Sanada Masayuk

In the chaotic crucible of Japan's Sengoku period, where warlords clashed and empires rose and fell, one man's cunning and resilience carved an indelible mark on history: Sanada Masayuki. This book unveils the riveting tale of a samurai strategist whose brilliance on the battlefield and mastery of diplomacy shaped the destiny of his clan amidst a storm of betrayal, loyalty, and ambition. From his formative years under the shadow of the mighty Takeda Shingen to his audacious defiance of Tokugawa Ieyasu at the legendary Battles of Ueda, this book chronicles Masayuki's journey through a fractured Japan. Witness his transformation from a loyal vassal to a shrewd daimyo, navigating treacherous alliances with powerhouses like Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and the Uesugi and Hojo clans. With Ueda Castle as his fortress and his sons, Nobuyuki and Yukimura, as his legacy, Masayuki's story is one of tactical genius, familial sacrifice, and unyielding resolve. This book brings to life Masayuki's most iconic moments—his ingenious use of terrain and espionage, his pivotal role in the seismic Battle of Sekigahara, and his poignant exile in Kudoyama. It explores not only his military triumphs but also the myths that have immortalized him as the "Strategist" and the enduring symbol of the Sanada rokumonsen crest in Japanese culture.