ベイカー寮221B／Baker House 221B

Kaoru (Yamate Dono*) was a wife of SANADA Masayuki. Some say that she was from an aristcrat family but others say she was an adopted daughter of TAKEDA Harunobu (Shingen) or daughter of UDA Yoritada who served TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi and his brother Hidenaga.

She married Masayuki around 1564 and had three children - Muramatsu Dono, Nobuyuki and Nobushige. After the fall of the Takedas, she and her family escaped to Ueda. And she and Chikurinin, later name of the wife of Nobushige were sheltered by OTANI Yoshitsugu during the battles related to the Battle of Srekigahara. When Masayuki and Nobuyuki were exiled to Kudoyama, she continued to stay in Ueda and became a nun later. She died in 1613.

In this series, she is described as an ostentatious woman. She calls herself as a daughter of KIKUTEI Harusue, an aristocrat in Kyoto and loves elegant life but was a maid of the family in reality. when her husband Masayuki is exiled to Kudoyama, she decides to stay in the residence of Nobuyuki in Edo and ends her life there.

(*) Yamate Dono is used to address the wife of Sanada Masayuki but she is not called so in this series.

The image shows Atsuko Takahata as Kaoru
(From the DVD series of "Sanada Maru")

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HIRANO Gonpei Nagayasu was born as the third son of HIRANO Nagaharu, vassal of HASHIBA (later TOYOTOMI) Hideyoshi in 1559. Like his father, he served Hideyoshi.

He fought well at the Battle of Shizugatake and became one of the Seven Spears of Shizugatake. Then he distinguished himself in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute and was appointed as Totominokami (totomi-no-kami) by the Imperial court. He took the side of TOKUGAWA Ieyasu at the Battle of Sekigahara. But he couldn't participate in the battle because of the delay of TOKUGAWA Hidetada whom he served.  After that he became one of direct vassals of a shogun and died in 1628.

In this series, he is a superior of SANADA Nobushige when he becomes uma-mawari-shu, a kind of guards of Hideyoshi and eats dried cuttlefish as a snack. He acts arrrogantly and makes fun of KATAGIRI Katsumoto by calling him "Nukesaku" (fool), a pun on one of his names "Sukesaku". At the Siege of Ueda in 1600, he who accompanies Hidetada is attacked by Nobushige on the way to the west to meet the army of ISHIDA Mitsunari.

The image shows Yoshimasa Kondo as Hirano Nagayasu
(From the DVD series of "Sanada Maru")

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ITABEOKA Kosetsusai was a vassal of the Hojos who ruled Sagami. He was also a member of one hyojo-shu those who could attend the council of the clan. He is said to have born in the Tanaka Family but succeeded the Itabeoka family.

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TOYOTOMI Hidenaga was a younger brother and a vassal of TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi. He supported his brother and negotiated with major daimyos as TOKUGAWA Ieyasu well.

He became to serve his brother Hideyoshi around 1564. After that he displayed his ability both in military affairs and administration and participated in many battles. In 1585, he attacked Shikoku region and made CHOSOKABE Motochika who ruled there surrender. Then Yamato, current Nara was added to his fief and he moved to Koriyama Castle in the province. Besides he was appointed to Dainagon and was called Yamato Dainagon (*).

Since 1586, he had been sickly and visited Arima Onsen for a hot spring cure several times. Despite being illness, he still took the field but in 1590 his condition prevented him from fighting in the Siege of Odawara. He died in January, 1591 and was succeeded by his son Hideyasu but he died in 1595 and his family was extinct.

In this series, he is described as a man who works for his brother devotedly but is severe to the vassals. He is aware of himself and his family members are from lower class and tells SANADA Nobushige that living in Osaka Castle are not suited to them. Just before his death, he remonstrates Hideyoshi who dotes on his son Tsurumatsu.

(*) Dainagon is originally a chief councilor of state and one of high official titles.

The image shows Tetsuya Chiba as Toyotomi Hidenaga
(From a DVd of "Sanada Maru")

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KASUGA Nobutatsu (Kosaka Masamoto) was a heir of Kosaka Danjo Masanobu, who was also called KASUGA Toratsuna and one of the senior vassals of TAKEDA Harunobu (Shingen). As his elder brother Masazumi was killed in the Battle of Nagashino in 1575, he succeeded his father in 1578 and kept Kaizu Castle in Shinano.

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HOJO Ujinao was the second son of Hojo Ujimasa and the fifth head of the Hojo (Go-Hojo) s who ruled Sagami, current Kanagawa. After his father succeeded his grandfather Ujiyasu, the relationship with the Takedas was improved and the Hojos allied with some other daimyos. He succeeded Ujimasa who retired in 1580 but continued to retain the real power.

After ODA Nobunaga was killed by AKECHI Mitsuhide in 1582, the Hojos fought against TAKIGWAWA Kazumasu, vassal of Nobunaga over the territory ruled by TAKEDA Katsuyori and controlled by Nobunaga after the fall of the Takedas. But the tide of war was against Kazumasu and finally the Hojos fought against TOKUGAWA Ieyasu. But in October 1582, he allied with Ieyasu (*).

After that he invaded into Shimotsuke (current Tochigi) and Hitachi (current Ibaragi). Besides TOYOTOMI Hideyoshi, who became to govern Japan instead of Nobunaga asked him to visit Osaka and pay homage to him but he didn't. To make the matter worse,  the Hojo's occupation of Nagurumi Castle of the Sanadas was considered to be unlawful and Hideyoshi and other daimyos besieged his castle in 1590.

After the surrender, he became a priest and sent to Mt. Koya and was discharged then. But he died of smallpox at the age of thirty in 1591.

In this series, he is described as a unserious young lord of Sagami who is warned by his father. But in the Siege of Odawara in 1590, he becomes responsible and advises Ujimasa not to be besieged any more though he is not keen to listen to his words.

(*) A series of conflicts over the territory is called "Tensho jingo no ran".

The image shows Yoshihiko Hosoda as HOJO Ujinao
(From a DVD of "Sanada Maru")

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YAZAWA Yoritsuna was a younger brother of SANADA Yukitaka, uncle of Sanada Masayuki and father of Yazawa Sanjuro. He became a monk at first but returned to secular life later.

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Though her real name is unknown, she was one of the concubines of SANADA Nobushige and younger sister of HOTTA Sakubei. She gave birth to a girl called Sue.

In this series, she is a farm woman who lives with her brother Sakubei. She and Kiri, daughter of TAKANASHI Naiki are rivalsin love but Kiri finally accepts her marriage. Though she is from the lower-class and regarded as concubine, Masayuki, father of Nobushige allows them to have their wedding ceremony (*). But there is a plot of killing MUROGA Masatake behind it.

The reason why she marries Nobushige is her pregnance but she is not in reality. Luckily she becomes pregnant soon and has a baby. And in the Siege of Ueda in 1585, she goes out to the castle town with naginata (Japanese halberd)  and is attacked and killed by the soldiers of TOKUGAWA Ieyasu. Sue is nursed by Kiri at first but is finally brought up by her uncle Sakubei.

(*) As concubine was thought to be a maid with her private room, there was no custom that a man and his concubine held a wedding ceremony. 

The image shows Haru Kuroki as Ume
(From a DVD of "Sanada Maru")

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ANAYAMA Baisetsu was a vassal of the Takedas but betrayed the clan and served TOKUGAWA Ieyasu later. He was also called Anayama Tomotada and a son of a daughter of TAKEDA Nobutora and a nephew of Takeda Harunobu (Shingen).

He became a hostage of the Takedas in his teens and served Harunobu. Though he distinguished himself in battles as a vassal of the Takedas, he became to communicate with ODA Nobunaga secretly and finally betrayed the clan. Then he served Ieyasu but was embroiled in the confusion after the Honnoji Incident in 1582. Though he tried to escape, he was killed or committed suicide.

In this series, he betrays his lord TAKEDA Katsuyori and serves the Odas like other vassals of the Tekedas. He feels unsafe for some of them are executed by Nobunaga who is famous for his harshness but Ieyasu denies it. After hearing the news of the Honnoji Incident, he was killed during his escape.

The image shows Takaaki Enoki as Anayama Baisetsu
(from a DVD of "Sanada Maru")

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TAKIGAWA Kazumasu is a vassal od ODA Nobunaga and is thought  to be one of ODA Shitenno, the Four Paladins of Oda. The details of the first half is unknown.

He is said to have serve Nobunaga in 1550s and negotiated with MATSUDAIRA Motoyasu (TOKUGAWA Ieyasu) to be allied with his lord. He participated in the Siege of Ichijodani Castle and the Battle of Nagashino. In 1582, he drove TAKEDA Katsuyori into a corner and made him commit suicide. After the fall of the Takeda clan, he was granted Kozuke and the counties of Chiisagata (*) and Saku.

He had his base in Mayahashi Castle in Kozuke to rule Kanto area. But after the Honnoji Incident, he was forestalled by HASHIBA (TOYOTOMI) Hideyoshi in attacking AKECHI　Mitsuhide. Then he fought against the Hojos and departed for his base Ise Nagashima  (current Kuwana). On his way he handed his hostages from Chiisagata and Saku (**)　to KISO Yoshimasa in exchange for passing through his fief.

But he was late for the Kiyosu conference, meeting of daimyos to talk about who should become the head of the Oda clan. So he allowed Hideyoshi to take the initiative in it. He once opposed Hideyoshi but took his side in the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute. He died at 62 in 1586.

In this series, he is loyal to ODA Nobunaga and rules Chiisagata and Saku. But after the Honnoji Incident, SANADA Masayuki, local ruler of Chiisagata keeps the death of Nobunaga secret from him on purpose. And during his fight against the Hojos, Masayuki takes back the castles once controlled by Kazumasu and it makes him angry.

（*）Most of Chiisagata is current Ueda City in Nagano.
（**）Mother of Masayuki, who is called Tori in "Sanada Maru" is included in them.

The image shows Yasunori Danda as Takigawa Kazumasu
（From a DVD of Sanada Maru)

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