Uesugi Kenshin
was a
warlord who ruled
Echigo province in the
Sengoku Period of
Japan.
Uesugi Kenshin was one of the many powerful lords of the Sengoku-jidai. He is famed for his prowess on the battlefield, his military expertise, strategy and his belief in the god of war - Bishamonten. In fact, many of his followers and others believed him to be the
avatar of Bishamonten, and called Kenshin god of militaries. Kenshin was also known to be an alcoholic.
His original name was
Nagao Kagetora (長尾景虎). He changed his name to
Uesugi Masatora (上杉"虎) when he inherit the Uesugi family name in order to accept the official title of Kantou Kanrei (関東管領). Later he changed his name again to
Uesugi Terutora (上杉輝虎) to honor the
Shogun Ashikaga Yoshi
teru (足利義輝), and finally to Kenshin (上杉謙信) after he became a Buddhist monk; in particular, he would become renowned for being a devotee of
Bishamonten. For the majority of this description, the name of
Kenshin will be used.
Kenshin is sometimes referred to as "The Dragon of Echigo" because of his fearsome skills in the martial arts displayed on the battlefield. His rival
Takeda Shingen was called "The Tiger of Kai". In
Chinese mythology, (Shingen and Kenshin had always been interested in Chinese culture, especially the works of
Sun Tzu) the Dragon and Tiger have always been bitter rivals who try to defeat one another, but neither is ever able to gain the upper hand.
Born the fourth son of the noted warrior
Nagao Tamekage (長尾為景), Kenshin's early life presents a unique story. His father had gained some renown as a warlord through his military victories over
Uesugi Sadanori and
Uesugi Funayoshi. However, in later years, Tamekage found himself at odds with the neighboring
Ikko-ikki of
Hokuriku, and as the political power in the region started to shift in favor of this rival clan (due largely to the sudden rise of the
Honganji), the situation for
Echigo quickly deteriorated. It came to a peak in 1536, when Kenshin's father gathered up an army and marched westward, his aim uncertain. However, upon arriving at
Sendanno in
Etchu, his forces were suddenly attacked by
Enami Kazuyori, and in the resulting battle
Tamekage himself was slain, and his army put to flight.
The impact back at Echigo was immediate.
Harukage,
Tamekage's eldest son, immediately made his bid for control of the
Nagao, and succeeded in this claim after a power struggle which resulted in the death of one of his brothers,
Kageyasu. Kagetora {Kenshin) was removed from the conflict and relocated to
Rizen-ji, where he spent his life from 7 to 14 dedicated to study.
Claim for Power
At the age of fourteen, Kenshin was suddenly contacted by
Usami Sadamitsu and a number of other acquaintances of his late father. They urged the young
Nagao son to go to
Echigo and contest his older brother's rule. It would seem that
Harukage hadn't proven the most effective or inspiring leader, and his failure to exert control over the powerful
kokujin families had resulted in a situation which was nearly to the point of tearing the province apart.
As the story is told, at first Kenshin was reluctant to take the field against his own brother, but was eventually convinced that it was necessary to the survival of
Echigo. In a series of engagements led by himself and
Usami Sadamitsu, Kenshin succeeded in wresting control of the clan from
Harukage in 1547.
Harukage's own fate is uncertain, as some sources claim he was allowed to live, but others record his forced suicide.
Early Rule
Though his rule over the
Nagao clan was now unquestioned, much of
Echigo was still independent of this young warlord's grasp. Kenshin immediately set out to cement his power in the region, but these efforts were still in their infant stages when a far more pressing concerns appeared.
Ogasawara Nagatoki and
Murakami Yoshikiyo, two
Shinano lords, both appeared before Kenshin requesting his help in halting the advances of the powerful warlord
Takeda Shingen. Around the time Kenshin became the new lord of Echigo, Shingen had won major victories in
Shinano Province. With the
Takeda's conquests taking them remarkably close to the borders of
Echigo, Kenshin agreed to take the field.
Uesugi and Takeda
What followed was the beginning of a rivalry which became legendary. In the first conflict between the two, both
Uesugi Kenshin and
Takeda Shingen were very cautious, only committing themselves to a small skirmish which came out indecisively. Over the years, there would eventually be a total number of five such engagements at the famous site of
kawanakajima, though only the fourth would prove to be a serious, all-out battle between the two.
In the year of 1561, Kenshin and Shingen fought the biggest battle they would fight, the
fourth battle of Kawanakajima. Kenshin used an ingenious tactic: a special formation where the soldiers in the front would switch with the soldiers in back as those in the frontline became tired or wounded. This allowed the tired soldiers to take a break while the soldiers who had not seen action would fight on the frontlines. This was extremely effective and because of this Kenshin nearly defeated Shingen. In this battle is the tale of Kenshin riding up to Shingen and slashing at him with his sword. Shingen fended off the blows with his iron war fan or
tessen. However, Kenshin failed to finish Shingen off.
Hara Osumi-no-kami drove Kenshin away and Shingen made a counter-attack. The Uesugi army retreated and many drowned in a nearby river while others were cut down by Takeda's generals.
The result of the
fourth battle of Kawanakajima is still uncertain, and many scholars are divided on who the actual victor was, if the battle was actually decisive enough to even declare one. Although Kenshin lost 72% of his army compared to Shingen, who lost around 62%, Shingen lost two of his most important generals during the battle, namely his advisor
Yamamoto Kansuke and younger brother
Takeda Nobushige.
Although Shingen and Kenshin were rivals, they are known to have exchanged gifts a number of times, most famously when Shingen gave away a precious sword, which he valued greatly, to Kenshin. Shingen died in
1573, and Kenshin was said to have wept at the loss of so worthy an adversary.
Outside Events
Though his rivalry with
Takeda Shingen was legendary, Uesugi Kenshin actually had a number of other ventures occurring around the times of these famous battles (1553, 1555, 1557, 1561, 1564). In the year 1551, Kenshin was called upon to provide refuge for his nominal lord,
Uesugi Norimasa, who had been forced to flee there due to the expansion into the
Kanto by the
Hojo clan. Kenshin agreed to give the warlord shelter, but was not in a position at the time to move against the
Hojo. In the year 1559, he made a trip to pay homage to the
shogun in
Kyoto, and visited many religious and historical sites in the area. This served to heighten his reputation considerably, and added to his image as a cultured leader as well as a warlord. This same year he was pushed once again by
Uesugi Norimasa to take control of the
Kanto back from the
Hojo, and in 1560 he was able to comply. Heading a campaign against the
Hojo, Kenshin was successful in taking a number of castles from the clan, which ended in his striking against the
Odawara Castle in
Sagami Province. He managed to break the defenses and burn the town, but the castle itself remained unconquered, and lack of supplies forced his retreat soon after. However, it was during this time that he visited the
Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine and took the name
Uesugi.
The other main area which interesting Uesugi Kenshin was the
Etchu Province. The land was inhabited by two feuding clans, the
Jinbo and the
Shiina. Kenshin entered the dispute as a mediator for some time, but he later took sides with the
Shiina and took over the
Jinbo clan. A number of years later, he then took the field against the
Shiina (for seeming a bit too friendly with the
Takeda), and when he took their main castle in 1575, the
Etchu Province was effectively under his control.
Final years
Starting in the year 1576, Kenshin began to consider the issue of
Oda Nobunaga, who had since grown to be Japan's most powerful warlord of the time. With both
Takeda Shingen and
Hojo Ujiyasu dead, Kenshin was no longer blocked off from this realm of expansion. So, when the death of a
Noto lord in the area sparked up confusion and conflict, Kenshin was quick to use the opportunity, taking land from the weakened clan which put him in a position to threaten Nobunaga and his allies. In response, Nobunaga pulled together his own forces and those of two of his generals to meet Kenshin at
Tedorigawa. Nobunaga sent forth
Shibata Katsuie (柴"勝家), one of his best generals, who served Nobunaga since the beginning. According to some accounts, Shibata led 18,000 men into battle first, and Nobunaga himself followed up with 20,000 reinforcements. If this information is accurate, it would make the battle between the two one of the largest fought in the Sengoku period.
Despite Nobunaga's overwhelming numbers, Kenshin managed to score a solid victory on the field, and Nobunaga pulled back to
Omi province while Kenshin contented himself with building a few forts in
Kaga province before returning back to
Echigo province. In the winter of
1577-
1578, Uesugi Kenshin arranged to put forth a grand army to continue his assaults into Nobunaga's land. However, he was reported to be in horrid health during this time, and on April 9th he suffered a type of seizure while using the lavatory. He died four days later.
The cause of Kenshin's death has been questioned throughout the years. The theory accepted by most Japanese scholars is that a lifetime of heavy drinking and perhaps stomach cancer spelled the end for the great warlord. Other sources hold that he was in fact
assassinated, and a ninja who had hidden out in the area stabbed him when he was
using the lavatory. It is said that upon hearing of Kenshin's death, Oda Nobunaga remarked, "Now the empire is mine," though this does not necessarily mean that he had any hand in it.
Uesugi Kenshin's death was disastrous for the clan. He never had any sons but adopted two different sons who would be his heirs. Upon their adopted father's death, the two immediately entered into a power struggle, which ended with
Uesugi Kagekatsu being the clan's new ruler. However, the internal struggle had cost them too much time and energy, and
Oda Nobunaga had no problem taking over the majority of their lands quickly, going right up to the border of
Echigo.
Interestingly, there are speculations in modern times that Kenshin might actually be female rather than male. Reasons vary, and a few common ones are listed below:
*There are documentations which used an obscure word (大虫) when describing Kenshinn's death (while in the lavatory). The word in modern language refers to difficulities related to women's post-menstruation period (or mentrual cycle).
*Kenshin frequently complained about stomachaches on a monthly basis (typically around 10th of each month) while out in the battlefields, and avoided battles around the 10th of each month. Record shows that Kenshin typically initiated battles on or after the 15th of a month.
*Letters from a Spanish visitor to the King of Spain (Phillip the Second) referred to Kenshin as the "aunt" (Tia in Spanish) of Uesugi Kakekatsu (上杉景勝, the adopted son of Kenshin).
*Kenshin, through out his life, was never documented to desire women, which is extremely unusual for any men at that time, especially given his position and power. One important focus for
Daimyos in that period is to produce children to inherent the lands, which Kenshin apparently completely ignored.
*Kenshin's estate contains a number of deep red clothings. While red armors are reasonably common in the period, it is extremely unusual for men to wear red cloths, but preferred by females.
*There are songs and poems containing lines such as "[Kenshin's] strength is without match, stronger than any men." (In Japanese, the "men" here specifically refers to "males"; a different word is used for "people")
*While at the end of Sengoku period and starting with Edo period, almost all leaders are males, it is not uncommon for females to be leaders before then.
*Due to political struggles, after Kenshin's death, the Uesugi clan was forced to change their areas of direct control several times. Each time, Uesugi clan's retainers would dig out Kenshin's remains and rebury Kenshin at the new lands. Distrubing the remains of the dead was considered to be very inappropriate and disrespectful.
*Many of Kenshin's letters and poems are preserved to this day. The writing style is soft, thin, with small fonts, rather than the common writings of the Samurai class men.
*Kenshin frequently read
The Tale of Genji, which is a love story, rarely read by Samurai class individuals. In addition, while visiting the Emporer in
Kyoto, Kenshin requested 三智抄, which is a collection of love poems and songs, surprising all the officials. Further, Kenshin visited the women in
Kyoto during this time quite frequently, often along. It was inappropriate, or even forbidden, for men to visit another's wife, mother, or daughter.
*Historical record, when describing Kenshin's final moments (after the traditional makeups to prepare for the final address to friends and family members, so that the subject would appear more presentable), the word "beautiful" was used.
Kenshin is featured in
Koei's video game
Samurai Warriors. His appearance is designed to be rather similar with
Dynasty Warriors's depiction of
Xu Huang. He wields a seven bladed sword and prays to Bishamonten everytime he starts a battle.
Kenshin is also featured in
Capcom's
Sengoku Basara. In there, he is depicted as a much more feminime figure who would sometimes act rather narcisst. His voice is done by voice actress
Pak Romi. He's assisted with a fictional kunoichi named Kasuga. He wields a katana. In
Devil Kings, he is renamed as Frost, whereas Kasuga is renamed as Venus.
He is also a daimyō in
Shogun: Total War.
There has also been a popular animated series about the son of Kenshin and his 5 retainers. See
Mirage of Blaze (2002).
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Samurai Archives- Uesugi Kenshin
