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.
徳川家康は
tokugawa ieyasu ha
Tokugawa Ieyasu
(現在の
gennzai no
present-day
愛知県
aichi kenn
Aichi Prefecture
城主の家
jyoushu no ie
(a) lord of castle [family]
各地の
kakuchi no
provincial
城主は
jyoushu ha
lords [of castle]
領土
ryoudo
lords [of castle]
拡大のために
kakudai no tameni
to expand
果てしない
hateshinai
endlessly
戦いを繰り広げていた。
tatakai wo kurihirogete ita.
were fighting
領土が
ryoudo ga
(whose) domain (was)
隣の
tohari no
next to (his)
野心家、
yashinnka,
(the) ambitious
織田信長
oda nobunaga
Oda Nobunaga
同盟を結んだ。
doumei wo musunnda.
was allied
信長は
nobunaga ha
Nobunaga
天才的な戦略
tennsaiteki na sennryaku
(his) tactical brilliance <genius-like strategy>
次々と
tsugitsugi to
a succession of
強敵を
kyouteki wo
strong rivals
統一を
touitsu wo
unification
目指し始める。
mezashi hajimeru.
began leading
家康の
ieyasu no
his <Ieyasu’s>
長男は
chounann ha
first son
謀反の
muhonn no
(a) rebellion
企てがある
kuwadate ga aru
plotting
疑われた。
utagawareta.
was suspected
信長は
noubnaga ha
who <Nobunaga>
気性が荒く、
kishou ga araku,
quick-tempered and
信長に
nobunaga ni
him <Nobunaga>
逆らえば、
sakaraeba,
if (Ieyasu) opposed
全員が
zenninn ga
all [members]
殺され、
korosare,
would be killed and
領土
ryoudo
(his) domain
取られる
torareru
be taken away
家康は
ieyasu ha
he <Ieyasu>
長男を
chounann wo
(his) son
切腹させた。
seppuku saseta.
let ~ commit harakiri
日本統一は
nihonn touitsu ha
(the) unification of Japan
現実のもの
gennjitu no mono
realistic
となってきた
to nattekita
became
部下の
buka no
(his) subordinate
明智光秀
akechi mitsuhide
Akechi Mitsuhide
裏切りにより
uragiri ni yori
after being betrayed
信長は
nobunaga ha
Nobunaga
命を落とす。
inochi wo otosu.
lost (his) life
その後すぐに、
sonogo suguni,
soon after that
信長の
nobunaga no
Nobunaga’s
家来である
kerai dearu
(one of) subordinates
秀吉が
hideyoshi ga
Hideyoshi
光秀を
mitsu hide wo
Mitsuhide
日本統一を
nihonn touitsu wo
(the) unification of Japan
秀吉は
yoshihide ha
Hideyoshi
同等に近い
doutou ni chikai
similar
第二位の
dainii no
the number two
甘んじた。
amannhita.
accepted
好機が来る
kouki ga kuru
(a) chance to arise
特徴だ。
tokuchou da.
it was (a) peculiar trait
大阪城
oosakajyou
Osaka castle
拠点にする
kyotenn ni suru
(whose) base was
秀吉は
hideyoshi ha
Hideyoshi
恐れた。
osoreta.
was afraid (of)
長い間
nagai aida
for a long time
であった
deatta
(which) had been
領土を
ryoudo wo
(his) domain
命令した。
meirei shita.
(he) ordered
命令に
meirei ni
(the) order
従い
shitagai
followed and
江戸城
edojyou
Edo castle
(現在の
gennzai no
present-day
秀吉は、
hideyoshi ha,
Hideyoshi
それにもかかわらず、
sorenimo kakawarazu,
in spite of that
亡くなる
nakunaru
(he) was dying
秀吉の
hideyoshi no
his <Hideyoshi’s>
一人息子
hitori musuko
only son
5歳の
gosai no
five-year old
後見人を
koukennninn wo
to be (the) guardian
せざるをえなかった。
sezaruwo enakatta.
had to
秀吉が
hideyoshi ga
Hideyoshi
天下取りに
tennkatorhi ni
to become the ruler
動き始めた。
ugoki hajimeta.
began his moves.
豊臣の
toyotomi no
Toyotomi’s
家臣は
kashinn ha
subordinates
立ち向かった。
tachimukatta.
stood up
1600年、
sennroppyakunenn,
(in) sixteen hundred
徳川軍
tokugawa'gunn
Tokugawa’s army (of)
7万5千
nanamann gosenn
seventy five thousand
豊臣軍
toytomigunn
Toyotomi’s army (of)
8万5千
hachimann gosenn
eighty five thousand
歴史的な
rekishiteki na
(the) historic
関ケ原
sekigahara
Sekigahara
(現在の
gennzai no
present-day
岐阜県)の
gifukenn no
Gifu Prefecture
始まる。
hajimaru.
took place
豊臣軍を
toyotomigunn wo
(the) clan’s supporters <Toyotomi army>
反乱軍
hannranngunn
(a) rebel group
仕立てる
shitateru
portraying
豊臣側の
toyotomigawa no
(some of) Toyotomi’s
味方につけ
mikata ni tsuke
as (he) was able to win
勝利した。
shouri shita.
won (the battle)
成長した
seichou shita
(the) grown up
豊臣家
toyotomi'ke
(the) Toyotomi clan
仕掛け、
shikake,
started and
豊臣家を
toyotomi'ke wo
them <Toyotomi clan>
完全に
kannzenn ni
completely
崩壊させてしまう。
houkai sasete shimau.
destroyed
重んじる
omonnjiru
(who) place importance
日本人
nihonnjinn
the Japanese
長年にわたり
naganenn ni watari
long
批判されてきた。
hihann saretekita.
were criticized
その一方では、
sono ippou deha,
on the other hand
260年間
nihyakurokujuunenn'kann
two hundred sixty years
業績は
gyouseki ha
accomplishment (of)
評価されている。
hyouka sareteiru.
is regarded