Nagano Pass

Nagano Pass was a passage situated in southeastern Iga, Japan, near the Mibuno Vale.

History[edit | edit source]

On 6 October 1579, the young shinobi Fujibayashi Naoe was instructed by Momochi Sandayu to make her way through the pass to rendezvous with the rest of the Iga ikki. While trekking along the path, she stood clear of Oda soldiers but grew angry at their carnage. At one point, she was spotted by a soldier, resulting in an intense struggle which culminated in Naoe taking her first life. Moving forward, she came to the meeting spot, where she witnessed Sandayu, his shinobi, and her father Nagato launch their attack against Oda Nobukatsu's army. As the shinobi pushed Nobukatsu back, Naoe was attacked by an Oda marksman and fell off a cliff.^[1]

Landing in the stream below, Naoe came face-to-face with a large Oda soldier and fought against him. Winning the duel, Naoe was later caught by Nagato, who reprimanded her for leaving Matsu. Sandayu interrupted and stated that she had followed his orders, while Naoe insisted that she had only been doing what she was told her entire life. Realizing she was right, Nagato looked at the dead soldier as he and Sandayu commended Naoe for fighting for Iga before they all returned home.^[1]