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</ref>Takeda Nobutora had secured the position of the Takeda in [[Kai province|Kai]] after various struggles and established the Takeda capital at [[Tsutsujigaseki]] in Fuchu in [[1519]]. In the course of his career Nobutora clashed with various outside powers, including the Hôjô of [[Sagami province|Sagami Province]], the Imagawa of [[Suruga province|Suruga Province]] and the [[Suwa clan|Suwa]] and [[Imai clan|Imai]] of [[Shinano province|Shinano Province]].  In 1521, Nobutora was compelled to fend off an invasion from Suruga led by [[Kushima Masanari]] in support of the [[Oi clan|Ôi]] family, who had defied Nobutora's authority. Nobutora sent his pregnant wife, the daughter of Oi Nobutatsu, from the Tsutsujigaseki mansion to [[Yogaiyama Castle]] [要害山城].  Word came to Nobutora, commanding his army against Kushima's 15,000-man host, that a son had been born.  Nobutora defeated Masanari at the [[Battle of Iidagawara]] and afterwards named his son Katsuchiyo.<ref>Katsuchiyo can be translated as '1000 Victories in Succession', or, as Hiroaki Sato does in Legends of the Samurai, 'Victory Forever'.</ref>  

</ref>Takeda Nobutora had secured the position of the Takeda in [[Kai province|Kai]] after various struggles and established the Takeda capital at [[Tsutsujigaseki]] in Fuchu in [[1519]]. In the course of his career Nobutora clashed with various outside powers, including the Hôjô of [[Sagami province|Sagami Province]], the Imagawa of [[Suruga province|Suruga Province]] and the [[Suwa clan|Suwa]] and [[Imai clan|Imai]] of [[Shinano province|Shinano Province]].  In 1521, Nobutora was compelled to fend off an invasion from Suruga led by [[Kushima Masanari]] in support of the [[Oi clan|Ôi]] family, who had defied Nobutora's authority. Nobutora sent his pregnant wife, the daughter of Oi Nobutatsu, from the Tsutsujigaseki mansion to [[Yogaiyama Castle]] [要害山城].  Word came to Nobutora, commanding his army against Kushima's 15,000-man host, that a son had been born.  Nobutora defeated Masanari at the [[Battle of Iidagawara]] and afterwards named his son Katsuchiyo.<ref>Katsuchiyo can be translated as '1000 Victories in Succession', or, as Hiroaki Sato does in Legends of the Samurai, 'Victory Forever'.</ref>  

In 1533, Nobutora arranged for him to marry the daughter of [[Ogigayatsu-Uesugi Tomooki]], who still held considerable lands in the [[Kanto]].  The girl died attempting to deliver Katsuchiyo's first child, however.  By this time Nobutora was at odds with both the Imagawa and Hôjô families and they were pressing him on his southern borders.  He was lucky in that [[Imagawa Ujichika]] died suddenly and a struggle for power ensued amongst his brothers.  Nobutora backed [[Imagawa Yoshimoto|Yoshimoto]], the eventual victor, and in the aftermath married a daughter to him.  In return, Yoshimoto acted as a go-between to arrange for the marriage of Katsuchiyo and the daughter of court noble [[Sanjo Kimiyori]].  Katsuchiyo celebrated his coming-of-age ceremony later that year and the shôgun, [[Ashikaga Yoshiharu]], sent permission for Katsuchiyo to incorporate 'Haru' in his adult name, and Katsuchiyo thus became known as Harunobu. He was also given the honorific title Shinano no Kami.  Despite this memorable coming of age ceremony, it would seem that Nobutora took a disliking to Harunobu in favor of his second son, Takeda Nobushige. The reasons for this  are not clear, and this part of Shingen's life has been heavily embellished over the centuries.   

In 1533, Nobutora arranged for him to marry the daughter of [[Uesugi Tomooki|Ôgigayatsu-Uesugi Tomooki]], who still held considerable lands in the [[Kanto]].  The girl died attempting to deliver Katsuchiyo's first child, however.  By this time Nobutora was at odds with both the Imagawa and Hôjô families and they were pressing him on his southern borders.  He was lucky in that [[Imagawa Ujichika]] died suddenly and a struggle for power ensued amongst his brothers.  Nobutora backed [[Imagawa Yoshimoto|Yoshimoto]], the eventual victor, and in the aftermath married a daughter to him.  In return, Yoshimoto acted as a go-between to arrange for the marriage of Katsuchiyo and the daughter of court noble [[Sanjo Kimiyori]].  Katsuchiyo celebrated his coming-of-age ceremony later that year and the shôgun, [[Ashikaga Yoshiharu]], sent permission for Katsuchiyo to incorporate 'Haru' in his adult name, and Katsuchiyo thus became known as Harunobu. He was also given the honorific title Shinano no Kami.  Despite this memorable coming of age ceremony, it would seem that Nobutora took a disliking to Harunobu in favor of his second son, Takeda Nobushige. The reasons for this  are not clear, and this part of Shingen's life has been heavily embellished over the centuries.   

Harunobu is thought to have seen his first campaign in [[1536]], when his father led an army against [[Hiraga Genshin]] of Shinano Province.  He surrounded and attacked Genshin's Umi no kuchi Castle [海ノ口城] but found the defenders unwilling to give and withdrew with the onset of heavy winter snows.  According to tradition, Harunobu, commanding the rearguard, decided to double back and launch a surprise attack.  This took the seemingly victorious Hiraga men by surprise and the battle went to the Takeda.  Whether or not this particular version of events has any basis in fact, Hiraga was defeated and killed in the 2nd month of [[1537]].

Harunobu is thought to have seen his first campaign in [[1536]], when his father led an army against [[Hiraga Genshin]] of Shinano Province.  He surrounded and attacked Genshin's Umi no kuchi Castle [海ノ口城] but found the defenders unwilling to give and withdrew with the onset of heavy winter snows.  According to tradition, Harunobu, commanding the rearguard, decided to double back and launch a surprise attack.  This took the seemingly victorious Hiraga men by surprise and the battle went to the Takeda.  Whether or not this particular version of events has any basis in fact, Hiraga was defeated and killed in the 2nd month of [[1537]].