Great Shogun who Created a Base for Peace  with Tolerance and Strategy

Japanese History Makers | 忍耐と策略で平和の礎を築いた大将軍

Great Shogun who Created a Base for Peace with Tolerance and Strategy

TOKUGAWA Ieyasu was born to a lord of a small castle in Mikawa (a part of present-day Aichi Prefecture). At that time provincial lords were endlessly fighting each other to expand their territories. Ieyasu was allied with the ambitious ODA Nobunaga, whose domain was next to his. The young Nobunaga defeated a succession of strong rivals with his tactical brilliance and began leading Japan toward unification. One day, his first son was suspected of plotting a rebellion by Nobunaga, who was quick-tempered and merciless. If Ieyasu opposed him, he knew that all his family would be killed and his domain be taken away. Ieyasu tearfully let his son commit harakiri. The unification of Japan became realistic, but Nobunaga lost his life after being betrayed by his subordinate AKECHI Mitsuhide. Soon after that, TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, one of Nobunaga’s capable subordinates defeated Mitsuhide and completed the unification of Japan. Ieyasu and Hideyoshi had similar powers, but Ieyasu accepted the number two position after Hideyoshi. It was a peculiar trait of Ieyasu’s to wait for a long time for a chance to arise. Hideyoshi, whose base was in Osaka castle, was afraid of Ieyasu. He ordered Ieyasu to change his domain from Tokai, which had been Ieyasu’s domain for a long time, to Kanto, farther from Osaka. Ieyasu followed the order and moved to Edo (present-day Tokyo) castle. Hideyoshi, in spite of that, had to beg Ieyasu to be the guardian of his only son, five-year old Hideyori, when he was dying with a disease. However, Ieyasu began his moves to become the ruler after Hideyoshi died. Toyotomi’s subordinates stood up against Ieyasu. In 1600, the historic Sekigahara (present-day Gifu Prefecture) battle took place between Tokugawa’s army of 75,000 and Toyotomi’s army of 85,000. Ieyasu won the battle, as he was able to win over some of Toyotomi’s key warriors by portraying the clan’s supporters as a rebel group. After that, Ieyasu started a war against the grown up Hideyori and the Toyotomi clan and destroyed them completely. Ieyasu’s plots against Hideyori were long criticized by the Japanese, who place importance on loyalty. On the other hand, Ieyasu’s accomplishment of creating a base for a peace in Japan that lasted for 260 years is regarded highly.

徳川とくがわ家康いえやす
tokugawa ieyasu ha
Tokugawa Ieyasu
三河みかわ
mikawa
Mikawa
現在げんざい
gennzai no
present-day
愛知県あいちけん
aichi kenn
Aichi Prefecture
no
of
一部いちぶ
ichibu
(a) part
no
in
ちいさな
chiisana
(a) small
城主じょうしゅいえ
jyoushu no ie
(a) lord of castle [family]
ni
to
まれた。
umareta.
was born
当時とうじ
touji,
was born
各地かくち
kakuchi no
provincial
城主じょうしゅ
jyoushu ha
lords [of castle]
領土りょうど
ryoudo
lords [of castle]
拡大かくだいのために
kakudai no tameni
to expand
たがいに
tagai ni
each other
てしない
hateshinai
endlessly
たたかいをひろげていた。
tatakai wo kurihirogete ita.
were fighting
家康いえやすは、
ieyasu ha,
Ieyasu
領土りょうど
ryoudo ga
(whose) domain (was)
となり
tohari no
next to (his)
野心家やしんか
yashinnka,
(the) ambitious
織田おだ信長のぶなが
oda nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
to
with
同盟どうめいむすんだ。
doumei wo musunnda.
was allied
わか
wakaki
(the) young
信長のぶなが
nobunaga ha
Nobunaga
天才的てんさいてき戦略せんりゃく
tennsaiteki na sennryaku
(his) tactical brilliance <genius-like strategy>
de
with
次々つぎつぎ
tsugitsugi to
a succession of
強敵きょうてき
kyouteki wo
strong rivals
やぶり、
yaburi,
defeated and
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
no
toward
統一とういつ
touitsu wo
unification
目指めざはじめる。
mezashi hajimeru.
began leading
ある
aruhi,
one day
家康いえやす
ieyasu no
his <Ieyasu’s>
長男ちょうなん
chounann ha
first son
信長のぶなが
nobunaga
Nobunaga
から
kara
by
謀反むほん
muhonn no
(a) rebellion
くわだてがある
kuwadate ga aru
plotting
to
of
うたがわれた。
utagawareta.
was suspected
信長のぶなが
noubnaga ha
who <Nobunaga>
気性きしょうあらく、
kishou ga araku,
quick-tempered and
残忍ざんにん
zannninn
merciless
だ。
da.
was
信長のぶなが
nobunaga ni
him <Nobunaga>
さからえば、
sakaraeba,
if (Ieyasu) opposed
家族かぞく
kazoku
(his) family
全員ぜんいん
zenninn ga
all [members]
ころされ、
korosare,
would be killed and
領土りょうど
ryoudo
(his) domain
mo
[also]
られる
torareru
be taken away
ことを
kotowo
that
家康いえやす
ieyasu ha
he <Ieyasu>
っていた。
shitteita.
knew
家康いえやす
ieyasu ha
Ieyasu
naku naku
tearfully
長男ちょうなん
chounann wo
(his) son
切腹せっぷくさせた。
seppuku saseta.
let ~ commit harakiri
日本にほん統一とういつ
nihonn touitsu ha
(the) unification of Japan
現実げんじつのもの
gennjitu no mono
realistic
となってきた
to nattekita
became
が、
ga,
but
部下ぶか
buka no
(his) subordinate
明智あけち光秀みつひで
akechi mitsuhide
Akechi Mitsuhide
no
by
裏切うらぎりにより
uragiri ni yori
after being betrayed
信長のぶなが
nobunaga ha
Nobunaga
いのちとす。
inochi wo otosu.
lost (his) life
そのすぐに、
sonogo suguni,
soon after that
信長のぶなが
nobunaga no
Nobunaga’s
有能ゆうのう
yuuno na
capable
家来けらいである
kerai dearu
(one of) subordinates
豊臣とよとみ
toyotomi
Toyotomi
秀吉ひでよし
hideyoshi ga
Hideyoshi
光秀みつひで
mitsu hide wo
Mitsuhide
やぶり、
yaburi,
defeated and
日本にほん統一とういつ
nihonn touitsu wo
(the) unification of Japan
たす。
hatasu.
completed
家康いえやす
ieyasu
Ieyasu
to
and
秀吉ひでよし
yoshihide ha
Hideyoshi
同等どうとうちか
doutou ni chikai
similar
勢力せいりょく
seiryoku wo
power
っていた
motteita
had
が、
ga,
but
家康いえやす
ieyasu ha
Ieyasu
秀吉ひでよし
hideyoshi
Hideyoshi
ni tsugu
after
だい
dainii no
the number two
地位ちい
chii ni
position
あまんじた。
amannhita.
accepted
好機こうき
kouki ga kuru
(a) chance to arise
のを
nowo
for
じっと
jitto
for a long time
つのは
matsu noha
to wait
家康いえやす
ieyasu
Ieyasu’s
no
of
特徴とくちょうだ。
tokuchou da.
it was (a) peculiar trait
大阪城おおさかじょう
oosakajyou
Osaka castle
wo
in
拠点きょてんにする
kyotenn ni suru
(whose) base was
秀吉ひでよし
hideyoshi ha
Hideyoshi
家康いえやす
ieyasu wo
Ieyasu
おそれた。
osoreta.
was afraid (of)
ながあいだ
nagai aida
for a long time
家康いえやす
ieyasu no
Ieyasu’s
領地りょうち
ryouchi
domain
であった
deatta
(which) had been
東海とうかい
toukai
Tokai
から、
kara,
from
大阪おおさか
oosaka
Osaka
から
kara
from
よりとお
yori tooi
farther
関東かんとう
kanntou
Kanto
he
to
領土りょうど
ryoudo wo
(his) domain
えるよう
kaeruyou
to change
家康いえやす
ieyasu ni
Ieyasu
命令めいれいした。
meirei shita.
(he) ordered
家康いえやす
ieyasu ha
Ieyasu
命令めいれい
meirei ni
(the) order
したが
shitagai
followed and
江戸城えどじょう
edojyou
Edo castle
現在げんざい
gennzai no
present-day
東京とうきょう
toukyou
Tokyo
ni
to
うつった。
utsutta.
moved
秀吉ひでよしは、
hideyoshi ha,
Hideyoshi
それにもかかわらず、
sorenimo kakawarazu,
in spite of that
病気びょうき
byouki
(a) disease
de
with
くなる
nakunaru
(he) was dying
とき、
toki,
when
秀吉ひでよし
hideyoshi no
his <Hideyoshi’s>
一人ひとり息子むすこ
hitori musuko
only son
de
[and]
5歳ごさい
gosai no
five-year old
秀頼ひでより
hideyori
Hideyori
no
of
後見人こうけんにん
koukennninn wo
to be (the) guardian
家康いえやす
ueyasu ni
Ieyasu
懇願こんがん
konngann
beg
せざるをえなかった。
sezaruwo enakatta.
had to
しかし、
shikashi,
however
家康いえやすは 
ieyasu ha
Ieyasu
秀吉ひでよし
hideyoshi ga
Hideyoshi
くなる
nakunaru
died
to
after
天下てんかりに
tennkatorhi ni
to become the ruler
うごはじめた。
ugoki hajimeta.
began his moves.
豊臣とよとみ
toyotomi no
Toyotomi’s
家臣かしん
kashinn ha
subordinates
家康いえやす
ieyasu
Ieyasu
たいして
ni taishite
against
かった。
tachimukatta.
stood up
1600せんろっぴゃくねん
sennroppyakunenn,
(in) sixteen hundred
徳川とくがわぐん
tokugawa'gunn
Tokugawa’s army (of)
7万5千ななまんごせん
nanamann gosenn
seventy five thousand
to
and
豊臣とよとみぐん
toytomigunn
Toyotomi’s army (of)
8万5千はちまんごせん
hachimann gosenn
eighty five thousand
による
niyoru
between
歴史的れきしてき
rekishiteki na
(the) historic
関ケ原せきがはら
sekigahara
Sekigahara
現在げんざい
gennzai no
present-day
岐阜県ぎふけん)の
gifukenn no
Gifu Prefecture
たたかいが
tatakai ga
battle
はじまる。
hajimaru.
took place
家康いえやす
ieyasu ha
Ieyasu
豊臣とよとみぐん
toyotomigunn wo
(the) clan’s supporters <Toyotomi army>
反乱軍はんらんぐん
hannranngunn
(a) rebel group
ni
as
仕立したてる
shitateru
portraying
ことで、
kotode,
by
豊臣とよとみがわ
toyotomigawa no
(some of) Toyotomi’s
おも
omona
key
武将ぶしょう
bushou
warriors
wo
over
味方みかたにつけ
mikata ni tsuke
as (he) was able to win
勝利しょうりした。
shouri shita.
won (the battle)
その
snogo,
after that
家康いえやす
ieyasu ha
Ieyasu
成長せいちょうした
seichou shita
(the) grown up
秀頼ひでより
hideyori
Hideyori
to
and
豊臣とよとみ
toyotomi'ke
(the) Toyotomi clan
ni
against
いくさ
ikusa wo
(a) war
仕掛しかけ、
shikake,
started and
豊臣とよとみ
toyotomi'ke wo
them <Toyotomi clan>
完全かんぜん
kannzenn ni
completely
崩壊ほうかいさせてしまう。
houkai sasete shimau.
destroyed
家康いえやす
ieyasu no
Ieyasu’s
秀頼ひでより
hideyori
Hideyori
たいする
ni taisuru
against
謀略ぼうりゃく
bouryaku ha
plots
忠義ちゅうぎ
chuugi
loyalty
wo
on
おもんじる
omonnjiru
(who) place importance
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn
the Japanese
から
kara
by
長年ながねんにわたり
naganenn ni watari
long
批判ひはんされてきた。
hihann saretekita.
were criticized
その一方いっぽうでは、
sono ippou deha,
on the other hand
日本にほん
nihonn
Japan
ni
in
260にひゃくろくじゅうねんかん
nihyakurokujuunenn'kann
two hundred sixty years
もの
mono
(that) lasted for
平和へいわ
heiwa
(a) peace
をもたらす
wo motarasu
for
いしずえ
isizue wo
(a) base
きずいた
kizuita
creating
家康いえやす
ieyasu no
Ieyasu’s
業績ぎょうせき
gyouseki ha
accomplishment (of)
たか
takaku
highly
評価ひょうかされている。
hyouka sareteiru.
is regarded

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