Despite being usually determined on June 23, there are many different theories according to the day Nobunaga was born.
Everyone seem to agree on Tenbun 3, which marks year 1534 of our Western calendar.
When it come to the actual date, though, there are many different opinions.
Usually, June 23 of the Julian Calendar is taken as the most reliable source, coming from the words of Luis Frois, that in his Historia do Japão wrote that "God did not allow his intentions and place of worship to last more than nineteen days" referring to "Nobunaga's deification" at Sokenji temple in Azuchi on the day of his birthday. This line was interpretated as Nobunaga's birthday being 19 days before the date of his death, then.
Many historians note how Nobunaga didn't "deify" himself in Sokenji and this was probably a misinterpretation on Frois part, but we're discussing the dates here, not the intentions.
If anything, I would like to know how we got June 23 and June 21 as the dates of his birth and death, given that 21 is not 19 days after 23-- Mah.
Anyway, the comment of Frois convinced historians, who, counting backwards from 6th Month 2nd Day (天正10年6月2日) got 5th Month 12th Day (天文3年5月12日). These dates refer to the Japanese Lunar Calendar, so, converting them to the Julian calendar of Frois times, you would get June 23 out of that "6th Month 2nd Day".
Another translator of Historia, Matsuda Kiichi, though, calculated Nobunaga's birthday on June 2.
Recent studies based on Japanese documents point to a novel date, 5th Month, 28th Day (天文3年5月28日). Converting this date to the Julian Calendar, you would get July 9.
The researcher who investigated the issue of Nobunaga's birth was Yasuhiro Ishida, who was the one who also "discovered" Shobata Castle as Nobunaga's birthplace. Ishida found out about Shobata Castle while translating the Bishūkojōshi (尾州古城志), thus he decided to investigate further the local historical literature to see what the Japanese sources had to say on the issue.
Among the sources for the "5th Month, 28th Day" date, Lamers quoted the Toki Saito Gunki (土岐齋藤軍記) and the Minonokuni Shokyuuki (美濃国諸旧記) that seemed to track the genealogy of Oda Nobuhide and his sons. All of these sources, though, were compiled in the XVII century, and I don't see how they could be more accurate than Luis Frois' account, which is still regarded by Japanese historians themselves as one of the most precise accounts of those events, despite its rethorical accents... So, well, yeah, let's take June 23 for good, for now.
There's something fun about all these dates-- And it's using them for the zodiac!
Despite the incongruences, in fact, it's fun to see how the zodiacal traits are the same: in Chinese horoscope, Nobunaga is a Year of the Wood Horse, while in Western zodiac, Nobunaga is a Cancer.
Apparently, to get accurate solar zodiacs you need the Gregorian calendar dates, which are, respectively, July 3 for Frois and July 19 for Ishida (don't ask).
The main traits of Wood Horse seem to be:
Seeing from the aspect of Chinese zodiac and Five Elements, freedom is what Wood Horses seek always, as they dislike being strained and bounded. They are diligent, passionate and careful in character, but they are also hot-tempered, impulsive and impatient. Their enthusiasm for new things cannot last long, so they may give up easily. If they spend more time to cultivate their willpower and patience, they could become more capable.
With Wood element, people born in the Year of the Horse get favorable fortune in career. No matter what kind of work they are occupied, they could accomplish something through efforts. Some of them even start from nothing, and become brilliant entrepreneurs. They are born to be leaders and decision makers, and they can lead employees to promote in the same direction. Besides, they are reliable business partners.
When it comes to Cancer, instead:
Deeply intuitive and sentimental, Cancer are very emotional and sensitive, and care deeply about matters of the family and their home. Cancer is sympathetic and attached to people they keep close. Those born with their Sun in Cancer are very loyal and able to empathize with other people's pain and suffering.
Guided by emotion and their heart, they could have a hard time blending into the world around them. Being ruled by the Moon, phases of the lunar cycle deepen their internal mysteries and create fleeting emotional patterns that are beyond their control. As children, they don't have enough coping and defensive mechanisms for the outer world, and have to be approached with care and understanding, for that is what they give in return.
Lack of patience or even love will manifest through mood swings later in life, and even selfishness, self-pity or manipulation. They are quick to help others, just as they are quick to avoid conflict, and rarely benefit from close combat of any kind, always choosing to hit someone stronger, bigger, or more powerful than they imagined. When at peace with their life choices, Cancer representatives will be happy and content to be surrounded by a loving family and harmony in their home.
The Crab knows where they're going, but this is often in a wrong direction, at least until they learn their lessons and start relying solely on themselves.
Not saying that Astrology is a science, but well, neither history seems to be, after all.
These descriptions are indeed suggestive, and I'm peculiarly intrigued by Nobunaga's flaws, that here seem so spot-on: impulsivity, impatience, but also selfishness and manipulation, the seeds for insecurity and a suspicious nature, which indeed belonged to Nobunaga.
It's also fun how the element associated with Horse is Fire, while Cancer is a Water sign-- and it's kinda complementary rather than contradictory, considering that Nobunaga's year is governed by Wood, and Water generates Wood and Wood generates Fire.
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