Itagaki Nobukata

Itagaki Nobukata (1489?-1548) was one of the foremost retainers of Takeda Harunobu (Shingen) and is counted among the Twenty-Four Generals of Takeda and the Four Heavenly Kings of Takeda, a renowned commander. He served two generations, Takeda Nobutora and Harunobu (Shingen), and is said to have been involved when Harunobu expelled his father Nobutora to Suruga and succeeded to the family headship. Afterward he became the foremost among the retainers. He led the principal military campaigns in the conquest of Shinano, and fought valiantly as the vanguard of the Takeda forces at the Battle of Uedahara (1548) against Murakami Yoshikiyo, but was killed in action in that battle. He was respected as a warrior combining wisdom and courage second to none in the Takeda household, and his death is said to have been a great blow to Shingen.