About the Battle of Tedorigawa
The Battle of Tedorigawa was fought in 1577 (23rd day of the 9th month, Tenshō 5) at Tedori River, Kaga Province. A night on the Tedori River, swollen by heavy rain. Uesugi Kenshin falls on the retreating Oda army. "Meet the Uesugi and even the Oda are taken at the Tedori."
- Year
- 157723rd day of the 9th month, Tenshō 5
- Place
- Tedori River, Kaga Province
- Era
- Sengoku / Azuchi–Momoyama
The two armies
Oda forces Commander-in-chiefShibata Katsuie 15,0004 units Troop strengthTotal of the units shown in 3D
Fought 15,000
Fought 15,000
Uesugi forcesBy troop strength
- Uesugi Kenshin 上杉謙信 Commander-in-chief 8,000
-
Uesugi Kagekatsu 上杉景勝 4,000 - Kakizaki Kageie 柿崎景家 3,000
Oda forcesBy troop strength
- Shibata Katsuie 柴田勝家 Commander-in-chief 6,000
-
Maeda Toshiie 前田利家 3,000 - Sassa Narimasa 佐々成政 3,000
-
Takigawa Kazumasu 滝川一益 3,000
Portraits are public-domain images from Wikimedia Commons (some are later imagined depictions).
How the battle unfoldedTimes follow the 3D clock
- 5:00 PMCh. 1
NanaoRelief Too Late
The 9th month of Tenshō 5. Nanao Castle in Noto falls to the Uesugi through treachery within. The great Oda army marching north to relieve it is caught in a dilemma by the news. Ahead lies the god of war, Kenshin; behind lies the swollen Tedori River.
- 6:00 PMCh. 2
RetreatKatsuie Orders a Retreat
Commander-in-chief Shibata Katsuie decides to withdraw. But the council is divided, and Hashiba Hideyoshi has already left the camp without leave. Under confused command, an army said to number 40,000 crowds toward the dark ford of the Tedori.
- 7:00 PMCh. 3
RaidThe God of War Rides in the Dark
Kenshin does not miss the chance. As soon as the sun sets the Uesugi sweep south and fall on the Oda rearguard as it begins to cross the river. In darkness and pouring rain, confusion spreads: no one knows where the enemy is coming from.
- 8:00 PMCh. 4
FloodSwallowed by the Torrent
The heavy rain has turned the Tedori into a raging torrent. Armoured warriors who plunge into the river to escape are dragged down by their heavy gear and swept away one after another. The bank fills with soldiers looking for a way out.
- 9:00 PMCh. 5
RoutThe Oda Are Routed
"Meet the Uesugi and even the Oda are taken at the Tedori; Kenshin leaps, Nobunaga flees." So went the song about this one-sided defeat. More than a thousand Oda men are said to have been killed or drowned. Katsuie barely escaped to the south.
- 10:00 PMCh. 6
KenshinThe March on Kyoto That Never Was
Kenshin wrote that "the Oda are weaker than expected" and his ambition to march on the capital grew ever larger. But heaven granted him no time. The following spring, in the midst of preparations for the campaign, the god of war died suddenly at Kasugayama Castle.
FAQ
What was the Battle of Tedorigawa?
A night on the Tedori River, swollen by heavy rain. Uesugi Kenshin falls on the retreating Oda army. "Meet the Uesugi and even the Oda are taken at the Tedori."
When and where did the Battle of Tedorigawa take place?
It took place in 1577 at Tedori River, Kaga Province (23rd day of the 9th month, Tenshō 5).
Who fought in the Battle of Tedorigawa?
Uesugi Kenshin of the Uesugi forces, Shibata Katsuie of the Oda forces were among the commanders.
Can I watch the Battle of Tedorigawa 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.