Azai

Azai lies in northern Ōmi, east of Lake Biwa. Above its fields rose Odani Castle, a great mountain stronghold of the Azai family. Azai Nagamasa defeated the Rokkaku at Norada in 1560 and established his independent rule over northern Ōmi. His fortunes ended in 1573, when Oda Nobunaga's forces captured Odani and destroyed the family after a struggle for control of the region.