Wanna be an evangelist of Japanese culture: Takenaka Hanbee

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Takenaka Hanbee

Takenaka Hanbee was one of the most famous strategist in the Sengoku era.
He was sickly and slender, and the record that he looked like a woman was left.

He served Saitou Yoshitatsu, and prevented attacks of Nobunaga well.
After Yoshitatsu death, he served Saitou Tatsuoki who was the son of Yoshitatsu.
However Tatsuoki was the foolish lord, he spent his life chasing women and drinking.
Therefore Hanbee occupied the castle with only 16 soldiers where Tatsuoki lived , and he remonstrated with Tatsuoki about his foolish behavior.

After Yoshitatsu was defeated by Nobunaga, Hanbee served Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
He showed the abilities continually and played an active part in many battles as an excellent schemer.

It's said that Hanbee gave Hideyoshi the strategy of "the bloodless surrender of the Castle".
The strategy was cutting off the food supply for the castle by surrounding it with soldiers.
Hideyoshi was good at the strategy for many years.

Hanbee died in 36 years old.
Sickly Hanbee chose death in battle rather than death from an illness, so he participated in war though he suffered from a disease.