1. Overview
Akiyama Nobutomo, also known as Akiyama Torashige (秋山 虎繁Akiyama TorashigeJapanese), was a prominent samurai commander during Japan's tumultuous Sengoku period and early Azuchi-Momoyama period. Born in Kai Province in 1527, he rose through the ranks as a loyal and capable vassal of the powerful Takeda clan, serving under both Takeda Shingen and his son, Takeda Katsuyori. As one of the esteemed Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda Shingen, Nobutomo played a crucial role in the Takeda clan's military expansion and defense, particularly in the southern Shinano and eastern Mino regions. His career highlights include significant military campaigns, diplomatic missions, and the strategic capture of Iwamura Castle, which he then governed. The circumstances of his death, involving a broken truce and execution by Oda Nobunaga's forces, underscore the brutal realities of the era's power struggles, where the lives of even high-ranking figures could be summarily ended despite agreements. This article explores his life, military achievements, the historical debate surrounding his name, and his enduring legacy in Japanese culture and historical memory.
2. Biography
Akiyama Nobutomo's life was deeply intertwined with the rise and fall of the Takeda clan, marked by continuous military engagements and strategic maneuvers across central Japan.
2.1. Birth and Early Life
Akiyama Nobutomo was born in 1527 at Tsutsujigasaki Castle in Kai Province. While historical accounts, such as the Kōyō Gunkan, identify his father as Akiyama Nobutou (秋山 信任Akiyama Shin'emonJapanese), scholarly debate exists regarding the accuracy of this name, particularly the character "Nobu" (信), which was a common character in the names of Takeda clan members.
Nobutomo's earliest confirmed historical appearance dates to May 1549 (Tenbun 18), where he is recorded as a signatory on a vermilion seal letter issued by the Takeda clan, granting tax exemptions to Sakonji Shinbei-no-jō. This early role suggests his involvement in administrative affairs within the clan. By April 1553 (Tenbun 22), he was present at the fall of Katsurao Castle in Shinano Province and was tasked with handling the post-war affairs, receiving direct instructions from Takeda Nobushige, a prominent member of the Takeda family.
In October 1556 (Kōji 2), following Takeda Shingen's successful campaign to subjugate local lords in the Ina District of southern Shinano, Nobutomo was appointed as the District Deputy (郡代gundaiJapanese) for Ina and assumed the position of castle lord at Oshima Castle (大嶋城Ōshima-jōJapanese) in present-day Matsukawa-machi. Under his command were approximately 250 cavalry, including his subordinates Banzai Shuji and Chiku Yorimoto. During this period, he also served in defensive roles at other strategic castles, such as Takatō Castle and Iida Castle. His formidable presence and military prowess earned him the nickname 武田の猛牛Takeda no MogyuJapanese, meaning "Raging Bull of the Takeda Clan."
Nobutomo continued to be stationed at Oshima Castle, and by December 1559 (Eiroku 2), he was involved in resolving land disputes for local lords in the Ina District. His primary responsibilities in Ina involved military and diplomatic affairs concerning the borders with Mino Province, Tōtōmi Province, and Mikawa Province. Around 1562 (Eiroku 5), when Takeda Shingen's fourth son, Takeda Katsuyori, became the lord of Takatō Castle, Nobutomo is said to have relocated to Iida Castle. However, historical records do not definitively confirm his prior presence at Takatō Castle. Between 1559 (Eiroku 2) and 1565 (Eiroku 8), he received the official title of "Hōki-no-kami" (伯耆守Hōki-no-kamiJapanese). In 1565 (Eiroku 8), he also served as an intermediary in alliance negotiations with Oda Nobunaga of Owari Province.
2.2. Military Campaigns and Service
Akiyama Nobutomo's military career was marked by his participation in numerous campaigns that expanded and defended the Takeda clan's territories. In 1565 (Eiroku 8), a military clash occurred at Takanoguchi in Mino's Toki District between Akiyama Torashige's forces and those of the Oda clan, led by Mori Nagayoshi. During this engagement, Nobutomo's subordinate, Niki (Yamanaka) Tōkurō, led a force of 150 cavalry that reportedly burned down several temples in Toki District, including Jōrinji, Tenpukuji, and Myōhakuji.
By 1568 (Eiroku 11), Nobutomo's reputation had grown significantly, leading to his entrustment with crucial diplomatic duties. In that year, he was dispatched to Gifu Castle, where he represented Takeda Shingen at the wedding ceremony of Oda Nobutada, Nobunaga's eldest son, and Matsuhime, Shingen's daughter.
In December 1568 (Eiroku 11), when Takeda Shingen launched the Suruga Invasion against the Imagawa clan, Nobutomo's forces were involved in the advance into Tōtōmi Province. This action, however, caused friction with the Tokugawa clan, who had allied with Takeda on the understanding that Tōtōmi would become Tokugawa territory. Despite Shingen's promise to withdraw Nobutomo's forces, this incident contributed to the eventual collapse of the Takeda-Tokugawa alliance.
In December 1570 (Genki 1), Nobutomo led Takeda forces from Kai and Shinano into Mikawa Province, then into Ena District in eastern Mino. His forces engaged a combined army of the local Tōyama clan and Tokugawa-affiliated forces at the Battle of Uemura, securing a victory. He later retreated to Ina District after clashing with forces dispatched by Oda Nobunaga, led by Akechi Mitsuhide. In February 1571 (Genki 2), Nobutomo oversaw the mobilization of labor for the construction of Oshima Castle, further solidifying his role as its lord.
In October 1572 (Genki 3), Takeda Shingen initiated his grand "Western Campaign" (西上作戦Seijō SakusenJapanese), aiming to push westward towards Mikawa Province. Nobutomo, alongside Yamagata Masakage, led a separate detachment into Oku-Mikawa. They successfully captured several castles belonging to local lords, including the Okudaira clan and Suganuma clan, before rejoining Shingen's main army. By the end of 1572, with the defection of the Tōyama clan of eastern Mino to the Takeda side, Nobutomo was assigned responsibility for the Mino front.
2.3. Siege of Iwamura Castle
A pivotal event in Akiyama Nobutomo's career was the Siege of Iwamura Castle in 1572. As part of Takeda Shingen's Western Campaign, Nobutomo was tasked with descending from the north to cut off potential escape routes and block reinforcements for the Tokugawa forces. He laid siege to Iwamura Castle, a strategically important stronghold in eastern Mino.
During the siege, the lord of Iwamura Castle, Toyama Kagetou, died suddenly from illness. This significantly demoralized the defending troops. His widow, Lady Otsuya (おつやの方Otsuya-no-kataJapanese), who was an aunt of Oda Nobunaga, entered into negotiations with Nobutomo. A treaty was agreed upon, under the terms of which the castle was surrendered without further bloodshed. Lady Otsuya consented to marry Nobutomo, ensuring his protection and the safety of the castle garrison.
Among the significant gains from the surrender was Gobomaru (御坊丸GobomaruJapanese), Nobunaga's biological fifth son, who had been adopted by Toyama Kagetou and was then seven years old. Nobutomo sent Gobomaru to Kai Province as a hostage, and the boy would later become known as Oda Katsunaga. Following the fulfillment of the treaty stipulations, Nobutomo established Iwamura Castle as his headquarters, transforming it into a crucial front-line defensive position for the Takeda clan. In February 1573 (Genki 4), the marriage between Nobutomo and Lady Otsuya was formally conducted through the mediation of Oda Kamon. On March 6, 1573 (Genki 4 / Tenshō 1), Nobutomo formally entered Iwamura Castle, effectively becoming its lord while concurrently retaining his position as lord of Oshima Castle. According to the Kōyō Gunkan, Nobutomo commanded the Haruchika-shū (a group of 50 cavalry) and other local lords from southern Ina, totaling 305 cavalry under his command at Iwamura.
2.4. Service to Takeda Katsuyori
Following the death of Takeda Shingen in April 1573 (Tenshō 1) at Komaba in Shinano Ina District, Akiyama Nobutomo remained steadfastly loyal to Shingen's successor, Takeda Katsuyori. He continued to serve Katsuyori in the prosecution of the Takeda clan's campaigns.
In December 1573 (Tenshō 1), Nobutomo adopted Sōkuro (惣九郎SōkuroJapanese), also known as Masanori (昌詮MasanoriJapanese), the third son of the Takeda hereditary chief retainer Kanemaru Chikuzen-no-kami (Toraie), as his son-in-law and heir. This adoption was likely motivated by a concern over his lack of a male heir, especially given his concurrent responsibilities as the lord of Iwamura Castle. However, Masanori later died of illness on July 23, 1579 (Tenshō 7). Following Masanori's will, Chikuzen-no-kami's seventh son, Genzaburo (源三郎GenzaburoJapanese), also known as Chikahisa (親久ChikahisaJapanese), inherited the Akiyama clan's leadership. Genzaburo married the daughter of Shimojō Hyōgo-no-suke, a local lord from Ina District, further strengthening the Akiyama clan's ties to the region.
2.5. Battle of Nagashino and Death
The year 1575 (Tenshō 3) brought a devastating turn for the Takeda clan. On May 21, Takeda Katsuyori suffered a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Nagashino against the combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu. This disaster left Akiyama Nobutomo isolated at Iwamura Castle, without substantial support from the main Takeda forces.
In the aftermath of Nagashino, the Oda and Tokugawa forces intensified their counter-offensives against Takeda-controlled castles in Oku-Mikawa, eastern Mino, and Tōtōmi. On June 25, Mikawa Busetsu Castle fell. Nobunaga then ordered his eldest son, Oda Nobutada, to besiege Iwamura Castle. Nobutomo, leading the Haruchika-shū and the Iwamura garrison, mounted a stout defense and desperately requested reinforcements from Katsuyori. On July 19, he was informed that Takeda Nobutoyo and Oyamada Nobushige would come as relief forces, but Katsuyori was preoccupied with defending Tōtōmi and could not send aid. By August 10, Hōshi Koto was dispatched to Oshima Castle, instructing Nobutomo's allied forces to follow the directives of Oyamada Masaari and Hoshina Masaaki.
Nobutomo and his forces managed to hold out until November, when Nobunaga himself arrived with the main Oda army, intensifying the siege. Realizing that further resistance was futile, Nobutomo signed a truce with Nobutada, agreeing to surrender Iwamura Castle on the condition that the lives of the castle garrison would be spared. However, Nobunaga, in a stark display of the era's ruthlessness and a breach of the agreed terms, broke the truce. He ordered the execution of Nobutomo, his wife Lady Otsuya (Nobunaga's aunt), and the entire castle garrison.
On November 21, 1575, Nobutomo was captured and subsequently transported to Gifu. On November 26, 1575, Akiyama Nobutomo, at the age of 49, was crucified upside down on the banks of the Nagara River. He was executed along with his wife, Otsuya-no-kata, and his senior retainers, Oshima Nagatoshi and Zakōji Echizen-no-kami. His domain holdings in Shinano were subsequently passed to his eldest son, Akiyama Katsuhisa. Nobutomo's posthumous Buddhist names include "Jōkoku" (浄国JōkokuJapanese) and "Shūhaku Chūgi Zenjōmon" (秋伯忠義禅定門Shūhaku Chūgi ZenjōmonJapanese).
3. Name and Identity
Historically, there has been some debate and variation regarding Akiyama Nobutomo's true given name (諱iminaJapanese). Early modern military chronicles and historical texts, such as the Kōyō Gunkan, often referred to him as "Nobutomo" (信友NobutomoJapanese). Other sources, including the Kansei Chōshū Shokafu, presented his name as "Haruchika" (春近HaruchikaJapanese) or "Shin'chika" (信近Shin'chikaJapanese).
However, recent scholarly research and extensive document surveys, particularly those conducted during the compilation of historical archives like Sengoku Ibun and Yamanashi-ken Shi, have led to a consensus among historians. These studies, which meticulously examine original documents and official seals, indicate that his correct given name was "Torashige" (虎繁TorashigeJapanese). The character "Tora" (虎) is believed to have been granted to him by Takeda Nobutora, Takeda Shingen's father, as a hen'i (a character given by a lord to a vassal as a mark of favor). The alternative name "Haruchika" is thought to be a mispronunciation or corruption derived from "Haruchika-shū" (春近衆Haruchika-shūJapanese), the name of a group of his followers.
This clarification of his name to Torashige is significant for accurately understanding his historical identity and his place within the Takeda clan's hierarchy and naming conventions.
4. Legacy and Commemoration
Akiyama Nobutomo's legacy extends beyond his military achievements, encompassing posthumous honors, the continuation of his family line, and his enduring presence in popular culture.
4.1. Posthumous Commemoration
Following his execution, Akiyama Nobutomo and his wife, Lady Otsuya, became figures of local lore, with tales of their vengeful spirits causing misfortune for the lords of Iwamura Domain. To appease these spirits, during the early Edo period in 1657 (Meireki 3), Niwa Ujisumi, the then-lord of Iwamura Domain, commissioned the construction of Keishōzan Gobutsuji Temple (恵照山五佛寺Keishōzan GobutsujiJapanese) within the grounds of Myōhōji Temple in present-day Ena-shi. The chief priest of this temple was the brother of Niwa Ujiaki's mother, who had shaved his head to become a monk. Although Gobutsuji Temple was later abolished when the Niwa clan relocated, a monument known as "Makura-zuka" (まくら冢Makura-zukaJapanese), or "Pillow Mound," remains at Myōhōji Temple grounds, serving as a memorial to Nobutomo and Lady Otsuya.
In 2024, to mark the 450th anniversary of their deaths, new commemorative towers were erected near the Makura-zuka monument in Ena-shi on December 24. An additional memorial tower was also established at Chōshunji Temple in Komagane-shi, Nagano Prefecture, on December 14, initiated by Miyashita Genba, president of Miyatai Shuppansha and a proponent of historical research. These actions reflect a continued remembrance and honoring of Akiyama Nobutomo and Lady Otsuya by later generations.
4.2. Descendants and Lineage
Akiyama Nobutomo's lineage faced challenges after his death. His adopted son, Kanemaru Masanori, died of illness on July 23, 1579 (Tenshō 7). Following Masanori's will, the leadership of the Akiyama clan passed to Kanemaru Genzaburo (Chikahisa), the seventh son of Kanemaru Chikuzen-no-kami. Genzaburo married the daughter of Shimojō Hyōgo-no-suke, a local lord from Ina District, which is believed to have further solidified the Akiyama clan's ties to the region. However, Genzaburo himself was killed on March 11, 1582 (Tenshō 10), while fighting alongside Takeda Katsuyori during the Kōshū Conquest, the invasion of Takeda territory by the Oda-Tokugawa allied forces.
According to the Kanei Shoka Keizuden, Genzaburo had a three-year-old son who, after his father's death, reportedly fled to the care of the Tsuchiya clan in Ōhira, Izu Province. This son, later known as Yohei, is said to have settled in Ankyū-mura, Izu, and died in 1636 (Kanei 13).
Another branch of the Akiyama family, the Akiyama Heidayū family, which served the Mizuno clan (a fudai daimyō family of the Tokugawa shogunate), possesses the "Akiyama-ke Monjo" (Akiyama Family Documents), currently entrusted to the Yamagata University Museum. However, their family tree does not explicitly mention Masanori or Genzaburo. Ancestral records from 1704 (Hōei 6) and the Kōyō Gunkan suggest that a descendant of Hōki-no-kami (Nobutomo), named Akiyama Minbu-uemon (or Shikibu-uemon-no-jō), had a grandson, Akiyama Heidayū, who served the Mizuno clan. There is speculation that Minbu-uemon might have been Nobutomo's father or brother. The Shinpen Aizu Fudoki also mentions an "Akiyama Shikibu-uemon-no-jō" in 1580 (Tenshō 8) records, possibly a different individual or a son of Minbu-uemon.
Nobutomo also had a son named Rokutayu (六太夫RokutayuJapanese) with Lady Otsuya. Rokutayu reportedly escaped Iwamura Castle before its fall and later served the Murakami Suigun, a naval force in the Seto Inland Sea. He is said to have died in the Mitsuhama Night Raid in Matsuyama, Iyo Province, during the Sekigahara Campaign in 1600 (Keichō 5). His grave is located in Takehara-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture, and individuals claiming descent from Rokutayu exist today.
Additionally, a grandson of Nobutomo, Kyuzaemon-no-jo Nobuyoshi (九左衛門尉信吉Kyuzaemon-no-jo NobuyoshiJapanese), was the son of Tarō Mitsuchika, who was reportedly sickly and moved to Chōshōji Temple in Nagaoka-mura after Nobutomo's departure for Iwamura. In 1633 (Kanei 9), Nobuyoshi moved from his ancestral lands in Inazumi-shō, Kai Province, to Aruga-gō, Suwa District, Shinano Province. He changed his surname, became a farmer, and managed village affairs. He died in 1646 (Shōhō 3), and his descendants continue to reside in the area.
4.3. Cultural Impact
Akiyama Nobutomo has been featured in various works of popular culture, reflecting his enduring presence in historical narratives. He is notably a character in Erik Christian Haugaard's historical novel, The Samurai's Tale, where the main character serves under him.
In Japanese media, Nobutomo has appeared in several films and television series. He was portrayed by Tetsurō Sagawa in the 1969 film Fūrin Kazan. In television, he was played by Tatsuya Miyazaki in the 1986 series Onna Fūrin Kazan and by Hidekazu Ichinose in the 2007 NHK Taiga drama Fūrin Kazan. More recently, he was depicted by Shingo Murakami in a 2017 episode of the historical documentary series Rekishi Hiwa Historia, titled "The Lady of the Sky Castle." These portrayals contribute to his recognition and understanding among modern audiences.