Sakuma Nobuhide (佐久間信栄)
Nobuhide SAKUMA (1556-January 14, 1632) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the Azuchi Momoyama Period. He served Nobunaga ODA, Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI and Hidetada TOKUGAWA. He was a kokushi (provincial governors), and referred to as Jinkuro, or Fukansai, after tonsure. Some people say his name was Masakatsu, but according to reliable materials, his name is referred to as Nobuhide.
Nobuhide SAKUMA was born as the eldest son of Nobumori SAKUMA, who was a senior vassal of Nobunaga ODA and the family head of the Sakuma clan. He fought in battles with his father around the country, accomplished distinguished war services in battles such as capture of Okochi-jo Castle, Ise Province and the battle against Rokkaku clan, and was in charge of the defense of Tenno-ji Castle in the battle against Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple in 1576.
When his father Nobumori became the commander in the siege of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple following the death of Naomasa BAN, he assisted his father and was dispatched with a reinforcement troop in various places in the Kinai region (the five capital provinces surrounding the ancient capitals of Nara and Kyoto). However, he could not achieve any results in the siege of the Ishiyama, which irritated Nobunaga; when Nobunaga made peace with the Hongan-ji Temple by pressuring the Imperial Court in 1580, Nobuhide and his father were expelled to Koyasan with a letter of reprimand which consisted of 19 articles.
In the letter of reprimand, Nobuhide was bitterly criticized as 'regarding the frivolous acts of Jinkuro, there are too many to describe.'
It is likely that he was actually keen on collecting chaki (tea utensils) and attending tea ceremony parties, and was absorbed in tea ceremonies.
After the death of his father Nobumori, Nobuhide was pardoned in January 1582, and served Nobutada ODA. After the Honnoji Incident, he served Nobukatsu ODA. In the Battle of Komaki and Nagakute, he fought against Kazumasu TAKIGAWA. When Nobukatsu's rank was changed, Nobuhide was taken into the service of Hideyoshi as a master of tea ceremony. After the Siege of Osaka, Nobuhide was awarded by Hidetada TOKUGAWA 3,000 koku crop yields (541.17 cubic meters) in Kodama County and Yokomi County, Musashi Province for being otogishu (adviser).
His homyo (a name given to a person who enters the Buddhist priesthood) was 宗岩. His grave is located at the Koto-in Temple in the Daitoku-ji Temple at Kyoto Murasakino.