INTERACTIVE BATTLE
Third Battle of Kawanakajima
May – October 1557 · Kawanakajima and northern Shinano Province (now around Nagano)
After the Takeda took Katsurayama Castle, Nagao Kagetora marched into northern Shinano; the Takeda avoided a decisive engagement and nothing was settled.
Background
In the second month of 1557 the Takeda turned the Ochiai of Katsurayama Castle by intrigue and took the castle by an attack under Baba Nobuharu. The commander, Ochiai of Bitchū, was killed, and the Nagao lost their strongpoint on the Zenkōji plain.
Outcome
Kagetora attacked several castles, but the Takeda would not meet him head-on. There was fighting at Uwanohara late in the eighth month, but Kagetora withdrew without any great result.
Course of the battle
1 February 1557
The Takeda take Katsurayama Castle
The Takeda turned the Ochiai inside the castle by intrigue, and Baba Nobuharu and others attacked and took Katsurayama. The commander, Ochiai of Bitchū, was killed.
Storms Katsurayama Castle
Sources34·Certainty: Medium
2 May – September 1557
Kagetora marches into northern Shinano
Having lost his strongpoint, Kagetora marched into northern Shinano and attacked several castles. The Takeda would not meet him head-on and no battle came of it.
Marches into northern Shinano
Sources125·Certainty: Medium
3 About September 1557
Fighting at Uwanohara settles nothing
There was fighting at Uwanohara, but Kagetora withdrew without any great result. The Takeda hold on northern Shinano remained.
Points of debate
The site of Uwanohara has not been fixed, and several candidates are proposed.
Declines a decisive battle
Sources125·Certainty: Medium
Historical significance
This was the year in which the Takeda avoided battle and consolidated their hold on northern Shinano. The third confrontation was not a great engagement but a name for a run of standoffs and skirmishes.
Key figures
上杉氏
2
Commander of the Nagao army
He marched out after the loss of Katsurayama Castle, but withdrew without being able to force a battle.
Sources5·Certainty: Medium
Commander of Katsurayama Castle
He held Katsurayama Castle and is said to have died when it fell.
Sources3·Certainty: Medium
武田氏
2
Commander of the Takeda army
He avoided meeting the enemy head-on and chose instead to consolidate his hold on northern Shinano.
Sources5·Certainty: Medium
Commander at the taking of Katsurayama
He led the taking of Katsurayama Castle and stripped the Nagao of their strongpoint.
Sources3·Certainty: Medium
Other events of 1557
Notes on the data
Dates are given in the Western (Julian) calendar. The sources use the lunar calendar; the campaign from the fourth to the ninth month falls between May and October 1557. The site of Uwanohara is not established, and the point on the map is placed at a representative position on the Kawanakajima plain.
Sources consulted
- 長野市「川中島古戦場史跡公園」
- ながの観光net「川中島の戦い 史跡ガイド」
- Wikipedia「葛山城 (信濃国)」
- 城郭マスタ（shiro.geojson）
- Wikipedia「川中島の戦い」
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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