Takabatake Naganao (高畠長直)
Naganao TAKABATAKE (? - July 28, 1549) was a busho (Japanese military commander) who lived in the Sengoku period (Period of Warring States). He was a subordinate warrior of the Hosokawa clan. His popular name was Jinkuro and, later, he was given a official name of Izu no Kami (Governor of Izu Province).
His origin was a kokujin (local samurai) of Toba in Yamashiro Province. Kokujin in that Province were under influence of the Hosokawa clan during the Sengoku period as known from the fact that the uprising in Yamashiro Province had certain relation with Masamoto HOSOKAWA who was the Kanrei (shogunal deputy) at that time. It is said that the Takabatake clan was an influential samurai in the Takabatake no sho in the basin of Katsura-gawa River (Yodo-gawa River system) and was engaged in the business of doso (storehouse money broker) and transportation by water. When Takakuni HOSOKAWA and Harumoto HOSOKAWA fought for the position of Kanrei, Naganao participated in the war together with his elder brother, Yojuro Naganobu as a member of the Harumoto side and, after the victory of Harumoto, he served as a close aide of Harumoto because his brother assumed the position of Yamashiro Gundai (Intendant of a region or administrator of a town) to supervise the territory of Hosokawa family in Yamashiro Province.
From its local situation, the Takabatake clan was connected with court nobles and Buddhism temples and Shinto shrines and, in particular, with Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple located in the downstream of Katsura-gawa River and Yodo-gawa River. In particular, he has a close connection with the chief priest of the Hongan-ji Temple, Shonyo, and, when Shonyo obtained a son (later, Kennyo) by a daughter of Shigenobu NIWATA, he delivered congratulations as an agent of the Kanrei, Harumoto. Also, he took part in the war between Motonaga MIYOSHI and Kunisada NAITO and made a fine war record.
After the death of Nagamasa KIZAWA, he succeeded the position of the Yamashiro Gundai of his elder brother, Naganobu and took part in the war against Ujitsuna HOSOKAWA and Masakuni HATAKEYAMA, who was united with Ujitsuna, on one hand, and had an audience with the Emperor Gonara following Harumoto in 1547, on the other. However, the situation changed drastically, triggered by a breakaway from Chokei MIYOSHI, who was of Harumoto, to the Ujitsuna's side. In the Battle of Eguchi in 1549, Naganao, who took part in the troop of Masanaga MIYOSHI in the Harumoto's side was defeated and killed by the attack of Chokei MIYOSHI.
Recently, as it was confirmed the Naganao's compound is portrayed in Uesugibon Rakuchu Rakugai Zu (Scenes in and around the Capital of Kyoto, the Uesugi version), there were various discussions with respect to the time of the drawing.