Bitchu is a rather poor province situated on the south coast of Honshu. Towards the end of the 16th century, it would become a significant stronghold for the Mori, protecting their homelands to the west from incursions by the mighty warlord, Oda Nobunaga. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was leading an Oda invasion of Bitchu when Oda Nobunaga was betrayed and killed in Kyoto.