13 Facts About Naoe Kanetsugu

The eldest son of Higuchi Kanetoyo, Kanetsugu was famed for his service to two generations of the Uesugi daimyos.

Naoe Kanetsugu was known by his court title, Yamashiro no Kami or his childhood name, Higuchi Kanetsugu.

Naoe Kanetsugu served first as a kosho to Uesugi Kenshin.

Naoe Kanetsugu was born Yoroku, at Sakato Castle in Echigo Province.

Naoe Kanetsugu's father, Higuchi Soemon Kanetoyo, was a senior retainer of Nagao Masakage, the lord of Sakato Castle.

Naoe Kanetsugu became an Uesugi councilor at the age of 22, quickly distinguished himself as an outstanding commander, he fought at Battle of Tedorigawa and was involved in much of the fighting that took place on the Sea of Japan coast against Sassa Narimasa and Maeda Toshiie.

At that time, Naoe Kanetsugu argued that they should pursue the Tokugawa forces, but Kagekatsu prioritized the suppression of the Date and Mogami clans, leading to the rejection of the pursuit strategy.

Furthermore, Naoe Kanetsugu worked to obtain information about distribution and market prices from government merchants, and focused on producing local specialties such as safflower and wax.

Naoe Kanetsugu invited mining engineers from Kai and put effort into developing mines within his domain.

One of such steps was by building relationship with Ieyasu's trusted advisor Honda Masanobu, where Naoe Kanetsugu offered his daughter to marry Masanobu's son, Masashige.

Naoe Kanetsugu is in all of the games of Koei's Samurai Warriors and Warriors Orochi game series as well as being in the game Kessen as a minor general named "Naod".

Naoe Kanetsugu has so many items dedicated to him, including body pillows, action figures and even a replica armour and weapon.

Naoe Kanetsugu appears in the Samurai Warriors series as a young samurai from the Uesugi clan who later befriended Sanada Yukimura and Ishida Mitsunari, his weapons are a sword and paper charms.