Siege of Kawagoe Castle
Kawagoe Castle, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
What happened
The Hōjō clan under Hōjō Ujiyasu fought a huge alliance of the Uesugi clans and Ashikaga Haruuji, the shogun's deputy in eastern Japan. An army said to number about 80,000 besieged the Hōjō garrison of 3,000 in Kawagoe Castle. Ujiyasu came with a relief force of 8,000 and learned that the besiegers had grown overconfident. The Hōjō launched a night attack from inside and outside the castle at once, and the besiegers were defeated.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It was the decisive turning point in the struggle for control of the Kantō region. The Hōjō became the leading power there.
What came next
Uesugi Tomosada fell, ending one branch of the Uesugi family. The defeat led to the near-collapse of the Uesugi in the Kantō.
Did you know?
Ujiyasu's samurai were told to leave their heavy armour behind for the night attack, one of the most famous night battles in samurai history.
Timeline
- October 1545The siege begins.
- 1546The Hōjō night attack breaks the siege.
- 1967The castle's main hall becomes a protected cultural property.