About the Battle of Hasedō
The Battle of Hasedō was fought in 1600 (9th–10th months, Keichō 5) at Hasedō, Dewa Province. The "Sekigahara of the North," fought in the same month. Naoe Kanetsugu's 20,000 Uesugi besiege Mogami Yoshiaki's Hasedō Castle, until news of the defeat at Sekigahara turns everything around. The fighting retreat, with Maeda Keiji in the rear guard, was hailed as the finest withdrawal in the north.
- Year
- 16009th–10th months, Keichō 5
- Place
- Hasedō, Dewa Province
- Era
- Azuchi–Momoyama period
The two armies
Uesugi forces Commander-in-chiefNaoe Kanetsugu 21,3004 units Troop strengthTotal of the units shown in 3D
Fought 12,200
Fought 21,300
Mogami–Date forcesBy troop strength
- Mogami Yoshiaki 最上義光 Commander-in-chief 7,000
- Rusu Masakage 留守政景 3,000
- Sakenobe Hidetsuna 鮭延秀綱 1,200
- Shimura Mitsuyasu 志村光安 1,000
Uesugi forcesBy troop strength
- Naoe Kanetsugu 直江兼続 Commander-in-chief 18,000
- Suibara Chikanori 水原親憲 1,500
- Kamiizumi Yasutsuna 上泉泰綱 1,000
-
Maeda Keiji 前田慶次 800
Portraits are public-domain images from Wikimedia Commons (some are later imagined depictions).
How the battle unfoldedTimes follow the 3D clock
- Sep 13Ch. 1
HatayaHataya Castle Burns
In the 9th month of Keichō 5, with Ieyasu gone west, Uesugi Kagekatsu sent an army into the domain of Mogami Yoshiaki. In command was Naoe Kanetsugu with more than 20,000 men. On the 13th they stormed the border fortress of Hataya, where the castellan Eguchi Mitsukiyo died with his 500 defenders. The Sekigahara of the North had begun.
- Sep 15Ch. 2
SiegeHeadquarters on Mount Sugesawa
Kanetsugu closed on Hasedō Castle, the gateway to Yamagata Castle, and set his headquarters on Mount Sugesawa to the north-west to besiege it. The castle was held by Shimura Mitsuyasu with barely a thousand men. Unable to count on help, Mogami Yoshiaki prepared for a decisive battle at Yamagata and begged Date Masamune for aid.
- Sep 17Ch. 3
AssaultThe Little Castle That Would Not Fall
The Uesugi assaulted the castle day after day, but Shimura Mitsuyasu beat them off with night raids and musketry. A frustrated Kanetsugu ordered a general assault; Kamiizumi Yasutsuna fought his way to the castle walls, only to be cut down in a counter-attack by the garrison. One small castle pinned a great army for half a month.
- Sep 24Ch. 4
ReliefThe Date Reinforcements
Answering Yoshiaki's plea, Masamune sent his uncle Rusu Masakage with 3,000 men. The Date force took up position at Kojirakawa, east of the Yamagata castle town. But Masamune's real intention was to watch and wait, and the reinforcements were in no hurry to move forward.
- Sep 29Ch. 5
NewsSekigahara Is Lost
At the end of the 9th month a courier galloped in from the capital region. The Western Army had been beaten in a single day at Sekigahara on the 15th. The siege of Hasedō no longer had any meaning, and Kanetsugu resolved to withdraw. But before him stood the Mogami and Date, now emboldened.
- Oct 1Ch. 6
RetreatMaeda Keiji Holds the Rear
On the 1st day of the 10th month the Uesugi abandoned Mount Sugesawa and retreated south. Yoshiaki and the Date threw everything into the pursuit. The rear guard was commanded by Maeda Keiji and Suibara Chikanori. Keiji swung his vermilion spear and broke the pursuers again and again, while Suibara's musketeers put a bullet into Yoshiaki's helmet. Kanetsugu himself took up a spear and brought the great army off without breaking a single rank.
- Oct 4Ch. 7
ReturnThe Finest Withdrawal in the North
On the 4th day of the 10th month Kanetsugu reached Yonezawa. Ieyasu is said to have praised the retreat as "splendidly handled." Yoshiaki recovered the lost Shōnai district and became a great lord of 570,000 koku, while the Uesugi were cut down to 300,000. So ended the Sekigahara of the North.
In Ultra detailBattle Pass
The same scene in the standard quality and in Ultra detail. Drag the line to compare, and switch between "Wide" and "Close-up". Ultra detail adds rugged mountains, forests and rocks in 3D, rippling seas and rivers, rows in the fields and soldiers as figures. Chapter 1 of every battle can be watched in Ultra detail without the Battle Pass.
FAQ
What was the Battle of Hasedō?
The "Sekigahara of the North," fought in the same month. Naoe Kanetsugu's 20,000 Uesugi besiege Mogami Yoshiaki's Hasedō Castle, until news of the defeat at Sekigahara turns everything around. The fighting retreat, with Maeda Keiji in the rear guard, was hailed as the finest withdrawal in the north.
When and where did the Battle of Hasedō take place?
It took place in 1600 at Hasedō, Dewa Province (9th–10th months, Keichō 5).
Who fought in the Battle of Hasedō?
Naoe Kanetsugu of the Uesugi forces, Mogami Yoshiaki of the Mogami–Date forces were among the commanders.
Can I watch the Battle of Hasedō in 3D?
Yes. This page plays a free three-minute 3D animated overview showing the deployments, the movements of each army and how the battle was decided.