In Memoriam in Imabari, Winter 1569

There are those who say that Shikkoku is bad luck for the Mori, that the Mori are not meant to be there. The Mori have lost two sons -Takamoto, the former daimyo, and Takakage - as well as countless warriors in Iyo province, defeated by the Chosokabe in the plains and in the castle of Imabari. Some say that the angry spirits of Shikkoku are working against the Mori.

So it is with a feeling of superstitious fear that Kobayakawa Mototsura watched as his samurai forced their way into Imabari Castle and overcame the few defenders within.

After the fall of Imabari, the Mori set up shrines in the fields and the castle precincts dedicated to the fallen heros of the Mori and also to the kami of Shikkoku. Mori monks consecrated the shrines while drink and food offerings were presented. The mood was hardly triumphant as the Mori host remembered the enormous losses suffered here.

Imabari is an unremarkable castle, and Iyo is an unremarkable province, Mototsura thought, but there is probably no land in all of Japan more sacred in the memories of the Mori than this land.

Second Battle of Kochi, Spring 1569

Mori Motoharu looks down confidently at the Chosokabe hosts surrounding Kochi. Kira Kunihiro's army is formidable but Motoharu feels secure within the sturdy fortress of Kochi, on  high ground, surrounded by his army of veteran samurai.

"Instruct the cavalry to concentrate on the east and destroy the archers coming up there," he orders. From the heights he can observe the enemy's every move. The Chosokabe are attacking from the north, east and west.

Yamaguchi, the captain of cavalry, squints down at the forested valley. At first it is difficult to distinguish the Chosokabe samurai archers from the trees below, then he sees them. One, two, three companies of archers. He gives the order for the horse men to form up. As the archers come within shooting range, he gives the order to charge. The cavalry begin at a trot and then accelerate to a full gallop charging downhill with the force of avalanche.

"Instruct the nagingata to fall in outside the east gate" Motoharu orders as he sees the Chosokabe from he north vearing east. The Mori archers rain arrows with deadly effect upon the attackers as they march under the northern walls. One company of Chosokabe samurai archers is decimated and routs.

From the western wall, where most of the Mori archers are concentrated, Honen, captain of the elite bow warrior monks, observes the Chosokabe hosts below. He picks his target, a captain of samurai archers with an elaborate black lacquered kabuto. "In the left eye," he announces and lets his arrow fly. It hits the mark. He smiles and says to the men around him, "So, the Chosokabe fancy themselves to be gifted archers? How's that for archery!"

When the Chosokabe reach the western walls they begin to climb. Honen gives the order the fall back, it is time for the melee units to do their work. The katana samurai, nagingata samurai and ashigeru move up to the north side of the fortress. The archers take up positions further south and from there continue to pick off the Chosokabe climbing the walls.

On the eastern slopes it takes Yamaguchi and his cavalry two charges to break the Chosokabe samurai archers - a testimony to their discipline and morale. Chosokabe spearmen from the north attempt to attack the eastern gates but are met by Mori samurai.

The Chosokabe that survive the climb up the western walls are overwhelmed by the Mori melee troops while those beneath are easy pickings for the Mori archers. Mori Motoharu can barely contain his elation as he witnesses the disintegration of the last army remaining to the Chosokabe before the walls of Kochi.

Shikkoku of the Chosokabe is now completely defenceless before the Mori.

Battle of Kochi, Winter 1568

"Well, what are your intentions now?" Uechiro asked Mori Motoharu. "We are almost exactly halfway between Kochi and Imabari. Daimyo Tamehisa is in Kochi with a small army while Kira Kunihiro is in Imabari replenishing his field army. Our army is strong. Given our current strength, both objectives are achievable."

When Motoharu was done mourning the death of his brother the daimyo, he began to think: questions will no doubt be asked about his part in the daimyo's demise. He'd acted swiftly in decapitating the metsuke who gave the false report and sending his head to Mori Sanemune, but this was unlikely satisfy anyone. I will have to win some impressive victory in Shikkoku to shut people up, he thought.

"Which is better, to cut off the serpent's head or its tail?" he thought aloud. "We advance on Kochi!"

Battle of Kochi

"Their cavalry is sallying out," his adjutant reports. And indeed they are.

Kochi Castle is a narrow, bone shaped fortress sitting on the summit of a steep hill. It offers little protection from enemy archers and little space to manouver within. Most of the Chosokabe defenders consisted of cavalry including generals and their companion cavalry. Rather than sit inside the castle and be shot at, they have decided, wisely, to fight in the open.

Positioned at the base of the northern slopes, Motoharu sees the Chosokabe cavalry flanking the Mori footsoldiers laboriously climbing up the snow covered slopes. One cavalry unit charges straight at him. Motoharu and his cavalry turn to intercept them. Before long these isolated cavalry units are surrounded and routed by Mori cavalry and spearmen.

The gates of Kochi opens once more and out comes a company of horsemen bearing the commander's pennant - it is Daimyo Tamehisa and his bodyguard.

Motoharu stands up in his saddle and sees the Daimyo of the Chosokabe and his bodyguard charge into a cluster of spearmen and archers. He sees the cavalrymen hacking at the footsoldiers as they are gradually surrounded and brought down. It is a futile, suicidal charge, but glorious none the less.

After the Chosokabe cavalry is destroyed, the Mori samurai set fire to the gates and storm the fortress,  subduing the remaining defenders within. Mori Motoharu looks on with satisfaction as the Mori flag is raised in Kochi.

Mori Takamoto's Last Stand, Summer 1568

"What goes around, comes around," said the Buddha.

As he observes the Chosokabe army spread out across the plain, advancing slowly but irresistably towards them like a black tidal wave, he thought of the number of times when he put his enemies in just such a position. Cornered, outnumbered and helpless, like prey beneath the paw of the tiger. For this, he was known as the Tiger of Kyushu. And now, here he was - a tiger caught in a trap.

For days Mori Takamoto, and the wounded survivors of his army, sought to evade the pursuing Chosokabe. But the plains offered them no shelter and the Chosokabe knew their country well. They were never out of sight of the Chosokabe outriders. They pressed on desparately toward the beaches where their fleet waited to bring them to safety, until, eventually, exhaustion forced them to stop.

His men begged him to go on without them but Takamoto refused to abandon them. And it is thus that the Chosokabe find them on the edge of a corpse without hope and without strength.

That morning, Mori Takamoto gathered his men about him and he sat down in their midst like a school teacher giving a lesson. Many of the men were not samurai, so he spoke to them about the code of Bushido and the honour of the samurai. He said that any man who stands by him on that day will be a samurai of the highest order, and he will remember him and honour him in the afterlife. They listened to all this with blank faces, emotionless. Yet here they all are, no one abandoned him.

As the fiery arrows of the Chosokabe engulf his men in flames, he thinks of his son and heir, Mori Sanemune, and how fearlessly he rode under the rain of arrows at the Battle of Higa. He knows that the Mori legacy will be safe in his hands.

On his left, he sees a company of Chosokabe yari cavalry detach from the main body and charge straight at him, their spear points glinting in the sunlight. Which one of these spearpoints, he wondered, will run him through?

~ ~ ~

When the 21 year old Mori Sanemune received news that his father was slain at Battle of Aso, and that he was now Daimyo of the Mori and master of 11 provinces, he gulped, took a deep breath, and then formally acknowledged the obeisance of the retainers gathered around him.



He was still too young, and his mind too tender, to be fully conscious of the political dimensions of life. But already tendrils of suspicion grew in his mind as he heard the account of how his uncle abandoned his father at Imabari to chase after a phantom Chosokabe army. As he gazed upon the severed head of the metsuke who had made that false report, he thought, the head of a lowly metsuke is hardly sufficient recompense for the life of a daimyo.

But for the moment, Mori Motoharu was in Shikkoku with the largest army the Mori possessed. Let him finish his work in Shikkoku, Sanemune thought, there will be time for questions later.

~ ~ ~

When told of the death of Mori Takamoto, his brother, Motoharu sank to his knees before a tall Gampi tree and bawled like a baby. His captains looked at each another awkwardly, no one daring to venture to console him.

~ ~ ~

Daimyo Tamehisa of the Chosokabe looked at the box sitting on the table before him. Already, he knew what was in it. He looked around the room at the excited faces of his gathered kinsmen and retainers, then he lifted the lid and saw the pale, blood stained head of Mori Takamoto. Some cheered, others, perhaps remembering that fateful battle of Takamatsu where so many clansmen were slain by the Mori, wept. How many times had he dreamed of this moment, and yet he felt no elation now as he looked upon the severed head of his slain arch enemy, only emptiness.

I died at the hands of lesser men, the head of Mori Takamoto seemed to say to him, and your demise will not be long in coming, my dear enemy.

Second Battle of Imabari, Spring 1568

"What do you mean he's gone!" Mori Takamoto yelled when told that Mori Motoharu had taken his army to intercept Chosokabe reinforcements coming up the Imabari-Kochi road. "What reinforcements? My metsuke tell me nothing of reinforcements. The Chosokabe reserve army is still in Kochi!"

But yelling will not bring back Motoharu. Already the Chosokabe field army was forming up for the attack. The Chosokabe had sallied out of Imabari the previous night and taken up positions on the plains. Mori Takamoto had accepted battle thinking that Motoharu was behind him. It is now too late to retreat.

It is a magnificent morning. The rays of Ameratsu ignites the morning mist and fills the air with golden brilliance.



Chosokabe forces advance



Mori position in the woods


The Mori army is inferior in quality to the Chosokabe who have more samurai. Takamoto worries about the ashigeru in the center and the light cavalry on the right. He concentrates his heavy cavalry on the left hoping to break the enemy on the left and roll up the flank. But the Chosokabe have more than enough resources to answer him.

The flat plains offers little by way of natural defensive positions. Sparse woods offer some protection from arrows.

The Chosokabe cavalry advance from the flanks and Takamoto orders his calvary to intercept. The shock of the Mori charge appears to shake the Chosokabe at first. Then the deadly Chosokabe arrows begin to fall and take their toll on the Mori ranks. The Chosokabe melee troops charge the Mori center, they sense the weakness in the center. Takamoto commits a company of wako raider reserves to support the center.

Above the clash of steel, Takamoto sees the Chosokabe commander's pennant drifting towards his left. That's where they are concentrating their force, he thought. Immediately, he rides to the left to strengthen that flank.

He notes with frustration that the Mori cavalry were not making any progress on the left against the Chosokabe cavalry so he charges with his bodyguard into the fray to tip the scales. It was at this point that the Mori center and right, like the hull of a ship battered repeatedly by the waves, begin to crack at various points. Before long the cracks become a complete rout and the entire Mori army dissolves into haphazard flight.

For the first time in his life, the Tiger of Kyushu turns his back on the enemy and flees.

Second Chosokabe Wars, Spring 1568

Daimyo Takamoto rode at a leisurely pace across the snow covered fields. He paused to gaze at the smoke rising lazily from peasant huts scattered about in the distance.

There was not a soul to be seen for miles. The fields lie fallow in winter.

Every creature - human, beast and bird - hid from the winter cold in its own fashion. Only he - the Tiger of Kyushu - felt safe and at home out here in the open, in the snow and in the cold. Except for the province of Buzen, the destruction of the Ouchi left him as the undisputed master of all Kyushu.   

He recalled the pact that he had made with Daimyo Tamehisa when the first Chosokabe Wars ended in stalemate years ago. It's time that I kept my promise to Tamehisa, he thought

The Second Chosokabe Wars

The Mori declared war upon the Chosokabe in Spring 1568. Mori Takamoto made sure that he was well prepared this time. He allocated two field armies for the invasion of Shikkoku, one under his command, and another under his brother, Mori Motoharu.

When asked where he intended to begin his invasion, he answered fiercely and without hesitation, "Iyo!"

His brother, Mori Takakage, had lost his life defending Imabari Castle in Iyo, in the last battle of the first Chosokabe Wars.

~ ~ ~

The Chosokabe greeted the Mori declaration of war with consternation. The Chosokabe were pariahs in Japan. They had no friends and were already locked in a war of attrition with the Yamana, Hatekeyama and Kikkawa clans.

"Our navy is virtually confined to port with so many enemy ships prowling the seas. Now, the Mori, with their powerful navy, are free to strike anywhere in Shikkoku! We can't defend everywhere!" worried the Chosokabe strategists.

"Don't wreck your brains on that account," Daimyo Tamehisa said calmly. "The Tiger of Kyushu will land in Iyo. As certain as the sun sets in the west, I know he will be in Iyo, and I will place my army there to welcome him!" 

~ ~ ~

Mori Motoharu was drinking sake with his captains at his headquarters when the messenger arrived.

"The daimyo has commenced the siege of Imabari Castle. The main Chosokabe field army have shut themselves in Imabari. It is a powerful force. He requests that you remain close with your army in case the Chosokabe attempt to breakout," the messenger said.

Motoharu said,"Assure my brother, the daimyo, that I will do as he requests. We will remain here. We will not move until he gives the order"

After the messenger left, Mori Motoharu gave a knowing glance at one of his adjutants. The adjutant got up and left the tent. Shortly afterwards, a metsuke appeared before Motoharu and reported.

"My lord, I have grave news! Strong Chosokabe reinforcements are detected moving up the Imabari-Kochi road. They will reach Imabari within days!"

"What!" Motoharu exclaimed.

"We must not allow the Chosokabe to link up. We have to destroy the Chosokabe while they remain separated," one of his captains, Uechiro, advised. 

"I agree. I will send word to my brother and await his command," Motoharu replied.

"My lord, there is no time! By the time you send word to the Daimyo, and receive his orders, the opportunity will be lost! Whereas if we move now, we still have time to set up an ambush and attack the Chosokabe in marching formation. If these reinforcements are allowed to reach Imabari and take up positions on high ground, they will be twice as strong and many more Mori men will die taking Imabari. Consider my lord, what would the Daimyo wish you to do? Didn't he always say that an army should be fluid, flowing like a stream, and that commanders, from the highest to the lowest, should respond quickly to changing situations? Think how furious he will be if he found out that you had this information and did nothing," advised Uechiro.

"Your words, Uechiro, are like the rays of the sun dispelling the darkness!" Motoharu exclaimed slapping his thigh. "Very well, then, rouse the men! We will move out immediately! We will destroy these Chosokabe reinforcements and be back before my brother even realises that we were gone"

End of the Ouchi

In summer 1565, the Ouchi are only one season away from annihilation. There are hardly any defenders left in Kunamoto Castle in Satsuma, the only castle remaining to the Ouchi.

What's left of the Ouchi field army is destroyed by Mori Sanemune and Mori cavalry rampage at will across the fields and farms of Satsuma.

The Ouchi Daimyo and the fragments of his field army are hidden away from the searching Kikkawa somewhere in the forests of Higo or Bungo. He sits under a blue beech tree contemplating the demise of his clan. The thought of death did not bother him. His mind was made up and his heart resolved. He will open his stomach in true samurai fashion. But how will he face the spirits of his ancestors? The kami of the Ouchi who bequeathed the rivers, mountains, fields and forests of their fiefdom to him, only to have it all lost in his hands? It is with such regrets and shame that his mind is tormented. Where did he go wrong? The Ouchi could not expand without removing the Mori which stood like a great boulder on the path to future glory. But by betraying their allies, and reneging on a clan marriage, the Ouchi had gambled all. He had sought and found the most opportune moment to do this. So where did he go wrong? On reflection it was undoubtly the intervention of the Kikkawa that tipped the balance. Without them the Mori would have been shattered at the fortress of Higa, and the Ouchi would have seized the initiative for the rest of the war. Those interfering Kikkawa, he thought bitterly. It was they who kept the offensive alive for the Mori. Who would have thought that the passive Kikkawa haboured such ambition?   

In the after life, these regrets will torment him more than the flames of hell.

Ouchi Wars, Winter 1565

As the war with the Ouchi wore on into the winter of 1565, the Ouchi are gradually worn down.

Hagi Castle fell to the Mori in summer 1564 with the help of the Kikkawa. The loss of their capital was a major blow to the Ouchi, but the losses sustained by Mori Takamoto's army was so great that he was forced to call a halt to offensive operations in order to replenish his army. During that pause the Kikkawa stole a march on the Mori and annexed Suo. They then moved swiftly, crossed the Kanmon strait between Honshu and Kyushu, and annexed Buzen, famous for its archers (Buzen formerly belonged to the Mori and previously to that the now extinct Shoni).

Mori Takamoto could not shake off the suspicion that, during the storming of Hagi Castle, the Kikkawa had deliberately held back their army so that the Mori would suffer high casualties, thus allowing them to advance ahead of the Mori. Although the Mori were not pleased with the Kikkawa's land grabbing, they could not afterall begrudge the Kikkawa their gains after receiving their help in the conquest of Nagato. Further, the Kikkawa conquests helped to weaken the Ouchi in the interim while the Mori rested their army.

The Mori navy in the meantime swept regional waters clear of Ouchi vessels and established naval superiority around the Kanmon strait paving the way for the crossing. The Ouchi navy consisted of relatively many Sengoku Bunes but they do not appear to understand the value of concentrating their fleets and so were easily destroyed piecemeal. However, a medium sized fleet managed to chase away the Mori cotton trade fleets and smaller fleets also caused temporary nuisance by blockading Mori ports.

In time, the Mori were ready to resume the offensive. Mori Takamoto crossed the Kanmon strait with his army into Kikkawa held Buzen and then proceeded on to Tsukushi easily occupying Fukuoka Castle encountering little or no resistance in the process. The was no sign of the Ouchi army.

They pressed further into Hizen and conquered the fortress of Dazaifu. Again there was no sign of the Ouchi army.

After the fall of Hizen, Mori Sanemune moved quickly to occupy the strategic river crossing on the Fukuoka-Kunamoto road. A medium sized Ouchi army was detected in Kunamoto Castle in Higo province.

The Ouchi appear to have divided their forces into three parts.

One part invaded Bungo province, but found Funai castle too well defended and so attacked and damaged the port instead. Encamped in the field in enemy territory in the middle of winter, they suffer attrition and also face a large Kikkawa army bearing down on them.

Another part invaded Osumi province in eastern Kyushu, but the defenders of Kanoya Castle put up a valiant defence and defeated the besieging army. Having understood the value of archers in attacking and defending castles, the Mori had recruited many companies of archers in Osumi and made good use of them in the battle.

The third part was in Higo province. Once Hizen is pacified, Mori Takamoto will consolidate his army and advance into Higo.

Attack on Funai Castle

In winter 1565, the writing was on the wall for the Ouchi, but they decide to make one last futile attack on Funai Castle in Bungo. The Ouchi attack with their army in Kunamoto Castle leaving it undefended. The attack is entirely pointless as the defenders outnumber the attackers.

What the defenders lack in quality they more than make up for in numbers and positional superiority, and the attackers are easily beaten back.

In so wasting their army, the Ouchi have left Kunamoto completely undefended and the Mori expect to take it easily in the following season. 

Storming of Hagi Castle, Summer 1564

In summer 1565, Daimyo Takamoto's army face the massive fortress of Hagi, the capital of the Ouchi.

Hagi is well defended by samurai archers. The Mori saw what damage massed archers can do in the storming of Imabari, so attacking a well built defensive structure defended my large numbers of samurai archers will not be easy. Conventional wisdom would counsel the Mori to settle into a prolonged siege, starve out the defenders or provoke them to sortie, while building up a larger force to storm the castle. However, Takamoto is impatient to avenge the loss of Buzen to the Ouchi in the previous spring. He considers that, with relatively large numbers of armoured samurai and his Kikkawa allies close behind, the Mori can defeat the defending garrison. The loss of Hagi would be a serious blow to the Ouchi.

 The Mori army approach from the north marching through a narrow valley. Although the east gate is less well defended, in order to get there the army would have to pass within range of the archers on the northern walls. So Takamoto gambles that attacking the north gate, although it is better defended, would be a less costly option.

The Mori archers move up to the walls in open formation to provide covering fire for the assault force. They get a first taste of the withering fire from the defending archers. Rows of samurai archers pour accurate volleys down upon the attackers from the galleries.

The lightly armoured ashigeru fare the worst. They lose almost half their strength before they fire their first volleys.

Under the cover of their archers the Mori N samurai move up to attack the north gate. An attacking force attacking the north gate is exposed to fire from the front, rear and enfilading fire from the left. The veteran N samurai in their heavy armour are stuck with arrows like straw targets while they set fire to the gate.

Once the north gate is destroyed, the Mori samurai pour through the burning gates.

 The Ouchi defenders behind the gates surround and attack the Mori savagely. The first waves are decimated quickly. But these veteran samurai stand their ground and fight to the bitter end.

As he saw the Mori banners fall one by one, and his beloved samurai massacred behind the gates, for the first time the Tiger of Kyushu was dismayed. Mori Sanemune, his son and heir, furious that the attack was losing momentum and that the Ouchi appear to be getting the upperhand, impetuously gallops up to the gates with his bodyguard to inspire and rally the troops, braving the Ouchi arrows. As Takamoto watches his son with pride and concern, he knows that it is too late to turn the tide.  The Mori's samurai core is virtually annihilated. Its archer units are totally destroyed. All that are left are the warrior monk and cavalry reserves and wako pirate auxiliaries. Too inadequate for the task at hand. He glances back at the forest in which the Kikkawa army is encamped.

The Kikkawa had brought a big army to Hagi and Takamoto had sent riders to the Kikkawa all morning requesting, begging that they join the assault, but all the Kikkawa have been doing till now is dither, ceaselessly organizing themselves in the forest. Takamoto is not naive as to what the Kikkawa are up to. They are deliberately delaying, hoping that the Mori would would be defeated and retreat, and so they would grab Hagi Castle for themselves. The Kikkawa will not move. The battle is lost. As he is about the give the order to retreat a herald in Kikkawa blue gallops up to him and pulls up his horse before him.

"My compliments to you, sir, and the brave warriors of the Mori!" he says. "We have been watching from the forest. Truly, in valour, the Mori samurai are unmatched in all of Japan!"

Takamoto would like to whip him off his horse, but just barely controls himself. "My compliments to your generals. I was hoping that the Kikkawa would do more than watch."

"We will!" the herald says with confidence. He cocks his head in the direction of the fortress. The sound of cheers, singing and victory chants is heard coming from within the fortress. The herald laughs and says,"Those fools. They think its over! But the day is still early."

"Look!" he says pointing at the north. A wave of blue Kikkawa banners appear from the shadows of the forest. The Kikkawa are on the move!

The Kikkawa ranks - archers, yari and cavalry - reach the Mori lines and pass through them in good order. One by one, the Kikkawa generals ride up to Mori Takamoto with their greetings as they pass by.

"Pull your forces back and rest," Says the Kikkawa herald. "The Kikkawa are faithful. We will finish the job. By nightfall Hagi Castle will belong to the Mori." Takamoto is speechless.

Tit for Tat

In summer 1564, the Ouchi invade along the Kokura - Fukuoka road taking Kokura Castle by storm.

The small Kokura garrison is overwhelmed but they make the most of the castle defences and extract a high price from the Ouchi.

The following autumn Daimyo Takamoto attacks Hagi Castle in Nagato keen to exact revenge for the loss of Kokura. But Hagi, unlike Kokura is a massively built fortress, the capital city of the Ouchi. Among its defenders are 7 companies of samurai archers. Taking Hagi will not be an easy proposition, but Takamoto is counting on his armored samurai - nagingata, yari and katana - to do the job. He can also count on the support of the Kikkawa army bringing up the rear. Has Daimyo Takamoto bitten off more than he can chew?

  

Opening moves

The immediate concern of the Mori is to find the main Ouchi army in Kyushu.

There are a few possibilities:

1.   The Ouchi may invade via the Kokura - Fukuoka road

2.  By way of Higo or through the woodlands from Tsukushi.

3. Or via the Kanoya - Kagoshima road or through the woodlands and fields from Satsuma.

The Daimyo Takamoto plans to invade Nagato and lay siege on Hagi Castle in winter with the main army, while a second army, under the command of Kobayakawa Motosura, is being recruited.

  

End of the Chosokabe Wars/Ouchi treachery

End of the Chosokabe Wars

"Imabari has fallen."

When he received this news, Daimyo Takamoto was standing upon a hill from which vantage he could easily observe the fiery glow in the northern sky in the direction of Imabari Castle.

"There are no reports of survivors. However, Mori Takakage made them pay heavily. The Chosokabe army is said to have suffered high casualties," said the metsuke. "The Chosokabe army was commanded by the Daimyo Tamehisa who is now in Imabari. Considering the weakened state of the Chosokabe, if you attack him at Imabari, you have a good chance of destroying him. But before you decide to do so, you should read this..."

The metsuke handed him a thin scroll. "Its a report from a metsuke in Bungo province, Shishido Michizane.

The Daimyo read the scroll and immediately dropped it in shock.

"What is it, my Lord?" his retainers asked. "Read it yourself!" said the Daimyo.

The message read:

I have long suspected that an Ouchi ninja network is operating in Bungo province, but unfortunately the authorities here do not believe me. Today, of my own initiative, I entrapped a ninja who, under torture, confirmed that he was working for the Ouchi. He has also revealed something even more startling ... that the Ouchi intend to take advantage of our war with the Chosokabe and will soon declare war upon us!

 "Who is this Michizane?" asked the retainer.

"A junior metsuke recently recruited in Bungo," said the metsuke.

"He is nothing but an upstart looking for attention," said the retainer dismissively. "We have a marriage alliance with the Ouchi, who have been our allies for years. Our diplomats have spent much time and money cultivating this friendship. This report is unreliable."

"You could also say that the Ouchi have spent much time and money cultivating our friendship, hm?" said the Daimyo pensively.

"You are taking this seriously? You believe this?" asked the retainer, disbelieving.

"I do." the Daimyo answered tersely. "I believe it, because if I were the Ouchi I would do exactly the same!" exclaimed the Daimyo slamming his fist on the table. "They have never forgotten what we did to them in Kyushu."

"But they would be breaking a marriage alliance! Their reputation throughout Japan would be in tatters!" the retainer protested.

"Which only shows how resolute our enemies are," the Daimyo said. "Send word to all the provinces in Kyushu to levy the ashigeru and prepare the towns and castles for defense."

"What about Chosokabe?" his generals asked.

The Daimyo thought for a long time then said,"Send word to Imabari that I wish to speak with Daimyo Tamehisa under a flag of truce."

~ ~ ~

The two mortals foes regarded each other silently. Eventually, Daimyo Tamehisa spoke.

"So the Tiger of Kyushu begs for peace. Is he afraid that he will meet the same fate as his brother and his dogs?"

Daimyo Takamoto glanced around at Tamehisa's men, some of whom were wounded and bandaged.

"By now you know how fiercely Mori dogs bite. I have asked for a truce not because I am afraid and not because I am merciful. I would like to cut off your head as much as any of my samurai. But it would appear that now I have other foes to deal with, so I do not have time for you!" said Takamoto.

"Why should that concern me!" Tamehisa said angrily.

"The Chosokabe lost many sons at the battle of Takamatsu including the former Daimyo. You have not been Daimyo for very long. Now, if you make me, I have the force to destroy you! But what will become of the Chosokabe dynasty if they lost yet another Daimyo? So it should concern you that you now have an opportunity to live."

There was a small chest at the feet of Takamoto. He pushed this chest with his foot toward Tamehisa.

"Take this," he said. "It is 5000 koku of gold from the mines of Iwami. Use it to rebuild your clan. Become strong again so that we can fight another day. Don't think too hard Tamehisa. There is only one answer and you already know it."

Tamehisa opened the chest, then slammed it shut. He glared at Takamoto and said,"Very well, we will fight another day. But do not imagine that this truce means that old wounds are forgotten. The Chosokabe and Mori will always be enemies!"

Thus, in the winter of 1563, the Mori made peace with the Chosokabe and brought the first Chosokabe Wars to an end. The Mori almost conquered Sanuki, but were turned back. They briefly held Iyo, but lost it again. What can we say? But that all the issues of life are determined by the kami and it is the divine will of the kami that the Mori are not allowed to have Shikkoku at this time.

Ouchi Treachery

The official declaration of war by the Ouchi arrived even as Daimyo Takamoto was about to board the heavy bune which would take him back to Aki.

He read it placidly, then said,"Send Shishido Michizane a reward of silver and tell him that from now on he reports directly to me." 

~ ~ ~

On the voyage home, as Daimyo Takamoto looked out over the waves from the top deck of the heavy bune, he heard his son, Mori Sanemune, cursing the Ouchi under his breath.

"The damned Ouchi! Those snakes! Those vipers! Damn them to hell!"

"Don't judge them too harshly, my son." said the Daimyo. "The Ouchi are only doing to us what we have done to them, and the Shoni, and the Chosokabe. If they are snakes, then so are we. We are all of the same brood."

The minds of all were concentrated on the coming conflict with the Ouchi, but Takamoto found his thoughts constantly returning to his late brother Takakage.

Daimyo Tamehisa said before they parted,"Your brother...my men tell me he fought well. Like a true samurai ...to the very end."

"I know. He's a Mori." Takamoto had replied.

It was not because he was particularly fond of Takakage. It was the realization that he never really knew his brother all these years growing up together. But in that council meeting when Takakage proposed the invasion of Iyo, it seemed as if, suddently, he saw his brother for the first time. The man that he really was. A man possessed of an ambition and a courage equal to his own. And then he was gone. And now he will never return. These thoughts filled Takamoto with an overwhelming sense of pathos.

 

Fall of Takakage

In autumn 1563, the army that Mori Takakage said the Chosokabe did not have now stood arrayed before Imabari Castle.

Throughout the summer of 1563, Takakage and his army stationed themselves in Imabari Castle repairing the damage buildings. News reached them that the Daimyo Takamoto had landed in Iyo with some 1000 troops and was on his way to reinforce Imabari. Almost simultaneously, reports came in that a large Chosokabe army was already in Iyo. He would not have believed the reports of the size of this army if he did not now see it before his eyes. Worse still, the castle defences were not yet fully repaired.

Takakage looked out from the citadel towards the south. Still no sign of the reinforcing army.



~ ~ ~

Under the half moon, Daimyo Takamoto whipped furiously at his troops.

"Move, you slime! No stopping till we reach Imabari! I will march your feet off if that's what it takes!" He shouted.

Takamoto had received the reports of the Chosokabe army in Iyo and was desperate to reach his brother before them. However, his troops had given him every last ounce of their energy and were now at the point of exhaustion. Even if they reached Imabari, they would be too exhausted to fight and Takamoto knew this.

"My lord, we have to rest the troops!" One of his generals protested. "You cannot ask more of them. At this rate, by morning you will not have an army left!"

~ ~ ~

The Daimyo is not coming, Takakage thought as he looked vainly towards the south, and now the Chosokabe are preparing to storm the castle. They will not even wait to starve them out.

Mori Takakage addressed his troops.

"My brothers, today we face an army more than twice our size. But that is of no concern for our skill and courage is more than twice theirs! If they'd brought an army ten times our size...well then we might call that an equal fight!"

His troops cheered loudly at his rousing words. But words are no protection against arrows.The opening volleys of the Chosokabe archers are terrifying. They shoot flaming arrows with deadly accuracy.

In that small castle, there were few places to hide from these deadly barbs.

The elite N warrior monks are cut down helplessly where they stand.



"Come in and fight me face to face you cowards!" the Mori troops shout through gritted teeth. Eventually, they do. And the Mori slaughtered them with the mad delight of men who know that they are about to die and who wish for nothing more except to kill as many of the enemy as possible. 

  

Wave after wave of Chosokabe are beaten back in terror.

Eventually, the Mori push the Chosokabe out of the castle and take the fight to the Chosokabe archers outside the castle.

As Takakage slashed at the seemingly endless mass of black armored Chosokabe samurai, and the pain from his many wounds fused into one, he seemed to split into two beings. He saw the first Takakage standing before the wooden Buddha of Imabari, beyond pain and beyond fear. The other Takakage was there at the gates slashing, parrying, dodging like some puppet on a string, without feeling or thought. Slash, parry, dodge ...he seemed to hear the voice of his kenjutsu master instructing him, and this puppet Takakage simply acted out the instructions. So he did not feel the cold steel of that fatal thrust through his ribs, he did not feel the ground as he hit it and the bodies that fell over him. The real Takakage was no more in this world, he was there gazing upon the Buddha of Imabari.