We would like to ask you again.
Which SENGOKU SAMURAI do you like?
For the definition of SEGOKU SAMURAI, please see my last article Ver.1 from here.
Today, we will introduce some typical tactics by SENGOKU SAMURAI, Sanada Yukimura, Date Masamune and Tokugawa Ieyasu.
■Sanada Yukimura "Disturbing tactics by his body double"
Sanada Yukimura is a one of the popular SENGOKU SAMURAI among Japanese SENGOKU lovers, because his unique theory of tactics and his philosophy of life of Samurai is thought beautiful.
The unique tactics to disturb the enemies by the body double of Sanada Yukimura seems so interesting.
Sanada made dummy corps completely same style of his authentic main corps；the leader of these corps wear exactly same armor, helmet and banner.
Once the battle began, these dummy corps and Sanada's real corps started to attack at the same time from every quarter.
Regarding Sanada Family, there are a log of mysteries, and we can not discover defined story. It seems also like mysterious Ninja "body double style". However, Yukimura had a unfortunate life as a hostage for a long time, and the Sanada family was always forced their life unstable. This is why Sanada Yukimura thought that the leaving Sanada family to posterity.
The latter half of SENGOKU era, the conflict between two family Toyotomi and Tokugawa was becoming fierce.
Sanada Yukimura entered into the Toyotomi's army and his elder brother Sanada Nobuyuki entered into the Tougawa's army, because even though whichever loses, the name of Sanada remains and can leave offspring of Sanada.
Don't you think that is is clever way as a Samurai family?
Sanada Yukimura was so competent as a leader of Samurai, so Tokugawa Ieyasu also fall in loved in the talent of Yukimura. So Ieyasu sent letters many times to make him turn over but, Yukimura did not accept it; he stuck to his belief to the end.
His last battle was the "Osaka Natsu no Jin", Sammer battle between Toyotomi and Tokugawa at Osaka.
Yukimura used his original "disturbing tactics by his body double". His tactics was perfect but the competence of Toyotomi army was too weak, Yukimura lost the battle and his life of Samurai also finished.
When we are in the battle we have to win, but "the way of fight " and "the philosophy of fight " are also so important for the Samurai.
This is why, many SENGOKU lovers in Japan love so much Sanada Yukimura.
■Date Masamune "Tactics by Cavalry with firearm"
Cavalry with firearm shoot once just after arriving by horse so fast.
Date Masamune was a leader of Samura in the Tohoku region, northeast of Japan.
After 15th century, the battle used firearm became common instead of using sword and spear.
However, all firearm ware manufactured in the southernwest in Japan, then it was so difficult to gain them in Tohoku region.
So、Date Masamune contacted the people through Toyotomi Hideyoshi and succeeded to import a lot of firearms.
Firearms was not easy arm for the battle at that time in Japan.
In Europe, the way of cavalry battle "Caracole" was used, but it was not clever way to battle; it was too difficult to hit the shoot on running horseback.
So, in Japan, at that time, Samurai used the way as follows;
1) Worrior moved quickly to the point of battle by horse.
2) Get off the horse and started to shoot by firearms.
That was good way to shoot by firearms.
In the other hand,
Date Masamune used the way as follows;
1) Worrior moved quickly to the point of battle by horse and stop promptly.
2) Shoot just one time quickly from the horseback and run away.
3) The other cavalries attack quickly from the back of first cavalry.
What do you think of that?
The way of Date Masamune seems so effective to win by saving time if you shoot from the horseback only one time, but if you can not control horse well, you might lose. And if you stop horse suddenly, that may give horse legs damages.
However, the Tohoku region was well known as a horse production, and horses originally born in this area was so strong and though.
The team Date Masamune should have had a high leveled technique to control their horses.
Date Masamune used the original strength of Tohoku region, he seems so clever!
■Tokugawa Ieyasu "Tactics surrounded by additional fortress"
Ieyasu built up a lot of fortress around the main castle and moat to be besieged for a long time. This is the way to beat the enemies to make them give up.
Tokugawa Ieyasu is well known Samurai who became a real leader to build up peaceful society by "Edo Bakufu(government)".
However, his life was full of patience and hardship, because when he was young he was taken hostage and endured unreasonableness for a long time. So, he thought that the life was like a war.
If we think of his way of "real battle" also we can see his ways of life;
Build up a lot of fortress: Being cautious so much
Being besierged for a long time: wait until the enemy say "give up"!
Generally, when we talk about the tactics, we can find some Gorgeous scene, but we can not find it on the way of Tokugawa Ieyasu.
And we can not see neither philosophy...
But I think my way of thinking was wrong. Make enemy give up is also beautiful way to win!
I discover some philosophy on the tactics and it might important message for us to alive under the Covid -19 now.
What do you think of above all tactics of SENGOKU SAMURAI?
Have you discovered something interesting or something important for you?
And if you are a Samurai, which tactics would you like to use?
Or,,, which tactics would be effective for you to alive actual world?
Umm,,,
my philosophy would be "always enjoy now and laugh ", because that gives us the energy to win our life.
So, I enjoy early sunny morning and cherry blossoms.
