Nagashino

Nagashino is a historical location in what is now Shinshiro, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It is primarily known for the Battle of Nagashino, a pivotal engagement that took place on June 28, 1575. This battle pitted the allied forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu against the much larger army of the Takeda clan, led by Takeda Katsuyori.

The Takeda clan, renowned for their cavalry and skilled warriors, had been a dominant force in central Japan for decades. However, at Nagashino, Nobunaga employed innovative tactics that proved decisive. He utilized newly acquired firearms, specifically arquebuses, and positioned his soldiers behind wooden stockades. These defenses, combined with disciplined volleys of gunfire, effectively nullified the Takeda cavalry charges.

The battle resulted in a catastrophic defeat for the Takeda clan, marking the end of their military supremacy and significantly weakening their clan. The victory at Nagashino is widely considered a turning point in Japanese history, demonstrating the effectiveness of firearms and disciplined infantry tactics in warfare, and paving the way for Oda Nobunaga's eventual unification of Japan. The site of the battle is now a popular historical landmark, featuring a museum and reconstructions of the battlefield defenses.