Samurai Historical Fiction \'opinion poll\'

[CEWest]

I've been thinking of killing some time polishing my translating skills with some Japanese Samurai fiction that I would then post to the Samurai Archives site (don't know exactly WHEN, but...) anyway, just curious about who or what people would be interested in reading.
In my current 'collection' of Japanese samurai fiction, I have a 5th or 6th grade level story on the life of Takeda Shingen (a partial translation is already on the Samurai archives), a middle school/early highschool reading level story on the life of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (also partially translated on the samurai archives site) as well as 'adult' reading level stories on the lives of Hideyoshi and Nobunaga respectively, and a 'what if' type book about 'what if Nobunaga had survived Honnouji' (Nobunaga is knocked unconcious by falling debris, so Mori Ranmaru commits seppuku in Nobunaga's place with his sword (in case a body is found, the enemy will think it is nobunaga), and Mori's younger brothers drag nobunaga to safety. Also have a bunch of grade school level stories (not too deep as far as plot goes, but interesting nonetheless) on Mori Motonari, Sanada Yukimura, Akechi Mitsuhide, Takeda Shingen, and Uesugi Kenshin. The other fiction translations on the samurai archives page were pretty much direct translations, and as you may or may not know, japanese fiction is usually pretty light on description, so if I do get around to translating something, I'll be sure to 'embelish' to compensate. - anyway, what sounds interesting?
I'm begining to think that one requirement of being an author in japan is that you publish at least one samurai historical fiction because there are so many. Three weeks ago I took a stroll thru a bookstore in Kyoto, and came across novels about various 'unknowns' (in the west anyway) as Shibata Katsuie, Maeda Toshiie, Mori Ranmaru, Kuki Yoshitaka, and Kikkawa Motoharu. I wish there was a 'market' for that stuff in english. I am always overawed when I go into a bookstore in Japan, and see that an entire section is dedicated to the 'sengoku' whereas in english we have maybe 20 books total.

[solypsist]

try some poetry
I'm curiosu about some of the "death poems" that may be out there and untranslated.

[Zen Blade]

West-san,

FWSeal would know who I would be interested in hearing something about.
If you have any Asai, I would love to hear/read something about them.

But, barring that, I would be interested in hearing some stuff about the Uesugi... Particularly since you rarily hear much about them except for the... "oh, he was Shingen's great rival in the north. And after Shingen's death, only he truly challenged Nobunaga". If you have anything surrounding his death (NOT THE STUPID ASSASSIN IN THE TIOLET) and the resulting battle of succession between Kagekatsu and (Hojo) Kagetora, that would be interesting. Also, Kenshin's amazing march west after Shingen's death has always been of interest to me. Marching as far as the Echizen area.

-Zen Blade

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Zen Blade Asai
Red Devil
Last of the RSG
Clan Tenki Council-Unity, Retired
SHS Core Member

[CEWest]

A few months back I went on a 'translation binge' while visiting F. Seal, and we came up with quite a bit of info on the Asai as well as other clans which we are saving for publication - who knows when that might happen... So I'll post some Asai here:

ENDO Naotsune
d.1570
Asai retainer
Titles: Kizaemon
Battles: Anegawa (1570)
Notes: Naotsune served Asai Nagamasa and was a leading Asai retainer known for his bravery. According to a legend, he was with Nagamasa when the latter first met Oda Nobunaga. That night Naotsune approached Nagamasa to ask permission to kill Nobunaga, saying by way of explantion that he was clearly a dangerous man (Nagamasa refused to allow him to carry out the deed). When Nobunaga invaded Echizen, the majority of Nagamasa's vassals advocated assisting the Asakura. Naotsune was the only one against this, telling Nagamasa that assisting the Asakura would cause the downfall of the clan. However, Nagamasa obviosly could not ignore the opinion held by most of his generals, and so broke his alliance with Oda Nobunaga to support the Asakura in 1570. Naotsune fought hard at the Battle of Anegawa, killing some ten Oda warriors. He was himself slain, we are told, by Takenaka Kyusaku, a younger brother of Takenaka Hanbei, who recognized Endo, and cut him down right nearby Oda Nobunaga's headquarters.

This next translation is regarding the battle of Norada, a pivotal battle in the life of Asai Nagamasa. It is a direct translation, and so somewhat clunky - and in quite a few cases I had to make an educated guess on the correct readings for the various personal and clan names that fought in the battle, so be forwarned:

Two great rivals were lined up on the eastern banks of lake biwa - the asai and the rokkaku. The result would be decided in the favor of the Asai, who would come to rule hikone village, at Norada.

The battle of Norada, which happened in 1560 in shiga prefecture, hikone town, norada - was a battle between the asai and the rokkaku. on the eastern shores of Biwa, the rokkaku to the south, headed by shoutei [yoshikata], who succeeded sadayori, and the asai, led by hisamasa to the north, would collide. With the co-operation of Miyoshi choukei and the honganji, the asai moved into southern Omi, confronting the rokkaku at various castles along thier borders [the borders of the rokkaku-asai lands].

by 7/1552 power had shifted towards the rokkaku. In order to break the deadlock, in the first month of 1559 asai hisamasa married his 15 year old son katamasa (Asai Nagamasa) to the daughter of a vassal of rokkaku yoshikata - Hirai Sadatake. this was simply a plan by hisamasa to create peace, however katamasa hated this, and divorced/seperated from his wife in the 4th month, and came home. this signified/signaled a break from the rokkaku. The rokkaku resented this deed, and in the 4th month, shoutei [yoshikata] sent troops to sawayama castle in hikone, and put it under seige.

to oppose this, nagamasa enlisted the help of various clans - the takamiya, and other clans as well as takanose hidezumi of hida castle - through some shifty negotiations - who then raised the flag of revolt against the rokkaku.

shoutei, hearing of this, attacked nobuzumi's hida castle in the 4th month of 1560. however, the defense was steadfast, and shoutei could not bring down hida castle, so he resorted to attempting to flood the castle. dykes were built around the castle, and two nearby rivers were diverted, however the embankments eventualy fell apart, and the flooding was unsuccessful. in the 8th month, shoutei decided to move his army to [kouhoku/ekita],which would lead to the battle of Norada. according to the 'asai sandai-ki' Shoutei's army - consisting of: gamou katahide, nagahara nagaoki, shindou shikatamori, ikeda kageo as part of the vanguard, and the narazaki, tanaka, kido, wada, yoshida, and other clans were in the second line, and the gotou, minoura, yamada, tazakitasaki, and other clans were in the back. the total army led by rokkkaku shoutei numbered 25,000.this force came to the river, and was opposed by the dodo, Isono, Youno, akage, kamizaka, imamura, Yuge, hongo, and others, totaling 6,000, fighting with asai hisamasa and nagamasa.

The Dodo, fighting on the side of the asai, led by Dodo kuranosuke, were the first troops to cross the river and moved south, and battled the Gamou. while the tide of battle moved back and forth, the narazaki and the tanaka struck the flank of the Dodo troops, causing thier attack to crumble, and they retreated. The rokkaku, now invigorated, forced thier way to Norada.

It began to look as if the asai were going to lose the battle, however, nagamasa plotted with anyouji saburouzaemon ujihide,and imai kamon no suke ujinao, and used some of the forces as a diversion, then some of the asai's elite forces charged into shoutei's main army, and the rokkaku were defeated and forced to flee.the battle ended in victory for the asai.it is said the rokkaku lost 940 men while the asai lost 700. it is said the river was filled with the dead. the asakura reinforcements didnt get a chance to fight in the battle.

[This message has been edited by CEWest (edited 11-25-2001).]

[CEWest]

I always thought the 'assasin in the toilet' bit was was so funny and pathetic that it was probably true. Off the top of my head I can't remember who it was, but one samurai (I think someone fleeing to Mikawa with Ieyasu and Hattori Hanzo, but I'm probably wrong) was unable to ride a horse due to hemhorroids and was thus captured and killed while the rest of his group got away.

[Yoshitsune]

Ahh haemorrhoids - the downfall of many a would-be horsemen http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif Didn't Napoleon III die on the operating table attempting to have this particular affliction removed so he could appear on horseback when in exile in Britain?

[Grim]

I want more...

CEWest Will you do this once a week (at least) ?

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"Je vous repondrai par la bouche de mes canons"
-Frontenac
(I will answer you with the blast of my canons)
-Trad. libre

[CEWest]

I wish I could...!! That Asai-Norada translation alone took about 4 hours, which doesn't sound like much until you factor in work and school and all the other junk that goes on in life. If only I could get paid to translate Japanese history http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif

Well, anyway, at the very least, take a look at the 'Samurai Archives' homepage every so often. I usually manage to put up someone under the 'Featured Samurai' that I or F. Seal dug up every 2 weeks or so.

Otherwise, I'll see what else I can dig up and post on the list.

C.

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"I'm telling you, Kakizaki, there is a man living in my toilet!"
"I'm sure there is, Tono, now let's go a little lighter on the sake next time, okay?"

- Uesugi Kenshin and Kakizaki Kageie, 1578

[Grim]

Oh, I do go to the samurai archives, it's just that i've read about 75% of what's in there already. I'm just thinking that this is a nice way to redirect people who don't know about the archive to your site:
-"Hey, nice story...Oh look, there's a link
*clicking on link*
-"My god...it's full of Samuraii"

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"Je vous repondrai par la bouche de mes canons"
-Frontenac
(I will answer you with the blast of my canons)
-Trad. libre