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Uesugi Kenshin(上杉謙信) (February 18, 1530 - April 19, 1578) was a warlord who ruled Echigo province in the Sengoku Period of Japan.
In 1548, Kenshin became the owner of the castle of Haruyama and was engaged in the five Battles of Kawanakajima with Takeda Shingen.
His original name was Nagao Kagetora(長尾景虎). Later he consecutively changed his name to Uesugi Masatora(上杉政虎), to Uesugi Terutora(輝虎) and finally to Kenshin after he became a Buddhist monk; in particular, he would become renowned for being a devotee (some said avatar) of Bishamonten.
His death has always been veiled in mystery. According to some records he was found dead while he was on the lavatory. One theory says a ninja assassinated him with a spear after having hid some time under it, another is that he died of stomach cancer. The theory of planned murder might not be far from truth, as ninja were often used for secret actions of this nature during Kenshin's period, though their actual effectiveness for assassinations is dubious. (It is said that upon hearing of Kenshin's death, Oda Nobunaga remarked, "Now the empire is mine," though this does not necessarily mean that he had any hand in it. It is also though said that he was as devout a drinker, if not an alcoholic, as he was a Buddhist.)
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