Sadatsune SASAKI, an enemy of Motoharu KIKKAWA on meeting Kenshin considered him to be an Otengu (big tengu (a mountain spirit, portrayed as winged and having a long nose)), and is said to have said 'I hear you are an Otengu of Katsuragi TAKAMA, Goki (five oni demons) of Omine,' other leading theories are ' a great man of about 1.818 m height,' but in fact his height was uncertain as several literature describes Kenshin as a 'small' person.
吉川元春の使者・佐々木定経が謙信と対面したとき、「音に聞こえし大峰の五鬼、葛城高天の大天狗（謙信）にや」と謙信のことを大天狗扱いするなど、「六尺近い偉丈夫」が有力説とされてきたが、「小柄」と表記されている文献もいくつか存在し、謙信の身長については諸説があり定かではないのが実情であった。