Tsunamoto Oniniwa

Tsunamoto Oniniwa is a feudal retainer who served three generations of the Date clan. As one of the major pillars of the Date, he and Kojūrō Katakura are related through their half-sister Kita.

Role in Games
Tsunamoto appears as a generic officer in the Samurai Warriors series. He usually participates in many of Masamune's battles.

In the Nobunaga's Ambition games, he is usually active during the later scenarios and often has balanced stats that make him a flexible choice for running all kinds of tasks.

Historical Information
Appointed by Date Terumune to watch over his sons, Tsunamoto helped raise them and became particularly close with their cousin Shigezane. Upon turning 35, he replaced his father as the "Left Eye of the Dragon" for the Date after the latter's demise at the Battle of Hitodoribashi.

His efficient administration skills earned him great respect and trust within the clan who eventually labeled him one of the "Three Great Men of the Date Clan" alongside Shigezane and Katakura Kagetsuna. He remained in service to the Date even during the Toyotomi's rise to power.

When Hideyoshi suspected Masamune of treason, it was Tsunamoto who pleaded on his lord's behalf. His conduct was said to have impressed Hideyoshi so much that he gave him one of his concubines as a reward, though this remains unconfirmed. Another story has Tsunamoto change his name to Moniwa Nobumoto (茂庭延元) to placate the Taikō; according to sources, Hideyoshi was superstitious of the Oniniwa name because of its meaning, "the garden of the demon".

After spending several years as an attendant for Masamune's son Hidemune, Nobumoto retired from the Date clan and became a Buddhist monk. His ranks was then passed on to his son Takamoto.