The Battle of Nagashino (1575) and Swords — The Reality of Close Combat Behind Firearms Warfare

In May of Tenshō 3 (1575), a clash erupted near Nagashino in Mikawa Province (present-day Shinshiro City, Aichi Prefecture) between the alliance forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu and the forces of Takeda Katsuyori. The Battle of Nagashino is widely known as a battle that symbolizes the power of firearms in Sengoku warfare.

Firearms Tactics and Horse Barriers

Nobunaga constructed a horse barrier (babo-saku) at Shitarahara and formed his position there, countering the Takeda forces with a large number of firearms. It is said that the Takeda cavalry was blocked by the palisade and, exposed to gunfire, suffered considerable losses. As a result, the Takeda clan lost many influential vassals, marking a turning point toward their decline.

However, regarding the number of firearms Nobunaga prepared and the so-called "three-stage volley" tactic, there are suggestions that these may be exaggerations or fabrications based on later historical records, and scholarly verification continues. The fact itself that concentrated use of firearms influenced the outcome is widely accepted.

The Sword That Worked in the Shadow of Firearms

While the Battle of Nagashino is often narrated with firearms as the main protagonist, the battle did not conclude with gunfire alone. In scenes of close quarters beyond the palisade, in pursuit battles chasing fleeing enemies, and in hand-to-hand combat for taking heads, swords and wakizashi were actually wielded.

In Sengoku warfare, a roughly following division of roles was established according to distance:

• Long range: bows and firearms
• Medium range: spears
• Close combat (final phase): swords

At Nagashino as well, after the firearms battle that determined victory and defeat, fierce close combat to strike down the fleeing Takeda forces likely unfolded. Even as bladed weapons ceased to be "protagonist weapons," they did not exit the battlefield.

Sword Circumstances in the Late Sengoku Period

The Tenshō years when the Battle of Nagashino occurred correspond to the end of the Ko-Katana period—the so-called sueko-to era in sword history divisions. The prolonged warfare following the Ōnin Rebellion caused weapon demand to swell, and in major production centers such as Bizen and Mino, alongside custom-forged blades made with care to order, large quantities of swords called kazauchi (mass-produced blades) were manufactured according to standard specifications.

The uchi-gatana of this era shows many examples of relatively short blades that were easy to wield even with one hand. The practical demands of handling the sword at the waist alongside spears and firearms in group warfare are thought to have been reflected in the form. Many of the swords worn by officers and soldiers at Nagashino were likely such practical-oriented sueko-to blades.

By this era, the sword-wearing style of samurai had shifted from the "haku" form—hanging the tachi from the waist—to the "sasu" form of inserting the uchi-gatana blade-up into the belt. The quick-drawing style of the uchi-gatana adapted well to the reality of group warfare where close combat could begin at any moment, and by the time of Nagashino, samurai wear around the waist was already approaching the pairing of long and short swords characteristic of later Edo samurai.

The Wakizashi and Grappling Combat and Head-taking

In grappling combat (kumiaichi), the final phase of close fighting, the wakizashi and tanto with their superior maneuverability spoke louder than longer swords. Actions at close range included the following:

• Targeting gaps in armor
• Delivering a finishing blow to a pinned enemy
• Taking a head

All of these were tasks at extremely close range, and there was a clear practical reason for samurai wearing a matched pair of long and short swords.

In an age when a samurai's martial accomplishments were proven by taking heads, the sword and wakizashi remained "the weapons that had the final say." Even as firearms came to determine the course of warfare, the mechanism of battle itself—the confirmation of victory and the proof of reward—made it impossible to abandon bladed weapons.

A Clue to Sword Appreciation

When viewing a sword with Sengoku-period warfare in mind, the perspective of observation expands. For example, with a sueko-to uchi-gatana, can one discern from the dimensions and curve a practical form conscious of single-handed striking? With a tachi that has been polished up (suriage), does it not tell of an era when a weapon for mounted combat was adapted for foot combat? From the condition of the nakago and the presence or absence of a signature, glimpses of the production circumstances of the time—custom-forged versus mass-produced—can also be seen.

Battle history and the morphological history of swords illuminate each other. Taking well-known battles such as Nagashino as a starting point and verifying the form of swords from that era is one reliable way to deepen sword appreciation.

"Swords at the Waist" in the Age of Spears and Firearms

Even in an age when spears and firearms became the main players on the battlefield, the sword remained a weapon that samurai constantly carried. Spears and firearms were "unit weapons" operated in formation, and only the long and short swords at the waist could be immediately deployed in situations such as within camp, on the march, or in unexpected encounters. As a weapon, the sword was less the center of military force than a samurai's last resort, and at the same time a possession that demonstrated rank and resolve. The fact that swords continued to be made even in the age of large-scale firefights like Nagashino, and eventually continued to be worn in times of peace, had its foundation in a character that transcended weaponry.

The Reality of Battle and the Place of the Sword

The Battle of Nagashino is remembered as a symbol of new weapons breaking through old warfare tactics. However, a single weapon does not complete a battle; instead, swords, spears, and firearms functioned in combination according to each situation. Reconsidering the practical role of the sword in firearms-era warfare helps to understand Japanese sword history in three dimensions.

For those interested in the relationship between Sengoku warfare and swords, we encourage you to view TOUKENZA's columns and sword collections alongside the changes in weapons and tactics by era.