Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (March 17, 1537 –September 18, 1598) was a samurai and daimyō of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second “Great Unifier” of Japan. He greatly contributed to the rebuilding of Kyoto from the Ōnin War that destroyed much of the city. Hideyoshi is legendary for his rise from a peasant background to a retainer of Oda Nobunaga to becoming the most powerful man in Japan. Hideyoshi’s rule covered the second half of the Azuchi–Momoyama period of Japan (1568 – 1600), named after his castle, Momoyama Castle and Nobunaga’s Azuchi Castle.

Early life (1537–1558)

Hideyoshi came from peasant stock, his father, Kinoshita Yaemon, being an ashigaru (foot soldier). Hideyoshi had no surname. He was born in Owari Province. Legend has it that his childhood given name was Hiyoshi-maru (“Bounty of the Sun”) but that may have only been to link his legacy with the sun-god. Yaemon died when Hideyoshi was 7-years-old.

Service under Nobunaga (1558–1582)

In 1558, he joined the Oda clan, under Nobunaga, as an ashigaru. He rose through the ranks and became one of Nobunaga’s sandal-bearers a position of relatively high status.

In 1561, Hideyoshi married O-Ne (also known as Kōdai-in) the adopted daughter of Asano Nagakatsu, a descendent of Minamoto no Yorimitsu. Some in her family opposed the marriage because of their different social standings. She became his principle wife and a favorite. After Hideyoshi achieved power, as the matriarch figure of the Toyotomi clan, she led diplomatic affairs with the imperial court and monitored the families of daimyōs being held hostage at Osaka Castle.

During his service to Oda Nobunaga, he participated in many military campaigns, including the Battle of Okehazama, the Siege of Inabayama Castle, the Battle of Anegawa (where Hideyoshi was first assigned to lead Oda troops into open battle), the Siege of Nagashima, and the Battle of Nagashino.

Hideyoshi became one of Nobunaga’s most distinguished generals. He took the name of Hashiba Hideyoshi, which included characters, one each from Oda’s right-hand men, Niwa Nagahide, Shibata Katsuie, Akechi Mitsuhide, and Mori Yoshinari .

He showed many talents, serving as a negotiator and factory manager. Hideyoshi was also known for his construction projects that include: Imahama Castle; remodeling Himeji Castle; and Osaka Castle.

His services were well-rewarded. In 1573 Nobunaga appointed Hideyoshi daimyō of three districts in the northern part of Ōmi Province.

Rise to Power (1582–1585)

Death of Nobunaga

In the 1582 Hideyoshi laid siege to Takamatsu Castle. As the battle grew more intense, Hideyoshi requested aid from Oda Nobunaga. Nobunaga mobilized his commanders and planned to lead the new army. While en route, at Honnō-ji in Kyoto, Nobunaga and his son were betrayed and attacked by Akechi Mitsuhide, one of his most trusted generals. Nobunaga committed seppuku rather than be captured.

After learning of Nobunaga’s death, Hideyoshi ended the siege and made peace with the Mōri clan. Within two weeks of Nobunaga’s death, Hideyoshi exacted revenge upon the traitor Akechi Mitsuhide in the Battle of Yamazaki.

With both Nobunaga and his son dead, there was a huge power vacuum and Hideyoshi quickly moved to take over the Oda holdings and Nobunaga’s authority and power.

In 1583, Hideyoshi summoned the powerful daimyo so that they could determine Nobunaga’s heir. He chose the infant Oda Hidenobu, Nobunaga’s grandson. He distributed Nobunaga’s provinces among the generals and formed a council of four to help govern. Tension quickly escalated between Hideyoshi and Shibata Katsuie, and at the Battle of Shizugatake, Hideyoshi destroyed Katsuie’s forces. Katsuie committed seppuku and Hideyoshi took his daughter as a concubine. Hideyoshi had thus dealt with most of the Oda clan, taken power, and controlled 30 provinces.

Conflict with Ieyasu

In 1584, Nobunaga’s son, Oda Nobukatsu allied with Tokugawa Ieyasu and led forces against Hideyoshi. The two sides fought at the inconclusive Battle of Komaki and Nagakute. Hideyoshi made peace with Nobukatsu. Hideyoshi sent Tokugawa Ieyasu his younger sister and mother as hostages. Ieyasu agreed to become an ally of Hideyoshi.

Hideyoshi gained control of Kyoto. He was adopted by the Fujiwara family taking the surname Toyotomi and was given title kanpaku. He built a lavish palace, Jurakudai, where he entertained Emperor Go-Yōzei.

In the years 1585 to 1592 Hideyoshi vanquished recalcitrant provinces and clans. Notable conquests include Kii Province; Shikoku Island; Etchū Province; the Shimazu of Satsuma; and the Mōri of Chōshū. Shortly thereafter various clans and daimyō either surrendered to him or aligned with him.

In a complete turnabout in fortune, the Abbot Kōsa, who had led the resistance to Nobunaga at Ishiyama Hongan-ji, aligned with Hideyoshi. As a reward, Hideyoshi granted Kōsa a new Hogan-ji, present day Nishi Hogan-ji in Kyoto.

In the northern Kanto region the Later Hōjō clan (sometimes called the Odawara Hōjō) dominated. The Later Hōjō was the last major clan not to submit to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

Odawara campaign

Toyotomi Hideyoshi gathered a massive army of 220,000 and lay siege on Odawara Castle the home of Later Hōjō. Hideyoshi’s army surrounded the castle and waited. After three months the Hōjō surrendered.

Hideyoshi, following a plea for clemency by Ieyasu, banished Hōjō Ujinao and his wife, Tokuhime (who was Ieyasu’s daughter), to Mt. Kōya. There Ujinao committed seppuku. Afterwards Tokuhine returned to Ieyasu. Later, in 1594, Hideyoshi arranged for Tokuhine to marry Ikeda Terumasa, a powerful daimyo who expanded Himeji Castle, and they had several children. 

Among those captured was the tea master Yamanoue Sōji, a disciple of Sen no Rikyū, who was under the patronage of the Hōjō. Hideyoshi had Sōji’s ears and nose cut off before decapitating him.

During the siege Hideyoshi offered Ieyasu the eight Hōjō-ruled provinces in the Kantō region, in exchange for Ieyasu’s five provinces. Ieyasu accepted this proposal.

 Toyotomi Hideyoshi initiated several measures to reform the country from decentralized chaos to order. And this order was his command and control.

Hideyoshi gathered information to further his control.  He took land surveys to determine national wealth, who had it, and who owed taxes. He also took a census of all inhabitants of Japan, to determine available manpower for military use.

He ensured a more peaceful country under his authority, by confiscating swords of the peasants and potential adversaries, like the sōhei (fighting monks), in Taiko’s Sword Hunt. He eliminated local strongholds and unnecessary military strong points. He tore down branch castles and destroyed fortified neighborhoods in Kyoto. After the Kanto campaign, Toyotomi Hideyoshi became aware of the large numbers of rōnin, masterless samurai, who had the potential not only for crime and violence, but also for rebellion against Toyotomi rule. He forced villages to expel all strangers and prevented samurai and their retainers from other employment and peasants from leaving their fields.

He cemented his rule through relations with powerful groups.  To validate his rule, Hideyoshi sought favor with the monarchy by rebuilding Kyoto palace and paying for court ceremonies. In 1586, he hosted Emperor Ōgimachi in the famous Golden Tea Room which he brought to the Kyoto Imperial Palace. Hideyoshi also arranged the holdings of the daimyō to isolate potential adversaries. The best example is the trade with the Tokugawa family to give them valuable possessions in the Kanto region, but far from Kyoto. Hideyoshi established administrative bodies that would watch over each other.

Hideyoshi also occupied Nagasaki and controlled international trade and regulated the trade associations that acted through this port. Hideyoshi had gained control over precious metal mines and had a portable tea room made of gold. He used it for the Grand Kitano Tea Ceremony at the Kitano Tenman-gū Shine on November 1, 1587. He also started minting coins for the first time since 958.

He also discouraged new ideas by controlling thoughts. Christianity from foreign trade was a problem. Christians were suspect: Can one serve two masters? After the Spanish galleon, San Felipe, was shipwrecked, it was found to contain a large amount of canons and guns. During the investigation, it was discovered that Catholic priests had been proselytizing unlawfully. Hideyoshi had twenty-six Christians arrested as an example to Japanese who wanted to convert to Christianity, the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan. They were tortured, mutilated, and paraded through towns across Japan, then executed in Nagasaki by crucifixion.

Death of Sen no Rikyū

In February 1591, Hideyoshi ordered Sen no Rikyū to commit suicide. Rikyū had been a trusted retainer and master of the tea ceremony under both Hideyoshi and Nobunaga. Following Rikyū’s death, Hideyoshi turned his attention from tea ceremony to Noh. Hideyoshi memorized the lead parts of Noh plays and would perform them, forcing daimyōs to accompany him onstage. He even performed before the emperor.

Korean Campaign (1592 – 1598)

Hideyoshi had a last great ambition: to conquer Ming Dynasty China. In April 1592 Hideyoshi sent an army of 200,000 to invade Korea and force its way onto China. Initially, his forces made rapid progress through Korean until the Ming court sent military aid and the Korean navy destroyed the Japanese navy.  Combat reached a stalemate and peace talks began.

During the talks, Hideyoshi, seeing Japan as an equal of Ming China, demanded a division of Korea, free-trade status, and a Chinese princess as consort for the emperor. The Joseon (Korean) and Chinese leaders saw no reason to concede to such demands, or to treat the Japanese as equals, and rejected Hideyoshi’s demands.

Hideyoshi launched another invasion of Korea in 1597, but it met with better Korean defenses and greater Chinese involvement. It ended in 1598 with Hideyoshi’s death.

Successors to Hideyoshi: Hidetsugu and Hideyori

Hideyoshi wanted an orderly succession, so he resigned from his post as kanpaku in 1591 by taking the title taikō, or “retired Kanpaku,” and turned the regency over to his nephew and adopted son, Toyotomi Hidetsugu, who assumed the position, and took up residence at Jurakudai.

The dual governing system worked well for a time. Hideyoshi handled the invasion of Korea, Hidetsugu governed domestic affairs. However, in 1593 Hideyoshi’s concubine, Yodo-dono, gave birth to a son, Hideyori. Hidetsugu was accused of committing unjustified murder and in 1595, when Hidetsugu was accused of plotting a coup, he was ordered to commit seppuku at Mt. Kōya. He died along with his three wakashū (younger shudō partners).

The End of the Toyotomi

Nearing death in 1598, Hideyoshi appointed a group of the most powerful men in Japan to govern as the Council of Five Elders until Hideyori came of age. However, after his death Ishida Mitsunari and Tokugawa Ieyasu struggled for power in yet another civil war.

At the Battle of Sekigahara, October 21, 1600, Ieyasu won a great victory. Generally regarded as the last major conflict of Sengoku-Jidai, Ieyasu’s victory at Sekigahara marked the end of the Toyotomi reign.

Hideyoshi left an influential and lasting legacy in Japan, including Osaka Castle, the Tokugawa class system, the restriction on the possession of weapons to the samurai, and the construction and restoration of many temples some of which are still visible in Kyoto.