This film is based on the historical battles between two famous warlords of 16th century Japanese history: Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen. This film is beautifully filmed to give the passing of seasons from the Japanese aesthetical view, and to give an overview of the conflict between these two men. Uesugi Kenshin was adopted by the Uesugi clan, which was a common enough practice in samurai tradition. This review is more of an attempt to give some background into the film so that the western viewer would know that it is based upon both historical fact, popular legend and speculation. There are many books which have been written about the warring states period of Japan, and these two Daimyou (Big Names - Warlords) are prominent before the ascendant Tokugawa / Edo Period. This review doesn't specifically give a spoiler regarding the film, but gives some background information and names the primary location for several major battles fought between Kenshin and Shingen. The outcome of each battle was insufficient to determine a clear winner, although the film does provide it's own look at one battle in which one of the Warlords is wounded. This wound is subject of another film produced by Akira Kurosawa, titled "Kagemusha", which also entails legend from the Warring States Period. Enjoy the film without reading on for a brief history, the exact documentation of whence it comes is lost to me now, or read on to find out a bit more about the battles and the lives of these two men. I believe that the bulk of this information comes from:
The Samurai, a Military History, pp123-130, Macmillan Publishing co, Inc S.R. Turnbull, 1977
During the Warring States (Sengoku) period, the family that suffered most from the Hoojoo's calculated belligerence were the Uesugi, who had practically torn themselves to pieces by the time that Hoojoo Sooun started on them. The last Uesugi to withstand the Hoojoo was Norimasu, who fled from the Kanto in 1551 to Echigo, the wild mountainous province in the Hokurikudoo. Here he was forced to place himself under the protection of his erstwhile vassal, Nagao Kagetora. Like Hoojoo Sooun, Kagetora knew the value of a famous name, so arranged to be adopted by Uesugi Norimasa. The following year, 1552, he had his head shaved and from then on was known as Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most distinguished names in the military annals of the sixteenth century. As heir by adoption to the waning fortunes of the Uesugi family, Kenshin conducted a series of raids against the Hoojoo, but he is best known for his hostilities against another neighbor, Takeda Shingen, and it is to this other worthy, whose name is always linked with Kenshin. that we now turn.
Takeda Shingen, or Harunobu as he was called before shaving his head in 1551, is one of the most colorful characters in Japanese history. He was born in 1521, and his first aggressive acts were directed against his own father, who planned to disinherit him in favor of a younger brother. The young Harunobu revolted, and placed his father in the custody of a neighbor, whereupon he assumed full control of the province of Kai. The adventurous young lord then expanded, to use a polite term, into Shinano, which was under the control of Murakami Yoshikiyo. Murakami was defeated in 1547, and asked for help from his nearest neighbor, who happened to be Uesugi Kenshin.
Thus began a series of wars between Kenshin and Shingen celebrated in military romance. Their encounters, reminiscent of Percy and Douglas, had one remarkable amusing feature. They were all fought in the same place, year after year! The battlefield was an area of flat land in Shinano called Kawanakajima where the rivers Saigawa and Chikumagawa meet. in 1553, 1554, 1555, 1556, 1557 and 1563, their forces gave battle on the plain of Kawanakajima. In some encounters, when one side had gained a tactical advantage over the other, both armies withdrew, like a gigantic game of chess with human pieces. Perhaps, in view of the later slaughter in which both armies would become involved, the gentle jousting of Kawanakajima was no bad idea for letting of steam. the Battles of Kawanakajima are a unique episode in Japanese history.
The Samurai, a Military History, pp123-130, Macmillan Publishing co, Inc S.R. Turnbull, 1977
During the Warring States (Sengoku) period, the family that suffered most from the Hoojoo's calculated belligerence were the Uesugi, who had practically torn themselves to pieces by the time that Hoojoo Sooun started on them. The last Uesugi to withstand the Hoojoo was Norimasu, who fled from the Kanto in 1551 to Echigo, the wild mountainous province in the Hokurikudoo. Here he was forced to place himself under the protection of his erstwhile vassal, Nagao Kagetora. Like Hoojoo Sooun, Kagetora knew the value of a famous name, so arranged to be adopted by Uesugi Norimasa. The following year, 1552, he had his head shaved and from then on was known as Uesugi Kenshin, one of the most distinguished names in the military annals of the sixteenth century. As heir by adoption to the waning fortunes of the Uesugi family, Kenshin conducted a series of raids against the Hoojoo, but he is best known for his hostilities against another neighbor, Takeda Shingen, and it is to this other worthy, whose name is always linked with Kenshin. that we now turn.
Takeda Shingen, or Harunobu as he was called before shaving his head in 1551, is one of the most colorful characters in Japanese history. He was born in 1521, and his first aggressive acts were directed against his own father, who planned to disinherit him in favor of a younger brother. The young Harunobu revolted, and placed his father in the custody of a neighbor, whereupon he assumed full control of the province of Kai. The adventurous young lord then expanded, to use a polite term, into Shinano, which was under the control of Murakami Yoshikiyo. Murakami was defeated in 1547, and asked for help from his nearest neighbor, who happened to be Uesugi Kenshin.
Thus began a series of wars between Kenshin and Shingen celebrated in military romance. Their encounters, reminiscent of Percy and Douglas, had one remarkable amusing feature. They were all fought in the same place, year after year! The battlefield was an area of flat land in Shinano called Kawanakajima where the rivers Saigawa and Chikumagawa meet. in 1553, 1554, 1555, 1556, 1557 and 1563, their forces gave battle on the plain of Kawanakajima. In some encounters, when one side had gained a tactical advantage over the other, both armies withdrew, like a gigantic game of chess with human pieces. Perhaps, in view of the later slaughter in which both armies would become involved, the gentle jousting of Kawanakajima was no bad idea for letting of steam. the Battles of Kawanakajima are a unique episode in Japanese history.