Takenaka Hanbei

Takenaka Shigeharu (竹中 重治, September 27, 1544-July 6, 1579), also known as "Hanbei" (半兵衛), was a samurai during the Sengoku period in the 16th century. He initially served the Saitō clan of Mino province, but fomented an uprising and took control of the Saitō clan's castle at Mount Kinka.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was so impressed with this tactic that he invited Shigeharu to join his forces as a strategist. Shigeharu made many contributions to Hideyoshi with his exceptional talent in this field.

He died of illness during Hideyoshi's attack on the Mōri in the Chūgoku region while Miki Castle was under siege. Takenaka Shigekado, Shigeharu's son and successor, continued to serve Hideyoshi after his father's death.

At the battle of Sekigahara, he fought on the side of Tokugawa Ieyasu, and his possessions in Bodaisan were secured for him. The Takenaka family became a hatamoto family and soon left their old castle in Bodaisan for the new castle in Iwate. The Takenaka lands included the village of Sekigahara.

In the middle of the 19th century, Takenaka Shigekata, a descendant of Shigeharu, was the commander of the Tokugawa forces in Fushimi during the battle of Toba-Fushimi.