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Historical
by Daimyou Flynt
Toyohomi Hideyoshi urges his troops to the siege
of Odawara, 1590.
"In stature he resembled a wizened monkey, but on the
battlefield he was a veritable wargod", wrote one contempory of the "Napoleon
of Japan" Toyohomi Hideyoshi, (1536- 1598). This picture captures the dynamic
presence of the leader who rose fro from being Nobunaga's sandal-bearer
to the commander of tens of thousands. His armies conquered the island
clans of Shikoku and Kyushu and gained an almost bloodless victory over
the Hojo of Odawara and sent an invasion force to Korea.
it is the defeat of Hojo depicted here. Hideyoshi is
wearing a black laquered helmet with a sunburst crest at the rear. The
original has long since perished,but a faithful copy exists at the Osaka
Castle Museum. He is pointing with warfan, a delicate design of pearls
and silk, which still exists. He is wearing a jinbari,or armor surcoat
which was common for samurai generals, and was often richly embroided.
Source: Samurai - the Warrior Tradition, Steven
Turnbull, 1996
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