NHK Educational TV's program "The Power of Our Ancestors: The Fountain of Wisdom," which teaches us modern wisdom from our historical ancestors, will broadcast "Sengoku Outlaw: The Murakami Pirates Defeat Nobunaga" from 10:00 pm on September 16th. Murakami Takeyoshi, head of the Murakami Pirates, based in the Geiyo Islands in the Setouchi Inland Sea, was described by Luis Frois as "Japan's greatest pirate." What was the aesthetic of this man who continued to fight on the seas as Japan's last pirate?
The Murakami pirates have been making a name for themselves since the time of the Northern and Southern Courts, dominating the Seto Inland Sea. During the Sengoku period, the Murakami clan controlled Noshima, Kurushima, and Innoshima, and among them, Murakami Takeyoshi of Noshima was said to be the greatest pirate in Japan.
As Kurushima and Innoshima fell under the control of powerful Sengoku daimyo, Murakami Takeyoshi tried to maintain his solitary position as ruler of the sea. Mori Motonari desperately tried to persuade him, but Takeyoshi refused to budge. This man stood up to Oda Nobunaga, who advocated for the unification of the country by military force. We take a closer look at Takeyoshi's wisdom in protecting the freedom of the seas.
