Battles & Campaigns · 1578
Battle of Mimigawa
Takajo, Hyūga Province (Miyazaki), Japan
What happened
The Ōtomo army marched south and besieged the Shimazu castle of Takajo from 20 October 1578. A Shimazu force pretended to retreat, drawing the Ōtomo centre across the river into a trap. At the same time the castle's defenders came out and struck the Ōtomo from behind, and the Ōtomo army was routed.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was a heavy defeat for the Ōtomo, one of the great clans of Kyūshū. Several Ōtomo commanders died in the battle.
What came next
The Shimazu kept growing stronger. In the 1580s Sōrin asked Toyotomi Hideyoshi for help against them, which led to Hideyoshi's Kyūshū campaign of 1587.
Did you know?
The pretend-retreat trap was a favourite Shimazu tactic, used eight times between 1527 and 1600.
Timeline
- August 1578Ōtomo Sōrin is baptised a Christian, taking the name Francisco.
- 20 October 1578The Ōtomo begin the siege of Takajo.
- 10 December 1578Battle of Mimigawa.
- 1587 CEHideyoshi's Kyūshū campaign.