''The Greatest Japanese Unifier, or a Nameless Samurai?''
--the story of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
by YZ
Your Journey begins here
[[start]]
[[bibliography]]
You are going to become Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the three great unifiers of Japan, but not yet. Now you are just Hiyoshimaru. You were born the son of a peasant in 1536. You left your home and sought opportunity under the great daimyo Oda Nobunaga. You fought in many important battles and were promoted to (cycling-link:"samurai","a military retainer of a daimyo") and then lord of Nagahama.
In 1582, you have now besieged the daimyo Mori Terumoto by order of Nobunaga. You were going to win the battle until you heard the news of Oda Nobunaga’s sudden death. His trusted vassal, Akechi Mitsuhide, revolted against him when he was on a mission to unify western Japan. Seeing there was no chance to escape and unwilling to be killed by the traitor, Nobunaga committed (cycling-link:"seppuku", "ritual self-disembowelment").
Upon hearing the shocking news, you:
[[Hastily sign an armistice with Mori and immediately return to gain control over the situation ->battle of Yamazaki]]
[[Finish the battle with Mori and maximize your contribution to the developing power of the Nobunaga clan. ->conquest of Takamatsu Castle]]
(cycling-link:"+","from sources 1 and 8")Bibliography
1. Atsushi, Kawai. "Toyotomi Hideyoshi's Japan: Taking Control of the State." nippon.com. Last modified April 21, 2020. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-topics/b06906/.
2. "Battle of Yamazaki." The Samurai Archives Wiki. https://samurai-archives.com/wiki/Battle_of_Yamazaki.
3. Berry, Mary Elizabeth. Hideyoshi. 3rd ed. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Univ. Press, 1990. Digital file.
4. Boscaro, Adriana. "Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the 1587 Edicts Against Christianity." Oriens Extremus 20, no. 2 (1793): 219-41. JSTOR.
5. Cartwright, Mark. "The Japanese Invasion of Korea, 1592-8 CE." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified June 11, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1398/the-japanese-invasion-of-korea-1592-8-ce/.
6. ———. "Toyotomi Hideyoshi." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified June 5, 2019. https://www.worldhistory.org/Toyotomi_Hideyoshi/.
7. Ebisawa, Arimichi, ed. "Oda Nobunaga | Biography, Significance, & Death." Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Oda-Nobunaga.
8. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Toyotomi-Hideyoshi.
9. Ghanbarpour, Christina. "Legacy of a Minority Religion: Christians and Christianity in Contemporary Japan." The Changing World Religion Map, November 18, 2014, 2025-44. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9376-6_107.
10. Hall, John Whitney. "Foundations of the Modern Japanese Daimyo." The Journal of Asian Studies 20, no. 3 (1961): 317-29. https://doi.org/10.2307/2050818.
11. Osamu, Wakita. "The Emergence of the State in Sixteenth-Century Japan: From Oda to Tokugawa." Journal of Japanese Studies 8, no. 2 (1982): 343. https://doi.org/10.2307/132343.
12. Saxonhouse, Gary R. "The Stability of Megaorganizations: The Tokugawa State." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics (JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft 151, no. 4 (1995): 741-47. JSTOR.
You chased down Mitsuhide outside Kyoto with your troop just 11 days after Nobunaga’s death. Nobunaga was influential, so many troops joined you to get revenge for him, while Mitsuhide had few allies besides members of his family Akechi. On July 2nd, you and your allies confronted Mitsuhide at Yamazaki. Your main ally, Hashiba’s troop, took up their positions on Mt. Tennozan. Your troop crossed the Enmyoji River and routed Mitsuhide’s troop. Mitsuhide was killed when he attempted to flee.
You avenged your beloved and respected leader Nobunaga. You became powerful in the Oda clan.
Now it's time for the Oda clan to choose its new leader
[[Nobunaga's second son Nobukatsu]]
[[Nobuaga's third son Nobutaka]]
[[Nobunaga’s grandson Hidenobu]]
(cycling-link: "+","from sources 2: this path is historical.") you won the war against Mori and conquered their Takamatsu castle. After you and your troops are back, you hear the news that troops led by Hashiba Hideyoshi have defeated and killed Akechi Mitsuhide at Yamazaki.
Now it's time for the Oda clan to choose its new leader
[[Nobunaga's second son Nobukatsu]]
[[Nobuaga's third son Nobutaka->Nobuaga's third son Nobutaka*]]
[[Nobunaga’s grandson Hidenobu->Nobunaga’s grandson Hidenobu*]]
(cycling-link: "+","from sources 1 and 3: Hideyoshi did build several castles that remain standing today. They witnessed the influence of this great Japanese unifier. Also, Hideyoshi had been fighting with Other Daimyo for Nobunaga. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that the character might choose to continue his mission assigned by Nobunaga and build a castle. The choices of successors are from source 3.") You chose to side with Oda Nobukatsu, Nobunaga's second son. He is not an exceptionally talented leader, but with your help, the Oda clan does not suffer an immediate decline after Nobunaga's sudden death. You continue to serve as a general in the Oda clan and die in a battle with the rising Tokugawa clan.
[[The end->The end(with suggestions)]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 3: the descriptions of Nobukatsu are from source 3. He would have the power to maintain his position because in history he aligned with Leyasu, who was another powerful daimyo.") You chose to side with Nobunaga's third son Oda Nobutaka. Nobutaka is not powerful in his clan. Although you became well-respected after the battle of Yamazaki, many elders in the clan do not support your decision. Nobukatsu, as another possible successor, is angry at your decision. He allies with Tokugawa Leyasu. You are under attack from both disagreements in the clan and conflicts with Leyasu's troops. Leyasu defeats your troop in the Battle of Komaki. Seeing your defeat, you choose to commit (cycling-link:"Jijin","suicide") to protect your fame in the last moment of your life.
[[The end->The end(with suggestions)]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 3: in history, Nobukatsu allied with Leyasu after Hideyoshi supported Nobunaga's grandson Hidenobu to become the successor. Hideyoshi was able to rival Leyasu because Hidenobu was the legitimate successor. Hideyoshi's choice was supported by many elders in the clan. However, Nobutaka was not the legitimate successor of Nobunaga, so the character will not receive support from elders, which could likely lead to failure and the end of the path.") You chose to support Nobunaga's grandson Hidenobu. Hidenobu is the son of Nobunaga's first son and legitimate successor, Nobutada. Nobutada died with Nobunaga under attack from Mitsuhide, so his son became the main candidate for the next leader of the Oda clan. With your reputation as the hero of the battle of Yamazaki, Hidenobu becomes the leader of the Oda clan. Since Hidenobu is only three years old, you become the factual leader of the clan.
However, Nobukatsu, as another possible successor, is angry at your decision. He allies with Tokugawa Leyasu and fights your troops. You and Leyasu engage in two major confrontations: the battle of Komaki and Nagakute. Your troop is heavily impacted in the battle of Nagakunte. You lost three generals, and the army of your nephew, Hidetsugu, is routed.
Seeing such defeat, you:
[[ sense that the Tokugawa clan can be a great threat in the future, so you continue your rival with Leyasu ->battle with Leyasu]]
[[make peace with Leyasu to preserve your strength ->peace with tokugawa]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 3, 6, and 8: this path is historical.") You chose to side with Nobunaga's third son Oda Nobutaka. Nobutaka is not powerful in his own clan, so many elders in the clan does not support your decision. Nobukatsu, as another possible successor, is angry at your decision. He allies with Tokugawa Leyasu. You are under attack from both dissagreements in the clan and conflicts with leyasu's troop. Leyasu defeats your troop in the Battle of Komaki. Seeing your defeat, you choose to commit Jijin (suicide) to protect your fame in the last moment of your life.
[[The end->The end(with suggestions)]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 3: this is a repeating passage") You chose to support Nobunaga's grandson Hidenobu. Hidenobu is the son of Nobunaga's first son and legitimate successor, Nobutada. Nobutada died with Nobunaga under attack from Mitsuhide, so his son became the main candidate for the next leader of the Oda clan. Hidenobu is also three years old, so supporting him means you have the chance to come to power in the Oda clan. However, your low birth and failure to react after Nobunaga's death have brought you several rivals in the clan. You fail to seize control of the clan.
Hidenobu successfully becomes the successor of Nobunaga and leads the Oda clan. You continue to serve as a general under Hidenobu.
[[The end->The end(with suggestions)]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 1, 2 and 3:Hideyoshi's influence after the battle of Yamazaki is crucial in his success in making Hidenobu the successor. In this path, the character did not participate in the battle of Yamazaki. This leads to his failure to seize power.") You choose to continue to confront Leyasu Tokugawa. This heavily impacts your power and strength. During a battle with Leyasu that you lead, your troop is routed by his force. Your last remaining force is besieged, and you have no other choice but to admit defeat. At the last moment of your life, you commit seppuku to protect your dignity as a general.
[[The end->The end(with suggestions)]]
(cycling-link: "+","from sources 3 and 7: In source 3, Leyasu has defeated Hideyoshi in important battles before, and his troops have suffered fewer losses than Hideyoshi's troops, so it is logical to assume that Hideyoshi will lose the battle against Leyasu if he chooses to continue this rivalry. from source7, Nobunaga committed Seppuku, so Hideyoshi will likely do the same thing when he is surrounded by enemy troops.") You decide that it is the best to preserve your strength at the moment. You meet with Leyasu, and luckily, despite having just won a great victory against your troop, he has the same idea. You successfully make peace with Leyasu.
After that, you rise in the court. In 1585, you won control over Shinkoku, an important island of Japan, by defeating Chosokabe Motochika, a prominent Daimyo. You are appointed (cycling-link:"kanpaku","regent") and given the last name Toyotomi by the imperial court in the same year. As part of your agreement with Leyasu, you will exempt his soldiers from obligatory military service.
Your powerful military force overwhelms most clans, and by 1590, you have overthrown most major clans and unified Japan.
Having power at hand, your next step is to make reforms in all aspects of Japan.
You choose to:
[[ forbade peasants possessing weapons ->Sword Hunt]]
[[unify tax collecting system ->reform in taxing system]]
[[ create a rigid class hierarchy for more social stability ->Caste System]]
(cycling-link: "+","From sources 6 and 8: this path is historical.") To prevent armed insurrections, you implement a "sword hunt", katanagari. You collect all weapons from farmers, including swords and spears. By doing this, you restrict them to their farmers' roles and prevent them from being soldiers of their local daimyo.
As Japan increases its interaction with Western, especially Portuguese, missionaries, many Japanese common people start to have contact with Christianity. Your former leader, Nobunaga, supported Christianity, and the cultural exchange seems inevitable. However, you worry that Christianity might affect the Japanese traditional Shinto religion and impact your legitimacy as the Kampaku.
You choose to:
[[Support Christianity]]
[[Prevent the spread of Christianity]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 1, 4, and 6: this path is historical")
(set: $ChoiceNum to 2)
You decide to enhance your control over the periphery regions of Japan. In 1591, you required the daimyo to register for their lands and domains. You use them to collect taxes and military service.
As Japan increases its interaction with Western, especially Portuguese, missionaries, many Japanese common people start to have contact with Christianity. Your former leader, Nobunaga, supported Christianity, and the cultural exchange seems inevitable. However, you worry that Christianity might affect the Japanese traditional Shinto religion and impact your legitimacy as the Kampaku.
You choose to:
[[Support Christianity]]
[[Prevent the spread of Christianity]]
(cycling-link: "+","from sources 1, 4 and 6:this path is historical.")
(set:$ChoiceNum to 3)
Despite having risen from a peasant's family to a general yourself, you believe that having a rigid class system will help with social stability. The system includes (cycling-link:"shi","warrior"), (cycling-link:"no","farmer"), (cycling-link:"ko","artisan"), and (cycling-link:"sho","merchant"). This system is later called the shi-no-ko-sho system. Movements between classes are strictly prohibited. This makes warriors more loyal to their lords, as they have no other way to make a living other than depending on their lords.
As Japan increases its interaction with Western, especially Portuguese, missionaries, many Japanese common people start to have contact with Christianity. Your former leader, Nobunaga, supported Christianity, and the cultural exchange seems inevitable. However, you worry that Christianity might affect the Japanese traditional Shinto religion and impact your legitimacy as the Kampaku.
You choose to:
[[Support Christianity->Support Christianity]]
[[Prevent the spread of Christianity]]
(cycling-link: "+","from sources 4 and 6: this path is historical.")
(set: $ChoiceNum to 1)
Your military power has reached an unprecedented level. You are now, by far, through your efforts of eliminating local power and developing your army, the most powerful military leader in Japanese history.
After you have unified Japan, you want to expand your territory and establish an empire.
You choose to:
[[war is extremely consuming, so you want to first reinforce your control over your territory in Japan->More reforms]]
[[waiting is simply a waste of time, you'll start a war with Korea when you are still at the pinnacle of power->First Korean War]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 5: this path is historical.") Following Oda Nobunaga, you continue to encourage the spread of Christianity. The Buddhists and their temples have been an obstacle in your mission to unify Japan. The monks are organized and hard to defeat. You believe that bringing in Christianity is an effective way to counter Buddhism's influence in Japan. Other than that, Portuguese firearms are a major help to your military power. You hope to establish more connections with Western powers and trade with them.
You publish policies that protect the missionaries. With your support, Christian churches have been established throughout Japan, and the number of Christians has steadily grown. You show a lot of friendliness toward this new religion: you allow the use of Christian nicknames and icons in your household, and even one of your adopted daughters is converted to Christianity.
Next step:
[[Building an empire->Invasion of North Korea]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 9: Oda Nobunaga supported Christianity, so it is logical to assume that Hideyoshi could choose to support the spread of Christianity to balance Buddhism, since Hideyoshi respected Nobunaga as the person who promoted him. Hideyoshi also might choose to support Christianity for reasons like trade and weapon supply. The policies that promote Christianity in this passage are modified from Nobunaga's policies.")
(cycling-link:"*","creator's notes: this is a linking passage, not a choice massage. Putting the empire part and Christianity part in the same passage would be too lengthy, so the choice here is merely to separate the two parts.")
(set: $Christianity to 1) As the number of Christians steadily grow in Japan, you start to realize that missionaries of high rank could threaten your power.
You decide to limit the influence of Christians, especially missionaries and converts of high rank. In 1587, you officially ban Christianity. You issue edicts that prohibit local lords and daimyo from converting the peasants forcibly. You reinstate your control over the local population and remind the daimyo that the territory and population they "own" are temporary and essentially the Japanese state's property.
But edicts only are not enough since Christian communities have grown under the influence of Oda Nobunaga. In 1597, you have 26 Christians paraded through the streets and then crucified and left to hang for 80 days. However, to your surprise, this does not discourage but adds more stories to the Christians' teaching.
Japan's relationship with some Western countries, especially Portugal, rapidly deteriorates after this incident.
Next step:
[[Building an empire->Invasion of North Korea]]
(cycling-link: "+","from sources 4 and 9:this path is historical.")
(cycling-link:"*","creator's notes: this is a linking passage, not a choice massage. Putting the empire part and Christianity part in the same passage would be too lengthy, so the choice here is merely to separate the two parts.")
(set: $Christianity to 0)
(if: $ChoiceNum is 1) [[[you make more reforms->minus Caste system]]]
(if: $ChoiceNum is 2) [[[you make more reforms->minus sword hunt]]]
(if: $ChoiceNum is 3) [[[you make more reforms->minus tax system]]]
(set: $reforms to 1) Before you set sail for more territory, you need to make sure your reign is stable. You are bringing a large part of your military force with you to war, which will leave the throne in Japan vacant. You are worried about revolts from the lower class and threats to your power from the upper class.
you choose to:
[[forbade peasants from possessing weapons to prevent peasant revolts->First Korean War]]
[[establish a detailed tax collecting system to reinforce your control of local powers ->First Korean War]]
(cycling-link:"+","from sources 6 and 8: those are historical reforms that Hideyoshi did implement") Before you set sail for more territory, you need to make sure your reign is stable. You are bringing a large part of your military force with you to war, which will leave the throne in Japan vacant. You are worried about revolts from the lower class and threats to your power from the upper class.
You choose to:
[[establish a detailed tax collecting system to reinforce your control of local powers ->First Korean War]]
[[Create a rigid class system to prevent peasant from soldiers of local lords ->First Korean War]]
(cycling-link:"+","from sources 6 and 8: those are historical reforms that Hideyoshi did implement") Before you set sail for more territory, you need to make sure your reign is stable. You are bringing a large part of your military force with you to war, which will leave the throne in Japan vacant. You are worried about revolts from the lower class and threats to your power from the upper class.
you choose to:
[[forbade peasants from possessing weapons to prevent peasant revolts->First Korean War]]
[[Create a rigid class system to prevent peasant from soldiers of local lords ->First Korean War]]
(cycling-link:"+","from sources 6 and 8: those are historical reforms that Hideyoshi did implement")
(if: $reforms is 1 and $Christianity is 0) [[[You win the battle and captured Seoul->1st war success]]]
(if: $reforms is 1 and $Christianity is 1) [[[You reach a stalesmate->1st war stalemate]]]
(if:$reforms is 0) [[[You are defeated in the first Korean War->failure]]]
In 1592, you coup a powerful army consisting of 158,000 warriors and a navy with 19200 mariners. To be cautious, you choose not to lead the invasion yourself but send three powerful daimyo to lead the army. The fleet board the Korean Peninsula near the port of Pusan. Your army defeat the Korean force by surprise and capture Seoul on 12 June. The firearms from the European business people make your warriors advantageous against the Koreans, who lack the firearms.
Now, it's time to negotiate with the losers.
[[Negotiation]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 5: this path is historical.") You have couped almost all your force in this war, but the Korean, with the help of the Chinese military, is evenly matched with you. You have to maintain the order in Japan, so you cannot risk putting more people into this. The war has been going on for months.
You decide to:
[[retreat and find a better chance later->Negotiation]]
the soldiers see you as their hero, lead the army yourself to boost their morale->[[lead the army->failure]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 5: In this path, the character chose to suppress Christianity. This might affect their trade of weapons with the Portugues. Advanced weapons were one of the Japanese troop's big advantages against the Koreans. Missing this advantage might lead to a stalemate.") The Kobukson are the biggest threats you face during the battles with Korean Naval forces. They are difficult to board or inflame. You lose several crucial battles and cannot get access to the Yellow Sea to advance your march to China mainland.
You decide to take the risk and board the Korean peninsula. The army you lead arrives at the port of Pusan. Everything is going well until you hear the news back from Japan.
Your prestige seems to have gone down since the several unsuccessful battles you had with the Korean Navy. War is extremely demanding, and you have been taxing your people heavily for military finance. This is not the result your people want to see. Revolts arise everywhere and are reaching Kyoto, and you have no choice but to return.
(if: $reforms is 0) [[[your return->revolt]]]
(if:$reforms is 1) [[your return->peace]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 1 and 5: in this path, the character only did one of the three major reforms that suppressed peasant revolts and the power of local lords, so war might weaken Hideyoshi's control in Japan in this path.") Your reign in Japan has been weakened since your catastrophic failure against Korea and China. Peasant revolts are supported by daimyo who were strongly against the Korean war. They think that you are no longer fit to rule.
The Tokugawa clan, who are exempted from military service, have preserved their strength well.
Aligned with other daimyo who have long complained about your strict control over their power, Tokugawa Leyasu overthrows your reign in a battle. You commit Seppuku at the last moment.
[[The end]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 5: Leyasu took over Hideyoshi's position as the Kanpaku after he died in the history. In this path, the character launching a war without solid control over the local daimyo would merely accelerate this process of the Tokugawa state") You spend some time suppressing peasant revolts. You give up your ambition for an empire. You have seen the obstacles you will face, and you think it is not yet the time.
You continue to rule uneventfully, and die for natural cause 6 years later.
[[The end]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 5: this passage has the same reasoning as the passage called to give up invading Korea. Hideyoshi manifested symptoms of paranoia because he thought all the people close to him were conspiring against him. Some scholars argue that he sent all his powerful generals overseas to keep them from threatening his power. Therefore, if the character in this path doesn't consider the generals a threat large enough to keep the war going, they don't need to launch a second Korean War.") You have completed your magnificent journey as Kinoshita Tōkichirō, then Hashiba Hideyoshi, and, eventually, the most well-known Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Thank you for reaching here.
The end.
You decide to demand an alliance between Japan and China since you realize China can be a powerful ally if they are on your side. However, you still won't give up what you fought for: territories of southern Korea.
You decide to let one of your trusted generals, Konishi Yukinaga, negotiate with the Chinese. Although his army was defeated in the battle with the Chinese, it was because of the Chinese soldiers significantly outnumbered them, not because of his inability.
However, he is going to let you down.
Konishi forges a letter from you, referring to you as the "King of Japan". This is not what you wanted.
Now, you have two choices lying in front of you: you can accept the term and consequently accept your defeat. China has more population and a stronger army than Japan, starting another war is not only going to damage your country's economy but it also will further weaken your people's support for you.
Or you can choose to go to war with China. You need to take a gamble. You are no longer young, and diseases constantly bother you. You see that people around you are getting impatient and obey you less. The rising Leyasu Tokugawa and the influences of Christian missionaries make you feel increasingly threatened. Now is your only chance to make Japan an empire, and probably the only chance for your nation, too. It's now, or never.
You choose to:
[[Launch the Second Invasion]]
[[Give up invading Korea]]
(cycling-link: "+","from source 5: this path is historical.") You decide to launch the second invasion against Korea. However, this time the war is a lot tougher than you anticipated. Different from the first invasion, this time the Korean armies are prepared for the conflict, and the Chinese army has stayed in Korea, also well-prepared. The Korean Navy that has been causing you trouble in the first invasion has not gone away and still has control over the water.
However, despite all the disadvantages, your people manage to make their way to Seoul. Although it looks like there's little hope for the Japanese army to control Korea, let alone invade China, you remain ambitious.
What you don't know yet is, that whatever the result of this invasion will be, you won't have the time to witness it...
Your health has been concerning, and constant news from the battlefield greatly affects your mood. You die from deteriorating health on 18 September 1589.
The news reaches Korea fast, and soon your armies all start retreating. Despite your persistence, they have seen the war as an impossible mission and possibly a death penalty. Few people share your dream of a great Japanese Empire, after all.
[[The end]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 5: this path is historical") You give up your ambition for an empire. You now focus on reinforcing your control in Japan.
You rule uneventfully, but the people coveting the throne won't have to wait for too long. You die for natural causes in 1589, just 3 years after the negotiation failed.
[[The end]]
(cycling-link:"+","from source 5: Hideyoshi manifested symptoms of paranoia because he thought all the people close to him were conspiring against him. Some scholars argue that he sent all his powerful generals overseas to keep them from threatening his power. Therefore, if the character in this path doesn't consider the generals a threat large enough to keep the war going, they don't need to launch a second Korean War.") You have reach the end of your path. There are not a lot of ways for the son of a peasant to rise through the ranks and come to possess the supreme power. You have done a great job.
Thank you for reaching here.
(cycling-link:"a cue", "try to fight Mitsuhide, side with the grandson of Nobunaga, and make peace with Leyasu. You might explore more life possibilities.")