1611: The Nijō Castle Meeting—Ieyasu Comes Face to Face with Hideyori
Traveling to Kyoto for the first time in four years to attend the abdication of Emperor Go-Yōzei and the enthronement of Emperor Go-Mizunoo, Ieyasu met face to face with Toyotomi Hideyori at Nijō Castle. Hideyori had grown into an imposing, capable young man far beyond expectations, and witnessing this firsthand is said to have deepened Ieyasu's wariness of the Toyotomi house, making the meeting a moment often viewed as a prelude to the later Siege of Ōsaka.
Events this year
3/28
Tokugawa Ieyasu summoned nineteen-year-old Toyotomi Hideyori to Nijō Castle. Hideyori paid respects to Ieyasu, displaying the political relationship between the Tokugawa government and the Toyotomi house.
Month 4
Tokugawa Ieyasu required the daimyo residing in Kyoto to submit three oath pledges swearing to obey bakufu edicts and not to defy the shogun's commands.
Sources 国立公文書館 デジタル展示「徳川家康―将軍家蔵書からみるその生涯と遺産」二条城会見
4/12
Emperor Go-Mizunoo acceded to the throne following the abdication of Emperor Go-Yōzei and performed his enthronement ceremony. This succession occurred concurrently with Tokugawa Ieyasu's meeting at Nijō Castle.
Sources 国立公文書館 デジタル展示「徳川家康―将軍家蔵書からみるその生涯と遺産」二条城会見
The major construction of Saga Castle undertaken by Nabeshima Naoshige and Katsushige was completed, and Katsushige entered the Honmaru.