Oniniwa Yoshinao

Oniniwa Yoshinao (鬼庭良直; 1513 – 1586) also known as Oniniwa Sagetsusai was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period who served Date clan. He was deeply trusted by Date Terumune and Date Masamune.^[1]

Oniniwa Yoshinao
Native name	鬼庭 良直
Born	1513 Akadate Castle, Date District, Fukushima
Died	January 6, 1586(1586-01-06) (aged 72–73) Near Hitotori Bridge in Mutsu Province,(Now Motomiya, Fukushima)
Allegiance	Date clan
Unit	Oniniwa clan
Battles / wars	Battle of Tenbun Battle of Hitotoribashi
Relations	Oniniwa Motozane (father) Oniniwa Tsunamoto (eldest son) Katakura Kita (daughter)

In this Japanese name, the surname is Oniniwa.

Yoshinao at the age of 73, bravely fought to let Masamune go during the Battle of Hitotoribashi, His army killed many of Iwaki clan's men but finally was killed by Iwaki Tsunetaka's general Kubota Jūrō.^[2][3] Thanks to Yoshinao, Masamune was able to escape to Motomiya castle.^[3][4] His son, Oniniwa Tsunamoto, and his daughter, Katakura Kita, also worked for Date clan and won Masamune's great trust.^[3]

In fiction

In NHK's 1987 Taiga drama Dokuganryū Masamune, Yoshinao was played by Chosuke Ikariya.^[5]