Asakura Kageakira

• Birth: 1529
• Death: 1574
• Distinction: Asakura, then Oda retainer
• Other names: Tobashi Kageakira
• Japanese: 朝倉景鏡 (Asakura Kageakira, or Kageaki)

Kageakira was a son of Asakura Kagetaka and held Ino castle in Echizen province. He commanded the Asakura army at various times after the battles of 1570 but became so disgusted with Yoshiakira's weak leadership that he went over to Oda Nobunaga when the latter invaded Echizen in 1573. To prove his earnesty he betrayed the whereabouts of Asakura Yoshikage, who had gone into hiding. Nobunaga granted him a fief in Echizen and he changed his name to Tobashi Kageakira. In 1574 the Echizen ikko, supported by fighters from Kaga commanded by Shimotsuma Raisho and others, rebelled and Kageakira led out his troops to face them. He was overwhelmed and died fighting on 5/4/1574.

References

• Initial text from Sengoku Biographical Dictionary (Samurai-Archives.com) FWSeal & CEWest, 2005