Takeda clan (Wakasa)

• Japanese: 武田氏 (Takeda-shi)

The Takeda of Wakasa province were a tributary branch of the Takeda of Kai who were established in Wakasa by Shôgun Ashikaga Yoshinori (1394-1441), at whose behest Takeda Nobukata defeated Ishiki Yoshitsura in 1540. During the Sengoku Period they were minor daimyô, eventually submitting to the authority of Oda Nobunaga. Takeda Motoaki (d.1582) sided with Akechi Mitsuhide following the latter's destruction of Oda Nobunaga in 1582 in the hopes of recovering land they had earlier given up at Nobunaga's behest. Motoaki was afterwards killed on Toyotomi Hideyoshi's orders. The Wakasa Takeda were best known for cultural pursuits.