Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami

Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami (Japanese: 藤林 長門守) was a samurai and ninja operative during Japan's Sengoku period. His birth and death dates remain unknown. His real name is believed to have been Yasutoyo (保豊).

Fujibayashi Nagato-no-kami
Era	Sengoku period
Birth date	Unknown
Death date	Unknown
Other name(s)	Yasutoyo (保豊)[1]
Grave place(s)	Shōkaku-ji Temple
Rank	Nagato no Kami (長門守)[1]
Shogunate(s)	Ashikaga shogunate
Lord(s)	Imagawa Yoshimoto Rokkaku Yoshikata
Clan(s)	Imagawa clan Rokkaku clan
Brother(s) , Sister(s)	1 sister (concubine of Rokkaku Yoshikata)
Child (Children)	Fujibayashi Yasumasa (son)[1]

Biography

Fujibayashi hailed from Yufune village in Ahaigun, northern Iga Province—now Higashi-Yufune in Iga, Mie—which bordered Kōka District in Ōmi Province.^[1] Remains of his former fortress still exist in the region.^[2] Records suggest his influence extended into Kōka as well, where he was involved in local conflicts.^[1]

Initially, he served Imagawa Yoshimoto in Suruga Province, residing in Sunpu (modern-day Shizuoka). During this time, he is believed to have developed a friendship with Yamamoto Kansuke prior to Kansuke's service under Takeda Shingen, and may have learned military strategy from him.^[1] Following internal turmoil in Iga, he resigned and returned home.

Fujibayashi maintained close ties with the Rokkaku clan due to his sister's relationship with Rokkaku Yoshikata. During the Eiroku era, when Yoshikata faced difficulties capturing Sawayama Castle from the rebelling Dodo clan, he requested help from Fujibayashi. In response, Iga ninja under Tateoka Dōjun were dispatched, contributing to the Rokkaku victory.^[1][3]

His later activities are largely unknown. By the time of the Tenshō Iga War, his son Fujibayashi Yasumasa had succeeded him. After the defeat, the family fled and sought protection under the Tokugawa clan. The family later returned to Yufune and entered the service of the Tōdō clan of the Tsu Domain.^[1]

A descendant, Fujibayashi Yasutake, authored the famous ninja manual Bansenshūkai—an essential record of Iga and Kōka ninja traditions.^[4]

Grave

Grave of Fujibayashi Nagatonokami at Shōkaku-ji, Iga

His grave, believed to be that of the Fujibayashi family, was relocated from the ruins of his former castle to Shōkaku-ji in Higashi-Yufune, Iga. It is now designated a municipal historic site.^{[citation needed]}

In popular culture

Film

• Shinobi no Mono (1962), portrayed by Yūnosuke Itō
• Daininjutsu Eiga Watari (1966), portrayed by Tetsurō Tamba

Literature

• Oda Nobunaga to Iwamuro Nagatonokami (2016), by Kusunoki Kodama, Seishinsha

Manga

• Nobunaga no Shinobi
• Assassin's Creed Shadows: Iga no Monogatari (2025)

Video games

• Assassin's Creed Shadows (2025), portrayed by Peter Shinkoda