Database: Saika

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In the Kii Valley, a league of followers of the Ikkō sect (an ikki) known as the Saika-shū (the people of Saika) emerged. Saika was the name of a village in the delta. Additionally, other similar but less powerful ikki were created throughout the region. These autonomous leagues were led by jizamurai (small warriors) and wealthy peasants who pledged allegiance to the Hongan-ji of Yamashina, the center of the Ikkō sect. They oversaw both rice-growing peasants in the plains and valleys and "people of the sea," the kaimin, who were fishermen, salt makers, and navigators. The kaimin were a maritime army (often labeled pirates by their enemies) who protected the region's coasts. The Saika had purchased firearms from their neighbors at Negoro-ji and, with their fleet, formed an imposing military force that initially allowed Hongan-ji to resist Nobunaga.

In the late 16th century, these groups coexisted without conflict and were even allied, despite their religious differences. They understood that their common enemy was Nobunaga and then Hideyoshi, who aimed to weaken, reduce, and crush them if they resisted. The combined army of warrior monks from neighboring Negoro-ji and the Saika formed a force of 30,000 men, armed with muskets, who could challenge any daimyō and provide significant support to Hongan-ji. They stood up to Nobunaga in 1577; but, eventually agreed to obey him for a time in 1580. However, they succumbed to Hideyoshi's military power in 1585. The affiliation of the Saika with Hongan-ji has been debated, as the Saika had considerable autonomy. Some Japanese historians even contest the label of Ikkō league for the Saika, as the religious dimension of the movement does not seem to have been as significant as in other regions.