In 1582, at Honnoji in Kyoto, Oda Nobunaga took his own life after the temple buildings in which he was staying were surrounded and set ablaze by the followers of the samurai Akechi Mitsuhide. Mitsuhide then proclaimed himself as Shogun. It would though be a short-lived reign, as the title of 13 Day Shogun pertains to.
Akechi Mitsuhide was defeated at the Battle of Yamazaki between Kyoto and Osaka by the forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Toyotomi being a loyal general of Oda Nobunaga. In his escape, Mitsuhide fled through Kyoto and as he made his way through an area, on the outskirts, todays Ogurisu (near Rokujizo) he and his remaining followers were attacked in an ambush by a group of bandits.
Akechi Mitsuhide was impaled by a bamboo spear, his guts spilling out on to the ground. One of his men cut off his head, so that it could not fall into enemy hands and be used as a trophy, and fled with it. A burial site for the head can be found in the centre of Kyoto. A site for the burial of the body is close by to Ogurisu (though some reports claim his body was taken to Kyoto).
It is said that today, on rainy nights the screams and cries of the ghosts of Akechi Mitsuhide and his slaughtered men can be heard coming from the bamboo woodlands of this place. Screams that are replaying what happened on that fateful night when Oda Nobunaga got his revenge and so ended the reign of the 13 Day Shogun, Akechi Mitsuhide.
This site is also said to be the location of where stood Ogurisu Castle which was occupied by the Iida family (clan). Close by is Ogurisu Hachiman Shrine, where a remaining wall of the residence of the Iida family can still be found. Some reports say that parts of the castle were also here (at Ogurisu Hachiman Shrine).
HIDDEN PATHS visited the site of the ambush, 'Akechi Yabu', and also Ogurisu Hachiman Shrine. The video above is the site of Akechi Yabu where the haunting screams are reported.
Below is the remaining wall at Ogurisu Hachiman Shrine of the the residence of the Iida family.
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