英語訳
【Margin】
Toyohashi Historical Discussion (Death in Battle of Makino Nobushige and Others) 34
【Main text】
I feel that this is a quite interesting account where even the customs of the time appear before our eyes. "Kongō" is probably referring to metal clogs - a type of footwear - and since there were wooden clogs in ancient times, it was probably similar to today's women wearing rubber sandals. After this, Kiyoyasu stayed in Yoshida for one day and immediately pressed on to Tahara, but since the Toda of Tahara surrendered, he returned to Yoshida after three days and stayed there for another ten days. In this battle, although the Makino forces had arranged the so-called "back-to-the-water formation," they ultimately failed completely because their family members were making a commotion across the river, which distracted all the officers and soldiers. This matter is also recorded in "Mikawa Monogatari," and I think it is truly a matter worth contemplating.
Now, while ending the discussion of the battle here, what still requires some research is the matter of the four brothers Denzō, Denji, Shinzō, and Shinji mentioned in the earlier "Mikawa Monogatari" text. Denzō is of course Nobushige, and that he had a younger brother named Denji is agreed upon by all theories without doubt, but there are great questions regarding Shinzō and Shinji. Particularly in "Ushikubo Secret Discussions," these are given as Shinzaburō and Shinjirō, stating that "Shinzaburō was said to have died in battle but retreated to Hōgon-ji temple at Akaiwa and later continued the Toda family line." This raises even more questions. Folk tales suggest this was the ancestor of the Ōgaki-Toda clan, but this is completely erroneous, and I will present the results of my research on this matter later. I generally consider correct what is stated in "Hankan-fu":
"Also in 'Mikawa Monogatari,' it states that in the beginning of Kyōroku, when Lord Jirōsaburō attacked Yoshida Castle, the four brothers Makino Denzō, Denji, Shinzō, and Shinji died in battle and the castle was taken. Since Yasunari's family has traditionally used the initial name Shinjirō for generations, this might be a descendant of Denzō's child. However, what Denzō's descendants say about Shinzō and Shinji is not clear. Regarding those who died at Yoshida Castle, some records mention Densaemon-no-jō and his two sons, along with Shinji and Shinzō, but it appears that the two, Shinji and Shinzō, were not Densaemon-no-jō's children."
I believe this to be accurate. The Yasunari mentioned in the text refers to an ancestor of the Nagaoka family, pointing to Narisada's son.
Next, regarding the tombs of Nobushige and others, "Sanshū Yoshida-ki" states that there was a small grove beside the Suijin Shrine in Shimoji-chō, Hōi District, which was said to be the grave of Denzō and others. Indeed, when investigating the actual site, its form still remains on the land opposite Toyohashi Castle site. Also, in "Yoshida Castle Lords' Study," the author records having seen a large pine tree there himself, and since pine trees are also depicted in ancient maps from the Genroku period copied by Toyohashi City Hall, it was undoubtedly so at that time.
However, I think this must have been where the corpses of those who died in battle at the time were buried together. The bodies of Nobushige and others were later cremated and buried in graves in front of Ryūnen-ji temple, according to Taion-ji temple records, but these records are relatively recent and do not appear to be the result of deep research. However, "Futabamatsu" also states:
"At Yoshida Ryūnen-ji front are the three graves of Makino Tazō Nobushige, Taji Naritaka, and Otaji Narikuni"
And in Ryūnen-ji's Shōtoku 2 submission it states:
"The priest Kyūya of this temple performed incense burning and became the temple's founder. The Buddhist names are Itensei-kōji, Seigaion-kōanji, and Sankyūi-kōjōza. All of the Makino family mausoleum sites are solemnly present in front of the temple, and the memorial tablets and portrait of the elderly mother still exist today."
Therefore, I think we must consider the tombs at Ryūnen-ji to be the correct ones. Although at this burial ground, besides the Kohaku mound mentioned earlier, there were said to be three or four old five-ring pagodas standing in a row, and people over seventy still remember this, now there are only the stump of a decayed old pine and one stone lying there. Recently, an old pagoda has been brought from somewhere to serve as a grave marker, but in any case, the area of about three ken square clearly retains its former appearance, and until recent years a great pine that must have been three to four hundred years old grew there. Regarding the Buddhist names Itensei-kō, Seigaion-kō, and Sankyūi-kō, there are also theories about these and they are somewhat difficult to determine, but I believe Itensei-kō was Shigekazu, and Seigaion
【Margin】
Toyohashi Historical Discussion (Death in Battle of Makino Nobushige and Others) 35