Ōtomo Sōrin
The Shimazu had been advancing north from their Satsuma Province, when Ōtomo Sōrin (retired "daimyō") and his heir Yoshimune, moved south to confront them in May. The Christian Ōtomo army destroyed Buddhist and Shinto religious buildings along the way as they crossed the Mimigawa and laid siege to Takajo Castle on 20 October, with its 500 men led by Yamada Arinobu. The Ōtomo set up their Portuguese cannon, "kunikuzuri" or "destroyer of provinces", across the Kiribaragawa. The castle was soon reinforced by 1000 men under Yoshihisa's younger brother, Shimazu Iehisa. Shimazu Toshihisa was able to ambush some Ōtomo troops and follow the survivors to their headquarters at Matsuyama.