Who Is Hirate Masahide (Hirate Nakatsukasa)?
The guardian who raised the young Nobunaga
Hirate Masahide was a senior retainer of the Oda clan who served as guardian and tutor to the young Oda Nobunaga. Using his wits, he arranged Nobunaga's marriage to the daughter of Saito Dosan. He took his own life in 1553.
In Episode 1, Masahide appears only in flashbacks; by the time of the meeting at Shōtoku-ji temple, he has already died. He is shown as a man who despaired over young Nobunaga's behavior yet still tried to believe in his lord, and he gives readers a glimpse into Nobunaga's inner self.
The reason for his suicide is not clear. A widely known theory says he did it to admonish Nobunaga. It is said that Nobunaga later built a temple, Seishū-ji, to honor Masahide's memory.
