The Pivotal Year: 1568 and Oda Nobunaga's March on Kyoto

The year 1568 stands as one of the most pivotal moments in Japanese history, marking the beginning of the end for the chaotic Sengoku period and setting the stage for the eventual unification of Japan. This was the year when Oda Nobunaga, a relatively minor daimyo from Owari Province, made his bold march on Kyoto to support the exiled shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaki. This single campaign would fundamentally alter the course of Japanese history and establish Nobunaga as the most powerful figure in the archipelago.

The State of Japan Before 1568

To understand the significance of 1568, we must first examine the fractured state of Japan during the Sengoku period. For over a century, the once-powerful Ashikaga Shogunate had been in terminal decline, with real power held by regional warlords known as daimyo. The country was effectively divided into dozens of independent domains, each ruled by ambitious lords who sought to expand their territories at the expense of their neighbors.

The capital, Kyoto, had changed hands multiple times, and the imperial court held little more than ceremonial authority. The Ashikaga shoguns, when they existed at all, were often puppets of more powerful daimyo families. This political fragmentation had created an environment where military might determined legitimacy, and constant warfare had become the norm rather than the exception.

Oda Nobunaga: The Unlikely Unifier

Oda Nobunaga was born in 1534 as the heir to a relatively minor domain in Owari Province (modern-day Aichi Prefecture). What set Nobunaga apart from his contemporaries was not his initial power base, which was modest compared to the great houses of the time, but rather his revolutionary approach to warfare and governance. He was among the first daimyo to fully embrace European firearms technology, creating disciplined units of ashigaru (foot soldiers) armed with matchlock rifles.

Nobunaga also demonstrated a pragmatic flexibility that many of his peers lacked. He was willing to ally with anyone who could advance his goals, regardless of social class or traditional status. This included European missionaries, whom he protected in exchange for access to Western military technology and knowledge. His famous motto, "Tenka Fubu" (天下布武), meaning "Rule the Empire by Force," clearly articulated his ultimate ambition.

Early Campaigns and the Battle of Okehazama

Nobunaga's rise to prominence began with his stunning victory at the Battle of Okehazama in 1560, where he defeated the much larger army of Imagawa Yoshimoto through superior tactics and audacious leadership. This victory not only secured his control over Owari but also freed Matsudaira Motoyasu (later Tokugawa Ieyasu) from Imagawa vassalage, creating one of history's most important military alliances.

Following Okehazama, Nobunaga systematically expanded his influence through a combination of military conquest, strategic marriages, and diplomatic alliances. By 1567, he had conquered the neighboring province of Mino, gaining control of the strategically important Gifu Castle and adopting the slogan that would define his reign.

The Ashikaga Crisis and Yoshiaki's Appeal

The immediate catalyst for Nobunaga's march on Kyoto came from within the failing Ashikaga Shogunate itself. In 1565, the 13th Ashikaga shogun, Yoshiteru, was assassinated by the Miyoshi clan and their allies, the Matsunaga. This left the shogunate without a clear successor and created a power vacuum in the capital.

Yoshiteru's younger brother, Yoshiaki, had survived the coup but was forced into exile. Recognizing that he lacked the military power to reclaim his family's position independently, Yoshiaki began seeking a powerful patron among the daimyo. Initially, he approached Asakura Yoshikage of Echizen Province, but found the Asakura lord reluctant to commit to such an ambitious undertaking.

It was through the mediation of Akechi Mitsuhide, a masterless samurai who would later become one of Nobunaga's most trusted generals, that Yoshiaki was introduced to the Oda lord. Unlike Asakura Yoshikage, Nobunaga immediately recognized the opportunity that Yoshiaki's cause presented: the chance to march on Kyoto under the legitimate banner of restoring the rightful shogun.

The March on Kyoto: Strategy and Execution

Nobunaga's campaign to install Yoshiaki as the 15th Ashikaga shogun was a masterpiece of military and political strategy. Rather than simply launching a direct assault on the capital, Nobunaga carefully prepared the groundwork through diplomatic negotiations and strategic alliances.

Building the Coalition

Understanding that he would face significant opposition from the current occupiers of Kyoto, Nobunaga spent months building a coalition of supporters. He secured the backing of his longtime ally Tokugawa Ieyasu, as well as several smaller daimyo who saw opportunity in supporting the restoration of legitimate shogunal authority.

Perhaps more importantly, Nobunaga worked to isolate his enemies diplomatically. The Miyoshi clan and their allies found themselves increasingly surrounded by hostile or neutral forces, making their position in the capital increasingly untenable.

The Campaign Begins

In September 1568, Nobunaga finally began his march toward Kyoto with an army estimated at around 30,000 men. The force represented not just Nobunaga's own retainers but also contingents from his various allies, making it one of the largest armies fielded during the Sengoku period up to that point.

The campaign demonstrated Nobunaga's evolving military doctrine, which combined traditional samurai cavalry with large formations of ashigaru infantry armed with both spears and firearms. This mixed-arms approach would become the template for successful Sengoku-era warfare and was crucial to Nobunaga's later victories.

Conquest and Consequences

The march on Kyoto proceeded with surprising ease. Many of the fortifications along Nobunaga's route surrendered without significant resistance, their garrisons recognizing the legitimacy of Yoshiaki's claim and the futility of opposing such a large, well-organized force.

By November 1568, Nobunaga had reached the outskirts of Kyoto itself. The Miyoshi forces, rather than face a siege they could not win, chose to withdraw from the capital. On November 9, 1568, Nobunaga entered Kyoto in triumph, and within days, Ashikaga Yoshiaki was installed as the 15th and final Ashikaga shogun.

The New Political Order

Nobunaga's success in 1568 established him as the de facto ruler of central Japan and the most powerful daimyo in the archipelago. More importantly, it demonstrated that the fractured political system of the Sengoku period could be overcome through superior organization, technology, and strategic thinking.

The campaign also established several precedents that would define Nobunaga's later rule and influence the eventual unification of Japan. His willingness to work with and through traditional institutions while fundamentally altering their power structure became a model that would be followed by his successors, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

The Beginning of Unification

While 1568 did not immediately end the Sengoku period, it marked the beginning of the process that would eventually lead to Japan's unification under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Nobunaga's march on Kyoto demonstrated that a single, sufficiently powerful and well-organized force could overcome the fractured resistance of the traditional daimyo system.

The success of the campaign also attracted other ambitious daimyo to Nobunaga's cause, recognizing that the old system was collapsing and that their best chance for survival lay in aligning themselves with the emerging victor. This snowball effect would continue throughout the remaining years of Nobunaga's career and beyond.

Military and Technological Innovation

The 1568 campaign showcased many of the military innovations that would define late Sengoku warfare. Nobunaga's use of large formations of disciplined ashigaru, combined with the strategic deployment of firearms, represented a clear evolution from the individual combat that had characterized earlier samurai warfare.

These innovations were not merely tactical but reflected broader changes in Japanese society and economy. The ability to field and supply large armies of common soldiers required sophisticated logistics networks and financial resources that only the most successful daimyo could develop.

Legacy and Historical Significance

The events of 1568 and Nobunaga's march on Kyoto represent a crucial turning point in Japanese history. They marked the moment when the chaotic fragmentation of the Sengoku period began to give way to the centralized authority that would eventually culminate in the Tokugawa peace.

The campaign also demonstrated the importance of legitimacy in Japanese political culture. While Nobunaga possessed the military power to seize Kyoto by force, he chose instead to cloak his ambitions in the traditional authority of the Ashikaga Shogunate. This respect for established institutions, even while fundamentally altering them, would become a characteristic feature of Japanese political change.

For modern audiences, particularly those experiencing the Sengoku period through the Shokuho mod for Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, 1568 represents the perfect starting point for understanding this complex era. It captures the moment when individual ambition and military innovation began to overcome traditional constraints, setting the stage for the dramatic changes that would follow.

Conclusion

The year 1568 and Oda Nobunaga's march on Kyoto represents far more than a single military campaign. It embodies the transformation of Japan from a collection of warring states into a unified nation under centralized authority. The success of this campaign demonstrated that the old order was ending and that new forms of political and military organization were becoming dominant.

Understanding these events helps us appreciate not only the historical significance of the Sengoku period but also the complex interplay of factors that shaped the emergence of modern Japan. For those exploring this era through historical gaming, the events of 1568 provide the perfect introduction to a world where individual ambition, technological innovation, and strategic brilliance could literally change the course of history.

As we continue to study and simulate these historical periods, we gain valuable insights into the forces that drive political and social change. The march on Kyoto reminds us that even the most established systems can be transformed by individuals who possess the vision, capability, and determination to challenge the status quo.