Database: The Invasion of the Chugoku Provinces

The Chugoku Seibatsu (1577 to 1582) refers to the military campaign between Mori forces in western Honshu and those of Oda Nobunaga, commanded by Hideyoshi. The Mori dominated the west, controlling over ten provinces, and their influence extended to the islands of Kyushu and Shikoku. They were a major threat to Nobunaga's unification plan, especially considering that the clan's head, Mōri Terumoto, had moved against Nobunaga in the past: supporting the Ishiyama Hongan-ji and joining with the Takeda clan to take Nobunaga by surprise.

Consequently, Nobunaga sent his general Hideyoshi to wage war in Harima. Hideyoshi soon took over Himeji Castle but ran into the lords of Bessho, who had suddenly sided with the Mori, while one of Hideyoshi's generals betrayed him. Although Hideyoshi's position was perilous, he successfully counterattacked and crossed Harima to reach Bizen. In 1581, one of the Mori generals surrendered, which prompted Mori Terumoto to seek peace with Hideyoshi. This is precisely when Akechi Mitsuhide betrayed Nobunaga at Honno-ji, forcing him to commit suicide. Informed of Nobunaga's death the next day, Hideyoshi quickly made peace with Mori Terumoto, called off the siege at Takamatsu Castle, and headed for Kyoto to confront Mitsuhide's rebel forces, which were crushed a few days later at the battle of Yamazaki.

Although the Chugoku campaign can be considered a defeat since it led to a compromise peace, Terumoto later chose to join forces with Hideyoshi, participating in his campaigns in Kyushu and Korea, making the Mori clan one of Hideyoshi's most powerful allies in western Honshu.