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The Battle of Miyakonojo occurred in April 1545 when the Shimazu general Tomokata Tanegashima destroyed the army of the Ito clan daimyo Yoshisuke Ito outside of the castle of Miyakonojo before moving on to conquer the weakened castle garrison and subjugate South Hyuga.

History[]

In 1545, the Kimotsuki and Ito clans of southern Kyushu rebelled against the Shimazu clan of Satsuma Province. The Ito were old enemies of the Shimazu clan, and, by the time of the Ito clan's declaration of war, Osumi Province was poorly defended and an apt target for Satsuma expansion, as it could bring the Ito to heel and help the Shimazu secure their position in southern Kyushu. In January 1545, the Shimazu general Tomokata Tanegashima defeated the Kimotsuki at the Siege of Kanoya, conquering Osumi Province before moving on South Hyuga next. There, the Ito clan daimyo Yoshisuke Ito ruled from Miyakonojo Castle, accompanied by a 759-strong army. In April 1545, Ito marched to the west of Miyakonojo to await a pitched battle with the Satsuma invaders. Tanegashima and his 1,710-strong army proceeded to march to the outskirts of Miyakonojo to fight the Ito in a decisive battle for control of South Hyuga.

Battle[]

Massacre of the Ito hatamoto

The massacre of the Ito hatamoto

The Shimazu army positioned itself in a clearing, with its spear ashigaru forming a line and its archers forming a screening force in front of the spearmen. The Ito army charged down a wooded hill to attack the Shimazu army, while their cavalry attempted to charge the Shimazu left flank. However, the Ito cavalry were massacred by the Shimazu spearmen, while the Shimazu army was successful in outflanking the Ito army and closing in from multiple sides. This resulted in the near-annihilation of the Ito army, and it enabled Tanegashima to march on Miyakonojo and take it from Hienuki Naritoki's 368-strong garrison with just 41 losses. The victory at Miyakonojo eliminated the Ito clan, and the triumphant Shimazu clan forged an alliance with the Sagara clan to the northwest to secure their flank as they prepared to take on another rising regional power, the Tsuchimochi clan of eastern Kyushu.

Gallery[]

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