Although it was told later that Ieyasu's runaway trip guarded by Iga ninja (a secret agent (in feudal Japan) highly skilled in stealth and secrecy), who were opponents to Nobunaga was because of Ieyasu's fear against to be killed by the Mitsuhide's side, it was originally prepared in advance based on Ieyasu's fear against being killed by the Nobunaga's side or it was an arrangement to deny his participation in the plot.
信長の敵対者である伊賀忍者に守られた逃避行は、後世、光秀方に誅されることを恐れたものとされるが、本来は信長方に誅されることを恐れて事前に準備されたものだった、ないし、自己の関与を否定するための演出であった。