The surname of a warlord who ruled the area around present-day Yamanashi Prefecture during the Warring States period.
One of the family names
Originating from Takeda Village in Naka District, Hitachi Province (present-day Ibaraki Prefecture), it is a branch of the Yoshimitsu lineage of the Seiwa Genji (descendants of Emperor Seiwa granted the Minamoto surname), one of Japan’s foremost noble families.
Sometimes the root lies in the terrain itself. The actual etymology is said to derive from “Takeda” (Bamboo and Rice field), with the samurai Takeda clan later altering the characters. Some locations actually feature such plantations. It can also refer to fields near bamboo groves.
Approximately 190,000 Japanese people bear this surname nationwide, ranking 89th in surname frequency.
Explanation of this calligraphy
The top row is hiragana, the middle row is kanji, and the bottom row is katakana, all written horizontally.
