Битва при Сэкигахаре. Япония

1.

Sekigahara
October 21, 1600
Strategic Context
Toyotomi Hideyoshi unifies Japan in 1590 but dies in 1598 after his disastrous invasion of Korea, leaving his
infant son, Toyotomi Hideyori, to rule a now-weakened Japan. Tokugawa Ieyasu, regent to the king, steps in
to take power. This creates a conflict among the daimyo (feudal lords), which soon begin choosing sides.
Ishida Mitsunari, an ambitious bureaucrat, organizes a coalition mainly comprised of Western daimyo to
support the Toyotomi claim and overthrow Tokugawa; meanwhile, Eastern daimyo for the most part support
Tokugawa. In 1600, while Tokugawa marches north to suppress a rebellion, Ishida and allied Western
daimyo launch a formal complaint against Tokugawa and march north to seize vital castles and challenge his
power. However, Tokugawa reaches the vital ground first, and so Ishida retreats to the high ground in the
narrow valley of Sekigahara, which Tokugawa must march through to strike Ishida’s power base.
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Stakes
+ A Western victory would weaken the
perception of Tokugawa’s hold on
power, drawing more daimyo to
Ishida’s side.
+ An Eastern victory would allow
Tokugawa to strike Ishida’s power
base, drawing more daimyo to
Tokugawa’s side.
By Jonathan Webb, 2015

2. Sekigahara, 1600 Strength

Western Army
Eastern Army
Ishida Mitsunari
Tokugawa Ieyasu
84,400
89,300
Well
Well
By Jonathan Webb, 2015

3.

Japan c. 1600

4.

The battlefield consists of a somewhat marshy valley with hills on most sides. The steepest hills are Mount Sasao to the north and Mounts Momokubari and Nangu to
the south, with the more gradual Mounts Tengu and Matsuo to the west. The widest lane into the valley is to the east along two roads, as well as three narrower lanes
to the west and south along single roads. The only urban features are the towns of Tarui in the clearing to the east, and Sekigahara which sits directly in the center of
the valley and all roads. Significant water features include Ikedari pond in the west as well as three rivers which run through the valley.
0
500m
Eastern Army
(Tokugawa)
1 km
Mount Sasao
N
Ai River
Tarui
Ikedari
Pond
Mount Tengu
Sekigahara
Teradani
River
Mount Momokubari
Fuji River
Mount Nangu
Mount Matsuo
Western Army
(Ishida)

5.

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Sekigahara,
and
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itthe
with
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from
all
sides.
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including
Ogawa
and
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ownalso
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front,
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istooverwhelmed
Sekigahara.
and adjusts and
his units
killed.accordingly.
0
500m
Landmarks
N
1 km
Eastern Army
(Tokugawa)
Mount Sasao
Kuroda
Ishida
Husokawa
Kuroda
Shima/
Gamo
Kato/
Tsutsui/T
Husokawa
anaka
Shimazu
Yamanouchi
Kuroda
Ai River
Ikedari
Pond
Kato/
Tsutsui/T
anaka
Matsudaira/
Il Namosa
Konishi
Tsutsui
Fukushima
Terazawa/
FukushimaTanaka
Mount Tengu
Fukushima
Todo/
Kyogoku
Otani
Tokugawa
Kato
Il Namosa
Ukita
Husokawa
Ikoma
Il Namosa
Matsudaira
Asano
Ikeda
Sekigahara
Kikkawa
Terazawa
Asano
Fuji River
Kobayakawa
Todo/
Kyogoku
Kikkawa
Teradani
River
Natsuka
Mount Momokubari
Mount Nangu
Ogawa
N
Mount Matsuo
Western Army
(Ishida)
Kobayakawa
0
Eastern
Western
Army
Army
(Tokugawa
(IshidaChosokabe
Mitsunari)
Ieyasu)
500m
1 km
89,300
84,400
Mori

6.

Sekigahara, 1600
Casualties & Aftermath
Western Army:
Eastern Army:
40,000
~7,500
or
or
48%
8%
Tokugawa quickly exploited his victory, besieging and capturing Ishida’s home castle of
Sawayama, Kobayakawa leading the main assault. Tokugawa captured and executed Ishida
soon after. Tokugawa rewarded his supporting daimyo rich with lands from his enemies but,
keeping in mind the conflicting loyalties many daimyo held toward the Toyotomi family,
Tokugawa promised his granddaughter’s hand in marriage to Toyotomi Hideyori. In 1603,
Tokugawa established himself as shogun. In 1615, Tokugawa attacked Osaka Castle and
defeated a now teenaged Toyotomi Hideyori, removing the last obstacle to a lasting, stable
regime under his leadership. The Tokugawa shogunate survived until 1857 when it was
overthrown in the Meiji Restoration.
By Jonathan Webb, 2015

7.

The Art of Battle:
Animated Battle Maps
http://www.theartofbattle.com
By Jonathan Webb, 2015