[S2] A Shimazu Chronology: Inishie no Michi wo Kikitemo Tonaetemo Waga Okonai ni sezu

いにしへの道を聞きても唱えへてもわが行いにせずばかひなし

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Even if you learn old ways, if you cannot use them as your own, it is meaningless


It was a rainy day, in the winter of 1544 AD. The year grew to an end, and as the snowy blanket creeped down from atop the mountains each day a little further, so did men creep in the warm protection of their homes.
Shimazu Takahisa, son of Shimazu Tadayoshi, daimyo and 15th head of the Shimazu clan, gazed in the distance as if he could pierce the rain curtain with sheer willpower. It had been a long day, winter it may be.
Growing reports of Ito activity on the Eastern border with Osumi, with whom the Shimazu have had a feud for many years, were a cause for distress. The last couple of years had been relatively peaceful ones, without much raiding on both sides. Takahisa had grown accustomed to enjoy his sons growing up. But the cold wind was blowing change.

The next day was still as cold, but atleast the raining had stopped. His 3 sons were in the yard, practising their sword stances.
While he watched, his mind dwelled a few months back.
He had taken all 3 of them for a tour across Shimazu land. It was important to see their people, and it was import for the people to see them. One day it would befall to them to defend the honour of the clan and the lives of their people. Along the journey, he told them about the history of the land, and the proud lineage they could look back on. He smiled when he remembered the awe on their faces when they held at the Shimazu burial site.

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From the days of Shimazu Tadahisa, son of Shogun Minaomoto No Yoritomo, their family had found their final rest there. The place radiated wisdom and serenity. Even as a grown man, Takahisa could still feel it. His sons grew quiet as the shrine basked in summer sunlight.
He laid his hand o nthe shoulder of his eldest, and spoke to all of them in a quiet and respectful yet intent way:

"Remember your forefathers and learn from their ways. Master them and improve upon them. Do not stray from the path that is Bushido, as it is the source of all we are.
Loyalty and Honour as your armour into battle and a safeguard along the path of life.
Veracity, Benevolence and Politeness will strengthen and cleanse your soul, so you may face each challenge with clear conscience and mental clarity.
Bravery and Justice, powerful and mighty as the katana you will once wield.

This is Bushido."

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Hi guys

After a long absence, S2 drew me back to TW and straight into AAR mode.

Should you be interested in how I setup my AAR's, you can take a look at the (very) old roman aar in my sig.

This one is Shimazu HH long campaign
Questions, comments,suggestions are always appreciated.

And next up


Part I : The Ito - Shimazu wars (1545-1550)

A very nice and well written into! I look forward to the coming chapters! :)

I've put a link to this in the in AAR thread in the Tea House.

The Ito - Shimazu Wars (1545-1550)

Spring 1545


Evening had fallen over Satsumi. Takahisa was meditating. There was much to think about.
The strong hold of the Shogunate was dissipating. All over Japan, clans were growing restlessly, eyeing their neighbours with distrust and greed. Normally the iron grip of the shogun kept everyone in check, atleast to a certain extent. Outright war was replaced long time ago with political scheming. But as the Shogunate dwindled, so dwindled the pulling and tugging behind screens. Open conflict was bubling just beneath the surface, all but about to explode.
Eyes closed and still as a statue, Takahisa directed his mental gaze to the north. There bad been trade with the clan there as long as he could remember. No form of alliance, just the knowledge both parties were profiting kept the brittle peace. But would the Sagara keep true?
They had no quarrel with the Shoni nor the Ito. Far all he knew, the Sagara could well be planning an invasion.
No, they wouldn't. Not yet, anyway. Friendship goes too far back for them to plot this course.

His mind speeded East as the birds go. Yes, that's where the threat lies. Though no conflict has been noted of late, war was still ongoing with the Ito. And the Shogunate has done nothing in the past to end the bloodshed. So why would he intervene now.
There were still opportunities in the East. It's time for war.
He spoke softly to Tomokata, his most trusted general..

Attachment 1204

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Tanegashima Tomokata found himself patrolling the border with Osumi province. Spring was coming to an end, smoothly flowing into Summer. He had send a few shinobi over the border, hoping to get some intel on what the Ito were up to. He had heard some interesting rumours, but he considered it prudent to verify the authenticity of this piece of information.
He had just visited his lands near Satsumi and was riding back to his border station when a messenger came riding down the road in a galop.

Attachment 1205


The rider closed the distance in what seemed a flash.
"Tomokata-sama! Shinobi report!"
Handing over a small piece of parchement, Tomokata eyed it for a second, before reading it wordlessly.
"This came from the Shinobi? How long?"
Before the man could answer however, Tomokata glanced at Ijuin Tadaki, one of Takahisa-sama's most trusted samurai.
The doughty warrior calmly met the younger generals eyes. A moment of silent communication passed between them.
"Sou da" Tadaki said, turned his horse and rode off at the double back to the West.
Looking flustered, the messenger followed the rapidly diminising figure of Tadaki for a while, before turning his head back to Tomokata.
"Ride back to camp, and give this message to Yoshi. He'll know what to do"
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A soft summer breeze rustled the grass as it flew. The land had grown quiet as the heat of summer was upon it. The twittering of birds had all but ceased, and one couldn't detect the slightest movements in the forest. The realm of animals was resting and enjoying peacefully.
Not so the realm of men.
Shimazu Takahisa stood watching at the castle before him, Tomokata at his side equally silent.
After shinobi had confirmed the Ito were embroiled with the Otoma in the north, and Osumi lay near defenceless.
Not as prepared as he would have liked, Takahisa nevertheless marshalled all his warriors and marched.

Attachment 1206

Parlay was held outside the Western gate. There was only a small force of samurai in the castle, and they had deputed their commander to do the talking.
Takahisa, sitting cross-legged on a small dais had some tea poured out.

"As I see it, you have 2 choices. One, you stay and fight to the death. Two, you and your men surrender and, having tasted defeat, commit seppukku. The choice is yours commander."
The samurai pondered on that, slowly sipping his tea. Time passed slowly as the silence endured, somehow surrealistic as the entire army stood and watched.
"In fact, Takahisa-sama, I see a third option." he replied finally, carefully putting down his porcelain cup of tea, admiring the craftmanship that had gone into it. Takahisa raised his right eyebrow ever so slightly, all considered an open display of suprise.
"I challenge you on the field of battle, and let ours swords alone determine the outcome"
Tomokata rose indignantly, but was cut off by a another eyebrow-raising of Takahisa. The latter addressed the samurai commander.
"Make no mistake, I will take this castle. But I will not deny you the chance to save your men and retain your honour. I will allow you to die in single combat"
The samurai bowed slightly. "And if I win?"
Takahisa looked at Takadori, and then faced the samurai. "We will cross that bridge when we get to it. If we get to it."

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Takadori stood wide legged in front of the gate. No suprise he was chosen for this duel. He was the most reknown swordsman in a land reknowned for its swordsmen. He had to hand it to the samurai whose name he did not know, the man had honour. Well-knowingly he would have to face Takadori, the man had willingly presented himself to save his men.
Takadori eyed the samurai as he approached.
Neither of them wore their katana. They were carried by each mans Second, as was custom with duels. The samurai walked up to Takadori, leaving only 10 paces between them.
The entire army was present, and the Samurais men stood watching on the walls. Both men looked eachother straight in the eye.
2 pair of eyes, each had seen war and death. Hard faces of hard men in hard times. Neither seemed willingly to begin, and thus the staring continued.

In a flash, the Samurai drew his sword out of its shed in the hands of his Second and stormed on Takadori. In what seemed the blink of an eye, the samurai had closed the distance and took a full swing on Takadori's head.
Whose blade met the samurai's with the klinging of metal on metal. To the men on the wall watching, it must have seemed as if Takadori had just stood there one moment, and parrying the next.

The 2 warriors stood face to face, katanas crossing eachother, as if gauging eachothers strength. Then they took a step back, and the dance begun. If watched from a distance, it seemed more a dance than a fight indeed. Back and forth they fought, one sword form met by another.
It was beautiful, but above all, it was deadly. A wrong step, a blade that wasn't where you thought it would be, and you were finished.
It was no different for the samurai commander. Takadori cleaned the blood of his katana on the shirt of the fallen enemy and ceremoniously put it back in its shed before handing it to his second.
The samurai's second, fell on his knees, drew a small blade, and committed seppukku.
Takadori was already walking towards the camp when he heard a whistling, followed by a hollow 'thud'. He turned around to see his second man, fall over with an arrow between his shoulder blades.

For a moment, he was too stunned to react. The suprised reaction on his dead friends face was too much to bear.

In seconds, his heart started beating twice as fast, pumping blood in a frenzy through his body. Muscles thightened as he pulled out his katana in a vicious swing, throwing the shed to the ground. A wordless roar escaped his open mouth, arms wide open and eyes to the sky. For seconds he screamed, until another few arrows landed short of him. That snapped him right out of it.
He changed his focus on the castle. Slowly he pointed his katana in their direction
"Banzai!" he yelled shortly. He waved his katana around above his head. "BANZAI!" he yelled again, even harder, still swinging his sword above his head. A third time he yelled banzai, and then he started running, the tip of his katana dragging a line behind him in the ground as he ran.

And the army ran with him..


Attachment 1207

Osumi, Spring 1546


A sentry leaned on his Naginata, yawning as the night was losing its battle against the inevitable dawn. He fixated his gaze on the lotus tree not far from the gate, trying to stay awake. A rumbling sound in the distance, however, woke him from his half-sleeping state. What was that sound? It sounded like distant thunder. Suddenly a more distinct sound made him turn around. It was his relief, but why did he come running as if chased by demons? Panting, the other watchman gestured to the gate. Barely managing to say the word open, he stumbled to the gate, beginning to open it. Putting his Naginata aside carefully, the sentry started to help. And the thundering grew louder, faster.
Just as they swung the gate open, around the corner appeared the troops of Shimazu Daimyo. They swiftly rushed to and through the gate, streaming outside. As fast as they had come, they went. The sentry scratched his head. Ito or Shimazu, it didn't matter to him and most of the smallfolk, but an army on the move could only mean one thing. He was only thankful that it wasn't going to be a siege this time.]


Takahisa peered in the distance. "You are sure, Tomokata?" he asked the young man besides him. Tomokata sat back straight on his horse, gazing in the same distance. "Hai, Takahisa sama" the young man replied briefly. Takahisa smiled, as the manners of this young but most trusted general reminded him about the lads father.Tanegashima Yoshimiza had been a trusted advisor of Takahisa and his father before him. As Takahisas sons were still under age, Tomokata had grown naturally in the role of general, inheriting his fathers mantle. He was well-trained in tactics, and a good swordsman at that. A bit lonely perhaps. Maybe Takahisa should make some inquiries.
Sudden movement at the edge of the tree line interrupted his pondering. The Ito had arrived, just as Tomokata had predicted. And by the looks of it, it was Ito Daimyo himself, coming to reclaim Osumi. "So many of them" said one of the younger samurai at the back of Tomokatas company, voice tembling with excitement and fear.
Tadaki, the Shimazus most reknowned and feared samurai - of whom the tale of his feat at the siege of Osumi had already travelled to the other end of Japan - merely smiled and answered "Live or die, it's a beautiful day". Takahisa watched as the enemy drew closer.
"Takahisa sama, I don't think they plan on having a parlay" Tomokata remarked. A beautiful day indeed..

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2 hours had passed since. Takahisa had decided not to meet the Ito enemy in the open, and had pulled back, leading the Ito on a merry chase. He had led the army into a small forest. As the Ito had superiour cavalry numbers, fighting there would negate that effect. He had not suspected that the Ito would have come in such numbers. That was a big risk they took, with their war in the north still raging. It was Shimazu Takahisa who was known to be lucky, and so he hoped that the gamble of Ito Yoshisuke would play out in his favour instead of Yoshisukes.

Dusk had set in, just as the rain had. The battle had been raging for over an hour when the first drops had started falling out of the sky. A dark and wet forest made for a nasty battlefield. Takahisa had found a good spot to stand his ground, had turned around and awaited the enemy.
The Ito, finally having catched up with their prey they had been chasing the better part of the day, attacked instantly.
It was a long and ardeous fight, neither side gaining enough of an upper hand to claim the day.

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Takahisa was shouting orders left and right, when suddenly out of the dark horses came out of nowhere. For an instant, Takahisa thought they were being attacked by demons, and old Japanse fear and the whole reason why samurai armour looked the way it did. Then experience took over and the daimyo turned to face his challengers.
He had been sure the enemy cavalry was across the field, and a brief glance in that direction confirmed it, but where did they come then? As the first samurai was upon him, he had no longer time to think.
Katana met Katana, and swords sang a tune to the horses dance.

But by the heavens, he was being pushed back fast. For evey man he cut down, 3 other appeared. He was being surrounded mighty fast. What happened to his luck? His horse got cut down underneath him and as it fell, he rolled over the ground, sword in hand. Before he was well up, an Ito rode up to him, katana flashing down. Takahisa danced away from the attacked, only to be suprised by another samurai. Riding hard, he came at Takahisa, who couldn't react in time.
The samurai fell of his horse, right in front of Takahisa's feet, katana sticking out of his back. Looking up, he saw Tomokata jumping of hise horse next to him, swordless. "Takahisa sama, take my horse!" he yelled to Takahisa. As the latter took one step, Tomokatas grew big. He flung forward, grabbed Takahisa and threw him to the ground. Hooves thundered by, and Takahisa saw the glimmer of a blade being swung, and the cracking of armour sounded nearby.
Tomokata had taken a nasty blow to the shoulder, but was turning around already for the next assault.
Tadaki, katana bloody, rode up to him as if there was no battle at all, more like taking a stroll through the meadows, and stopped next to Tomokata and Takahisa. The Ito took one look at Tadaki and thought the better of it. But the struggle continued.

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to be continued..

Good!

thanks! :)

Great story telling. I'm loving it. :2thumbsup:

Please continue! Tis excellent thus far! :)

well i got stuff lined up til 1550 =)
i try to pop one update each week, at minimum.
No promises though :)

Love the work thus far, mini. :2thumbsup:

Can't wait for the next installment.

I love reading these things. Looking forward to your next update mini :jumping:

just to say this ain't dead

just wtfpwnd by RL issues atm

continuing soon!

That's good to hear! :)