The Words of the Samurai – Episode 18

Judgment and Legacy: Hōjō Ujiyasu’s Warning

Episode 18 of our Samurai Words blog series explores a quiet yet powerful lesson from one of Japan’s greatest feudal lords: Hōjō Ujiyasu. The grandson of legendary strategist Hōjō Sōun and the third head of his clan, Ujiyasu was both a skilled military leader and a capable administrator, admired by commoners and feared by rivals like Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. But his most telling moment wasn’t on the battlefield—it was at the dining table. A simple act by his son Ujimasa prompted a harsh comment from Ujiyasu that, in hindsight, foretold the fall of their dynasty. This episode explores how the smallest habits can reveal the deepest flaws.

“Pour soup over rice twice—and you’ll ruin the nation.”

Hōjō Ujiyasu was the grandson of Hōjō Sōun, the hero of the early Sengoku era, and served as the third head of the Hōjō clan established by Sōun.

The saying goes that “the third generation destroys the family,” but Ujiyasu was an exception. He was a formidable commander, able to stand toe‑to‑toe with Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin, and he was also an excellent ruler admired as “the most capable administrator among the Sengoku daimyō.”

Although Sōun had many worthy descendants, Ujiyasu held low expectations for his own son. One day, after observing Ujimasa — who would later become the fourth head of the clan — having his meal, he said:

“Ujimasa poured broth onto his rice twice. He does not know how much is needed the first time. A man who cannot judge even that cannot judge people, and without sound judgment one cannot gather good retainers. A man who pours broth twice onto his rice will bring down a domain.”

Those present laughed, saying he was overreacting to something as trivial as broth. But Ujiyasu’s intuition proved right: the Hōjō clan began to falter under Ujimasa and eventually fell during the rule of his son, Ujinao.

Ujiyasu’s insight into people was accurate even when directed at his own son.

In the eyes of a samurai lord, even mealtime habits held meaning. Ujiyasu’s critique of his son might seem harsh, but he saw in it a reflection of flawed decision-making—fatal for a ruler. History proved him right. The decline of the Hōjō family under Ujimasa showed that leadership requires more than lineage; it demands discernment. Ujiyasu’s insight reminds us that great leaders pay attention to the details others miss.