Samurai originated in the 7th century and existed until the end of the 19th century, when it was abolished as an institution. For many centuries, samurai were the military-feudal nobility of Japan, from which came a large number of military and officials of the 20th century. Samurai were the name given to the brave warriors of the Imperial Army until its disbandment in 1947.

He was a ronin, that is, he had no owner and was a free warrior. Musashi gained fame as one of the greatest swordsmen, described the tactics, strategy and philosophy of the samurai in battle, and also developed and put into practice the new kind fighting with two swords. Contemporaries called Musashi "Kensai", which translates as "Holy Sword" and emphasizes his supreme skill with weapons.

A talented military leader, he formed the strongest army of samurai and rallied the largest number of provinces around himself. Oda Nobunaga began the campaign to unify Japan by capturing his home province of Owari, after which he began to expand the boundaries of his possessions. In 1582, when Nobunaga reached his maximum power, his enemies from among his own subordinates launched a coup d'etat. Realizing the inevitability of the end, he committed ritual murder - seppuku.

The Samurai Code praised such girls “who were capable of rising above the imperfections and shortcomings inherent in their sex, and displaying heroic strength of spirit, which could be worthy of the bravest and noblest men.” Several onna-bugeisha entered the history of the country - including Nakano Takeko (1847−1868). She was born in what is now Tokyo, educated in literature and trained in martial arts. Takeko was directly involved in the defense of Aizu-Wakamatsu Castle during the civil war between supporters of the Tokugawa Shogunate and pro-imperial forces. During the battle, she commanded the women's detachment and received bullet wound in the chest, after which she asked her sister to cut off her head and bury it so that it would not fall to the enemy. Every year, a campaign in her memory is held at the site of Takeko’s grave.

He became the first shogun whose dynasty ruled the country until the revival of the Meiji dynasty in 1868. This became possible after his samurai defeated the remnants of the armies of Nobunaga and another commander, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who also claimed to rule all of Japan. Ieyasu’s policy left its mark on the entire further existence of the country, which for a long time lived according to his orders.

Who are samurai? They represent the feudal class of Japan, which was held in great esteem and respect among all other classes. Samurai were feared and respected for their cruelty in battles and nobility in peaceful life. The great names of the samurai of Japan are written in history, which will forever remember these legendary figures.

This is a kind of analogue of European knights, who swore an oath to serve faithfully to their master and played one of the most important roles in the Japanese community. Their activities and way of life were strictly bound by a code of honor, which was called “bushido”. The great samurai of Japan fought for the feudal lords or daimyo - the most powerful rulers of the country, who were subordinate to the powerful shogun.

The era of daimyo lasted from the 10th to the mid-19th century. During this time, the samurai managed to surround themselves with a kind of aura of nobility; they were feared and respected even outside the Land of the Rising Sun. Ordinary mortals admired them, admiring their cruelty, courage, cunning and resourcefulness. The samurai were credited with many feats, but the truth was actually much more prosaic - the famous samurai of Japan were ordinary killers, but what was the nature of their crimes!

Top most famous samurai of Japan

We can talk endlessly about great samurai. Their stories are shrouded in an aura of mystery and nobility; very often undeserved feats were attributed to them, but these individuals still remained the subject of worship and selfless respect.

Taira no Kiyomori (1118 - 1181)

He was a commander and warrior, thanks to whom the first samurai was created administrative system management in the history of the Japanese state. Before his work began, all samurai were simply hired warriors for aristocrats. After this, he took the Taira clan under his protection and quickly achieved success in political activity. In 1156, Kiyomori, together with Minamoto no Yoshimoto (head of the Minamoto clan), managed to suppress the rebellion and began to rule the two highest warrior clans in Kyoto. As a result, their alliance turned into bitter rivals, and in 1159 Kiyomori defeated Yoshimoto. Thus, Kiyomori became the head of the most powerful warrior clan in Kyoto.

Kiyomori was able to seriously advance his career. In 1171, he gave his daughter in marriage to Emperor Takakura. A little later, their first child was born, who was often used as leverage on the emperor. However, the samurai’s plans could not be implemented; he died of fever in 1181.

Ii Naomasa (1561 – 1602)

He was a famous general or daimyo during the period when the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was in power. He was one of the most loyal samurai that Japanese history has known. He rose significantly through the ranks and received great recognition after 3,000 soldiers under his leadership won the Battle of Nagakute (1584). He fought with such vigor that even his opponents admired his behavior on the battlefield. The Battle of Sekigahara brought him the greatest popularity. During the battle, he was hit by a stray bullet, after which he was never able to fully recover. His squad was called the “Red Devils” for the corresponding color of the armor that the warriors wore during battle to intimidate their opponents.

Date Masamune (1567 - 1636)

The list of “The Most Famous Samurai” continues with this legendary figure. The daimyo was ruthless and merciless, as almost everyone said about him. He was an outstanding warrior and an excellent strategist, and his personality was made even more memorable due to the loss of one eye, for which Masamune received the nickname "One-Eyed Dragon". He was supposed to take the leading place in the clan after his father, but the loss of his eye caused a split in the family and his younger brother Date came to power. Already being a general, the samurai was able to gain a good reputation and was rightfully considered a leader. It was after this that he launched a campaign in order to defeat the neighboring clans. This created considerable excitement. As a result, the neighboring clan turned to the father with a request to curb his eldest son. Terumune was kidnapped, but he managed to warn his son about a similar outcome of events and asked him to kill all members of neighboring clans. Date Masamune followed his father's instructions.

Although this contradicts some ideas about samurai, Date Masamune was a supporter of religion and culture. He even knew the Pope personally.

Honda Tadakatsu (1548 - 1610)

He was a general and one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Ieyasu along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. Of the four, Honda Tadakatsu had the reputation of being the most dangerous and merciless. He was a true warrior, even in the depths of his soul. So, for example, Oda Nobunaga, who, by the way, was not very happy with his followers, considered Tadakatsu a real samurai among all the other samurai. It was often said about him that Honda bypassed death itself, since he never received serious injuries, despite the fact that the number of his battles exceeded 100.

Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

He was the most famous samurai and ninja of the Sengoku era. Thanks to him, Emperor Tokugawa Ieyasu survived, and a little later became the ruler of a united Japan. Hattori Hanzo showed brilliant military tactics, for which he received the nickname Devil Hanzo. He won his first battle at a very young age - Hanzo was only 16 years old at the time. After this, he was able to free the Tokugawa daughters from hostages at Kaminogo Castle in 1562. The year 1582 was decisive for him in his career and in gaining a leading position - he helped the future Shogun escape from his pursuers to the province of Mikawa. Local ninjas helped him in this operation.

Hattori Hanzo was an excellent swordsman and his last years, as historical sources say, he was hiding under the guise of a monk. Many often attributed supernatural abilities to this samurai. They said that he could instantly hide and appear in the most unexpected places.

Benkei (1155 - 1189)

He was a warrior monk who was in the service of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Benkei is perhaps the most popular hero of Japanese folklore. Stories about his origins are varied: some claim that he was born to a raped woman, while others are inclined to believe that Benkei was a descendant of a god. Rumor has it that this samurai killed at least 200 people in each of his battles. Interesting fact– at the age of 17 he was more than 2 meters tall. He learned the art of using a naginata (a long weapon that is a mixture of a spear and an axe) and left a Buddhist monastery to join a sect of mountain monks.

According to legend, he went to the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto and was able to disarm every passing swordsman. Thus, he was able to collect 999 swords. During the 1000th battle with Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei was defeated and forced to become his vassal. Several years later, while under siege, Yoshitsune committed ritual suicide while Benkei fought for his master. Rumor has it that the remaining soldiers were afraid to oppose this giant. In that battle, the samurai killed about 300 soldiers, who saw with their own eyes how the giant, pierced by arrows, was still standing. So everyone was able to find out about Benkei’s “standing death.”

Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

He was one of the most powerful commanders of the Sengoku era in Japan. He believed in the Buddhist god of war, and his followers were convinced that Uesugi Kenshin was an incarnation of Bishamonten. He was the youngest ruler of Echigo Province - at the age of 14 he took the place of his older brother.

He agreed to oppose greatest commander Takeda Shingen. In 1561, the largest battle between Shingen and Kenshin took place. The results of the battle were mixed, as both sides lost about 3,000 people in this battle. They were rivals for more than 14 years, but even this fact did not stop them from exchanging gifts. And when Shingen died in 1573, Kenshin could not come to terms with the loss of such a worthy opponent.

Data on the death of Uesugi Kenshin are ambiguous. Some say that he died from the consequences of heavy drinking, others are inclined to believe that he was seriously ill.

Takeda Shingen (1521 – 1573)

This is perhaps the most famous samurai in Japanese history. He is known, by and large, for his unique military tactics. Often referred to as the "tiger of Kai" for its distinctive characteristics on the battlefield. At the age of 20, he took the Takeda clan under his wing, then united with the Imagawa clan - as a result, the young warlord gained power over all nearby territories.

He was the only samurai who had enough strength and skill to defeat the powerful Oda Nobunaga, who was striving for power over all of Japan. Shingen died while preparing for the next battle. Some say that he was wounded by a soldier, while others are inclined to believe that the samurai died from a serious illness.

Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 - 1616)

He is the first shogun and founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. His family practically ruled the Land of the Rising Sun from 1600 until the start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu gained power in 1600, three years later he became shogun, and two years later he abdicated his position, but remained in power the rest of the time until his death. He was one of the most famous commanders in the entire history of Japan.

This samurai outlived many famous rulers in his lifetime: Oda Nobunaga laid the foundation for the shogunate, Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized power, Shingen and Kenshin, two of his strongest rivals, were dead. The Tokugawa Shogunate, thanks to Ieyasu's cunning mind and tactical thinking, would rule Japan for another 250 years.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

This is also the most famous samurai of a kind. He was a general and a great politician of the Sengoku era, as well as the second unifier of Japan and the man who brought an end to the Warring States period. Hideyoshi made efforts to create some cultural heritage. For example, he introduced a restriction that meant that only members of the samurai class could carry weapons. In addition, he financed the construction and restoration of many temples, and also played a significant role in the history of Christianity in Japan.

Hideyoshi, despite his peasant origins, was able to become Nobunaga's great general. He failed to obtain the title of shogun, but made himself regent and built a palace. As his health began to fail, Hideyoshi began to conquer the Ming Dynasty with the help of Korea. The class reforms carried out by the samurai significantly changed the Japanese social system.

Surnames and names of samurai

Samurai- This is the Japanese military-feudal class. The word "samurai" comes from the ancient Japanese verb "samurau", which means "to serve a person of the upper class." That is, “samurai” means “service man, servant.” Samurai in Japan are also called "bushi", which means "warrior".

Samurai appeared in Japan in the 7th-8th centuries AD. Mostly men from wealthy peasant families, as well as representatives of the middle and lower aristocracy (petty nobles) became samurai. From warriors, samurai gradually became armed servants of their feudal lord, receiving housing and food from him. Some samurai received land plots from peasants, and themselves turned into feudal lords.

The beginning of the separation of samurai as a special class usually dates from the period of the reign of the feudal house of Minamoto in Japan (1192-1333). The protracted, bloody civil war that preceded this between the feudal houses of Taira and Minamoto created the preconditions for the establishment of the shogunate - the rule of the samurai class with the supreme military leader (shogun) at its head.

Bushido– the code of honor of the samurai, the set of commandments “The Way of the Warrior” in medieval Japan. The Code appeared between the 11th and 14th centuries and was formalized in the early years of the Tokugawa shogunate. If a samurai did not follow the rules of conduct, he was expelled from the ranks of the samurai in disgrace.

Education and training of a samurai were based on mythical stories about legendary heroes, indifference to death, fear, pain, filial piety and loyalty to one's feudal lord. The mentor took care of developing the character of the future samurai, helping to develop courage, courage, endurance, and patience. Future samurai were raised to be fearless and courageous, and they developed qualities that were considered among samurai to be the main virtues, in which a warrior could neglect his own life for the sake of the life of another. To develop patience and endurance, future samurai were forced to perform backbreakingly hard work, spend nights without sleep, walk barefoot in winter, get up early, limit themselves in food, etc.

After the establishment of peace under the Tokugawa shogunate, a huge number of samurai who only knew how to fight turned out to be a burden for the country, many of them lived in poverty. At that time, books appeared developing the idea of Bushido (the samurai code of honor), and a large number of martial arts schools appeared, which for many samurai were the only means of subsistence.

The last time samurai took up arms was Civil War 1866-1869, during which the Tokugawa government was overthrown. In this war, samurai fought on both sides.

In 1868, the Meiji Restoration took place, the reforms of which also affected the samurai. In 1871, Emperor Meiji, who decided to reform the state along Western lines, issued a decree on the formation of the Japanese army by conscription, not only from the samurai class, but also from all others. The final blow to the samurai was the 1876 law banning the carrying of swords. Thus ended the era of the samurai.

Surnames and names of samurai

Abe Masahiro

Abe no Muneto

Azai Nagamasa

Aizawa Seishisai

Akamatsu Mitsusuke(senior)

Akamatsu Norimura

Akechi Mitsuhide

Amakusa Shiro

Aoki Shuzo

Asakura Yoshikage

Asakura Kagetake

Asakura Takakage

Ashikaga Yoshiakira

Ashikaga Yoshimasa

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu

Ashikaga Yoshimochi

Ashikaga Yoshinori

Ashikaga Yoshitane

Ashikaga Yoshihide

Ashikaga Yoshihisa

Ashikaga Takauji

Watanabe Hiromoto

Goto Shojiro

Date Masamune

Yoshida Shoin

Ii Naosuke

Imagawa Yoshimoto

Ise Soun

Kawaii Tsugunosuke

Kawakami Gensai

Kato Kiyomasa

Kido Takayoshi

Kita Narikatsu

Kobayakawa Hideaki

Konishi Yukinaga

Kusunoki Masashige

Mamiya Rinzou

Matsudaira (Yuki) Hideyasu

Matsudaira Kiyoyasu

Matsudaira Sadanobu

Matsudaira Tadanao

Matsudaira Hirotada

Matsumae Yoshihiro

Matsumae Takahiro

Maeda Keiji

Maeda Toshiie

Maeda Toshinaga

Mizuno Tadakuni

Minamoto no Yoriie

Minamoto no Yorimasa

Minamoto no Yoritomo

Minamoto no Yoshimitsu

Minamoto no Yoshitomo

Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Minamoto no Sanetomo

Minamoto no Tametomo

Minamoto no Yukiie

Mogami Yoshiaki

Mori Arinori

Mori Motonari

Mori Okimoto

Mori Terumoto

Mori Hiromoto

Nabeshima Katsushige

Nabeshima Naoshige

Nagao Tamekage

Nakano Takeko

Nitta Yoshisada

Oda Katsunaga

Ode to Nobukatsu

Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobutada

Oda Nobutaka

Ode to Hidekatsu

Ode to Hidenobu

Oki Takato
Okubo Toshimichi

Omura Masujiro

Omura Sumitada

Otani Yoshitsugu

Ouchi Yoshinaga

Outi Yoshioki

Ouchi Yoshitaka

Outi Yoshihiro

Ouchi Masahiro

Prince Moriyoshi

Sagara Sozo

Saigo Takamori

Saito Dosan

Saito Yoshitatsu

Saito Hajime

Sakamoto Ryoma

Sakanoue no Tamuramaro

Sanada Yukimura

Sassa Narimasa

Shibata Katsuie

Shimazu Yoshihiro

Shimazu Iehisa

So Yoshitoshi

Sogano Iruka

Sogano Umako

Sogano Emishi

Soejima Taneomi

Sue Harukata

Tairano Kiyomori

Tairano Masakado

Takasugi Shinsaku

Takeda Nobushige

Takeda Nobutora

Takeda Nobuhiro

Takeda Shingen

Tani Tateki

Tanuma Okitsugu

Chosokabe Moritika

Chosokabe Motochika

Toyotomi Hidetsugu

Tokugawa Yorinobu

Tokugawa Yorifusa

Tokugawa Yoshinao

Tokugawa Iemitsu

Tokugawa Iemochi

Tokugawa Ietsuna

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Tokugawa Nariaki

Tokugawa Nobuyoshi

Tokugawa Tadayoshi

Tokugawa Tadateru

Tokugawa Hidetada

Ukita Hideie

Uesugi Kagekatsu

Uesugi Kagetora

Uesugi Kenshin

Uesugi Norimasa

Fujiwara no Yorimichi

Fujiwara no Kamatari

Fujiwara no Sumitomo

Fukushima Masanori

Harada Sanosuke

Hasegawa Yoshimichi

Hatano Hideharu

Hayashi Rajan

Hijikata Hisamoto

Hojo Ujimasa

Hojo Ujinao

Hojo Ujitsuna

Hojo Ujiyasu

Hojo Yasutoki

Hosokawa Yoriyuki

Hosokawa Katsumoto

Hosokawa Masamoto

Hosokawa Sumimoto

Hosokawa Tadaoki

Hosokawa Tadatoshi

Hosokawa Takakuni

Hosokawa Fujitaka

Hosokawa Harumoto

This is Shimpei

Yamana Mochitoyo

On our website we offer a huge selection of names...

Our new book "The Energy of Surnames"

In our book "The Energy of the Name" you can read:

Selecting a name using an automatic program

Selection of a name based on astrology, embodiment tasks, numerology, zodiac sign, types of people, psychology, energy

Choosing a name using astrology (examples of the weakness of this method of choosing a name)

Selection of a name according to the tasks of incarnation (life purpose, purpose)

Selecting a name using numerology (examples of the weakness of this name selection technique)

Choosing a name based on your zodiac sign

Choosing a name based on the type of person

Choosing a name based on psychology

Choosing a name based on energy

What you need to know when choosing a name

What to do to choose the perfect name

If you like the name

Why you don’t like the name and what to do if you don’t like the name (three ways)

Two options for choosing a new successful name

Corrective name for a child

Corrective name for an adult

Adaptation to a new name

Our book "The Energy of the Name"

Oleg and Valentina Svetovid

From this page look:

In our esoteric Club you can read:

Attention!

Sites and blogs have appeared on the Internet that are not our official sites, but use our name. Be careful. Fraudsters are using our name, our email addresses for your newsletters, information from our books and our websites. Using our name, they lure people to various magical forums and deceive (they give advice and recommendations that can harm, or lure money for conducting magical rituals, making amulets and teaching magic).

On our websites we do not provide links to magic forums or websites of magic healers. We do not participate in any forums. We do not give consultations over the phone, we do not have time for this.

Note! We do not engage in healing or magic, we do not make or sell talismans and amulets. We do not engage in magical and healing practices at all, we have not offered and do not offer such services.

The only direction of our work is correspondence consultations in written form, training through an esoteric club and writing books.

Sometimes people write to us that they saw information on some websites that we allegedly deceived someone - they took money for healing sessions or making amulets. We officially declare that this is slander and not true. In our entire life, we have never deceived anyone. On the pages of our website, in the club materials, we always write that you need to be an honest, decent person. For us, an honest name is not an empty phrase.

People who write slander about us are guided by the basest motives - envy, greed, they have black souls. The times have come when slander pays well. Now many people are ready to sell their homeland for three kopecks, and it is even easier to slander decent people. People who write slander do not understand that they are seriously worsening their karma, worsening their fate and the fate of their loved ones. It is pointless to talk with such people about conscience and faith in God. They do not believe in God, because a believer will never make a deal with his conscience, will never engage in deception, slander, or fraud.

There are a lot of scammers, pseudo-magicians, charlatans, envious people, people without conscience and honor who are hungry for money. The police and other regulatory authorities have not yet been able to cope with the growing influx of "Deception for profit" madness.

Therefore, please be careful!

Sincerely – Oleg and Valentina Svetovid

Our official sites are:

The samurai embodied the image of an ideal warrior who revered culture and laws, who took seriously what he had chosen life path. When a samurai failed his master or himself, according to local customs he had to be subjected to the ritual of “seppuku” - ritual suicide, i.e. hara-kiri.

1. Hojo Ujitsuna (1487 - 1541)

Ujitsuna sparked a long-standing feud with the Uesugi clan - the owner of Edo Castle, which has now grown into the giant metropolis of Tokyo, but then it was an ordinary castle covering a fishing village. Having taken over Edo Castle, Ujitsuna managed to spread his family's influence throughout the Kanto region (the most populous island of Japan, where the capital of the state is located - Tokyo) and by the time of his death in 1541, the Hojo clan was one of the most powerful and dominant families in Japan

2. Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

This name may be familiar to fans of Quentin Tarantino, since it was based on the real life biography of Hattori Hanzo that Quentin created the image of the swordsman for the film Kill Bill. Starting at the age of 16, he fought for survival, participating in many battles. Hanzo was devoted to Tokugawa Ieyasu, saving the life of this man more than once, who later founded the shogunate, which ruled Japan for more than 250 years (1603 - 1868). Throughout Japan he is known as a great and devoted samurai who has become a legend. His name can be found carved at the entrance to the imperial palace.

3. Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

Uesugi Kenshin was a strong military leader and also the leader of the Nagao clan. He was different outstanding abilities as a commander, resulting in his troops achieving many victories on the battlefield. His rivalry with Takeda Shingen, another warlord, was one of the most widely known in history during the Sengoku period. They feuded for 14 years, during which time they engaged in several one-on-one fights. Kenshin died in 1578, the circumstances of his death remain unclear. Modern historians believe it was something similar to stomach cancer.

4. Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533 - 1611)

This is another Japanese warlord who lived throughout the bloody Sengoku period. While still a young man, he established himself as a talented commander; later this trait allowed him and his comrades to capture most Kyushu region. Yoshihisa became the first to unite the entire Kyushu region; it was subsequently defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (military and political figure, the unifier of Japan) and his 200,000-strong army.

5. Mori Motonari (1497 - 1571)

Mori Motonari grew up in relative obscurity, but this did not stop him from taking control of several of the largest clans in Japan and becoming one of the most feared and powerful warlords of the Sengoku period. His appearance on the general stage was sudden, and equally unexpected was the series of victories he won over strong and respected opponents. He eventually captured 10 of the 11 provinces in the Chugoku region. Many of his victories were against much larger and more experienced opponents, making his feats even more impressive.

6. Miyamoto Musashi (1584 - 1645)

Miyamoto Musashi was a samurai whose words and opinions still mark modern Japan. Today he is known as the author of The Book of Five Rings, which describes the strategy and philosophy of samurai in battle. He was the first to use a new fighting style in the sword technique of kenjutsu, calling it niten ichi, when the fight is fought with two swords. According to legend, he traveled through ancient Japan, and during his travels he managed to win many fights. His ideas, strategies, tactics and philosophy are the subject of study to this day.

7. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is considered one of Japan's Founding Fathers, one of three men whose actions helped unify Japan and end the long and bloody Sengoku era. Hideyoshi succeeded his former master Oda Nobunaga, and began to implement social and cultural reforms that determined the future direction of Japan for a period of 250 years. He banned sword ownership by non-samurai, and also began a nationwide search for all swords and other weapons that were henceforth to belong only to samurai. Despite the fact that this concentrated all military force in the hands of the samurai, such a step was a huge breakthrough towards common peace since the reign of the Sengoku era.

8. Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

Takeda Shingen was perhaps the most dangerous commander of the entire Sengoku era. When it turned out that his father was going to leave everything to his other son, Shingen allied himself with several other powerful samurai clans, which pushed him to expand beyond his home province of Kai. Shingen became one of the few who were able to defeat the army of Oda Nabunaga, who at that time was successfully capturing other territories of Japan. He died in 1573, suffering from illness, but by this point he was well on his way to consolidating power over all of Japan.

Samurai embodied the image of an ideal warrior who revered culture and laws, and who took his chosen path in life seriously. When a samurai failed his master or himself, according to local customs he had to be subjected to the ritual of “seppuku” - ritual suicide, i.e. hara-kiri.

1. Hojo Ujitsuna (1487 - 1541)

Ujitsuna sparked a long-standing feud with the Uesugi clan - the owner of Edo Castle, which has now grown into the giant metropolis of Tokyo, but then it was an ordinary castle covering a fishing village. Having taken over Edo Castle, Ujitsuna managed to spread his family's influence throughout the Kanto region (Japan's most populous island, where the capital of the state is located - Tokyo) and by the time of his death in 1541, the Hojo clan was one of the most powerful and dominant families in Japan.

2. Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

3. Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

Uesugi Kenshin was a strong military leader and also the leader of the Nagao clan. He was distinguished by his outstanding ability as a commander, resulting in his troops achieving many victories on the battlefield. His rivalry with Takeda Shingen, another warlord, was one of the most widely known in history during the Sengoku period. They feuded for 14 years, during which time they engaged in several one-on-one fights. Kenshin died in 1578, the circumstances of his death remain unclear. Modern historians believe it was something similar to stomach cancer.

4. Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533 - 1611)

This is another Japanese warlord who lived throughout the bloody Sengoku period. While still a young man, he established himself as a talented commander, a trait that later allowed him and his comrades to capture most of the Kyushu region. Yoshihisa became the first to unite the entire Kyushu region; it was subsequently defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (a military and political figure, the unifier of Japan) and his 200,000-strong army.

5. Mori Motonari (1497 - 1571)

6. Miyamoto Musashi (1584 - 1645)

7. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is considered one of Japan's Founding Fathers, one of three men whose actions helped unify Japan and end the long and bloody Sengoku era. Hideyoshi succeeded his former master Oda Nobunaga, and began to implement social and cultural reforms that determined the future direction of Japan for a period of 250 years. He banned sword ownership by non-samurai, and also began a nationwide search for all swords and other weapons that were henceforth to belong only to samurai. Although this concentrated all military power in the hands of the samurai, such a move was a huge breakthrough towards general peace since the reign of the Sengoku era.

8. Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

9. Oda Nobunaga (1534 - 1582)

Oda Nobunaga was driving force unification of Japan. He was the first military leader to rally a huge number of provinces around himself and made his samurai the dominant military force throughout Japan. By 1559, he had already captured his home province of Owari and decided to continue what he had started, expanding his borders. For 20 years, Nobunaga slowly rose to power, emerging as one of the country's most feared military leaders. Only a couple of people, including Takeda Shingen, managed to win victories against his unique military tactics and strategy.

10. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616)

Tokugawa Ieyasu had amazing insight and unique intuition, which more than once rescued him in the most hopeless and dangerous situations. life situations. Even in his youth, he was able to recognize and deeply understand the danger looming over the country as a result of cruel and merciless inter-feudal wars that lasted a whole century. Having suffered fear for the life of himself and his family and friends, Ieyasu firmly decided to devote himself to the struggle to establish peace in the country and revive its national statehood.