Who was this person?
A Mikawa warrior of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods, the retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu known as Hattori Hanzō. He distinguished himself at battles such as Mikatagahara and was called "Demon Hanzō." After the Honnō-ji Incident, when Ieyasu crossed Iga to return to Mikawa, he is said to have gathered men of Iga and Kōga to guide and guard him.
| Name | Hattori Hanzō (Masanari) (服部正成（半蔵）) |
|---|---|
| Born–died | 1542 – 1597 |
| Period | Sengoku period |
| Birthplace | Mikawa Province |
| Also known as | Hattori Hanzō; Oni Hanzō |
| Main achievements |
|
He was born in Mikawa Province (Aichi), the son of Hattori Yasunaga. His father came from Iga Province (Mie) and is said to have served the Muromachi shōguns before entering the service of Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, Ieyasu's grandfather. Masanari is widely known by the hereditary name "Hanzō".
As a small child he was placed in Daiju-ji, the family temple of the Matsudaira. He is said to have been a big, strong boy. Disliking the idea of becoming a monk, however, he reportedly slipped away from the temple a few years later. He had chosen for himself the life of a warrior.
He distinguished himself in a night attack on Udo Castle in Mikawa and is said to have been given a spear by the future Tokugawa Ieyasu. This is regarded as his first battle, though accounts of its date differ. Leading men from Iga in a night fight, Masanari first made his name.
During the Mikawa Ikko uprising many of Ieyasu's own retainers joined the rebels. Masanari is said to have been a follower of the Ikkō sect himself, but he chose loyalty to his lord Ieyasu and fought the insurgents. By overcoming this crisis Ieyasu strengthened his hold on Mikawa.
At the Battle of Anegawa, where the Oda and Tokugawa fought the Azai and Asakura, he is said to have won the honour of the first spear into the enemy lines. Rather than as a chief of spies, Masanari made his name as a warrior fighting at the front, spear in hand.
He fought with distinction at the Battle of Mikatagahara against Takeda Shingen and, when the Tokugawa army was routed, guarded Ieyasu on his retreat to Hamamatsu Castle. For this he is said to have been given a spear and command of 150 men from Iga. His fierce fighting earned him the nickname "Demon Hanzō".
When Ieyasu's eldest son Nobuyasu was ordered to commit seppuku, Masanari is said to have been sent to witness it. A story in the Mikawa Monogatari tells that, ordered to deliver the final stroke, he wept and could not bring down his sword. Some, however, regard the tale as a later invention.
When the Honnō-ji Incident broke out, Ieyasu, in Sakai with only a few attendants, was in grave danger. Masanari, together with the merchant Chaya Shirōjirō and others, persuaded local warriors of Iga and Kōka to escort the party, which slipped through to Ise and returned safely to Mikawa. This was the famous Crossing Iga.
In the Tenshō Jingo War over the former Takeda lands he led the Iga men into Kai. Facing the large Hōjō army, he held forts and launched night raids. Many of those who had helped during the Crossing Iga later served the Tokugawa as the Iga dōshin.
In the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute against Toyotomi Hideyoshi he led musketeers from Iga and Kōka to help defend Matsugashima Castle in Ise. He then joined the fighting over Kanie Castle in Owari, supporting the Tokugawa side. He showed his worth as a commander of troops skilled with firearms.
He joined the Odawara campaign in command of musketeers. When Ieyasu moved to the Kantō, he was given charge of 200 Iga dōshin and a fief of 8,000 koku. One of the gates of Edo Castle is said to have become known as the Hanzōmon because his residence stood nearby.
He died of illness in Edo. The temple he had built to mourn Nobuyasu later moved to Yotsuya and became Sainen-ji, where his grave also lies. Novels and films often portray him as a ninja chief, but in reality he was a Tokugawa warrior renowned for his skill with the spear.
A. A Mikawa warrior of the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods, the retainer of Tokugawa Ieyasu known as Hattori Hanzō. He distinguished himself at battles such as Mikatagahara and was called "Demon Hanzō." After the Honnō-ji Incident, when Ieyasu crossed Iga to return to Mikawa, he is said to have gathered men of Iga and Kōga to guide and guard him.
A. Period: Sengoku period. Born in 1542, died in 1597.
A. Hattori Hanzō (Masanari) was born in Mikawa Province.
A. His father Hattori Yasunaga came from Iga, but Masanari himself was a warrior born and raised in Mikawa who won distinction on the battlefield with his spear. Because he led men from Iga and Kōga, the image of him as a ninja chief spread, but there is no reliable record that he himself used ninja techniques.
See also: Wikipedia (ja) / Wikipedia (en) / Wikipedia (fr) / Wikipedia (zh) / Wikidata
Follow this life (autoplay)Takeda ShingenToyotomi HideyoshiTokugawa Ieyasu
Hasegawa TōhakuTorii MototadaToyotomi HidenagaKuki YoshitakaTokugawa IeyasuKanō EitokuFuruta OribeKennyo
People of the Sengoku/Azuchi-Momoyama period ・ People by period
Based on facts found in textbooks and biographies. Uncertain points are marked as such.