SENGOKU PERIOD
1478 - 1605
1479
Asakura Toshikage defeats the Shiba family and assumes control of Echizen, marking him in some scholar's eyes at the first 'Sengoku daimyo'.
1480
Peasants demonstrate in the Kyoto area demanding the abolition of toll booths.
1481
Asakura Toshikage, composer of the Toshikage Jushichikajo, dies and is succeded by Norikage.
1488
1490
Hôjô Soun takes Horigoe Castle in Izu and establishes himself as an indepenant Daimyo (many scholars considering him the first).
1491
Ashikaga Yoshitane defeats Rokkaku Takayori. He is then later defeated by the Hosokawa at Shogakuji and is forced to flee to the Western Chugoku region.
1495
Hôjô Soun takes Odawara Castle (Sagami)
1497
May Môri Motonari is born.
1499
Rennyo Kosa, founder of the Honganji, dies.
Go-Kashiwabara becomes emperor.
1501
The Ôtomo defeat the Oûchi clan at the Battle of Uma-ga-take (Buzen).
1502
Murata Shuko, considered the father of the Tea Ceremony, dies.
Asakura Norikage and the Ikko Ikki of Kaga clash at Kuzuryugawa.
Hosokawa Masamoto is assassinated by his adopted son Sumiyuki.
Nagao Tamekage defeats Uesugi Sadanori at the Battle of Ichiburi (Etchu).
The first firearm, a Chinese matchlock, to appear in Japan is presented to Hôjô Ujitsuna
Hosokawa Sumimoto dies and is succeded by Harumoto
August Sue Yorifusa and Tomoda Yorifuji clash at Tomoda (Aki).
July 10 Oûchi Yoshioki captures Sakurao Castle (Aki) and forces Tomoda Yorifuji to submit.
November Takeda Nobutora makes peace with Hojo Ujitsuna.
December Oûchi forces expand further into Aki.
October 9 Iriki-in Shigetoshi captures Momotsugi (Satsuma) from Shimazu Sanehisa.
October Amako Akihisa unsuccesfully attempts to capture Môri Motonari's Koriyama Castle in Aki province through seige.
October Satomi Yoshitaka turns back a Hôjô push into Awa Province.
November Sue Takafusa (Harukata) arrives with an Oûchi relief army and relieves Koriyama.
(Summer) Ouchi Yoshitaka and Môri Motonari invade the Amako's territory in Iwami and Izumo.
July Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] seizes power in Kai from his father, Nobutora. Nobutora is taken in by Imagawa Yoshimoto.
January Oûchi Yoshitaka and Môri Motonari lay siege to Amako Akihisa at Gassan-Toda castle in Izumo province.
April Takeda Shingen defeats an allied army of Shinano warlords at Sezawa in Shinano and begins a campaign into southern Shinano.
September Oda Nobuhide defeats Imagawa Yoshimoto in the 1st Battle of Azukizaka in Mikawa province.
January Tokugawa Ieyasu is born
January The Oûchi attempt to bring down Gassan - Toda ends in failure.
November Takeda Shingen defeats Fujisawa Yorichika at Ina-Matsushima in Shinano Province.
November 23 The Ryûzôji clan fails on its attack of Matsuura.
April 20 Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] seiges Fukuzawa Yorichika's main castle, Fukuyo, in Ina district.
May 15 Hatakeyama Tanenaga (born 1503), Shugo of Kawachi and lord of Takaya castle, dies.
June Hosokawa Harumoto defeats Hosokawa Ujitsuna near Kyoto at Uji.
June Fujizawa Yorichika sends his younger brother, Gonjiro, to Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] as a hostage, and surrenders. His castle is burned the same day.
June After Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] captures Ina district, he advances his army to Shiojiri, Tsukama district.
July Imagawa Yoshimoto makes the decision to subjugate Hôjô Ujiyasu, he departs the Imagawa mansion in Sumpu, and takes up a position at the Zentokuji temple in Suruga.
August 15 Yamanaka Shikanosuke is born in Mikawa province, seond son of Mikawa no Kami Mitsuyuki.
September Imagawa Yoshimoto and Hôjô Ujiyasu confront one another in Suruga; the Takeda arrive to support the Imagawa and Ujiyasu retreats.
September 20 Matsudaira Hirotada is defeated by Oda Nobuhide in an attempt to recapture Yasuyoshi castle in Mikawa.
October The Uesugi and Ashikaga surround the Hôjô's Kawagoe Castle in Musashi.
November The Hôjô and Imagawa make peace through the mediation of Takeda Shingen.
March Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] attacks Murakami Yoshikiyo's Toishi castle in Shinano, but is defeated at Uenohara.
May Hôjô Ujiyasu wins a decisive victory at Kawagoe Fort over the allied factions of the Uesugi family. Following this battle, the Hôjô are supreme in the Kanto region.
August Ota Sukemasa takes Matsuyama Castle in Musashi in a night attack.
September Takeda Shingen suffers a defeat at the hands of Murakami Yoshikiyo in the first Japanese battle in which guns are employed (in this case, by the Murakami and of Chinese manufacture)
August 15 Francis Xavier founds first Catholic Mission in Japan, on the southern island of Kyûshû
December Oda Nobunaga agress to exchange the infant Tokugawa Ieyasu for the life of Oda Nobuhiro with the Imagawa.
June The Hatakeyama and Nukui defeat the Yusa at the Battle of Ôtsuki in Noto Province.
June 1 Môri Motonari challenges Sue Harukata and defeats one of his armies at Oshikihata.
October 1 Môri Motonari defeats Sue Harukata at the Battle of Miyajima, a victory that makes certain the Môri rise to supremacy in Western Honshu
November Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen conduct the 2nd Battle of Kawanakajima, also known as the Battle of the Saigawa.
September Matsunaga Hisahide and the Miyoshi enter Yamato Province and clash with the Tsutsui and others.
May Satake Yoshiaki urges Uesugi Kenshin to attack the Hôjô family.
June 19 Oda Nobunaga defeats Imagawa Yoshimoto at the Battle of Okehazama. Ieyasu returns to Okazaki castle.
July Oda Nobunaga invades Mino Province and clashes with the Ichihashi family (vassals of the Saitô).
September Uesugi Kenshin attacks the Hôjô lands in the Kanto.
June Uesugi Kenshin besieges Hôjô Ujiyasu in Odawara but retreats after two months.
June Saitô Yoshitatsu dies of leprosy and is succeded by Tatsuoki. Only three days later the Saitô are defeated at the Battle of Moribe by Oda Nobunaga.
October Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin fight the inconclusive 4th Battle of Kawanakajima, the greatest of their contests.
November Môri Motonari and Ôtomo Sôrin battle for Môji Castle in Buzen Province.
November The Satomi navy operates against the Hôjô off Muira (Sagami Province).
October Môri Motonari captures Shiraga Castle (Izumo province) from the Amako.
August Miyoshi Chokei dies and is succeded by Yoshitsugu.
September Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen fight the 5th and final Battle of Kawanakajima.
June 17 Ashikaga Yoshiteru, the 13th Ashikaga shogun, is forced to commit suicide when attacked
in his palace by troops sent by Miyoshi Yoshitsugu and Matsunaga Hisahide.
September Môri Motonari besieges Gassan-Toda (Izumo), the Amako headquarters.
January Amako Yoshihisa surrenders to Môri Motonari and is sent into exile.
December Uesugi Kenshin campaigns against the Hôjô in northern Musashi.
October Oda Nobunaga captures Inabayama and takes Mino from Saito Tatsuoki.
November 7 Oda Nobunaga enters Kyoto and installs Ashikaga Yoshiaki as Shôgun.
December Oda forces under Shibata Katsuie defeat the Miyoshi and Matsunaga at Sakai (Settsu).
January The Miyoshi attack Ashikaga Yoshiaki at the Honkokuji in Kyoto.
April Luis Frois mets with Oda Nobunaga in Kyoto.
August Yamanaka Shikanosuke clashes with Môri forces in Izumo Province.
September Shimazu Yoshihisa takes Oguchi Castle in Ôsumi from the Hishikari.
September Chosokabe Motochika defeats the Aki Clan of Tosa and begins his efforts to take all of Shikoku.
October Môri and Ôtomo forces clash near Hakata in Chikuzen Province.
November Takeda Shingen surrounds Odawara Castle in Sagami; around a week later Shingen retreats and in the process defeats a Hôjô army at the Battle of Mimasetoge.
November Oda Nobunaga defeats Kitabatake Tomonori of Ise and forces him to submit; soon after he abolishes Ise's toll barriers.
November 23 Hojo Ujimasa repairs Odawara castle.
December Môri Motonari withdraws his army from Chikuzen Province.
January Takeda Shingen leads an army into Suruga Province.
February Takeda Shingen takes Hanzawa Castle from Ôhara Sukeyoshi.
April Oda Nobunaga visits Kyoto and prepares a campaign against Asakura Yoshikage.
May Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu march against Asakura Yoshikage of Echizen; Nobunaga is betrayed by Asai Nagamasa, his brother-in-law and is forced to retreat.
June Takeda Shingen clashes with Hôjô and Imagawa troops in Suruga Province.
July 30 Nobunaga and Tokugawa defeat the forces of the Asai and Asakura clans at Anegawa in Ômi; afterwards Nobunaga makes an effort to bring down the Asai's Odani Castle but withdraws after about a week.
August Nobunaga initiates hostilities with the Ishiyama Honganji.
August The Battle of Imayama: Ôtomo troops are defeated by a Ryûzôji army led by Nabeshima Naoshige. This victory allows Ryûzôji Takanobu to extend his power in Hizen.
December Oda Nobunaga attacks the Nagashima monto.
May Oda Nobunaga lays siege to the Nagashima Ikko stronghold in Ise.
August Tokugawa Ieyasu takes Nagashino (Mikawa) from Suganuma Sadayoshi.
October 20 Oda Nobunaga destroys the Enryaku-Ji monastic complex on Mt. Hiei.
January Takeda Shingen and the Hôjô make peace; the latter breaks off relations with the Uesugi.
April Oda Nobunaga defeats the remnants of the Rokkaku family in Ômi Province.
May Ryûzôji Takanobu forces the surrender of Tsukushi Hirokado of Chikuzen.
June Shimazu Yoshihisa defeats Ito Yoshisuke at the Battle of Kizakihara in Hyûga province.
September Oda Nobunaga makes an attack on Odani, the Asai's headquarters.
November Takeda Shingen leads his army into the Tokugawa domain.
November Uesugi Kenshin clashes with rioting ikko-ikki in Etchû Province.
December Akiyama Nobutomo, a Takeda retainer, captures Iwamura Castle in Mino from the Oda.
January 6 Takeda Shingen defeats Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Battle of Mikatagahara.
May 3 Oda Nobunaga surrounds Kyoto and forces Ashikaga Yoshiaki to abandon his first attempt at rebellion.
May 13 Takeda Shingen dies and is succeded by Katsuyori.
July Nobunaga makes an unsuccessful attack on the Nagashima monto.
August 18 Nobunaga reduces Ashikaga Yoshiaki’s stronghold on the Uji River after the shogun rebels; Yoshiaki is then sent into exile-making him the 15th and last Ashikaga shogun.
September Nobunaga surrounds Asai Nagamasa in Odani and defeats an Asakura relief effort.
September 16 Asakura Yoshikage commits suicide after Oda Nobunaga defeats his army and enters Echizen. Asai Nagamasa commits suicide in Odani soon afterwards.
March Takeda Katsuyori captures Taketenjin Castle in Tôtômi from Tokugawa Ieyasu.
May Ikko-ikki sieze power in Echizen.
July Oda Nobunaga besieges Nagashima.
July Satomi Yoshitaka of Awa dies.
August Nobunaga blockades and sets fire to the main Nagashima fortress, killing around 20,000.
May Oda Nobunaga campaigns against the Miyoshi in Settsu Province.
June 28 Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu defeat Takeda Katsuyori at the Battle of Nagashino. 10,000 Takeda warriors are slain.
September The Oda defeat the Honganji's supporters in Echizen, which is given to Shibata Katsuie.
April Nobunaga is defeated
by the Môri in the 1st Battle of Kizugawaguchi - a naval contest off
the coast of settsu.
March Nobunaga attacks
the Negoroji and Saiga monks of Kii.
September 28 Matsunaga
Hisahide revolts against Oda
Nobunaga and is forced to commit suicide after he is besieged in Shigi
Castle (Yamato).
October Uesugi Kenshin
occupies Noto Province.
November Uesugi Kenshin
defeats Oda Nobunaga at the Battle
of the Tedorigawa in Kaga.
December Hashiba (Toyotomi)
Hideyoshi attacks Kôzuki Castle in Harima Province.
January Shimazu Yoshihisa
forces Ito Yoshisuke to flee to Bungo.
April 13 Uesugi Kenshin
dies; his adopted sons Kagetora and Kagekatsu struggle for power.
August 28 Ôtomo Sôrin
is baptized as 'Francis'
November Araki Murashige of Itami Castle in Settsu revolts against Nobunaga
December 10 Shimazu Yoshihisa
wins a decisive victory over the Ôtomo clan at the Battle of Mimigawa
in Hyûga.
June 21 Oda Nobunaga presides
over the 'Azuchi Religious Debate', between the Nichiren and Jodo.
October An attempt by the Oda to subdue Iga province fails.
October The Takeda and Hôjô confront one another near Numzu Castle in Suruga Province
April The Takeda and Hôjô fight the land/sea Battle of Omosu.
June 9 Nagasaki is officially ceded to the Jesuits by the Ômura
September The Ishiyama Honganji surrenders to Oda
Nobunaga.
December Oda forces, commanded by Shibata
Katsuie, advance against the Ikko-ikki of Kaga.
September Oda Nobunaga
clashes with the warrior monks of Mt. Koya.
September 17 Sagara Yoshiaki of Higo province surrenders to Shimazu
Yoshihisa.
October The Oda clan conquers Iga province.
April Toyotomi (Hashiba)
Hideyoshi lays siege to Takamatsu, a Môri fortress in Bingo.
May Oda Nobunaga and
Tokugawa Ieyasu invade Kai and Shinano - Takeda
Katsuyori commits suicide.
June 20 Oda Nobunaga
is killed by his vassal, Akechi
Mitsuhide, at the Honnoji Temple in Kyoto.
June 25 Hideyoshi arranges for the surrender of Takamatsu, then marches against Akechi.
July 2 Hideyoshi defeats Akechi
Mitushide at the Battle of Yamazaki (Settsu)- the latter is killed soon
afterwards.
(Fall) Tokugawa Ieyasu
absorbs Kai and Shinano, defeating a Hôjô invasion of the former
May [Toyotomi] Hideyoshi defeats Shibata
Katsuie's troops at Shizugatake in Omi. Katsuie commits suicide soon afterwards
and Echizen passes to the Niwa.
May 5 The Shimazu and Arima defeat Ryûzôji Takanobu at Okitanawate in Hizen; Takanobu is killed in action.
The Komaki Campaign: Toyotomi
Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu
come to blows over Oda Nobuo's right to succeed Nobunaga.
April 26 Hideyoshi leads an army into Owari.
May 15 Tokugawa troops win the Battle of Nagakute.
June Hideyoshi withdraws from the Komaki area to attack Oda Nobuo.
July Sasa Narimasa raises troops against Hideyoshi in Etchu and is attacked by Maeda Toshiie.
January Toyotomi Hideyoshi
and Tokugawa Ieyasu formally make peace.
April Hideyoshi subdues the Saiga monto of Kii.
June Hideyoshi invades Shikoku with roughly 100,000 men.
July 25 Chosokabe Motochika
surrenders and has his holdings reduced to Tosa
province.
August 6 Hideyoshi is named Kampaku by the court. Hideyoshi also names five administrators (Bugyo) to govern Kyoto. Included are Ishida Mitsunari and Asano Nagamasa.
September 29 Sassa Narimasa surrenders Etchu to Hideyoshi.
October 31 Hideyoshi adopts the family name 'Toyotomi'.
November Date Masamune
defeats an allied army consisting of the Hatakeyama, Ashina, and Satake in
the siege of Motomiya in Mutsu.
November 12 Hideyoshi orders Shimazu
Yoshihisa to cease hostilities with the Ôtomo.
December 10 Tokugawa retainer Ishikawa Kazumasa suddenly deserts Ieyasu for Hideyoshi.
November The Shimazu invade Bungo, the last Ôtomo territory.
December An early attempt by troops sent by Toyotomi Hideyoshi to aid the Ôtomo ends in failure at the Hetsugi River in Bungo.
January Hideyoshi accepts the title of Daijo daijin, becoming only the third warrior (after Taira Kiyomori and Ashikaga Yoshimitsu) to hold this title.
The Kyushu Campaign
January Toyotomi Hidenaga
leads the main Toyotomi army into Kyûshû.
January 24 The Shimazu occupy Funai (Bungo) but quickly abandon the city before the Toyotomi army.
February Toyotomi Hideyoshi
leads another army onto Kyûshû, increasing the overall Toyotomi
strength to nearly 170,000 men.
June 6 Hideyoshi defeats the Shimazu at the Battle of the Sendai River.
June 14 The Shimazu surrender. Yoshihisa is forced to retire but his family retains Satsuma, Osumi, and part of Hyuga.
July 24 Hideyoshi issues first Christian Expulsion edict.
November 1-10 Toyotomi Hideyoshi holds the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony.
(Spring) The ‘Higo Rebellion’ occurs; Toyotomi Hideyoshi orders Sasa Narimasa to commit suicide as a result.
August Hideyoshi orders the great 'Sword Hunt' across Toyotomi Japan
June 5 Date Masamune
soundly defeats the Ashina clan at the battle of Suriage-ga-hara.
May Toyotomi troops begin invading the Kanto.
June Toyotomi Hideyoshi
lays siege to the Hôjô family at Odawara (Sagami), employing over
200,000 troops in the effort.
August 12 Odawara capitulates; Hôjô
Ujimasa commits suicide.
September Tokugawa Ieyasu
arrives at Edo Castle, his new headquarters. The Tokugawa clan is completly
relocated to the Kanto over the course of the next twelve months.
January Toyotomi Hideyoshi
informs Korean diplomats that he intends to conquer China.
March Hideyoshi orders tea-master Sen no Rikyu to commit suicide.
April Korea refuses to allow transit for Japanese forces in an invasion of China.
July A second attempt to secure Korean cooperation in an invasion of China fails.
August Hideyoshi orders preperations for an invasion of Korea.
September Hideyoshi orders a strict distinction between warriors and commoners and forbids any further mobility from one class to another.
February 11 Toyotomi Hideyoshi
retires as Kampaku and assumes the title Taiko.
The First Invasion of Korea
April 13 Japanese forces land on Korean soil and capture Pusan.
April 15 Konishi Yukinaga captures Tongnae, a fortress north of Pusan.
April 27 Konishi Yukinaga captures Ch'ungju and marches on Seoul.
May Konishi Yukinaga and Kato
Kiyomasa occupy Seoul.
May 7 Korean 'turtle ships' under Admiral Yi Sun Shin sink 26 Japanese vessels near Okpo; by May 8 Yi sinks a further 18 ships.
June 16 Konishi's division occupies P'yongyang.
July 8 Yi Sun Shin routs a Japanese fleet near Hansando, sinking 47 ships and capturing 12.
July 19 Kato Kiyomasa
wins the Battle of Haejongch'ang in his north-eastern advance.
October 4-10 Japanese troops under Hosokawa Tadaoki fail to take Chinju, a fortress northwest of Pusan.
(Fall) China intervenes and attempts to recapture P'yongyang.
February Japanese forces abandon P'yongyang to the Chinese; samurai under Kobayakawa Takakage defeat a Chinese army in a rear-guard action at Byokchekwan.
June 21 The Japanese capture Chinju.
August Fighting in Korea largely ends after negotiations begin.
September Toyotomi Hideyori is born.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds Momoyama
Castle
August Toyotomi Hideyoshi
orders his nephew Hidetsugu to commit suicide and slaughters his family.
October The Spanish galleon San Felipe is shipwrecked on the coast of Shikoku, setting the stage for a crisis between Hideyoshi and the foreigners.
The Second Invasion of Korea
March 19 Toyotomi Hideyoshi
orders a resumption of the war in Korea. Ukita Hideie is placed in overall
command.
August 17 Japanese troops capture Namwon.
September 19 The 'miracle at Myongyang': 16 ships under Yi Sun Shin defeat a Japanese fleet of 133 vessels.
(Fall) Kato Kiyomasa and
Asano Yukinaga are besieged in Ulsan. The seige continues into the following
Spring.
August Hideyoshi establishes a council of regents (Tokugawa
Ieyasu, Meada Toshiie, Môri
Terumoto, Ukita Hideie, and Uesugi Kagekatsu)to rule while Hideyori comes
of age.
September 18 Toyotomi Hideyoshi
dies.
October Japanese forces are ordered to prepare for a complete withdrawal from Korea.
November 19 Yi Sun Shin dies securing the final Korean naval victory of the war at Noryang.
April Meada Toshiie dies.
The Sekigahara Campaign
August Uesugi Kagekatsu clashes with Date
Masamune and Mogami Yoshiaki.
August 17 The 'Western' leaders gather at Sawayama (Omi).
August 22 Ishida Mitsunari issues a statement denouncing Tokugawa
Ieyasu; Ieyasu responds with preparations for war.
August 27 Western forces besiege Fushimi Castle.
September 6 Fushimi Castle falls to the Western forces.
September 28 Eastern forces led by Fukushima
Masamori and Ikeda Terumasa
capture Gifu (Mino).
October 7 Tokugawa Ieyasu leads an army west from Edo (Musashi).
October 12 Tokugawa Hidetada lays siege to Sanada
Masayuki's Ueda Castle (Shinano).
October 21 Tokugawa Ieyasu
defeats Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara.
November 6 Ishida Mitsunari is executed in Kyoto.
March 24 Tokugawa Ieyasu
becomes Shôgun of Japan
Tokugawa Ieyasu retires as Shôgun
in favor of Hidetada.
1504 - First year of Eishô
1506
1507
1508
1509
1511
1516
1518
1519
1521 - First year of Daiei
1522
1523
1524
1525
1526
1527
1528 - First year of Kyôroku
1531
1532 - First year of Temmon
1533
1534
1536
1536
1538
1539
1541
1542
1543
1544
1545
Mori Motonari's wife dies at age 47.
1546
Takeda Harunobu [Shingen] attacks Uchiyama castle in Shinano. The seige lasts 11 days, until the lord of the castle, Ooi Sadakiyo surrenders.
1547
1548
1549
1551
1552
1553
1554
1555 - First year of Kôji
1556
1557
1558 - First year of Eiroku
1559
1561
December Uesugi Kenshin clashes with Hôjô forces at Matsuyama Castle in Musashi Province.
1562
1563
1564
1565
1566
1567
1568
1569
1570 - First year of Genki
1571
1572
1573 - First year of Tenshô
1574
1575
1576
1577
1578
1579
1581
1582
1583
1584
1585
1586
1587
1588
1589
1591
1592 - First year of Bunroku
1593
1594
1595
1596
1597
1598
1599
1603
1605
