time, in the Edo period, one of the greatest virtues materials mentioned in bushido (code of honour of the samurai) was not serving that one teacher. What drove him to war against rival lords was the implementation of a policy of subordination of older by the Cadets (Gekokujo). And 'why we encouraged him to attack Shinano, for example, which was the weakest of the provinces opponents. Because of incessant fighting, his life was really full warrior. The Japanese archives, perfectly preserved, show all its prodezze with its bushi.
A genius of the strategy ...
Shingen Takeda was a true strategist. He loved to ridicule the battle plans of opponents, often devastandoli. It was particularly hated for this reason. An excellent administrator, good warrior, genius of the strategy has taken several maneuvers to achieve its purposes undisputed winner. Adottò one day tactic known as "green peak", which consisted in passing behind Mount Saijo, with most of his troops to "accept" best of its opponents, while fled forward, naturally attacking at night .
He loved effects surprise, especially with its rival Kanshin Uesugi. It is said that before tackling the last battle, its official meeting after a long meditated on how to proceed on all sides in the mountains surrounding Kofu. In Japan, it is often compared to Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), mainly for this reason. What can explain his skill was without doubt when it was attacked on horseback from its worst rival, Kanshi Uesugi, who up with the sword (tachi), when he was seated and his men were gone. Shingen rest sat impassive on his stool / "strapuntino", intercepting the sword of his formidable opponent with its bungai (range metallic), without degnarsi to stand with un'indifferenza that subdued his men and, from that moment, remained legendary ...
His death is unclear ...
Historians are imprecise on the exact date of the death of Shingen Takeda, especially at the place and reason. Some advance the hypothesis that had died as a result of poisoning, others who had died after a long illness that afflicted him for years, others that we have turned off slowly, after a bullet of archibugio who had struck. In any case, has always maintained that his death was kept secret for some time, according to his will. That prompted the director Akira Kurosawa to create a fantasy genre films "Kagemusha - The shadow of the warrior," who knew that deserved success deserves.
In Japan, the national TV channel Ihk has dedicated a historical saga, in a staggered fifteen episodes, which sums up the whole life of this man impetuous, lord of the province of Jju and residing in Kofu from birth until death, moderate similar to the series that was much appreciated by viewers from around the World "Shogun".
Size and decline of Takeda clan ...
The clan Takeda was renowned for the skill of its warriors and strategies used by its leaders, in particular those of Nobutora Takeda and those of his son, Shingen. Their victories on the battlefield are innumerable. They were feared by their enemies, who knew their temerity and their determination not to yield ever. The descendants of Minamoto incarnavano at the same time the terror and respect. And 'incontestable from the point of view of history, the true "detonator" of the greatness of this clan was Shingen Takeda, which still today, raises the admiration of the Japanese people.
Every year, in fact, in April, held a big party to Kofu, his hometown, which lasts one week. As to its decline, this probably comes largely from his son, Takeda Katsuyori that his father just died, taken uncertain military operations against the lord Nobunaga Oda, ignoring the advice of his father, who had acquired a solid experience. His biggest mistake was that he ordered his officers to load the enemy with swords sguainate. But the enemy had instead imboscato behind fences and awaited them, opening fire not just arrived with arquebuses and carabiners, the new weapon of the 16 th century, with a disastrous outcome for the troops Takeda.
It was June 29, 1575, Nagashino. This was the quick end of the famous clan Takeda and, in a few months, the total decline. The Takeda not resumed more fulminant this defeat, which dispersed family members. Thus one of the brothers of Shingen, Nobutomo Takeda, offered its services to the clan Kuroda, where were disclosed martial arts family, today became the Takeda ryu, while another brother, Kunitsugu Takeda, granted to Haizu clan, which took the name of Daito, which will generate Daito ryu.
This is history. Adds soke Fumon Tanaka: "... At the Battle of Sidaragahara, vulgarly call Nagashino, which is the prefecture, and the defeat of Takeda clan to work Oda Nobunaga have several factors in addition to the speech of firearms. The month of April is the rainy period and sowing rice. Many soldiers were mostly farmers and asked permission to Takeda Katsuyori to return to their fields for the harvest of rice and not bring the clan famine. There were professional soldiers, ashigana, soldiers on foot, such as Nobunaga. The rain did not permit the use of muskets and arquebuses because the lock bathed. Of the three thousand rifles perhaps not more than 10 per cent could shoot it repaired by the same staff with the umbrella. The substance of defeat lies in the fact that the cavalry of Takeda Katsuyori could not and did not want to enter the paddy fields for the office front. They wanted to keep a good thing is important in peace than in war: rice. And so on incolonnati dividing dams were mowed down one by one. " He took part in this battle also Yeyasu Tokugawa (1542-1616), which then become the first shogun of Japan.
"This is the true reason for the defeat of Takeda clan, which is less choreographed than reported by some documents, with a charge of samurai on horseback to belly low, able to fire with swords and sguainate mowed down by a deadly fire cross.
" 'This is the historical reality and tactics."
"Only continisti that arrives events can explain what happens in battle, are generally only telling the story of the winner. There is no way to know exactly what happens when you are in the midst of the fray. Even if you could look from the scene with the eyes of an eagle, you would see only a terrible, fascinating tangle of vivid colors, a tangle of badges, banners, blood and steel. All men on the battlefield might as crazy, if not, do the things they do, and bear to see the things they see? ".

(This article was translated by a machine translation software and not by one person)