Hara Toratane

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Hara Toratane (原虎胤?) (1497-1564) was a senior retainer of the Takeda clan during the late Sengoku period of Japanese history. According to the rites of Toratane's clansmen, Toratane was obligated to support the Chiba clan of Shimosa province; but as a certain Takeda Nobutora was a growing power and influence within the neighboring regions, Toratane became a retainer under Nobutora after a decade or so of service under the Chiba. As the years thus passed on, Toratane supported Nobutora in the destruction of Fukushima Masashige in 1521, obtaining a reputation for valiance and general martial prowess, most justifiably by means of his leadership and tactical capability, by which it is said that Toratane could 'make ten ashigaru fight like 100 samurai'. With Nobutora's death and the succession of Takeda Shingen, Toratane's relations with his new master began to worsen at the initial point that the Takeda began to develop mutual rivalry with the Uesugi in 1553.

At that point in time, Toratane defected over to the Hōjō clan, but was imminently contacted by many retainers of the Takeda and shortly encouraged to return to Kai province, where he became regarded as one of Shingen's Twenty-Four Generals. Toratane later obtained the title 'Mino no kami' for his outstanding record of performance, and continued to serve Shingen, taking part in the many Battles of Kawanakajima fought during Shingen's war against Uesugi Kenshin in Shinano province. With the fifth and final battle of Kawanakajima in 1564, Toratane was ordered to capture a certain castle by the name of Warikadake, but suffered many wounds and was killed.

[edit] References

  1. Hara Toratane - SamuraiWiki. (Samurai Archives) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005