Battle of Uedahara

The Battle of Uedahara (上田原の戦い) was the first defeat suffered by Takeda Shingen, and the first field battle in Japan in which firearms were used.

Takeda Shingen met up with his force that had taken Shika castle, and led 7000 men north to face the threat posed by Murakami Yoshikiyo. Shingen's vanguard was led by Itagaki Nobukata; when they charged head-on into Murakami's vanguard, the charge was absorbed, and Itagaki was killed.

Murakami made use of 50 ashigaru armed with Chinese arquebuses, who were meant to serve as support for archers. 700 of Takeda's men were killed, including Itagaki, and two other generals, Amari Torayasu and Hajikano Den'emon. Shingen himself even suffered a spear wound to his side.