Takenaka Shigeharu

, who was also known as Hanbei (半兵衛), was a Japanese samurai during the Sengoku period of the 16th century. He served the Saito clan of Mino province, but later plotted an uprising and took over the Saito castle at Mount Inaba. [http://www2.harimaya.com/sengoku/html/takena_k.html Takenaka clan] . Harimaya. Accessed October 29, 2007.] Toyotomi Hideyoshi was so impressed by this tactic that he invited Shigeharu to join his forces as a strategist. Shigeharu made many contributions to Hideyoshi with his exceptional talent in that field.

He died during Hideyoshi's attack against the Mōri in the Chūgoku region of Japan, while Miki Castle was being besieged. Takenaka Shigekado, Shigeharu's son and successor, continued to serve Hideyoshi after his father's death. At the Battle of Sekigahara, he fought on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and his holdings at Bodaisan were secured. The Takenaka family thus became a family of hatamoto, and would soon move from their old castle of Bodaisan to the new Iwate Castle. Rather ironically, the holdings of the Takenaka included Sekigahara Village. [ja icon [http://www.geocities.co.jp/SilkRoad-Desert/3914/takenaka5k1k.html 交代寄合竹中氏 ] ]

In the mid-19th century, Shigeharu's descendant Takenaka Shigekata served as commander of the Tokugawa forces in Fushimi at the Battle of Toba-Fushimi.

Appearances in popular culture

See People of the Sengoku period in popular culture.

Notes

External links

* [http://siro.parfait.ne.jp/takoku/gifu/iwate.htm Information on Iwate Castle] (in Japanese)
* [http://siro.parfait.ne.jp/takoku/gifu/bodaisan.htm Information on Bodaisan Castle] (in Japanese)
* [http://tetsu.town.sakaki.nagano.jp/kakokikaku/heisei15.kiakutenn/heisei15.9.13-11.16%20kaikan1syuunennkinen/hannbe.jpgWoodblock print]
* [http://www.city.miki.lg.jp/bunka/takenakahanbei.html Photo of Shigeharu's Grave]