* Image is for illustrative purposes only.Gotō Matabē
後藤又兵衛
Chief of the Seven Stars of Osaka Castle——The Last Hero of the Militarist Faction Who Left the Kuroda Clan and Fell at Osaka Castle
Description
Conflict with Kuroda Nagamasa
Born in Harima Province in Eiroku 3 (1560), Gotō Matabē (Motoji) was known as a valiant warrior who served Kuroda Kanbei (Kuroda Yoshitaka) and his son Kuroda Nagamasa, and distinguished himself as the vanguard of the Kuroda forces at the Battle of Sekigahara. However, after Sekigahara, his relationship with his lord Kuroda Nagamasa deteriorated, and Matabē left the Kuroda clan. While there are various theories about the reasons for this "departure," it is believed that the fundamental cause was the conflict between Matabē's militarist temperament and Nagamasa's preference for civil administration. The fact that Nagamasa refused to forgive Matabē's departure and ordered his pursuit demonstrates the serious rift that opened between the two.
Awakening as One of the Seven Stars of Osaka Castle
After leaving the Kuroda clan, Matabē wandered as a rōnin to various places, then entered Osaka Castle as a supporter of the Toyotomi during the Siege of Osaka (1614–1615). Among the rōnin assembled at Osaka Castle, Matabē was the most battle-hardened and fierce warrior, and together with Sanada Yukimura, Chosokabe Morichika, Mōri Katsuei, Akashi Takatomo, and Hanabusa Naonobu, he became known as one of the 'Seven Stars of Osaka Castle.' Throughout the Winter and Summer campaigns, Matabē fought fiercely in every engagement, fully demonstrating his prowess with the declaration 'Here stands Gotō Matabē!'
The Battle of Dōmyōji and His Final Stand
At the Battle of Dōmyōji on May 6, 1615 (Keichō 20), despite being vastly outnumbered, Matabē mounted fierce resistance against the Tokugawa forces. Clashing with the Tokugawa troops led by Mizuno Katsutsune, Matabē cut deep into enemy ranks before falling to gunfire. Though he fell in battle at age fifty-six, his manner of death was lauded by posterity as embodying the very essence of bushidō. So many spoke of Matabē as 'the most brilliant warrior of the Siege of Osaka' that his martial prowess clearly surpassed that of his fellow commanders.
Matabē's Swords and Martial Philosophy
Matabē's philosophy of swords was rooted in rigorous pragmatism. From his time serving the Kuroda clan, Matabē adhered to the motto 'a blade that cuts over one that shines,' constantly selecting swords he could truly trust with his life. Having experienced the Korean campaigns under Kuroda Kanbei, Matabē excelled in practical sword and spear technique, and this pragmatic spirit deeply informed his choice of weapons. The blades Matabē favored—works by swordmakers from Harima and Bizen provinces—embodied the aesthetics of a militarist warrior who prized performance over ornament.
The Rōnin's Blade——A Weapon of History's Losers
The massive wave of rōnin that followed Sekigahara brought harsh reality even to high-ranking samurai like Matabē. The sword Matabē carried throughout his years as a rōnin until he entered Osaka Castle symbolizes the pride of a man who had lost his former glory yet never abandoned his samurai honor. For the many rōnin gathered under the Toyotomi banner at Osaka Castle, the sword was a symbol of 'one final chance to fight as a samurai,' and Matabē was the purest embodiment of that spirit.
Notable Swords
- Kuroda Clan's Militarist Tachi——The battle-proven tachi that Matabē favored from his time serving Kuroda Kanbei (Kuroda Yoshitaka) and his son Kuroda Nagamasa. This is the blade a veteran of a hundred battles—one who experienced both the Korean campaigns and Sekigahara—truly entrusted with his life, embodying the practical beauty of Harima and Bizen craftsmanship.
- The Dōmyōji Assault Blade——The uchigatana with which Matabē cut through enemy ranks at his final battle, Dōmyōji. The final blade of a man who entered Osaka Castle as a rōnin and chose to die as a samurai. It bears in its steel the essence of loyalty to the Toyotomi and the refinement of bushidō.