Takigawa Kazumasu
Takigawa Kazumasu, also known as Sakonshōgen, was a samurai retainer to Oda Nobunaga, and later Toyotomi Hideyoshi, during Japan's Sengoku period. His biological son, Toshimasu, was adopted by Maeda Toshihisa and later served Nobunaga alongside Kazumasu and Toshimasu's adopted uncle, Maeda Toshiie.Biography
Originally from Ōmi Province, Takigawa was appointed Kantō-kanrei by Nobunaga; in this post, with a portion of Kōzuke Province as his domain, he was assigned to keep an eye on the powerful Hōjō clan, based at Odawara. Under Nobunaga, he took part in a great many battles, including the battle of Anegawa in, and the campaigns against the Ikkō-ikki of Nagashima .
Kazumasu was sent by Oda Nobunaga to provide reinforcement to Tokugawa Ieyasu when he was attacked by Takeda Shingen at Battle of Mikatagahara,
this included the failed Siege of Nagashima. In he fought in Battle of Tedorigawa, and the Tenshō Iga War in Iga Province.
Following Nobunaga's death in 1582, Takigawa fought in the Battle of Kanagawa against Hojo clan.
He, along with many of the Oda retainers, initially opposed Toyotomi Hideyoshi, but was defeated defending Kameyama Castle, after Hideyoshi used mines to bring down the castle.
Later Kazumasu submitted to Hideyoshi and assisted during the Komaki Campaign by attacking Kanie castle along with Kuki Yoshitaka. When he performed badly in this campaign, he shaved his head, become a Buddhist monk and retired from battle in shame. He is thought to have died in Echizen around 1586.
Takigawa's standard was three red circles arranged vertically.
