Oda Nobunaga was a fierce and ambitious warlord, who lived a life of continuous military conquest. By the time of his death, he had conquered a third of Japan, and paved the way for unification which ruled the island nation until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
Nobunaga led the most advanced military in the world at the time, incorporating firearms from the Portuguese with traditional battle techniques. He expanded trade internally and internationally, built roads, started a free market system, regulated tax, supported the arts - kabuki theatre, built extensive gardens, and castles (see Azuchi Castle), and popularized the Japanese tea ceremony. Depending on which side of the sword you were on, he was either a fiendish villain or an extraordinary leader, and is often depicted as either today.
The Incident at Honno-ji occurred on this day in 1582, when Nobunaga was at the height of his power. Honno-ji was Nobunaga's usual resting place near Kyoto. He had ordered General Akechi Mitsuhide to assist in a nearby siege, who instead saw an opportunity for a coup. Akechi and his troops surrounded the resort, and quickly overwhelmed the servants and bodyguards. Nobunaga had his young page set the building on fire while he committed seppuku. His remains were never found...
It’s Thursday, June 21
“Pickin’ and Grinnin’” opens tonight at the Badgett Playhouse in Grand Rivers. The show is a tribute to all of the great country music variety shows of days gone by. It starts at 7. For more information, visit grandriversvariety.com or call 888-362-4223.
The Murray State University Amateur Radio Club will give ham radio demonstrations on Saturday afternoon starting at 1. Local club members offer a chance to learn more about the capabilities of ham radio and the licensing process. The demonstrations will be in Room 237 of the Collins Industry & Technology Building on the campus of Murray State University.
The Purchase Area Master Gardeners will be accepting horticulture entries for the McCracken County Fair on Monday morning from 7:30 until 10:30 at Carson Park. Cut flowers should be clean, free of insects and disease, and correctly named. There is no entry fee. See details in the online fair book at mccrackencountyfair.com.
Thanks for listening. Find more community events at wkms.org.
