The strategist general Hideyoshi praised  as someone he would entrust with a million soldiers – Otani Gyōbu-shōyū Yoshitsugu –

The Great Duo: Yoshitsugu and Ishida Mitsunari

Originally from Omi Province, Yoshitsugu became a retainer of Hideyoshi and served in various roles such as a member of the horse guards. He had a close relationship with Ishida Mitsunari, also from Omi Province, and sided with the Western Army during the Battle of Sekigahara. Illustration by Tadashi Sato.

Regarding Yoshitsugu Otani (Yoshitsugu/Kiyonosuke), who is also considered Ishida Mitsunari’s close ally, there are various theories and uncertainties about his birth and ancestry. However, it is certain that at the age of 15, thanks to Mitsunari’s recommendation, he became a page to Hideyoshi and later became a daimyo of Echizen Tsuruga with a domain of 50,000 koku. He also met his end fighting on the side of the Western Army in the Battle of Sekigahara.

Yoshitsugu was skilled in warfare, and there is a legendary tale that Hideyoshi once said, “I want to entrust a million soldiers to Kiyonosuke (Yoshitsugu) and let him fight the enemy.” In reality, Yoshitsugu possessed a unique talent known as the “extraordinary talent of military strategy vision,” which involved analyzing various data to understand the terrain and predict the enemy’s movements. It was Mitsunari who put this “vision” to use in logistics and other aspects according to Hideyoshi’s orders. In that sense, Mitsunari and Yoshitsugu were a formidable duo. They predicted the weather, understood the local circumstances, and grasped the movements of regional powerful clans. They used this information as input to benefit their strategies in battle. This was the true essence of Yoshitsugu.

For example, the decision to establish a defensive position on Mount Shizuka was based on Yoshitsugu’s “military strategy vision,” which predicted that the mountainous area on the northern shore of Lake Biwa would become the final gateway for Shibata forces coming from Kitano in Echizen. Therefore, Yoshitsugu concluded that the narrow road in the mountainous area of Lake Biwa’s northern region would become their military route. Hence, he believed that Mount Shizuka would be the battlefield for the decisive battle after stopping the enemy here.

In the Battle of Mount Shizuka, Yoshitsugu and Mitsunari cooperated, including the previous counterattack from Gifu which made Hideyoshi’s army movements smoother. Naturally, they spent more time near Hideyoshi than the Seven Spears. They could have also struck the enemy with the same speed as the Seven Spears in the assault ordered by Hideyoshi. In addition to the Seven Spears, Yoshitsugu and Mitsunari, along with six others, were considered the “Advance Guard.”

It was on the morning of April 21, the hour of the rabbit (6 a.m.) in the 11th year of the Tensho era (1583), just after the sunrise. Hideyoshi commanded Yoshitsugu, Mitsunari, Kiyomasa, Masanori, and other attendants in his entourage, saying, “Make great achievements!” Nobumori Sakuma, the spearhead general of the enemy, shouted to run up Gongenzaka at once to safely accommodate his younger brother, Sanzaemon Sakuma, who was going to the front (shingari). At that moment, Yoshitsugu took up his spear and led the charge. Mitsunari followed suit. They rushed down the Goeizaka Hill, attacking the long-extended rear guard of Sakuma forces.

The Sakuma forces were formidable opponents, and the battle was evenly matched. It was in the midst of the chaotic enemy forces that the “Advance Guard” was present. Yoshitsugu led the charge, thrusting with his spear at the forefront. Mitsunari and Ishikawa Sadayoshi swung their naginatas without hesitation.

In this way, the Sakuma forces could not hold on any longer and collapsed. In Hideyoshi’s eyes, both the “Advance Guard” and the Seven Spears had greatly excelled.

However, after this battle, Yoshitsugu, like Mitsunari, would focus more on administrative duties rather than being a warrior. Hideyoshi intended to preserve Yoshitsugu and Mitsunari, both possessing multifaceted talents, as crucial bureaucrats after unifying the country. Warriors like Kiyomasa Kato and Masanori Fukushima, who were wild boars (inoshishi-musha), might die in battle, but there were plenty of replacements for these warriors. However, bureaucrats who truly understood practical matters were not so abundant. That is why Hideyoshi valued Yoshitsugu and Mitsunari as bureaucrats of his administration.

Afterward, Yoshitsugu followed his ally Mitsunari and met a heroic end in the Battle of Sekigahara.

Written by Emiya Takayuki

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