Mt. Tenmoku

The Battle of Mount Tenmoku (天目山の戦い) also called the "Battle of Tenmokuzan" is the last stand of the Takeda clan. With the Oda and Tokugawa forces closing in all around him, Katsuyori Takeda found himself betrayed and forced to seek refuge at Mt. Tenmoku, a sacred mountain for the Takeda, where he takes his wife, son, and own life, bringing an end to the Takeda clan.

Role in Games
Mount Tenmoku first appears in Samurai Warriors 4 using the same map as Okehazama from the perspective of the Sanada trying to protect Katsuyori and escort him to Mt. Tenmoku. The very first mission issued is to defeat Nobukimi Anayama, Nobushige Oyamada, and Yoshimasa Kiso. Alongside this first threat, the Takeda supply lines are threatened by Nagayoshi Mori and Hideyori Mori. Mitsuhide Akechi joins the conflict with those officers' defeat, opening up the central garrison for Katsuyori to continue his path towards the mountain.

While Katsuyori continues his path, the Sanada brothers secure the Suraga River garrison to clear the way to Kogakuji, the safest path to Mt. Tenmoku. The Hojo will appear under the leadership of Ujiyasu Hōjō to contest control of the garrison once the Takeda secure it, while ninja masters will ambush Katsuyori at the same time. Kotaro Fuma adds insult to injury as Katsuyori Takeda makes his way up the mountain by inciting peasants to attack their former lord. Two further Oda ambushes, the first led by Ranmaru Mori and the second my No, finally overwhelm Katsuyori and he falls to a hail of bullets. The battle ends with Yukimura Sanada and Nobuyuki Sanada fleeing the battle by driving off Keiji Maeda.

In Spirit of Sanada, the battle is mentioned briefly by Kunoichi when she reports back to Masayuki Sanada. In her words, Katsuyori intended to head for Iwadono castle under Nobushige Oyamada's advise, but Oyamada had betrayed Katsuyori. Katsuyori fled to Mt. Tenmoku before being killed. She was only able to receive a letter which he wished to be given to the Sanada before his death.

Historical Information
In 175, the combined forces of Oda Nobunaga and Tokugawa Ieyasu soundly defeated Takeda Katsuyori at Nagashino. With pressing threats in the west from the Mōri and Ikko Ikki at Ishyama, Nobunaga left the continued fighting against the Takeda to Ieyasu. Katsuyori found himself fighting a losing battle, trying to hold off the Tokugawa, keep his remaining retainer loyal, and mend his old alliances with the Hōjō and Satake. The Tokugawa slowly chipped away at the Takeda lands, which in turn led several key retainers to turn traitor and join Ieyasu. Both negociations with the Hojo and Satake fell through, with only the Uesugi remaining interested in an alliance. Katsuyori tried to buy some good will from the Oda in 1580 with the return of Nobunaga's fifth son, Oda Katsunaga, who had been a hostage of the Takeda since 1572.

In 1582, Kiso Yoshimasa betrayed the Takeda for the Oda. When Katsuyori sent Takeda Nobutoyo to kill Kiso's family for his rebellious actions, Oda Nobunaga used this event as justification for invading the remaining Takeda lands. This invasion went terribly for the Takeda, with only Takato Castle, under Nishina Morinobu, actually attempting to hold out against the massive Oda army. Katsuyori was forced to flee to Shinpu Castle, but he did not think he could hold the fortress against the approaching Oda and Tokugawa armies. Sanada Masayuki recommended Katsuyori take refuge with him in the north at Iwabitsu Castle, while Nagasaka Mitsukata recommended holing up at Iwadono Castle, which was under the care of Oyamada Nobushige.

Unfortunately for Katsuyori, Nobushige had already surrendered to the Oda, forcing the Takeda leader to change his course, aiming for Tenmokuzan. Takigawa Kazumasu caught up with Katsuyori's forces at the mountain on March 11, 1582. Katsuyori's few remaining retainers, Tsuchiya Masatsune, Tsuchiya Tomoharu, and Abe Tatsutaka held the narrow mountain pass to give their lord time to prepare and commit seppuku and preserve his clan's honor. Legendarily, Tsuchiya Masatsune was said to have seized some hanging foliage and leapt about the narrow pass, using the vines to more easily reach dozens of foes. Abe Tatsutaka is said to have cut his way down the pass, right into Takigawa's camp before being cut down.