Born in 1561 in Owari, a distant relative of Hideyoshi. Serving near Hideyoshi from youth, at the Battle of Shizugatake in 1583 he killed enemy commander Haigo Gozaemon in the opening charge, earning fame as the foremost of the Seven Spears. He fought in both Korean campaigns and displayed fierce valor. After Hideyoshi's death, his blunt temperament put him in sharp conflict with Ishida Mitsunari, and he became a central figure in the military faction. At Sekigahara in 1600 he served as the Eastern army's vanguard, fighting brilliantly and receiving the enormous reward of Hiroshima domain at 490,000 koku. However, unauthorized repairs to Hiroshima Castle's stonework and towers were deemed evidence of treasonous intent by the shogunate, and he was stripped of his domain in 1619—a move widely seen as part of the shogunate's campaign to weaken large outside lords. After the dispossession he lived in obscurity in Shinano (Nagano) and died there in 1624 at age 63.

A fierce warrior and legendary drinker. Brave but hot-tempered, often causing trouble while drunk. Despite his feud with Mitsunari, he never forgot his debt to Hideyoshi.

An iconic warrior as the leader of the Seven Spears. His fame at Sekigahara contrasts with his later downfall—a testament to the rise and fall of Sengoku lords.