New letter discovery over "Battle of Kawanakajima" Niigata September 7, 4:25

A new letter about the “Battle of Kawanakajima” where Sengoku warlord Kenshin Uesugi fought against rival Shingen Takeda was recently found in Niigata Prefecture. The common opinion is that there were five battles in Kawanakajima, but experts say that it was a valuable record in the “original”, where it was possible to ask for battles over the territory of Shinano.

The letter found was addressed to seven warlords in northern Nagano Prefecture and Kitanoshinano that Uesugi Kenshin believed in his own territory during the years of Sengoku (1558-70). Mr. Nobuaki Serizawa, an emeritus professor at Niigata University and familiar with local history, purchased it from a person concerned with antiques about 15 years ago and kept it there.

Mr. Serizawa was the leading researcher of Kenshin Uesugi and asked the senior curator, Junichi Fukuhara, of the Joetsu City Archives Center, to confirm that it was the original document from Kenshin's signature, called Hanaboshi.

The “Battle of Kawanakajima”, where Kenshin and Shingen fought over Kitanoshinano, is said to have occurred five times.

According to curator Fukuhara, recent research revealed that Kenshin and Shingen continued to confront each other, but the letter that was found was the original copy that was left in the Meiji period. Kenshin issued in 10 years, 3 years after the 5th battle.

In the letter, in order to prevent Shingen's invasion northward through Shinano, the seven military commanders “all are present and have a strong punishment”. In other words, it is instructing, “Everyone should be well protected at each position in the camp.”

The Fukuhara curator said that after considering the results of other researches, it should be considered that there was a battle after the fifth battle. Although it is not, when it was written as a military record in the Edo period, it was left as a set of up to 5 times, but it was reviewed with the intention of fighting for 10 years. I think it ’s better. ”

Mr. Serizawa, the owner of the letter, said, "I bought it because I thought it was genuine, but I'm glad to confirm that it was a Kenshin letter."