英語訳
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mentions "Kurando-no-jō" while the later document by Hōjō Sōun mentions "Kurando-no-yū," but in terms of the connection between these documents, there is no doubt that they refer to the same person. While neither of these documents contains year designations, after research comparing them with previously known documents and other records, it has been concluded that they must date to Eishō 3, which I also deeply believe.
If this is so, it establishes evidence that on the 19th day of the 10th month of this year, Imagawa forces invaded Mikawa and engaged in battle. As another document from the same Eishō 3, the Chōya Kyūbun Hōkō also records the following document:
"Your letter - in recent years due to the long distance we have not communicated, but your kind consideration brings great joy. Regarding the matter of Mikawa Province discussed with Suruga, last year military forces were sent against that province, and Anjō fortress was broken from time to time. Your repeated military achievements are remarkable. Particularly regarding Okazaki, since it was pressed from your province, Suruga also achieved its aims at Imahashi. Since then, has that province changed in any way? Therefore, we hear that province is being pressed. This is unavoidable. Especially regarding the relationship between Suruga and here, we received your inquiry. Although we achieved peace in recent years, suspicions from that province do not cease, causing distress. Moreover, from Kiyosu your messenger and your valuable letter are most gratefully received. In any case, we will send thanks from here. Details will be explained by the messenger. With fear and respect. This time when Ujichika accompanied to Mikawa, various kind considerations from above are gratefully acknowledged. Since Ujichika has achieved his aims, even we are satisfied. Though we should report on these matters, your letter is truly gratefully received. Such matters will be further conveyed through Kyōkai Etchū-no-kami and reported to you. With fear and trembling, bowing respectfully, humbly stated.
Intercalary 11th month, 7th day Hōjō Sōun
Sōzui
Lord Kyōkai Etchū-no-kami"
This Kyōkai Etchū-no-kami is presumed to be a person from the Oda family, though there are facts in the text that are difficult to understand. However, judging from the mention of an intercalary month, we can only believe it dates to Eishō 3, as the Chōya Kyūbun Hōkō suggests. When this is compared with the previous
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□Mayor Ōguchi Kiroku of Toyohashi has devoted his extensive knowledge and inexhaustible energy to the compilation of Toyohashi city history for more than a year, and now as his manuscript is nearly complete
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Date documents, it increasingly appears that Imahashi Castle was attacked and captured by Imagawa forces in this year. Moreover, not only this, but since there is the previously mentioned Myōgen-ji document which clearly states "Eishō 3, 11th month, 15th day," these documents increasingly establish evidence that Ujichika invaded Mikawa from the 10th to 11th months of this year.
Therefore, according to this evidence, the death in battle of Kohaku on the 3rd of the 11th month would actually confirm that the Imagawa Ujichika attack theory is fact. However, if this is so, what requires research as a new question is the famous Yahagi River battle problem.
As I mentioned before, this battle is recorded in works such as the Mikawa Monogatari, so it has been accepted as historical fact without doubt. But if this was indeed an event from the 20th to 22nd of the 8th month of this year, as the commonly held theory suggests, it clearly does not correspond with the previous facts.
This is because not only did Kohaku belong to the Imagawa side in this Yahagi River battle, but Ujichika's general Sōun, finding no advantage, withdrew to Imahashi and further retreated to Suruga, as I have repeatedly mentioned. Yet soon after, both Ujichika and Sōun would have had to march out again from Suruga, first attack and kill Kohaku, then immediately invade as far as western Mikawa - no matter how much this was the age of warring states, this logic simply does not fit. Moreover, since many records state that Imahashi Castle took sixty days to fall, if this were fact, Sōun would have had to immediately turn back and attack again as soon as he returned his army to Suruga, making it even more unreasonable.
Therefore, pursuing research further, there is a Bunki 1 theory regarding this Yahagi River battle, and according to Kōsei Yoroku, this theory appears in the Okazaki-hon Matsudaira genealogy, the Nami-no-ue Toda clan records, and the Kōgetsu-in genealogical records. It is also recorded in the aforementioned Mikawa Nochi Fudoki, and the Chōya Kyūbun Hōkō also states regarding this battle: "We do not know on what the Ōmikawa-shi bases its dating to the 9th month of Bunki 1." That is, the Ōmikawa-shi appears to adopt the Bunki 1 theory. In this way, all the facts would first achieve proper correspondence
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