英語版のサイトに Shitaragahara Battle Field のページをアップロードしました：
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/index.html
設楽原古戦場は、愛知県東北部、三河の山あいにある古戦場です。
武田信玄亡き後、武田家を継いだ武田勝頼が徳川家康の拠点の城、長篠城を攻めたことから、織田・徳川連合軍との間で全面戦争になった戦いです。
時は1575年(天正3年)5月21日、太陽暦では6月29日の事です。
丘陵地の間を流れる小さな連吾川を挟んで両軍が対峙し、織田・徳川連合軍は、連吾川に沿って防馬柵を築いていました。
Shitaragahara Battle Field のページへどうぞ：
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/TravelDestinations/Chubu/Shitaragahara_E.html
日本語版では、下記のページで紹介しています：
http://shanehsmt.html.xdomain.jp/Travel/Japan/Chubu0/Shitaragahara.html#Shitaragahara
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My English site:
http://handejapan19.html.xdomain.jp/index.html
At the end of the sixteenth century, it was the civil war era in Japan.
ODA Nobunaga(1534 - 1582) extended his territory from Owari Province, present-day the west part of Aichi Prefecture to Mino Province, present-day the south part of Gifu Prefecture.
TOKUGAWA Ieyasu also extended his territory from Miklawa Province, present-day the east part of Aichi Prefecture to Totoumi Province, present-day the west part of Shizuoka Prefecture.
ODA Nobunaga and TOKUGAWA Ieyasu(1543 - 1616) formed an alliance.
ODA Nobunaga expanded his territory to the west and TOKUGAWA Ieyasu expanded his territory to the east.
To further east of Totoumi Province, Suruga Province, the present-day the east part of Shizuoka Prefecture was the territory of TAKADA Shingen(1521 - 1573).
To the north of Mikawa Province, the south part of Shinano Province, the present-day Nagano Prefecture, was also the territory of TAKEDA Shingen.
TAKADA Shingen tried to expand his territory to the west, to Totoumi and Mikawa Provinces.
In May, 1575, TAKEDA Katsuyori, successor of TAKEDA Shingen attacked Nagashino Castle, located near Shitaragahara. In order to rescue Nagashino Castle, the alliance of ODA Nobunaga and TOKUGAWA Ieyasu marched to Shitaragahara from Okazaki Castle. The battle broken out at Shitaragahara on May 21st, 1575 as the lunar calendar of those days.
If you will walk over a small hill from the site of the headquarters of TOKUGAWA Ieyasu, you are in the small valley of Rengo River. Rengo River is a small brook.
ODA and TOKUGAWA took up their positions on the west side of the Rengo River.
TAKEDA Katsuyori positioned up his army on the east side of the Rengo River.
ODA - TOIKUGAWA Alliance had an army 30,000 strong and TAKEDA Katsuyori had an army 15,000 strong.
The small valley was filled with these troops.
On the west side of the valley, the wooden fences were restored.
ODA-TOKUGAWA built these fences just in two days, in order to protect their troops against TAKEDA Cavalry.
ODA-TOKUGAWA alliance had three thousands of matchlocks.
They used these fences to fire matchlocks against TAKEDA Cavalry.
Soldiers of TAKEDA Cavalry were killed by matchlocks in front of the wooden fences.
The battle brought out at the early in the morning on May 21st, 1575 and ended around noon. It lasted only half day.
There is a monument which tells the place where TSUCHIYA Masatsugu(1545 - 1575) died.
TSUCHIYA Masatsugu was one of twenty-four major military commanders of TAKEDA Army.
Surprisingly, the monument is located to the west side of the wooden fences.
It indicates that TSUCHIYA Masatsugu broken through the wooden fences with his horse.
If you walk to the east from the main battle field, there is a small hill.
On the hill, cultivated land expands. An old farmer was working in the field.
Many people died at this battle, especially TAKEDA Army.
It is said that ODA-TOKUGAWA Alliance lost approximately five thousands soldiers death and TAKEDA army lost ten to twelve thousands soldiers death.
If you walk to the north, you will see burial mounds.
People lived in this area buried the thousands bodies of unknown soldiers.
The Shitaragahara Battle Field spreads approximately two kilometers along Rengo River.
If you walk to the south, you will cross the JR Iida Line.
If you walk to the south further five hundreds meter, you will arrive the south end of the "Shitaragahara Battle Field".
A wide and peaceful view of rice fields spreads out. It can not be believed that such a brutal battle broken out in this peace scenery.
The "Shitaragahara Battle" was the turning point in history of Japan.
After the battle, TAKEDA Katsuyori had kept losing his power.
As there were less concerns and worries from the east side, ODA Nobunaga put his army and power into Kyoto, the political center in Japan at that time, where located to the west from Owari and Mino Provinces.
He practically ruled Japan by 1582.
Please visit the homepage article for more detail.
Shitaragahara Battle Field
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