The Seven Spears of Shizugatake

In the summer of 1583, one year after the death of Oda Nobunaga, Japan stood at a crossroads. The country, briefly unified under Nobunaga's banner, plunged once more into turmoil. The question now was whether the Oda family would maintain power or if the rising general Hashiba Hideoshi would assume control. In the ensuing conflict, seven warriors would distinguish themselves at the Battle of Shizugatake, becoming legendary figures in what would later be remembered as the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Though the idea of this group likely emerged in the Edo period as a romanticized concept, their real accomplishments at Shizugatake and beyond are historically significant.

Following Nobunaga’s assassination by Akechi Mitsuhide in June 1582, Japan's fragile unity unraveled. Amid the chaos, Hideoshi avenged his lord at the Battle of Yamazaki and began consolidating his power. A key political meeting, the Kiyosu Conference, followed soon after, ostensibly to decide Nobunaga’s successor. While Nobunaga’s grandson was named heir, the event made clear that Hideoshi’s influence was expanding rapidly. This drew opposition from powerful generals like Shibata Katsuie. The two would eventually clash in 1583, with Hideoshi’s forces prevailing decisively at the Battle of Shizugatake. Reinforced just in time to repel Katsuie’s advance, Hideoshi’s army drove him from Omi Province, ending his resistance. Katsuie ultimately took his own life, cementing Hideoshi’s supremacy and setting him on the path to unifying Japan.

Central to Hideoshi’s success were the warriors who led the charge at Shizugatake. Seven of them, in particular, earned lasting fame. Fukushima Masanori, related to Hideoshi through his mother, began his career in humble service and gained early distinction at the siege of Miki. At Shizugatake, he played a leading role in the vanguard, slaying an enemy commander and earning a substantial promotion. Over the next two decades, he served in campaigns across Japan and Korea, eventually siding with Tokugawa Ieyasu at Sekigahara and earning immense rewards. However, in 1619 he was punished by the Tokugawa regime for unauthorized castle repairs and demoted, dying in reduced circumstances.

Katagiri Katsumoto also began as a retainer to the Azai clan before entering Hideoshi’s service. His role at Shizugatake secured him a modest domain, and he spent much of his career focused on logistics and infrastructure. During the Korean campaigns, he managed roads and supply chains. Though he remained loyal to the Toyotomi family during the Sekigahara conflict, he managed to avoid harsh punishment and later became a mediator for Toyotomi Hideyori. Forced to align with Tokugawa forces before the siege of Osaka, he died shortly after its conclusion in 1615.

Kato Yoshiaki, unrelated to fellow spear Kato Kiyomasa, had a turbulent early life after his family was exiled from Mikawa. He rose through Hideoshi’s ranks, earning distinction at Shizugatake and becoming a naval commander in subsequent campaigns. He fought in both Korean invasions and supported Tokugawa at Sekigahara. Rewarded handsomely, he was later transferred to the Itsu domain. However, his son would later be stripped of their holdings due to political scandal.

Wakisaka Yasuharu also began in service to the Azai, later joining Akechi Mitsuhide, and ultimately siding with Hideoshi. He earned recognition at Shizugatake, possibly slaying Shibata Katsuie’s adopted son. Though he later joined the Western Army at Sekigahara, he secretly pledged loyalty to Tokugawa and was spared. He sent his son to fight in the Osaka campaign and retired peacefully, dying in 1626.

Kasuya Takenori’s early history is less clear, but he too fought valiantly at Shizugatake and earned a 3,000-koku domain. He participated in several of Hideoshi’s campaigns and the initial Korean invasion. At Sekigahara, he sided with the Western Army and lost his holdings after their defeat. His later fate is unknown, and he died in relative obscurity.

Hirano Nagayasu also has obscure origins, but by 1583 was a trusted warrior under Hideoshi. He earned his name at Shizugatake and later fought in key campaigns. Though his role at Sekigahara was limited due to arriving late with Tokugawa Hideyasu’s army, he remained in Tokugawa service and desired to support the Toyotomi in Osaka but was prohibited. He died in Edo in 1628.

The most famous of the Seven Spears was Kato Kiyomasa. Born in 1562, he was related to Hideoshi through his mother’s family. His aggressive leadership and flamboyant brutality at Shizugatake—including the use of severed heads as battlefield trophies—earned him swift promotions. As one of Japan’s most prominent generals, he led intense campaigns in Kyushu and Korea, where he gained renown as a tiger hunter and became the only Japanese commander to briefly cross into Manchuria. Deeply opposed to Konishi Yukinaga and Ishida Mitsunari, he sided early with Tokugawa. After securing Kyushu, there were suspicions he might support the Toyotomi during the Osaka conflict, and his sudden death in 1611—possibly by poisoning—remains a source of speculation.

The lives of these men reflect not just the volatility of the Sengoku era, but also the paradox of loyalty and survival. Many who owed their rise to Hideoshi ultimately sided with Tokugawa Ieyasu, helping to usher in the new order while turning away from the very family that had launched their careers. Most would prosper under the Tokugawa, yet many would also face tragic downfalls—through political missteps, dynastic misfortune, or suspicion. Though their collective title as the Seven Spears may have been romanticized later in the Edo period, their historical impact as battlefield heroes and influential retainers remains beyond doubt.

Source: The Shogunate