In the summer of Eiroku 11 (1568), after completing a series of diplomatic arrangements at Gifu Castle, Oda Nobunaga finally turned his gaze to the southwest—to northern Ise Province.
Ise was a land of many mountains and few fields, crisscrossed by rivers. Since ancient times, it had been a breeding ground for petty lords. The Kitabatake, the Kanbe, the Nagano, the Seki, the Kizuki—great and small local houses crowded this land like autumn weeds, intermarrying and fighting among themselves, never unified for centuries. What Nobunaga intended to do was to set a fire in this overgrown wilderness.
When word of his expedition reached northern Ise, the reaction of the small lords was so swift that even Nobunaga himself was surprised.
The Kanbe were the first to move. Kanbe Tomomori, the head of the Kanbe clan, sent an envoy with a letter of submission as soon as Nobunaga's army crossed the border. In his letter he wrote: "The Kanbe have lived in Ise for generations and have long admired the illustrious fame of Lord Oda. We wish to pledge our entire clan to his service, and we humbly request that one of his sons be adopted as the heir of the Kanbe, so that the Kanbe lineage may continue."
Nobunaga read the letter and laughed heartily. "This Kanbe Tomomori is a clever man." Without a second thought, he sent his third son, Oda Nobutaka, to the Kanbe. Nobutaka was renamed Kanbe Nobutaka and inherited the Kanbe family estate.
Example is powerful. News of the Kanbe surrender spread, and the other small lords of northern Ise hastened to follow suit. The Nagano sent envoys, the Seki sent hostages, and the Kizuki went so far as to empty their castle and lead their entire clan, young and old, to kneel before Nobunaga's camp. Some even volunteered to act as guides for the Oda army, leading Nobunaga's troops through the mountains and rivers of Ise, revealing where ambushes lay, where rivers could be forded, and which castle walls had cracks. They told everything in minute detail.
Another group of clever men thought of marriage alliances. They offered their daughters, sisters, and nieces to Nobunaga's camp—some to marry Nobunaga's retainers, some to be sent directly into Nobunaga's household. Nobunaga accepted all, housing the women comfortably in Gifu Castle. These women became his hostages with the Ise lords, as well as the ties that bound Ise to him.
The minor lords of northern Ise, like a heap of loose sand, were easily scooped into Nobunaga's hands.
Yet there were also stubborn ones. Some small lords refused to surrender; they raised banners of "resistance to the end" on their castle walls, trying to block the Oda army with their difficult terrain and strong fortifications. But Nobunaga disdained direct assault. He merely spread the word—"Surrender and you will not be killed; surrender and your lands will be preserved; resist and your entire clan will be wiped out"—and the minor lords began to split from within.
Their retainers divided into two factions: one for surrender, one for resistance. They argued in the castles, sometimes drawing swords and fighting among themselves. Those in favour of surrendering took advantage of the chaos to open the gates and welcome the Oda army. The resisters were killed, captured, or fled. One castle after another fell without a proper siege.
Nobunaga sat in his headquarters, listening to the steady stream of victory reports from the front, a faint smile always on his face.
"The game in Ise Province," he said to Niwa Nagahide beside him, "has been much easier than I imagined."
Niwa Nagahide replied respectfully, "It is not that the men of Ise are weak, but that my lord's renown has spread far and wide, and all under heaven dare not oppose him."
Nobunaga shot him a sidelong glance and suddenly laughed and swore at him. "Nagahide, since when did you learn to flatter?"
Niwa's expression did not change. "I am speaking the truth."
Nobunaga laughed even harder.
An autumn wind swept over the hills and fields of Ise, lifting golden fallen leaves and setting them down again. Oda Nobunaga's army marched through the northern Ise mountains and plains, and wherever they went, surrender flags sprang up like a forest.
By the end of autumn in Eiroku 11, all the major and minor lords of northern Ise—except the Kitabatake—had submitted to Oda Nobunaga.
The Kitabatake were a distinguished house in Ise, and Kitabatake Tomonori was a battle hardened general. His holdings were vast, his roots deep—he was not to be compared with the Kanbe or the Nagano. Nobunaga decided to leave the Kitabatake alone for the time being, and deal with them at his leisure after his return from the capital.
That campaign not only removed a threat from his rear but also brought him the troops and provisions of many Ise lords, adding weight to the coming western advance.
In the tenth month of Eiroku 11, Oda Nobunaga led his army back to Gifu Castle. He stood on the tenshu, looked toward the western sky, and made his decision.
It was time.
The greatest obstacle to Nobunaga's westward march to the capital was not the distance, nor the shortage of supplies, but the Rokkaku of Ōmi Province.
The Rokkaku had ruled southern Ōmi for generations. Based at Kannonji Castle, they held six districts of southern Ōmi, with a strong army and deep roots. The head of the Rokkaku, Rokkaku Yoshikata, was about forty years old, sturdy, with a thick beard, an imposing man with an innate dignity. Though no great strategist, he was stubborn—and he looked down on Oda Nobunaga as a parvenu from Owari.
In the eleventh month of Eiroku 11, Nobunaga sent an envoy to Kannonji Castle to try to persuade Yoshikata to surrender.
The envoy, bearing a letter in Nobunaga's own hand, knelt in the main hall of Kannonji Castle and read the letter aloud. In it, Nobunaga expressed his sincere wish to "march to the capital to serve the Emperor and restore the shogunate" and invited Yoshikata to join his cause. In return, Nobunaga promised to preserve the Rokkaku's lands and title, and never to set foot on a single inch of southern Ōmi.
Rokkaku Yoshikata sat at the head of the hall, listening with closed eyes. He was silent for a long time. Then he opened his eyes and sneered.
"Tell Oda Nobunaga," Yoshikata said slowly, his voice forceful, "the Rokkaku have served the Ashikaga shōguns for generations. We have never bent the knee to an outsider. If he wants to go to the capital, he may do so by stepping over the corpses of the Rokkaku. Surrender? Dream on."
The envoy withdrew in embarrassment.
But the matter was not so simple. Though Rokkaku Yoshikata had refused surrender, he was not without concern. He knew that his own forces alone could hardly withstand Nobunaga's tens of thousands. He needed allies.
Just then, word reached Kannonji Castle—the Miyoshi Triumvirate (Miyoshi Nagayasu, Miyoshi Masakatsu, Miyoshi Nagaharu) had sent envoys, offering an alliance with the Rokkaku to oppose Oda Nobunaga together.
The Triumvirate added an even more tempting proposal: jointly support Ashikaga Yoshihide as Seii Taishōgun.
Ashikaga Yoshihide was a cousin of the murdered shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiteru, from another branch of the Ashikaga family. The Triumvirate had long wanted to install him as shōgun so that they could control the shogunate themselves. But lacking sufficient power, they had never succeeded. Now, seeing Oda Nobunaga about to march on the capital, the Triumvirate grew anxious—if Nobunaga got there first and installed Ashikaga Yoshiaki, they would be finished.
Rokkaku Yoshikata was greatly reassured by this proposal. With the Miyoshi's backing, why should he fear Oda Nobunaga?
He decided at once: ally with the Triumvirate, jointly support Ashikaga Yoshihide as shōgun, and together resist Nobunaga's western advance.
When Nobunaga's agents brought this news back to Gifu Castle, Nobunaga was practising archery in his courtyard. He listened to the report, lowered his bow, was silent for a moment, and then said coldly, "They are looking for death."
On the twelfth day of the eleventh month of Eiroku 11, Oda Nobunaga convened a military council at Gifu Castle. The lords of Owari, Mino, and northern Ise gathered with their troops. The plain below Gifu Castle was hidden under a forest of banners and spears, alive with shouts and the neighing of horses. Shibata Katsuie, Sakuma Nobumori, Niwa Nagahide, Kinoshita Tōkichirō, Hayashi Tōkatsu, Maeda Toshiie—all of Nobunaga's fierce generals assembled, excitement plain on every face. The march to the capital was Lord Nobunaga's long dreamed of undertaking, and their great opportunity to win glory.
Standing on a platform, Nobunaga addressed thousands of soldiers: "Rokkaku Yoshikata refuses to recognise the tide of the times. He would rather resist than surrender, and he has colluded with the Miyoshi to block our path to the capital. Today, I, Oda Nobunaga, will crush Kannonji Castle and make the world understand—whoever stands in my way, dies."
"Crush Kannonji Castle!" the soldiers roared, shaking the land.
On the twenty first day of the eleventh month of Eiroku 11, Oda Nobunaga led his army west from Gifu Castle, an immense column stretching toward the horizon.
The army passed through Mino, entered Ōmi, and swept all before it. The small lords along the way surrendered at the news. Some offered provisions, some sent hostages, and some simply joined Nobunaga's ranks to help him fight the Rokkaku.
At Kannonji Castle, Rokkaku Yoshikata grew worried. He had not expected Nobunaga to move so fast, nor had he imagined the lords along the route would be so helpless. He hastily summoned his retainers for a council, but the retainers had their own agendas. Some urged defence, some argued for peace, and some were already secretly communicating with Nobunaga, preparing to surrender.
Kannonji Castle was the largest fortress in southern Ōmi, with high walls and deep moats. But its vulnerability lay not in the walls but in its outworks—two satellite castles, Wadayama and Mibuki, guarded the approach like a pair of fangs, standing left and right of the main castle.
Nobunaga spread a map in his tent, pointed at the positions of Wadayama and Mibuki, and said to his generals, "To take Kannonji Castle, we must first pull out these teeth."
He deployed his forces in three directions.
First, Azai Nagamasa was positioned on a height between the two outworks, cutting communication between them and preventing them from reinforcing each other.
Second, Hayashi Tōkatsu and Akechi Mitsuhide were to attack Wadayama, tying down the garrison there.
Third, Nobunaga himself would lead the main force straight at Mibuki Castle—the strongest of the Rokkaku's satellite fortresses and the first target in Nobunaga's eyes.
The battle began before dawn on the twenty second day of the eleventh month.
Azai Nagamasa's forces seized the height between the two castles before daybreak, so swiftly that even Nobunaga praised him. "Nagamasa," he said, "is truly the young prodigy of the northern lake."
Hayashi Tōkatsu and Akechi Mitsuhide surrounded Wadayama and began the assault. The defenders fought desperately, raining down logs and stones, and the Oda suffered many casualties. Though old, Hayashi stood his ground, personally directing the attack from below the walls.
Meanwhile, Nobunaga's main force faced the stiffest resistance at Mibuki Castle.
The defender of Mibuki was Rokkaku Yoshiharu, Rokkaku Yoshikata's legitimate son, barely twenty years old and full of youthful fire. Dressed in red armour, wielding a great spear, he stood on the castle tower and shouted encouragement to the garrison: "My father is watching us from Kannonji Castle! Today, we either hold Mibuki or die on this spot. There is no third way!"
The defenders' morale soared. Arrows flew like rain, arquebuses fired, and the first Oda charge was thrown back.
Below the castle, Nobunaga frowned.
"Mibuki is harder to crack than I thought," he said to Shibata Katsuie beside him.
Shibata clasped his hands. "My lord, let me charge again."
Nobunaga shook his head, a glint of cunning in his eyes. "No hurry. Let them enjoy themselves a little longer."
He summoned Matsudaira Nobukazu.
Nobukazu was a general sent by Tokugawa Ieyasu to support Nobunaga. A man of Mikawa, he was short and stocky, with a dark face and a sword scar running diagonally from forehead to chin, making him look terrifying. The long spear he carried weighed two kan (about 7.5 kg), but in his hands it was as light as a feather.
"Nobukazu," Nobunaga pointed at the west gate of Mibuki, "look at that corner. Is the wall there lower than the rest? And the battlements there seem unfinished, and very few archers are posted."
Matsudaira Nobukazu looked carefully along Nobunaga's finger, then nodded. "My lord's eye is sharp. The western corner is indeed a weak point."
"Attack from there," Nobunaga said. "I will give you five hundred picked troops. Take Mibuki Castle in one hour."
"Yes, my lord!"
Spear in hand, Matsudaira Nobukazu led five hundred Mikawa samurai quietly around to the west gate of Mibuki.
He did not attack at once. First he sent a few agile scouts to the wall to reconnoitre. They reported back: the western corner was indeed lower, and there were no arquebuses posted there, only a few archers. It was clearly a blind spot in the defence.
Matsudaira Nobukazu grinned; the scar twisted with his smile, making him look even more fearsome.
"Brothers," he said to his men in a low voice, "follow me. The first man to mount the wall will be rewarded with ten ryō of gold."
He was the first to dash forward.
The five hundred Mikawa samurai followed like a black torrent, silently flowing toward the western corner.
The enemy on the wall spotted them and shot arrows in reply, but the arrows were blind in the darkness; most flew wide. Reaching the foot of the wall, Matsudaira Nobukazu thrust his long spear into the ground, drew his short sword from his belt, and used its point to find purchase in the gaps between the stones. He climbed hand over foot, like a gecko.
He moved so fast that the defenders on the wall had no time to react. By the time he swung over the parapet, the archers were still nocking arrows, unaware that a man had appeared behind them.
Matsudaira Nobukazu drew his tachi, cut down one archer, and then roared: "Matsudaira Nobukazu of Mikawa! Mibuki Castle is mine!"
The five hundred Mikawa warriors swarmed over the wall behind him. The defenders, caught completely off guard, panicked—some ran, some knelt in surrender, some were cut down in pools of blood.
On the eastern tower, Rokkaku Yoshiharu heard the noise from the west and was horrified. He quickly led his men toward the west, but before he could arrive, Matsudaira Nobukazu had already opened the west gate. The Oda forces poured in, and fierce street fighting broke out.
Mibuki Castle fell.
Rokkaku Yoshiharu was captured in the chaos and brought before Nobunaga. Nobunaga looked at the young man, his face covered in blood but his head still held high. After a moment's silence, he waved his hand. "Let him go. Tell him to go back and tell his father—Kannonji Castle is already isolated."
Released, Rokkaku Yoshiharu stumbled back to Kannonji Castle and told his father of the fall of Mibuki. Rokkaku Yoshikata listened, his face turning pale. The wine cup in his hand fell to the floor and shattered.
He went to the castle tower and looked out. In the moonlight, the Oda camp was ablaze with lights, like a giant beast crouched before Kannonji Castle, its jaws wide open.
Rokkaku Yoshikata's hand trembled.
The next morning, Nobunaga personally led his army to surround Kannonji Castle. Tens of thousands of troops sealed it off completely. Arquebusiers formed ranks outside, ready to fire at any moment.
On the castle tower, Rokkaku Yoshikata looked down at the sea of dark banners and felt a surge of fear. He remembered that his father and grandfather had once commanded the realm from this very castle, imposing and magnificent. Now, the castle was about to change hands.
He glanced at his retainers around him—some had their heads down, some shifted their eyes, some wore expressions of sheer terror. He knew that many among them had already secretly written to Oda Nobunaga.
Rokkaku Yoshikata sighed deeply.
"Let us sue for peace," he said.
The moment those words left his mouth, he seemed to age ten years.
When Nobunaga received Rokkaku Yoshikata's request for peace, he accepted without hesitation. It was not that he did not want to annihilate the Rokkaku completely—the time was not right. He was eager to reach the capital and could not afford to waste too many men and days in southern Ōmi. Accepting the peace and letting Yoshikata flee from Kannonji Castle was the best option for now.
On the twenty fourth day of the eleventh month of Eiroku 11, Rokkaku Yoshikata, with a few close followers, slipped out of the rear gate of Kannonji Castle under cover of darkness. They did not flee east or west, but south, into the deep mountains of Kōka. Kōka was the home of the ninja, its terrain complicated and its paths rough; the pursuing Oda forces could not enter.
Rokkaku Yoshikata hid in the mountains for a long time, never to regain his former glory.
After Yoshikata fled, Kannonji Castle was leaderless. The garrison opened the gates and surrendered. The Rokkaku had ruled southern Ōmi for generations, yet their house collapsed in a single night.
The minor lords who had once served the Rokkaku, seeing their master fallen, vied with each other to offer submissions to Nobunaga. Some sent tachi, some sent fine horses, some sent beautiful women, some sent their legitimate sons as hostages. Nobunaga accepted all, taking the six districts of southern Ōmi into his possession.
After pacifying Ōmi, Oda Nobunaga moved his headquarters to Miidera (Onjō ji).
Miidera was located at the border between southern and northern Ōmi. Officially named Onjō ji, it was the head temple of the Tendai Jimon sect, with magnificent buildings and layered halls. Nobunaga requisitioned a villa within the temple as his temporary command post. There, he soothed the local people and lords, and also discussed next steps with his Ōmi ally, Azai Nagamasa.
That same day, a travel worn man was brought from Echizen Province to Miidera.
He was Ashikaga Yoshiaki—the younger brother of the thirteenth Ashikaga shōgun, Ashikaga Yoshiteru, and the legitimate heir to the office of Seii Taishōgun.
Yoshiaki was thirty two years old. He had a thin face, melancholic eyes, and wore a half worn monk's robe. For many years he had wandered from place to place, forced to shave his head and become a monk to escape the Miyoshi's pursuit. His face bore the traces of hardship and exhaustion, yet deep in his eyes a flame still burned unquenched.
The moment Yoshiaki saw Nobunaga, he suddenly knelt. His forehead touched the tatami, his hands spread flat, his shoulders trembling slightly.
"Lord Nobunaga," his voice was somewhat hoarse, "these many years I have wandered in misery, suffering every humiliation. Meeting you today is like a withered tree meeting spring. If you can help me restore the shogunate, the Ashikaga will never forget the great kindness of the Oda for generations."
Nobunaga quickly stepped forward to help Yoshiaki up, laughing as he said, "Lord Yoshiaki, you are too polite. I, Oda Nobunaga, may be a rough man, but I know the principles of revering the Emperor, driving out the barbarians, and supporting the shōgun. Rest assured: I will avenge your wrongs and win back your seat for you."
Yoshiaki raised his head, looked at Nobunaga's face—made rough by war and time, yet honest—and suddenly his eyes reddened. A few turbid tears rolled down his cheeks.
"Lord Nobunaga…" he choked, unable to say more.
Nobunaga patted him on the shoulder, like comforting a wronged younger brother. "There, there, stop crying. From today, you will live at Miidera in peace; I will provide everything you need—food, clothing, everything. Once I have settled military affairs, we will enter the capital together."
Yoshiaki nodded repeatedly, wiping his tears with his sleeve.
News of Oda Nobunaga's pacification of southern Ōmi flew like wings in all directions.
When word reached Kyoto, the Miyoshi Triumvirate were thrown into panic.
The Triumvirate—Miyoshi Nagayasu, Miyoshi Masakatsu, and Miyoshi Nagaharu—were the de facto rulers of the capital region. They had installed Ashikaga Yoshihide as shōgun and manipulated the court and shogunate at will. Yet they knew their foundations were not solid: internal strife plagued the Miyoshi, Matsunaga Hisahide was an old fox with his own ambitions, and Miyoshi Yoshitsune (the head of the Miyoshi main house) was also dissatisfied. Now, Oda Nobunaga's army was pressing into Ōmi, less than a hundred kilometres from Kyoto—the doom of the Triumvirate was imminent.
At the Triumvirate's headquarters, Ajiro Castle in Settsu Province, Miyoshi Nagayasu gathered the other two.
"Oda Nobunaga has taken Ōmi," Nagayasu's face was grim. "Next is Kyoto. What shall we do?"
Miyoshi Masakatsu ground his teeth. "Fight him! The Miyoshi are no pushovers."
Miyoshi Nagaharu shook his head. "Fight him with what? Rokkaku Yoshikata had twenty or thirty thousand men and was crushed in less than ten days. We have less than ten thousand. How can we fight Oda Nobunaga?"
After much argument, they reached a consensus—abandon Kyoto and retreat to Settsu.
On the twenty sixth day of the eleventh month of Eiroku 11, the Triumvirate, taking Ashikaga Yoshihide with them, fled Kyoto in disgrace and withdrew to Settsu Province. They fortified themselves at Ajiro Castle, awaiting reinforcements while sending out envoys everywhere to find allies, hoping to recover their fortunes.
And in the city of Kyoto, the masters changed overnight.
On the twenty seventh day of the eleventh month, Oda Nobunaga led his army into Kyoto.
It was Nobunaga's first visit to the thousand year old capital. He rode through the streets on horseback, looking around with curiosity like a country bumpkin who had just entered the big city. The layout of Heian kyō, the breadth of Suzaku Avenue, the grandeur of Rajōmon, the solemnity of the Higashi Hongan ji and Nishi Hongan ji—all fascinated him.
But he was not dazzled by Kyoto's splendour. His first act upon entering the city was not to frequent the pleasure quarters or visit court nobles, but to deploy his troops.
Nobunaga established a tight defensive line around Tō ji (Kyōō Gokoku ji) at the southern gate of Kyoto. Tō ji lay on the southern outskirts of Kyoto, on the main road to Settsu. Nobunaga stationed heavy forces there, equipped with arquebuses and bows, and kept a round the clock watch against a possible counterattack from the Miyoshi.
At the same time, he placed Ashikaga Yoshiaki at Kiyomizu dera.
Kiyomizu dera sat on Mount Otowa to the east of Kyoto, a strategic and easily defended position. Nobunaga arranged thorough protection for Yoshiaki, providing him with every necessity—a far cry from the misery Yoshiaki had endured during his years of wandering.
Yoshiaki stood on the stage of Kiyomizu dera, overlooking the whole of Kyoto. As dusk fell, the lights of the city came on one by one, like stars scattered over the land. His eyes reddened again—this was his Kyoto, this was his realm. He had finally come home.
The news spread and shook Kyoto.
The lords in the vicinity of Kyoto, seeing Oda Nobunaga's irresistible advance, flocked to him. Some offered gold and silver, some offered provisions, some offered swords, and some simply placed their own sons at Nobunaga's disposal. In no time, Nobunaga's camp was bustling and crowded.
The common people of Kyoto had mixed reactions to Nobunaga's arrival.
Some had long heard of his heroic deeds at Okehazama, in Mino, and in Ise. In their mouths, Oda Nobunaga was a legendary figure of wisdom, courage, and audacity. They crowded the streets, standing on tiptoe for a glimpse of Nobunaga. Some climbed onto roofs, some sat astride walls, and some held their children above their heads, pointing at the "Eiraku Tsūhō" banner and shouting excitedly, "Look! That is Lord Oda Nobunaga's flag!"
Oda Nobunaga, riding his horse, wearing his nanban dō gusoku, a tachi at his waist, followed by a retinue of fierce warriors, was of medium height and lean build, with sharp features. Under the shadow of his helmet, his eyes still shone brightly. Not exactly handsome, but the aura he exuded made everyone who saw him hold their breath.
"That is Oda Nobunaga?" whispered some in the crowd.
"I heard he killed Imagawa Yoshimoto at Okehazama. He charged into the enemy camp of tens of thousands all by himself!"
"No wonder the Miyoshi ran away in fright. That man is not to be trifled with."
Others, however, were filled with fear.
They had heard of Nobunaga's "atrocities" in Owari and Mino—burning temples, slaughtering monks, even daring to kill his own brother. In their imagination, he was a fanged demon who killed mercilessly. Now that this demon had entered Kyoto, what good could come of it?
So some began to pack their belongings and flee Kyoto with their families. Some went to Tanba, some to Harima, some to more distant western provinces. The roads outside Kyoto were filled with streams of refugees, the old supporting the young, all weeping.
Even the Emperor Ōgimachi in the palace grew uneasy.
The Emperor was fifty two years old and had been on the throne for more than a decade. He had seen too many wars in the capital region and too many daimyō come and go. The Hosokawa came; the Hosokawa left. The Miyoshi came; the Miyoshi left. And now this Oda Nobunaga appeared. What kind of man would he be? Would he, like the Miyoshi, treat the court as a mere decoration? Would he, like Matsunaga Hisahide, dare to murder the shōgun?
In the Seiryōden, the Emperor lit incense and knelt before the Buddha, hands pressed together, eyes closed, silently praying: "Great God of Atsuta, you are the guardian deity of the Oda and the protector of the realm. Please watch over Oda Nobunaga, do not let him become another scourge upon the land. Give us peace, give us stability…"
But as it turned out, the Emperor's worries were entirely unnecessary.
The first thing Nobunaga did after entering the city was not to loot or kill opponents, but to enforce strict military discipline.
He issued an order that was posted throughout Kyoto: "Soldiers of the Oda army must not enter private houses without permission, must not seize property, must not harass the common people. Transgressors will be beheaded."
This was no empty threat. Nobunaga established patrols led by his trusted retainers, who roamed the streets of Kyoto day and night. Anyone who dared violate the order, regardless of rank, would be executed and their head displayed.
On the second day, three unruly soldiers were caught red handed. Under cover of darkness, they had climbed into the home of a merchant and stolen bolts of silk and a small bag of coins. The patrol arrested them and brought them before Nobunaga.
Without a word, Nobunaga waved his hand. "Behead them."
Three bloody heads were hung on stakes at a busy intersection.
After that, the Oda soldiers behaved like sheep in Kyoto. Far from robbing anyone, they paid full price for their vegetables and never took so much as an extra green onion.
The people of Kyoto saw this with their own eyes and remembered. The fanged demon they had heard about was not so frightening; the devil who burned and killed was actually a commander of strict discipline. Their fear gradually dissolved, replaced by a sense of safety they had not felt for decades.
Some began hanging Oda banners at their gates; some voluntarily sent wine and food to Nobunaga's troops; and some even submitted a joint petition asking Nobunaga to stay in Kyoto longer.
Nobunaga received the petition, smiled, and laid it aside.
"I would like to stay a few more days," he said to an attendant, "but the realm is not yet at peace. I still have fighting to do."
The hearts of Kyoto's people were settled, but one courtly feud remained unresolved.
This feud involved the succession to the Ashikaga shōgunate, involved the Miyoshi and the Matsunaga, and involved the entire political structure of the capital region.
It went back several years.
In Eiroku 8 (1565), the Miyoshi Triumvirate, in collusion with Matsunaga Hisahide, staged a coup and stormed the shōgun's palace. Ashikaga Yoshiteru, though a master swordsman who wielded several tachi at once and cut down more than a dozen attackers, was eventually overwhelmed and killed. His head was displayed at Sanjō Kawara, and the shōgunate's authority crumbled.
After Yoshiteru's death, the question of his successor was thorny.
The Miyoshi Triumvirate supported Ashikaga Yoshihide—Yoshiteru's cousin and a representative of another Ashikaga lineage. They wanted to control the shōgunate through him.
But Matsunaga Hisahide thought differently. He had joined the Triumvirate in killing Yoshiteru, but later regretted it—because he found that the Triumvirate had no intention of sharing power with him; they wanted to push him aside. A wily old fox, he changed course and, together with Miyoshi Yoshitsune (the head of the Miyoshi main house), supported Ashikaga Yoshiaki as shōgun.
Thus the capital region had two shōguns—Ashikaga Yoshihide and Ashikaga Yoshiaki. Each had his supporters, and neither would yield.
Now, with Oda Nobunaga's army in Kyoto and the Triumvirate fled, Ashikaga Yoshihide had run off with them. Ashikaga Yoshiaki was installed at Kiyomizu dera as the legitimate candidate for shōgun.
The situation in Kyoto seemed clear.
But one problem remained: what to do with Matsunaga Hisahide?
Matsunaga Hisahide was the most complex figure of the Warring States period. Of humble origin, he had climbed step by step to a high position in the Miyoshi through intelligence and treachery. He had murdered Shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiteru and burned the Great Buddha Hall of Tōdai ji, earning a foul reputation as perhaps the greatest villain of the age. Yet at the same time, he was a gifted artist: skilled in tea ceremony, waka, and renga, he owned a famous collection of tea utensils and moved freely among the court nobles of Kyoto.
In the twelfth month of Eiroku 11, Matsunaga Hisahide, together with Ashikaga Yoshikore, sent envoys to Oda Nobunaga to submit.
His messenger knelt before Nobunaga, presenting a long gift list: a hundred ryō of gold, the famous tea caddy "Heikumo" (Flat Spider), ten tachi, and five fine horses. The messenger prostrated himself, knocking his head on the floor. "Lord Hisahide says he wishes to serve the Oda family and offer his humble services to Lord Nobunaga."
Nobunaga looked at the gift list, especially the "Heikumo" tea caddy, and a gleam appeared in his eyes. He had heard of this rare treasure for a long time; he never expected that Hisahide would offer it voluntarily.
But Ashikaga Yoshiaki was indignant.
When Yoshiaki heard that Nobunaga intended to accept Hisahide's surrender, he trembled with rage. He personally went to Nobunaga's camp and challenged him: "Lord Nobunaga! Matsunaga Hisahide was the chief conspirator in my brother's murder! He led the attack on the shōgun's palace, and he was the one who cut off my brother's head! How can you forgive such a man?!"
Yoshiaki grew more excited as he spoke, his eyes red, his voice choking. "My brother's spirit looks down on me. If I forgive his murderer, what would he think? Would I still be worthy to be shōgun?"
Nobunaga listened quietly, then after a moment's silence spoke slowly.
"Lord Yoshiaki," Nobunaga said, his voice not loud but steady, "let me ask you a question."
Yoshiaki blinked. "What question?"
"What do you want?"
Yoshiaki answered without hesitation: "To restore the shōgunate and revive the authority of the Ashikaga."
Nobunaga nodded and asked again, "How will you achieve that?"
Yoshiaki opened his mouth but could not answer.
Nobunaga answered for him: "You need armies, provisions, money, retainers, allies. You need every kind of material and human resource to sustain your shōgunate. And where will those things come from? From my, Oda Nobunaga's, pocket. I need men to fight and men to govern. Matsunaga Hisahide, though guilty of the worst crimes, has operated in the capital region for many years. He has capable generals and retainers under him, and he holds provisions, money, and castles. It would be easy to kill him, but if we use him well, he will be a sharp blade."
Yoshiaki fell silent.
Nobunaga continued: "The realm is not yet unified. This is a time when we need every man. Since Matsunaga Hisahide is willing to submit, let us accept him. Use his troops, his grain, his money. After the realm is at peace, you may call him to account. But now—"
He patted Yoshiaki on the shoulder. "Now, we need every man."
Yoshiaki lowered his head, silent for a long time. His fists were clenched, his teeth biting hard. But in his heart he knew that Nobunaga was right.
Finally, he relaxed his fists and sighed deeply.
"Lord Nobunaga," Yoshiaki's voice was a little hoarse, "I spoke in haste. You are right. This is not the time to settle old scores. Matsunaga Hisahide… let us follow your counsel."
Nobunaga nodded and said no more.
In the twelfth month of Eiroku 11, Oda Nobunaga formally accepted the submission of Matsunaga Hisahide and Ashikaga Yoshikore. He left Hisahide's lands and titles untouched and even gave him a valuable tea caddy as a mark of favour.
Matsunaga Hisahide knelt before Nobunaga, his forehead touching the ground, and said respectfully, "Hisahide will serve Lord Nobunaga faithfully, even unto death."
Nobunaga looked at the wily old fox, rumoured to be treacherous and fickle, and the corners of his mouth lifted.
"Hisahide," Nobunaga said, "I do not care what you have done in the past. I only care about what you do in the future. Work hard, and I will treat you well."
Matsunaga Hisahide bowed even lower.
But in the moment his head was down, behind his narrowed eyes, a gleam, cold and frightening, briefly flashed.
Nobunaga saw that gleam, but he paid it no mind. In his view, Matsunaga Hisahide was like a double edged sword—use it well, and it would kill the enemy; use it badly, and it would cut the user. But he, Nobunaga, had never been afraid to play with fire.
By the end of the twelfth month of Eiroku 11, Oda Nobunaga had largely completed his military deployment in Kyoto.
He established a tight defence around Kyoto, stationing elite Oda troops at Tō ji, Kiyomizu dera, Fushimi, Toba, and other points. Ashikaga Yoshiaki was officially proclaimed Seii Taishōgun, and the court issued the formal appointment. The Miyoshi Triumvirate and Ashikaga Yoshihide were confined to Settsu Province, unable for the time being to cause any trouble.
The people of Kyoto gradually grew accustomed to the presence of the Oda army. The markets revived, and the teahouses and taverns rang again with laughter and talk. In the palace, Emperor Ōgimachi finally relaxed, holding a waka gathering in the Seiryōden, to which he invited both Oda Nobunaga and Ashikaga Yoshiaki.
Nobunaga attended in formal attire. Though he was not skilled in waka, he did not make a fool of himself; he sat quietly in the lowest seat and listened to the entire gathering. The Emperor was very satisfied with his behaviour and said privately to a lady in waiting, "Oda Nobunaga is truly a man of courtesy."
When Nobunaga returned to his camp, he said to an attendant, "Waka poetry—what a bore. I listened all night and didn't remember a single line."
The attendant had to suppress a laugh.
Outside the window, the night sky over Kyoto sparkled with stars. Oda Nobunaga stood by the window, gazing toward the northern sky.
There lay Mount Hiei, there lay Ōmi, there lay Echizen, there lay the Asakura.
The Asakura were the overlords of Echizen Province and the old allies of Azai Nagamasa. Though the Azai were now tied to the Oda by marriage, the Asakura remained a huge threat. Might they stab him in the back while he was still unsettled?
And there were the Miyoshi, the remnants of the Rokkaku, and the Takeda—allies for now, but who could say what would happen tomorrow?
The road ahead was still long.
But at least for now, he could sleep soundly.
Nobunaga turned around and said to the attendant, "Put out the lamp. I am going to bed."
The attendant blew out the candle.
In the darkness, Nobunaga's breathing gradually became even. On his first night in Kyoto, he slept more deeply than he had in a long time.