The bravest samurai – Sanada Yukimura

“Honour may not win power, but it wins respect. And respect earns power.” – Ishida Mitsunari

Picking up from our earlier post of the Sanada clan’s six-coin crest, let us now take a closer look at Sanada Genjiro Nobushige (romanticised as Yukimura after his death), who is unquestionably one of the most famous samurai of all time.

The second son of Sanada Masayuki and younger brother of Sanada Nobuyuki, Yukimura possessed a brilliant mind for strategy and displayed exemplary valour on the battlefield. After the demise of their overlord, Takeda Katsuyori, the Sanada clan was left in a precarious situation, wedged between great powers such as the Tokugawa, Hojo and Uesugi.

Territories controlled by the various daimyo, circa 1583

Shrewd politicking and maneuvers were par for the course during such tumultuous times. Ignoring the fact that the Sanada clan had recently acknowledged the Hojo as overlord, Tokugawa Ieyasu (who would later become Shogun) and Hojo Ujimasa made a secret pact to occupy and divide the Sanada territories among themselves. Encamped in Ueda castle with 2,000 men, Sanada Yukimura saw action against the 7,000 Tokugawa troops. Executing a daring plan, Yukimura lured the overly confident Tokugawa troops deep into Ueda castle, where they were crushed by a brilliant pincer move. Incurring heavy losses, the survivors were forced to abandon their plans to take Ueda castle. It was an embarrassing loss for the Tokugawa army, who failed to capitalise on their numerical advantage.

Present day Ueda castle

As Toyotomi Hideyoshi grew in power and was appointed as the Imperial Regent, the various daimyo gradually submitted to him and became his vassals. The Sanada clan was no exception. Yukimura greatly impressed Hideyoshi as his bodyguard and advisor. During his tenure, Yukimura also worked closely with other trusted advisors of Hideyoshi, such as Ishida Mitsunari and Otani Yoshitsugu. He would go on to marry the daughter of Otani.

Hideyoshi’s death in 1598 left his infant son Hideyori as his heir. The land was plunged into chaos once again, as the daimyo were split into two opposing camps. Believing that Tokugawa Ieyasu was trying to usurp the young Hideyori’s position, Ishida Mitsunari denounced him as a traitor. Likewise, Ieyasu was determined to sideline the young Hideyori and strengthen his grip on power. As a friend and confidant of Mitsunari, Yukimura and his family were asked to fight alongside Mitsunari. This was a dilemma for the Sanada family, as Yukimura’s elder brother, Nobuyuki was married to an adopted daughter of Ieyasu. The family came to a painful decision, with Nobuyuki remaining with Ieyasu, while Masayuki and Yukimura joined Mitsunari. This may have been a calculated move to ensure the survival of the Sanada bloodline, no matter which side came out victorious. Masayuki and Yukimura then returned to Ueda castle in preparation for the conflict.

To engage Mitsunari’s alliance, Ieyasu split his forces between two different routes on the march towards Osaka. He himself commanded 30,000 troops, while his son and heir, Hidetada, set off on another route with 40,000 men. The plan was for Hidetada to rendezvous with his father’s army, before attacking Mitsunari at Sekigahara. While passing through Nakasendo, Hidetada came across Ueda castle, which was defended by 2,000 men under the command of Masayuki and Yukimura. Believing that it would be a cakewalk for him to take the castle, the young and prideful Hidetada laid siege to it, going against Ieyasu’s explicit instructions to ignore the castle.

Masayuki ordering matchlock ashigaru to their positions during the siege of Ueda castle

The Sanada father and son team put up a desperate but skilled defence of the castle, repulsing Hidetada’s overwhelmingly larger forces for 4 days. Meanwhile, at Sekigahara, Ieyasu was increasingly worried at his son’s absence, as he wanted to consolidate his full strength before striking Mitsunari’s army. Unable to match the Sanada in tactics, Hidetada abandoned his siege and urged his fatigued troops onwards to Sekigahara. He arrived late on the battlefield to an infuriated Ieyasu, who had already won due to mass defections in Mitsunari’s army. Due to Hidetada’s failure in such a crucial battle, Ieyasu never trusted him fully.

The victorious Ieyasu went on to destroy all resistance, executing Mitsunari and his key supporters. As an adopted son-in-law of Ieyasu, Sanada Nobuyuki pleaded on behalf of his father and younger brother, asking Ieyasu to spare their lives. Father and son were exiled to Kudoyama (think house arrest in modern terms), where Masayuki would live out the remainder of his days. Ieyasu was made Shogun in 1603 and retired in favour of Hidetada in 1605.

For years after the young Hideyori was deposed, Ieyasu’s retainers had given him the impression that the young boy had grown up to be effeminate and soft, posing no threat to the Tokugawa Shogunate. After meeting the young man in 1611, the retired Shogun grew uneasy, fearing that former Toyotomi retainers and samurai loyal to Hideyoshi would rally under his son’s command. As tensions grew between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa, Shogun Hidetada (on Ieyasu’s orders) mustered the numerous daimyo to punish Hideyori. In turn, Hideyori fortified Osaka castle’s defenses and recalled allies who would fight under his father’s banner. Knowing that his time had come, Sanada Yukimura answered the call to arms, escaped from exile and made his way into Osaka castle.

Present day Osaka castle

Hideyori’s weak and indecisive leadership made it difficult for him to coordinate the Osaka forces, which was made up of a diverse group, consisting his own men, samurai loyal to his father, as well as numerous ronin (masterless samurai) who had an axe to grind with the Shogunate. Hideyori failed to heed Yukimura’s advice and did not mobilise troops to intercept the Tokugawa army’s march towards Osaka castle. By November 1614, Ieyasu’s forces had approached the castle unhindered and took up position, commencing the Winter Siege of Osaka.

Yukimura, being one of the most gifted and experienced samurai in the Osaka faction, had to take up the responsibility to coordinate the defenses. As Osaka castle was well-guarded by rivers and canals on three sides, only the southern sector was left vulnerable to attack. Yukimura led the construction of an earthwork barbican outside the southern gate, to plug the gap in their defenses. Known as the Sanada Maru, this simple, yet intimidating fortification proved to be a pain in the ass for the invading Tokugawa forces.

Restored map of the Sanada Maru with its distinct half-moon shape

Miniature replica of the Sanada Maru, which proved to be a death trap for many

After some minor skirmishes with the Osaka forces in outlying areas, Ieyasu directed his full force towards the Sanada Maru, hoping to shatter the defenses and grasp a swift victory. With a mere 6,000 men, Yukimura was hard-pressed to hold off at least 40,000 invaders who threw themselves upon the Sanada Maru with ferocity. Wave after wave of enemy samurai crashed upon the walls of Sanada Maru, but were cut down by matchlock fire from Yukimura’s men. On a few occasions, Yukimura even led counterattacks, inducing panic in the Tokugawa siege lines.

Ashigaru defending the fortifications with bows and rifles

After sustaining heavy losses over 5 days, an enraged Ieyasu conceded that a head-on assault on the Sanada Maru was suicidal. He modified his strategy, unveiling his latest toys obtained from English and Dutch traders. 5 cannons were used to bombard Osaka castle relentlessly over days.

Bombardment of Osaka castle during the winter campaign. Ieyasu's sons are seen in full armour in the foreground

Reasoning that the daimyo under Ieyasu had little loyalty towards him and would defect should the siege drag on, Yukimura counseled Hideyori to endure through the bombardment. However, the psychological toll proved too much for Hideyori’s mother, who pleaded with her son to negotiate for peace. Being soft by nature, Hideyori gave in to her pressure and sued for peace with Ieyasu, ending the Winter Siege of Osaka.

Under the terms of the truce, Ieyasu lifted the siege and pardoned the defenders of Osaka castle. In turn, Hideyori promised not to oppose the Shogunate again. All seemed well, until the wily Ieyasu’s engineers started to tear down the outer walls of the castle. They then proceeded to fill up both the outer and inner moats. Reduced to its inner castle alone, Osaka castle did not look so impregnable after all. Ieyasu ignored Hideyori’s vehement protests, while secretly procuring bigger guns from the foreigners. All he needed was a pretext to finish off the Toyotomi clan.

In May 1615, Hideyori began restoring the moats of Osaka castle. This “act of aggression” was the excuse that Ieyasu needed. His forces converged on the castle once again, commencing the Summer Siege of Osaka. Acknowledging that they were heavily outnumbered and no longer safe in the reduced castle, Yukimura decided to engage the Tokugawa forces head on, allowing Hideyori to sally out of the castle and flank the enemy.

In the battle of Tenno-ji on 4th June, 1615, Yukimura led his men and charged straight into the heart of the Tokugawa vanguard, forcing serious tactical mistakes from the Tokugawa commanders.

Yukimura charges the Tokugawa troops. Notice the character "Go" that Ieyasu's personal guards carried

As confusion and panic gripped the invaders, a flustered Ieyasu had to ride over personally to steady his troops. Spotting the isolated Ieyasu, Yukimura charged over and wounded the retired Shogun with a spear thrust to his side. However, the Tokugawa army regrouped rapidly, whisking Ieyasu away to safety. Having overextended himself, Yukimura was soon surrounded by enemy troops.

Battling desperately against overwhelming odds, the exhausted Yukimura banked his last hope on Hideyori, waiting for him to charge out of the castle and turn the tide. At this critical juncture, Hideyori’s indecisiveness gnawed at him again and he was unwilling to leave the safety of his castle. As the fighting raged on, the wounded and fatigued Yukimura hit his breaking point and was unable to fight back. Slumping down on a camp stool, he took off his helmet to rest. He was recognised by the Tokugawa samurai and killed. He was just 49.

Yukimura's last stand, credits to Shengyi Sun

Yukimura’s tragic death was a huge blow to the morale of the Osaka forces and the tide turned against them. Hideyori finally resolved to make his grand entrance and join in the fray, but it was too little too late. His troops had barely exited the castle gates when they were chased back in by the Tokugawa. As his forces were mercilessly routed, Hideyori set fire to Osaka castle and killed himself. With that, the last resistance to the Tokugawa Shogunate crumbled and they would consolidate their power over Japan for the next 250 years.

Yukimura may have met his end in the Summer Siege of Osaka, but he received widespread praise from leaders on both sides of the conflict. He was labelled as the finest warrior in Japan and remained a respected folk hero, especially among those who were discontented with the Tokugawa hegemony. Today, you can find shrines and monuments dedicated to Yukimura, in both Ueda and Osaka castle.

Equestrian statue of Yukimura in Ueda city

Statue of Yukimura in Osaka castle

It was said that Yukimura met his end when resting under this tree

I hope that everyone has enjoyed this account of Sanada Yukimura’s illustrious life. Credit goes to Dr Stephen Turnbull, for his fascinating research on the samurai. Should the opportunity arise again, I will cover other prominent samurai from this period. Till next time!