※圖片為示意圖。Amakasu Kagemochi
甘粕景持
One of the Four Heavenly Kings of Uesugi Who Held the Rearguard at Kawanakajima
介紹
Life and Origins
Amakasu Kagemochi (1529–1604) is said to have been born into the family of the castellans of Masugata Castle in Iizuka, Echigo Province, a lineage tracing back to the Nitta branch of the Minamoto clan. He served as a senior retainer of Uesugi Kenshin, entrusted with the governance of several castles.
Glory at Kawanakajima
Kagemochi's reputation was made at the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima in 1561. While the main Uesugi force crossed the Chikuma River, he commanded roughly a thousand troops held in reserve to counter the Takeda's detached flanking force. On the morning of the battle, his small unit blocked the advance of 12,000 Takeda troops rushing to Hachimanbara, wielding a crescent-bladed naginata to devastating effect. The Koyo Gunkan records that many Takeda soldiers mistook his small detachment for Kenshin's main army.
Rearguard Command
During the Uesugi withdrawal, Kagemochi held the rearguard together with Naoe Sanetsuna, positioning his troops at Ichimura until the entire army had crossed the Sai River — an action for which Kenshin is said to have awarded him a golden sickle crest.
Later Service Under Kagekatsu
After Kenshin's death in 1578, Kagemochi sided with Uesugi Kagekatsu during the Otate War of succession, contributing to his victory. In 1582 he became castle commander at Sanjo and led the vanguard in suppressing Shibata Shigeie's rebellion.
Final Years
Following Kagekatsu's submission to Tokugawa Ieyasu, Kagemochi accompanied the clan's transfer to Aizu and then Yonezawa, ultimately holding a stipend of 1,100 koku. He died on July 22, 1604, at age 76.
Legacy
A relic known as "Amakasu Omi-no-kami Nagashige (Kagemochi) koshizashi" is preserved at the Uesugi Museum as a surviving piece of his equipment from the Kawanakajima campaign. Counted among the Four Heavenly Kings of Uesugi, Kagemochi is remembered for the tactical cunning and composure with which he deceived a much larger enemy force at Kawanakajima.