The Battle of Ukino
Victory for Nobunaga Cemented His Control Over Owari
The Battle of Ukino took place on July 12, 1558 around Ukino, Owari Province (modern-day Ukino, Chiaki-cho, Ichinomiya City, Aichi Prefecture) The battle was the result of Oda Nobunaga attacking and defeating the forces of his cousin, Oda Nobukata of the Iwakura Oda clan based in Iwakura Castle.
The battle occurred as Oda Nobunaga of the Oda Danjo-chu clan was solidifying his control over Owari. In the previous Battle of Kayazu, Nobunaga had defeated Oda Nobutomo, the deputy governor of the Kiyosu Oda clan (also known as the Oda Yamato-no-kami clan), who controlled the lower four districts of Owari Province, forcing him to commit suicide. He then won an internal feud with his younger brother Nobukatsu at the Battle of Ino, after which he overthrew Shiba Yoshikane, the governor of Owari Province.
This left Oda Nobuyasu, the deputy governor of the main line of the Iwakura Oda clan (also known as the Oda Ise-no-kami clan), who controlled the upper four districts of Owari, still active. Nobuyasu was married to Nobunaga’s aunt, the younger sister of Nobunaga's father, Nobuhide, and had been in regular contact with Nobunaga during his youth, but at the time of the Battle of Ukino, they had become enemies. This had come about in 1556 when Nobuyasu had joined the ranks of Saito Yoshitatsu against Yoshitatsu’s father, the Viper of Mino, Saito Dosan at the Battle of Nagaragawa. Nobuyasu had made threatening moves against Nobunaga who was planning on sending reinforcements to aid his father-in-law, Saito Dosan. However, Nobuyasu came into conflict with Iwakura’s Nobukata by scheming to make his second son Nobuie his successor, and was banished by Nobukata.
Nobunaga, noting the internal conflict of the Iwakura Oda clan, prepared for battle with Nobukata by orchestrating the marriage of his sister, (later known as Inuyama-dono) to Oda Nobukiyo, the lord of Inuyama Castle, who had become an independent force following the death of Nobunaga’s father, Nobuhide. This political marriage made Nobukiyo his ally.
Nobunaga then raised an army of 2,000 and marched from Kiyosu Castle to Ukino. It was about 9km from Kiyosu to Iwakura, however the terrain was difficult to pass. Nobunaga approached to a reasonable distance, setting camp at Ukino, and sent his frontline troops of light infantry, bowmen, spearmen and matchlock gunners forward. Around 3,000 rival samurai then left Iwakura Castle to halt Nobunaga’s initial forces.
Among the Iwakura forces who participated in the battle were Yamauchi Moritoyo, father of Yamauchi Kazutoyo, who later played an active role under the Oda, Toyotomi and Tokugawa governments, and Horio Yasuharu, father of Horio Yoshiharu, first lord and builder of the now National Treasure designated Matsue Castle.
The battle began around midday when Nobunaga’s army of 2,000 samurai engaged with Nobukata's army of 3,000 troops on the plains of Ukino. The fierce battle raged for a few hours before 1,000 reinforcements from Inuyama Castle joined Nobunaga's ranks. Nobunaga’s now brother-in-law, Oda Nobukiyo's 1,000 samurai turned the situation dramatically and Nobukata's army was soundly defeated. With over 1,200 dead, Nobukata's army retreated to their base in Iwakura Castle.
Towards the end of the battle, a famed Iwakura archer by the name of Hayashi Yashichiro was seen fleeing the area, and a matchlock rifleman under Nobunaga’s command named Hashimoto Kazutane gave chase. Hashimoto and Hayashi had long been friends, and as a warning, Hashimoto shouted to the bowman that Hayashi was to understand he was not able to spare his friend’s life. Replying that he understood the situation, Hayashi nocked an arrow with a 12cm long head, and sent it at his friend. Hashimoto had raised his gun ready to shoot, exposing his vulnerable left armpit area. The arrow lodged deep in Hashimoto’s armpit. Hashimoto, who had loaded his gun with what is reported to have been a double charge of gunpowder, fired instantly, dropping Hayashi. Nobunaga’s page, Sawaki Yoshiyuki, (Maeda Toshiie’s younger brother) then rushed to the fallen Hayashi intending to take the man’s head, however Hayashi was not yet dead. Hayashi was not just an excellent archer, but a fine swordsman too, and as Sawaki approached, Hayashi was able to un-sheath his sword and take off Sawaki’s right arm just below the elbow. (some sources state the left arm) Despite his horrific wound, Sawaki fought on, and succeeded in getting Hayashi’s head.
That evening, Nobunaga returned to his stronghold at Kiyosu Castle, and the following day held a Kubi-jikken, the Head Viewing Ceremony, with over 1,250 enemy heads on display.
Nobunaga had won this round, but would not be able to take Iwakura Castle until the following year, in which Iwakura was razed following a two month long siege. Nothing remains of Iwakura Castle, and the site is now a residential area.
Later, Nobunaga would exile his brother-in-law, Oda Nobukiyo of Inuyama in order to reduce competition and comple the unification of Owari. It is unclear what became of Nobukata, but Nobuyasu, who had been exiled earlier, was later pardoned and became the head priest of Sogenji Temple.
While not as famous as the Battle of Okehazama, the Battle of Ukino was a pivot point for Nobunaga in establishing contol over the Owari districts, and the first step in his dreams for unification of Japan.
At this point, Nobunaga's brother Nobuyuki was still his ally?