INTERACTIVE BATTLE
Battle of Anegawa
30 July 1570 · the Anegawa and Yokoyama castle, Omi Province
Betrayed by Azai Nagamasa at Kanegasaki, Oda Nobunaga marched into Omi with Tokugawa Ieyasu and met the Azai and Asakura at the Anegawa. The Oda and Tokugawa won the day but did not destroy the Azai.
Background
Nobunaga had attacked Asakura Yoshikage in Echizen when Azai Nagamasa, who should have been his ally, struck at his rear and forced him back to Kyoto. Regrouping with Ieyasu’s help, Nobunaga entered Omi and laid siege to the Azai fort of Yokoyama.
Outcome
The Oda and Tokugawa won and Yokoyama fell, but Nagamasa withdrew to Odani castle and fought on. The Azai and Asakura would not be destroyed for another three years.
Course of the battle
1 21 July
Nobunaga sets out from Gifu2 23 July
Encamped on Toragozen-yama, the town below Odani is burnedThe Oda drew up on Toragozen-yama within sight of Odani castle and put the town below to the torch, apparently to draw the Azai out of their stronghold.
Encamps on Toragozen-yama
Sources12·Certainty: Medium
3 26 July
The Oda invest Yokoyama castleRather than assault Odani directly, Nobunaga turned to besiege Yokoyama castle, a key position to the south. The Azai could not abandon it, and moved out together with Asakura reinforcements.
Moves to relieve Yokoyama castle
Sources12·Certainty: Medium
4 early morning, 30 July
The armies clash across the AnegawaFighting opened at the shallows of the Anegawa at first light. The Oda faced the Azai and the Tokugawa the Asakura, and the battle became a melee in midstream.
Points of debate
Numbers, the details of the deployment, and the account that a Tokugawa flanking attack decided the day all carry a share of later tidying.
Fights the Azai head on
Faces the Asakura
Distinguishes himself at the Anegawa
Leads reinforcements for the Azai
Sources12·Certainty: Disputed
5 30 July
The Azai and Asakura fall back and Yokoyama castle is takenUnable to hold, the Azai and Asakura withdrew, and Yokoyama castle passed to the Oda. Nagamasa fell back on Odani castle and fought on.
Withdraws to Odani castle
Sources12·Certainty: Medium
Historical significance
The battle opened the long encirclement of Nobunaga. It was also the first major action near the capital region in which Ieyasu fought as his ally.
Key figures
織田氏
4
徳川氏
3
Commander-in-chief of the Tokugawa
Faced the Asakura and is said to have attacked them in the flank.
Sources1·Certainty: High
Tokugawa commander
Said to have distinguished himself at the Anegawa.
Sources1·Certainty: Medium
Tokugawa commander
Said to have joined the attack on the Asakura.
Sources1·Certainty: Medium
浅井氏
1
Commander-in-chief of the Azai
Fought the Oda head on, was beaten, and withdrew to Odani castle.
Sources1·Certainty: High
朝倉氏
1
Asakura commander
Led reinforcements at the request of the Azai.
Sources1·Certainty: Medium
Other events of 1570
Notes on the data
Dates are given in the Western (Julian) calendar. The sources use the lunar calendar; 30 July here corresponds to the 28th day of the 6th month of Genki 1. The battlefield lies north of Yokoyama castle, but the castle under siege is used as the representative point.
Sources consulted
- Wikipedia「姉川の戦い」
- 城郭マスタ（shiro.geojson）
The numbers in the text refer to the list above. Certainty indicates how far a statement is supported by the cited sources; it does not refer to the precision of the coordinates or the dating.
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