Atlas of Battles

battle, major, early modern

Battles of Kawanakajima

Battles of Kawanakajima was a battle fought in 1553 at Kawanakajima, in what is now Japan; it lasted about 11 years. The recorded result: Inconclusive. Recorded strength: 4th battle: 20,000 against 4th battle: 13,000.

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Takeda Shingen deflects Uesugi Kenshin's strike at the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima during the Sengoku period. Old Japanese painting.
Takeda Shingen deflects Uesugi Kenshin's strike at the Fourth Battle of Kawanakajima during the Sengoku period. Old Japanese painting.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought1553lasted about 11 years
WhereKawanakajima, Japan36.649N, 138.195E
OutcomeInconclusive
BelligerentsTakeda clanagainstUesugi clan
Casualties and losses4th battle: 4,000+and4th battle: 3,000+

Record

Date1553 (year precision)
to 1564
PlaceKawanakajima, Japan
36.649N, 138.195E
KindBattle, early modern
Strength4th battle: 20,0004th battle: 13,000
Casualties and losses4th battle: 4,000+4th battle: 3,000+
Commanders
  • Takeda Shingen
  • Takeda Nobushige
  • Yamamoto Kansuke (general)
  • Anayama Nobutada
  • Kōsaka Masanobu
  • Hoshina Masatoshi
  • Uesugi Kenshin
  • Uesugi Kagenobu
  • Kakizaki Kageie
  • Amakasu Kagemochi
  • Irobe Katsunaga
  • Shibata Nagaatsu
Battles of KawanakajimaBattles of KawanakajimaBattle of SaigawaSiege of KatsurayamaBattle of KawanakajimaSiege of AmakazariBattle of YokotagawaraBattle of KawanakajimaKanazawaFukuiMatsumotoKōfuNagaokaKawasakiHachiōjiMaebashi100 km36.649N, 138.195E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battles of Kawanakajima
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 50 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battles of Kawanakajima today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2024-04-14. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024.

The recorded site stands at about 360 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 333 to 1,000 m, 667 m of relief, steep country and today it is 78% built-up, 17% tree cover, 2% cropland.

built-up: 78%tree cover: 17%cropland: 2%grassland: 2%built-up 78%tree cover 17%cropland 2%grassland 2%
west to east, 10.0 km336 to 953 mnorth to south, 10.0 km347 to 722 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 6 times between 1181 and 1561.

Elsewhere in 1553

Battles of Kawanakajima is one of 1,390 engagements of the 16th century in the atlas and one of 481 in present-day Japan.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q1143044, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battles of Kawanakajima, revision 1384281335, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.