Japan’s 10 Most Stunning Samurai Warriors

Oda Nobunaga is one of the three great unifiers of Japan. He was one of the most powerful daimyō of the late Sengoku period whose military prowess enabled him to gain control of most of Honshu, the largest of Japan's four main islands.

Nobunaga began his incredible rise to power following the death of his mentor, Oda Nobuhide. He went on to fight at the battle of Okehazama against the combined army of Imagawa Yoshimoto consisting of more than 25,000 men. With only 2-3,000 men of his own, he staged a deception campaign, which made his host look much larger than it really was. With the enemy encamped and awaiting conflict, his small force engaged following a thunderstorm and won the day (even going so far as to behead Yoshimoto).

Nobunaga's military successes continued for years as he brutally destroyed enemies and conquered their lands. He succeeded in defeating some of Japan's greatest military leaders and would have gone on to unify the entire nation had he not been killed in 1582.

Nobunaga suffered a coup d'état at the hands of his former ally, Akechi Mitsuhide. When his temple was surrounded and overwhelmed, he chose to commit seppuku in an inner room.