Ashina Clan
A Japanese clan that emerged during the Sengoku period, claiming descent from the Taira clan through the Miura clan.
The Ashina clan (Japanese: 蘆名氏, Hepburn: Ashina-shi) was a Japanese clan that emerged during the Sengoku period. The clan claims descent from the Taira clan through the Miura clan. The name came from the area called Ashina in the city of Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture. There were two branches of the clan: Sagami-Ashina (相模蘆名氏) and Aizu-Ashina (会津蘆名氏). Sagami-Ashina originated when Miura Yoshitsugu's third son adopted the name Ashina. Aizu-Ashina was descended from Miura Yoshiaki's son Sawara Yoshitsuru.
- Status
- Extinct as a ruling power by the end of the game's events (no exact year given in canon)
- Key Artifact
- The Dragon's Heritage (a power that grants immortality to its bearer, not the clan as a whole)
Lore & Background
During the Muromachi period the clan claimed the shugo of Aizu. Together with the Soma clan, they suffered an effective defeat following the Kōriyama Campaign in 1588. In 1589 the clan suffered a severe loss against Date Masamune at the Battle of Suriagehara, leading to the demise of the clan. The clan appears in the 2019 video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which takes place in a fantasy version of the Sengoku Jidai.
In Their Own Story
The Ashina clan appears in the 2019 video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which takes place in a fantasy version of the Sengoku Jidai. They also appear in Total War: Shogun 2 as a non playable clan that the player may interact with. In Futaroh Yamada's novel Yagyu Ninpocho, following their defeat by Masamune, they went into hiding only to emerge years later as shinobi in service to the daimyō of Aizu.
Reader's Guide
The Ashina clan is a non playable clan in Total War: Shogun 2 that the player may interact with. In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, they appear in a fantasy version of the Sengoku Jidai. The clan's historical head family includes figures such as Miura Yoshiaki (1092–1180), Ashina Moriuji (1521–1561), and Ashina Yoshihiro (1575–1631). The clan's lineage ends with Ashina Sentsurumaru (1650–1653), son of Moritoshi.
Did You Know?
- The Ashina clan claims descent from the Taira clan through the Miura clan.
- The clan's name came from the area called Ashina in the city of Yokosuka in Kanagawa Prefecture.
- There were two branches of the clan: Sagami-Ashina and Aizu-Ashina.
- The clan suffered a severe loss against Date Masamune at the Battle of Suriagehara in 1589, leading to their demise.
- The clan appears in the 2019 video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which takes place in a fantasy version of the Sengoku Jidai.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the Ashina Clan?
The clan is commanded by the legendary Lord Isshin Ashina, who rules over the prosperous Ashina Province alongside his heir, Kyoichiro.
What defines the Ashina Clan's military strength?
Renowned for their exceptional martial skills and innovative weaponry, they historically served as the dominant military force in Sengoku-era Japan.
Why did the Ashina Clan fall from power?
Their desperate pursuit of eternal life through the Dragon's Heritage cursed them with immortality and decay, leading to their eventual extinction by 1603.
Where is the Ashina Clan based?
They govern a vast domain known as Ashina Province, which includes the formidable Ashina Castle situated near the Iron Mine borders.
What role does the Prosthetic Arm play in their story?
This key artifact symbolizes the clan's technological ingenuity and becomes central to the protagonist's struggle against the curse of immortality that destroyed them.
More in Factions & Clans
Elsewhere in the Sekiro universe
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