About the Siege of Tottori
The Siege of Tottori was fought in 1581 (Tenshō 9) at Tottori Castle, Inaba Province. The "starvation siege of Tottori." Hashiba Hideyoshi ringed Kikkawa Tsuneie's Tottori Castle with siege forts and bought up all the rice in Inaba to cut off its food. After four months of famine, Tsuneie took his own life in exchange for the lives of his garrison.
- Year
- 1581Tenshō 9
- Place
- Tottori Castle, Inaba Province
- Era
- Azuchi–Momoyama period
The two armies
Hashiba forces Commander-in-chiefHashiba Hideyoshi 35,0004 units Troop strengthTotal of the units shown in 3D
Fought 12,000Did not fight 4,000
Fought 31,000Did not fight 4,000
Mōri sideBy troop strength
-
Kikkawa Motoharu 吉川元春 8,000 - Kikkawa Tsuneie 吉川経家 Commander-in-chief 4,000
- Besieged 籠城衆 Did not fight 2,500
- Nakamura Harutsugu 中村春続 Did not fight 1,500
Hashiba forcesBy troop strength
- Hashiba Hideyoshi 羽柴秀吉 Commander-in-chief 20,000
-
Hashiba Hidenaga 羽柴秀長 6,000 - Miyabe Keijun 宮部継潤 5,000
-
Kuroda Kanbei 黒田官兵衛 Did not fight 4,000
Portraits are public-domain images from Wikimedia Commons (some are later imagined depictions).
How the battle unfoldedTimes follow the 3D clock
- Summer, Tenshō 9Ch. 1
ArrivalTsuneie Enters the Place of Death
Tenshō 9, Tottori Castle in Inaba. Because its lord Yamana Toyokuni had gone over to the Oda, retainers who would not accept it secured the castle and turned to the Mōri. The Mōri send Kikkawa Tsuneie, of a great family of Iwami, to command it. Tsuneie is said to have entered the castle carrying his own coffin: from the start, he was resolved to die.
- Summer, Tenshō 9Ch. 2
RingThe Camp at Taikōganaru
Hashiba Hideyoshi advances into Inaba and builds his headquarters on the ridge facing the castle, Taikōganaru. He rings Mount Kyūshō with siege forts linked by ditches and palisades, sealing every gap. And before the fighting even began, Hideyoshi had bought up all the rice in Inaba at high prices.
- 7th monthCh. 3
HungerThe Starvation Siege of Tottori
The food runs out in no time. The castle holds not only soldiers but villagers driven in from the countryside. Day by day hunger eats at them, and the blockade later called the "starvation siege of Tottori" quietly tightens around the castle.
- 8th monthCh. 4
ReliefThe Mōri Cannot Get Through
Kikkawa Motoharu hurries to the relief, and the Mōri navy tries to land supplies at Karo by sea. But the mouth of the Sendai River and every road to the castle are sealed by Hideyoshi. Help is stopped within sight of the walls, and not a grain of rice reaches the castle.
- 9th monthCh. 5
FamineA Castle of Hell
Inside, the castle has become a hell. Oxen and horses, grass and trees are all eaten, and starving people crowd the palisades begging for help. Faced with horrors that even a missionary recorded, Tsuneie at last resolves to buy the whole castle with his single life.
- 10th monthCh. 6
DeathTsuneie Cuts Open His Belly
The 25th day of the 10th month. On condition that every soldier and villager be spared, Kikkawa Tsuneie calmly commits seppuku, aged 35. Hideyoshi, admiring his resolve, is said to have sent his body home with honour. The four-month starvation siege ends with the death of a single commander.
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 Siege of Tottori?
The "starvation siege of Tottori." Hashiba Hideyoshi ringed Kikkawa Tsuneie's Tottori Castle with siege forts and bought up all the rice in Inaba to cut off its food. After four months of famine, Tsuneie took his own life in exchange for the lives of his garrison.
When and where did the Siege of Tottori take place?
It took place in 1581 at Tottori Castle, Inaba Province (Tenshō 9).
Who fought in the Siege of Tottori?
Kikkawa Tsuneie of the Mōri side, Hashiba Hideyoshi of the Hashiba forces were among the commanders.
Can I watch the Siege of Tottori 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.