Kuroda Kanbei
“The sharpest mind behind Hideyoshi, feared even by the Taikō. He can teach those who keep up with him to read the course of events, but he never reveals his whole hand. To learn his true thoughts, first prove yourself his equal.”
Life
Chief Toyotomi Strategist
Ambition
Raise Hideyoshi to supremacy and use his own strategic genius to end the chaos of the age.
He quickly recognized Oda strength and persuaded Harima’s lords to side with Nobunaga. He entered Araki Murashige’s Arioka Castle alone and was imprisoned, yet never abandoned his convictions and completed Hideyoshi’s plan to take the realm.
If he loses ground in the Chūgoku campaign or the Battle of Yamazaki, Shibata or Akechi may seize supremacy and destroy Hideyoshi’s forces.
- The lasting leg injury and skin disease from a year imprisoned in Arioka Castle’s dungeon
- The powerful naval and land forces of the Mōri
- Hideyoshi’s deep fear and suspicion of Kanbei’s talent
Character and convictions
His cool strategic vision and Christian faith, under the baptismal name Don Simeon.
The moment he whispered “Your fortune has opened” to Hideyoshi on hearing of Nobunaga’s death, he saw unmistakable fear of himself in Hideyoshi’s eyes.
His lifelong gratitude to Takenaka Hanbei, who trusted him when he was prepared to die in Arioka’s dungeon and risked his life to shelter Kanbei’s son Nagamasa.
Losing an opportunity through foolish pride and sacrificing victory in the larger contest.
Historical path
Final chapter
1604 (aged 59)To ease Hideyoshi’s suspicions, he became a monk early and took the name Jōsui. During the Battle of Sekigahara, he tried to seize Kyushu but abandoned the effort after Ieyasu’s swift victory. He died quietly of illness at his Fushimi residence in 1604, aged fifty-nine.
“The extraordinary strategist who enabled Hideyoshi to take the realm was so gifted that his lord feared him. He was kept as a daimyo of only a few hundred thousand koku for life, never able to seize supremacy himself.”