The Monument of Ekoda Battlefield, Ekoda Park, Nakano ward

The Tragedy of Teruhime: The Defeat of the Toshima Family by Dokan Ota

Teruhime, cornered after a fierce battle, threw herself into a lake.

The Tragedy of Teruhime: The Defeat of the Toshima Family by Dokan Ota

(Voice actor) Mr.David Radtke

David Radtke

In the Kanto region during the 1400s, many groups of samurais were formed and there were many battles. In this region, Edo castle-based Dokan Ota was famous for being a great commander. On another front, in the Toshima family, a distinguished family in Kanto, the head of family Yasutsune Toshima set his base in Shakujii castle and had huge influence over the Musashi province (now Tokyo and Saitama prefecture). The newly rising Ougigayatsu-Uesugi family was growing in strength and a conflict with Yasutsune Toshima seemed inevitable. Dokan Ota was the administrator for the Ougigayatsu-Uesugi family. When there were no wars, Yasutsune hoped that his child would be a girl. Perhaps praying to Hikawa shrine worked, and a very lovely girl was born. Yasutsune named the girl “Teruhime” and cherished her. Teruhime grew up to become an incredibly beautiful woman. Yasutsune rejoiced. Meanwhile, their rival Ougigayatsu-Uesugi family’s army attacked them at last. The commander-in-chief was the great commander Dokan Ota. Dokan first attacked Hiratsuka castle of Yasuaki Toshima, younger brother of Yasutsune. A messenger from Hiratsuka castle asked for support troops from Yasutsune. The messenger notified that Dokan’s army was lighting fire to villages around Hiratsuka castle and was attacking the castle valiantly. Teruhime stepped up and told her father, Yasutsune, to go help her Uncle Yasuaki, and that she will hold down the fort of Shakujii castle in his absence. Yasutsune accepted her offer, told her to take care of Shakujii castle, donned his body armor, and led the army to save Hiratsuka castle. When he reached Egotahara, where furious fights were going on, he encountered Dokan Ota’s army. Yasutsune led the charge to Dokan’s army. Facing the elite force led by the unrivaled Yasutsune Toshima, Dokan countered with a threefold defense. Here, the Yasutsune army and the Dokan army squarely clashed with each other. Both were elite forces, and when they were in a fierce battle, the horse that Yasutsune was riding bogged down in a quagmire. Dokan’s head of foot soldiers, Josuke Mori, did not miss that. Yasutsune prepared for the worst as Josuke Mori came towards him. It was his younger brother, Yasuaki, who came from Hiratsuka castle, that saved him. Yasuaki killed Josuke and suggested Yasutsune to retreat to Shakujii castle. The course of the battle of Egota was gradually becoming disadvantageous to the Toshima army. Yasutsune was backed into a corner by this battle. Dokan’s army made their long-awaited approach to Shakujii castle. What is the fate of Yasutsune Toshima and Teruhime?      

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