Sanada Clan

The Sanada Clan is a clan located in Japan. It is headed by Daimyo Sanada Toga. The Sanada Clan is famous for being known as descendants of dog yokai, and their use of wolfsbane poison in battle.

Founding
The Sanada clan was founded by a samurai named Unno Yukiyoshi. He was the first samurai to depict the Rokumonsen on it’s banner. Unno Yukiyoshi’s retainers were the first Sanada, just a family of dog Yokai that arrived during the Mongol invasions. The Sanada clan became vassals of the Takeda clan when Unno Yukiyoshi joined the Takeda after a skirmish leading to a peace treaty. Around that time, the Sanada main castle was built by Sanada Yukitsuna, who was the father of Sanada Yukitaka, the first leader of the clan.

Destruction of the Takeda
Yukitaka had three sons. Out of the three, Sanada Toga was selected to become the next leader. The Sanada assisted the Takeda with their wars against their enemy, the Uesugi. At that time, Oda Nobunaga was taking control in Japan, and attacked the Takeda. Even though the Takeda had excellent cavalry, they were defeated by the Oda. The Oda seized the Takeda lands of Nagano and Yamanashi, and drafted all the Takeda retainers into their own army. However, the small Sanada clan stood up against the Oda, and using their yokai abilities, they repelled the Oda from the former Takeda lands, capturing it for their own.

Tenseiga and Tessaiga
Sanada Toga had 3 swords, forged from his fangs by the yokai swordsmith Muramasa. One was the Tenseiga, which could revive 100 souls from the underworld, but had no offensive capabilities. The other was Tessaiga, which could kill 100 soldiers in one strike. The last sword So'unga was not forged by Muramasa from Toga's fang, and could summon 100 undead in one swing. Toga had two sons from two different women. Toga's older son Sesshomaru was born from a Dog yokai which he divorced due to issues. His younger son Inuyasha was only half demon, being born from his next wife, a human princess named Izayoi. Sesshomaru was violent and ruthless, killing peasants who didn't bow to him. On the other hand, Inuyasha was caring and protective, protecting his people. To teach him a lesson, Toga gave Tenseiga to Sesshomaru and Tessaiga to Inuyasha. So'unga was sealed for being too dangerous. Angered by this, Sesshomaru tried to kill his half-yokai brother, and was exiled by Toga for his unspeakable acts.

Army
The Sanada army is the ground force of the Sanada. It is compromised of the infantry, the cavalry, the navy, and the heavy artillery. The lowest rank is ashigaru(equivalent to a cadet), and the highest is taisho(general). Each Ashigaru is issued with a sword, a polearm/bow(depending on skill), and red armor, ranging from full armor to light armor with a metal Jingasa. Ashigaru are infantry by default and can only become mounted by increasing rank to a samurai. As said above, the Sanada clan excels in using wolfsbane poison in war. All weapons of the soldiers have poison on their blades and tips. Sanada soldiers’ swords have a special sheath with poison in it.

Navy
The navy has atakebune warships which have iron plating. The iron-plated atakebune were stolen from the Oda clan, and can carry about 500 soldiers. Besides the atakebune, the Sanada have numerous small ships which can carry 200 soldiers. Soldier ranks are same.

Sanada Main Castle
The Sanada Main Castle was the main castle of the Sanada before the construction of Ueda Castle. It was built by one of Unno Yukiyoshi's dog yokai relatives and Takeda clan retainer, Sanada Yukitsuna. After the completion of Ueda Castle, the main castle was abandoned.

Castle in the Sky
Not necessarily a Sanada castle, the Castle in the sky is home to Sanada Sesshomaru, older son of Toga and Toga's divorced wife, Sesshomaru's mother. It doesn't have any major defenses, due to it being in the sky.

Ueda Castle
The home of Toga and Inuyasha, located in the Sanada capital Ueda. The castle's construction was ordered by Toga. Ueda Castle is located on a hill overlooking the Chikuma river, which acts a moat. The castle has no keep in the 1st courtyard but seven two-story towers in which the lord lives. It has 3 courtyards, like most Japanese castles.

Iwabitsu Castle
Iwabitsu Castle is located in Gunma, in non-Sanada lands. It was captured by Toga's father as an outpost to conquer other areas from there. No one occupies the castle, save for a number of guards protecting it.

Trivia

 * The Kegawa are tolerated by the Sanada, because themselves being dogs. However, Sanada Inuyasha despises them for personal reasons.