Fought on October 21, 1600, the Battle of Sekigahara was a pivotal moment in Japanese history, marking the end of the Sengoku period (a time of near-constant military conflict and social upheaval) and the beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate's rule, an era of isolation and peace that lasted over 250 years.

The battle itself was a brutal affair, with over 150,000 Samurai clashing on the battlefield to determine who would have control over Japan. It all unfolded at a time when Japan was beginning to feel the influence of Europe, reshaping warfare with new tactics, technologies and firearms. While not the only factor, defections during the battle, like Kobayakawa Hideaki's mid-fight switch from West to East, also played a significant role in Tokugawa's victory at Sekigahara.