Saika Ikki


The Saika ikki or Saiga Ikki, based in Ōta in the Kii Province of Honshū, were one of many ikkō-ikki mercenary groups in feudal Japan led by Suzuki Magoichi, better known as Saika Magoichi. Saika-ikki was formed by several peasant and noble people. Their unnamed men and women informants were said to have been called "Magoichi" by their clients. In particular, the members of the Saika ikki, along with the monks of the Negoro-ji, were renowned for their expertise with the arquebus and for their expert gunsmiths and foundries. Both of these groups came to the aid of the Ishiyama Hongan-ji, the central fortress-cathedral of the ikkō-ikki that was besieged by Oda Nobunaga from 1570–80. The town motto is translated to English as "stand strong and do not forget".
Their own fortress, Ōta Castle, was besieged by Nobunaga in 1577.
The monastery was attacked again in 1585 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in chastisement for their opposition to his former lord, Oda.

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