Siege of Odawara (1590)
Odawara Castle, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
What happened
Toyotomi Hideyoshi's huge army, with commanders including Tokugawa Ieyasu, besieged the Later Hōjō clan at Odawara Castle. Hideyoshi's forces surrounded the castle and took Hōjō outposts nearby, but mostly waited instead of attacking. After about three months a new castle, Ishigakiyama Ichiya Castle, seemed to appear suddenly on a nearby hill. The defenders then surrendered without the main castle being stormed.
Why it matters
It ended the Hōjō clan as a threat to Hideyoshi's power. The lords of northern Japan were also made to join the campaign.
What came next
The Hōjō lands were given to Tokugawa Ieyasu, a stepping stone toward his later rise as shogun. Hideyoshi had most of the castle's defences pulled down.
Did you know?
The siege was so long that Hideyoshi's camp reportedly brought in entertainers to pass the time.
Timeline
- 1587The Hōjō greatly expand Odawara's defences.
- May 1590The siege begins.
- 1960The castle's main tower is rebuilt in concrete.