Hōjō Tsunashige

Hojo Tsunashige (1515-1587) was a military commander from the Sengoku to the Azuchi-Momoyama period who served as a senior retainer of the Go-Hojo clan and as lord of Tamanawa Castle in Sagami Province. Born the son of Fukushima Masashige, a retainer of the Imagawa clan, he came under the protection of Hojo Ujitsuna (second lord of the Hojo clan) following his father's death. He married Ujitsuna's daughter, received the Hojo surname, and was admitted to the clan. He is renowned as a fierce commander who supported the military strength of the Go-Hojo at their height.

The Valiant "Jiki Hachiman"

Tsunashige took the field bearing a banner of silk dyed yellow (with kōhada dye) inscribed with the two characters "Hachiman." From this standard he was called "Jiki Hachiman." Appearing with this banner raised and charging at the forefront while shouting "Victory! Victory!", he left a deep impression on both allies and enemies alike and was feared as the foremost warrior of the Hojo house.

Distinguished Service at the Battle of Kawagoe

The representative battle that elevated Tsunashige's name was the 1546 Battle of Kawagoe (Kawagoe Night Battle). When Hojo-held Kawagoe Castle was besieged by combined forces of both Uesugi houses and the Koga kubo, Tsunashige, as the defending general, endured the siege for more than half a year. Through a coordinated night assault with the main force led by Hojo Ujiyasu, with smaller numbers he achieved a great victory against a far larger enemy. This battle became a turning point in the Go-Hojo's establishment of supremacy in the Kanto.

Later Assessment

Tsunashige served under three generations of the Hojo—Ujitsuna, Ujiyasu, and Ujimasa—and long upheld the military affairs of the Go-Hojo. Campaigning widely from his base at Tamanawa Castle, his valor was rated as "the strongest of the Hojo." He died in 1587, and his grave remains at Ryuho-ji temple in Tamanawa. He is remembered as one of the representative valiant generals of the Sengoku-period Kanto.