Narrow Road To The Deep North 23

Nobunaga was welcoming and gracious to Westerners, and tolerant of their activities. He was fascinated with European culture, collected Western art and arms and armor, and was among the first Japanese in recorded history to wear European clothes. He also became the patron of the Jesuit missionaries in Japan and supported the establishment of the first Christian church in Kyoto in 1576, although he saw them as merely useful and somewhat amusing diversions. They provided him with the novelties and artifacts his collections, recognized him as the real ruler of Japan, and acted as a foil to his Buddhist enemies, to increase their frustration.
Nobunaga was a cultured man, and patron of the arts. He built extensive gardens and castles, in and of themselves great works of art. He presided over the beginnings of modern kabuki. And he was an avid student of the tea ceremony and poetry. He collected tea items from far afield, and held tea and poetry gatherings with learned and cultured men. His sponsorship of tea master Sen no Rikyū established the Japanese tea ceremony, which Nobunaga popularized and used originally as an environment to talk politics and business. He gave tea items as rewards for exceptional service, as opposed to the traditional grant of land. A tea object from Nobunaga's hand was considered an exceptional honor.
Oda Nobunaga was well on his way to the complete conquest and unification of Japan, when Akechi Mitsuhide burned him that into oblivion. His legacy as the first of three unifiers during the Sengoku is undisputed. Despite depictions of him as villainous or demonic, film director Akira Kurosawa choice to portray him more positively in Kagemusha, as energetic, athletic and respectful towards his enemies, was probably not far off the mark. For me, in my samurai’s mind, I can see him laughing, or dancing and singing Atsumori’s song, and conquering the world.



             ‘In truth, this world is not eternally inhabited
              It is more transient than dewdrops on the leave of grass, or the  
              moon reflected in the water.
              After reciting the poetry of flower at Kanaya, all glory is now left 
              with the wind of impermanence.
              Those who leisurely play with the moon of southern tower, now   
              hide in the cloud of Saṅkhāra.
              Human life lasts only 50 years, Contrast human life with life of 
              Geten, 
              It is but a very dream and illusion.
              Once they are given life from god, there is no such thing don't 
              perish.
              Unless we consider this a very seed of awakening, it is a  
              grievous truth indeed.’
                                                                 The Real Song of Atsumori