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was a Japan daimyō and one of the leading figures of the Sengoku period. He is regarded as the first "Great Unifier" of Japan.

Nobunaga was head of the powerful Oda clan, and launched a war against other daimyo's to unify Japan in the 1560s. Nobunaga emerged as the most powerful daimyō in Japan, overthrowing the nominally ruling shōgun Ashikaga Yoshiaki and dissolving the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573. He then conquered most of Honshu, and defeated the Ikkō-ikki rebels by the 1580s. Nobunaga's rule was noted for innovative military tactics, fostering free trade, reform of Japan's civil government, and encouraging the start of the Momoyama historical art period, but also for the brutal suppression of opponents, eliminating those who refused to cooperate or yield to his demands. Nobunaga was killed in the Honno-ji Incident in 1582 when his retainer Akechi Mitsuhide ambushed him in Kyoto and forced him to commit sepuku. Nobunaga was succeeded by Toyotomi Hideyoshi who along with Tokugawa Ieyasu completed his war of unification shortly afterwards.

Nobunaga was an influential figure in Japanese history and is regarded as one of three great unifiers along with his retainers Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. Toyotomi Hideyoshi would later unite Japan in 1591, and invade Korea a year later. However, in 1598 he died and Tokugawa Ieyasu took power after the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, becoming shogun in 1603, and ending the Sengoku period.

Oda Nobunaga was born on June 23, 1534 in Nagoya, Owari Province, and was the second son of Oda Nobuhide, the head of the powerful Oda clan and a deputy shugo (military governor), and his wife Dota Gozen. Nobunaga is said to have been born in Nagoya Castle, the future seat of the Owari Domain, although this is subject to debate. Nobunaga was given the childhood name of , and through his childhood and early teenage years became well known for his bizarre behavior, receiving the name of . Nobunaga was a clear speaker with a strong presence about him, and known to run around with other youths from the area, without any regard to his own rank in society, and with the introduction of firearms into Japan he became known for his fondness for tanegashima guns.

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