Honda Tadakatsu was one of the top 4 generals, along with Ii Naomasa, Sakai Tadatsugu, and Sakakibara Yasumasa serving Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tadakatsu was born in Okazaki, Mikawa (Modern day Aichi Prefecture) and was a close retainer of Ieyasu, being at his side at the Battle of Okehazama, Anegawa, Mikatagahara, Nagashino, Komaki Nagakute, and of course at Sekigahara. One of his Honda Tadakatsu’s finest moments came in 1584 during the the Komaki Campaign. While Ieyasu departed to fight the Toyotomi troops at Nagakute, Tadakatsu noticed Hideyoshi leading a large contingent in pursuit. With just 30 or so mounted samurai, he challenged Hideyoshi’s forces at a ratio of 50 or 60 to 1 from across the Shonai River. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, surprised at Tadakatsu’s bravery ordered that no harm come to him or his men. Honda Tadakatsu was called a samurai among samurai by Oda Nobunaga. Similarly, Toyotomi Hideyoshi once commented that among samurai, there was Honda Tadakatsu in the east and Tachibana Muneshige in the west. Takeda Shingen praised Honda, in saying that saying that the only things above Tokugawa Ieyasu are his helmet and Honda Tadakatsu . Tadakatsu’s name is said to have been based on a pun, Tada can also meanjust and katsu also means “win”! Tada-katsu or Just Win!, a good samurai name if there ever was one! Tadakatsu is often known as The Warrior who surpassed Death itself as he never once suffered a significant wound, despite having fought in over 57 battles He died in Edo in 1610, having cut his own hand during some woodcarving. Watching his blood flow from a blade wound for the first time, he willed himself to death weeks later.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Mar 2014 14:45:38 +0000
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