Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami

Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami
EraSengoku period
Birth dateUnknown
Death dateUnknown
Other name(s)Yasutoyo (保豊)[1]
Grave place(s)Shōkaku-ji Temple
RankNagato no Kami (長門守)[1]
Shogunate(s)Ashikaga shogunate
Lord(s)
Clan(s)
Brother(s) , Sister(s)1 sister (concubine of Rokkaku Yoshikata)
Child (Children)Fujibayashi Yasumasa (son)[1]

Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami (Japanese: 藤林 長門守) was a samurai and ninja operative during Japan's Sengoku period. His birth and death dates remain unknown. His real name is believed to have been Yasutoyo (保豊).

Biography

Fujibayashi hailed from Yufune village in Ahaigun, northern Iga Province—now Higashi-Yufune in Iga, Mie—which bordered Kōka District in Ōmi Province.[1] Remains of his former fortress still exist in the region.[2] Records suggest his influence extended into Kōka as well, where he was involved in local conflicts.[1]

Initially, he served Imagawa Yoshimoto in Suruga Province, residing in Sunpu (modern-day Shizuoka). During this time, he is believed to have developed a friendship with Yamamoto Kansuke prior to Kansuke's service under Takeda Shingen, and may have learned military strategy from him.[1] Following internal turmoil in Iga, he resigned and returned home.

Fujibayashi maintained close ties with the Rokkaku clan due to his sister's relationship with Rokkaku Yoshikata. During the Eiroku era, when Yoshikata faced difficulties capturing Sawayama Castle from the rebelling Dodo clan, he requested help from Fujibayashi. In response, Iga ninja under Tateoka Dōjun were dispatched, contributing to the Rokkaku victory.[1][3]

His later activities are largely unknown. By the time of the Tenshō Iga War, his son Fujibayashi Yasumasa had succeeded him. After the defeat, the family fled and sought protection under the Tokugawa clan. The family later returned to Yufune and entered the service of the Tōdō clan of the Tsu Domain.[1]

A descendant, Fujibayashi Yasutake, authored the famous ninja manual Bansenshūkai—an essential record of Iga and Kōka ninja traditions.[4]

Grave

His grave, believed to be that of the Fujibayashi family, was relocated from the ruins of his former castle to Shōkaku-ji in Higashi-Yufune, Iga. It is now designated a municipal historic site.

Film

Literature

  • Oda Nobunaga to Iwamuro Nagatonokami (2016), by Kusunoki Kodama, Seishinsha

Manga

  • Nobunaga no Shinobi
  • Assassin's Creed Shadows: Iga no Monogatari (2025)

Video games

References

Bibliography

  • Maekawa, Tomohide (2019), "藤堂藩伊賀者の系譜『冨治林家由緒書』をひもとく", 伊賀百筆 (in Japanese), vol. 29, Iga Hyakuhitsu Editorial Committee{{citation}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Hiramatsu, Reizō, ed. (1983), Japanese Historical Place Names Database (in Japanese), vol. 24, Heibonsha, ISBN 9784582910391{{citation}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Shibata, Minoru, ed. (1991), Japanese Historical Place Names Database (in Japanese), vol. 25, Heibonsha, ISBN 9784582910117{{citation}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)
  • Watanabe, Ichirō. 萬川集海. Encyclopedia Nipponica (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved 4 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: ref duplicates default (link)