関ヶ原の戦い Battle of Sekigahara

 The WESTERN ARMY decided on a preventive strike against Tanabe Castle, which was the castle of Yusai Hosokawa and Fushimi Castle, of Mototada Torii.

  On July 19, the WESTERN ARMY, with 15,000 soldiers, under Shigetugi Onogi and Shigekatsu Maeda attacked Yusai at Tanabe Castle(500 defense soldiers).    However their fighting spirit was low, because Yusai was also a poetry teacher for the WESTERN ARMY.
   At last on September 13, Tanabe Castle fell. But the army of 15,000 soldiers couldn’t join for the Battle of Sekigahara (the Battle of Tanabe Castle)
  On July 19, the WESTERN ARMY with 40,000 soldiers under Hideaki Kobayakawa and Yoshihiro Simazu attacked Fushimi Castle, which had 1,800 defense soldiers.
  As Hideyoshi had built Fushimi castle with the most advanced construction techniques of the time. It stood for over half a month until August 1, when Fushimi Castle fell (fight of the Fushimi Castle)

  Early in August, Mitsunari divided the WESTERN ARMY into three army groups and Mitunari began to advance for Seino (Owari, Mino)
  Army of 20,000 soldiers under Yoshitsugu Otani moved Hokurikudo to the east to gain control of the Hokuriku area, army of 40,000 soldiers under Hidemoto Mori went ahead through Tokaido to the east via Ise, and army of 30,000 under Mitsunari Ishida marched along Nakasendo to the east.

   The attack by the army corps of Otani was blocked by Toshinaga Maeda. So Yoshitsugu changed his course from Hokuriku to Mino.
   On September 7 Takatsugu Kyougoku suddenly switched to the EASTERN ARMY, and led his 3,000 soldiers to hold up in Otsu Castle.

   One of the WESTERN ARMY groups with 15,000 soldiers under Muneshige Tachubana attacked Otsu Castle. Otsu Castle did not fall until September 15, during the Sekigahara battle.
   Muneshige Tachibana was the strong general whom Ieyasu was afraid of. If he had participated in the war together with the army corps of 15000, the WESTERN ARMY is said to have won (Battle of Otsu castle)

   Hidemoto Mori, Hiroie Kikkawa, Ekei Ankokuji and others went ahead through Tokaido to the east via Iseji. They beat the daimyo of the EASTERN ARMY in Ise and were going to go to Owari.
  Nobutaka Tomida, the lord of Anotsu Castle in Ise, Mituyoshi Wakebe, the lord of Iseueno Castle joined the Aizu conquest of Ieyasu. After the Oyama rating meeting they quickly returned to their own territory using the sea route. And stayed in Anotsu Castle with 1,700 soldiers.
   On August 23 an army of 30,000 soldiers under Hidemoto Mori, Hiroie Kiikawa, Ekei Ankokuji, and Katsusige Nabeshima of the WESTERN ARMY attacked Atsuno Castle. It fell on August 27 (then Katushige Nabeshima switched to the EASTERN ARMY )

  On August 9, Mitsunari left SawaYama Castle, and the next day entered Ogaki Castle. On 15th, Mitsunari sent a message to Hideie Ukita and others of Ise to gather in Ogaki.
  Mitsunari left Ogaki Castle and established a camp in Sawado-mura for the EASTERN ARMY.
  The advance guard soldiers of Mitunari fought with the EASTERN ARMY group of Nagamasa Kuroda and others. However, because the advance guard of Mitsunari easily lost, he had to withdraw to Ogaki Castle.
  The EASTERN ARMY did not pursue Mitsunari to Ogaki castle, the entire army of the advance party gathered in Akasaka near Ogaki Castle on August 24. they waited there for the arrival of Ieyasu.
  On August 26, Mitsunari returned to Sawayaam Castle to invite Hidyori. The invitation made the military commanders of the EASTERN ARMY confused. Mitsunari checked the fortifications of Sawayama Castle.

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