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The legendary warriors of Japan and the swords they cherished
Discover the sword culture of Japan's great fortresses
Legendary blades that shaped history
62 entries
Prince Moriyoshi (Morinaga)
Seii Taishōgun / Head Abbot of Tendai
## Life Born in 1308 as the third son of Emperor Go-Daigo, he entered the priesthood at a young age ...
Kusunoki Masanori
Kusunoki Clan Head and Supreme Commander of the Southern Court
## Life and Origins Kusunoki Masanori (c. 1330–1389) was a warrior of the Nanboku-cho period, the t...
Kono Michiari
Commander of Iyo Navy, Hero of the Mongol Invasions
## Life and Origins Kono Michiari (c. 1250–1311) was a warrior of Iyo Province active during the mi...
Ashikaga Takauji
First Shogun of the Ashikaga Shogunate, Founder of the Nanbokucho Period
Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358) was the first shogun of the Muromachi Shogunate, a remarkable historica...
Watanabe Tsuna
First of Yorimitsu's Four Heavenly Kings — The Legendary Swordsman Who Cut Off a Demon's Arm
Watanabe Tsuna (953–1025) was the foremost of the Four Heavenly Kings who served Minamoto no Yorimit...
Imagawa Ryōshun
Kyushu Tandai, Master of Waka Poetry and Military Arts
Imagawa Ryōshun (1326–1420) was a samurai and waka poet active from the Southern and Northern Courts...
Sasaki Doyo
The Basara Lord — who laughed at convention, reveled in excess, and pioneered the culture of medieval Japan
## What is Basara Sasaki Doyo (personal name: Sasaki Takauji) was an Omi daimyo born around the fou...
Kikuchi Takemitsu
Loyal Retainer of the Southern Court, Supreme Commander of Southern Court Forces in Kyushu
Kikuchi Takemitsu (1319–1373) was the greatest loyal retainer of the Southern Court (supporting Empe...
Minamoto no Mitsunaka
Founder of the Settsu Minamoto — Foundation of the Warrior Minamoto Clan's Prosperity
Minamoto no Mitsunaka (912-997) was a warrior of the mid-Heian period who, as the founder of the Set...
Hojo Masako
The Nun Shogun
Hojo Masako (1157–1225), wife of the first Kamakura shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo and later known as t...
Hōjō Tokimune
The Young Regent Who Repelled the Mongol Invasions
Hōjō Tokimune became the 8th regent of the Kamakura shogunate at just eighteen years of age, and fac...
Hatakeyama Shigetada
Paragon of the Bandō Warriors — The Incorruptible Hero Who Carried His Horse at Ichi-no-Tani
Hatakeyama Shigetada (1164–1205) is remembered as the very model of the Bandō (eastern) warrior — a ...