Hojo Ujimasa
From Freepedia
Hōjō Ujimasa (北条氏政?)(1538-1590) was the fourth head of the late Hojo clan, and daimyo of Odawara. He commanded in many battles, consolidating his clan's position, and retired in 1590. His son Hojo Ujinao became head of the clan and lord of Odawara, but later that year they failed to hold Odawara against the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (see Siege of Odawara (1590)). Ujimasa was forced to commit suicide along with his brother Ujiteru.
Like many samurai who committed harakiri in the face of shameful defeat, Ujimasa composed a death poem:
- Autumn wind of eve
- Blow away the clouds that mass
- O'er the moon's pure light.
- And the mists that cloud our mind
- Do thou sweep away as well.
- Now we disappear
- Well, what must we think of it?
- From the sky we came
- Now we may go back again
- That's at least one point of view.
References
- Turnbull, Stephen (1998). 'The Samurai Sourcebook'. London: Cassell & Co.
