Takigawa Kazumasu

Takigawa Kazumasu (滝川 一益, 1525 - October 21, 1586), also known as Sakonshōgen (左近将監), was a samurai retainer to Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during Japan's Sengoku period. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa and later served Nobunaga alongside Kazumasu and Toshimasu's adopted uncle, Maeda Toshiie.

Originally from Ōmi province, Takigawa was appointed Kantō-kanrei (Shogun's Deputy in the East) by Nobunaga; in this post, with a portion of Kozuke province as his domain, he was assigned to keep an eye on the powerful Hōjō clan, based at Odawara. Under Nobunaga, he took part in a great many battles, including the battle of Anegawa in 1570, and the campaigns against the Ikkō-ikki of Nagashima (1571-4).

Following Nobunaga's death in 1582, Takigawa, along with many of the Oda retainers, initially opposed Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but entered his service upon their defeat. Following a particularly grievous defeat in 1584, Takigawa retired from battle and become a Buddhist monk. He died in 1586.

Takigawa's standard was three red circles arranged vertically.

References

• Frederic, Louis (2002). Japan Encyclopedia, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.
• Sansom, George (1961). A History of Japan: 1334-1615, Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.
• Turnbull, Stephen (1998). The Samurai Sourcebook, London: Cassell & Co.