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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
Wada Yoshimori
First Bettō of the Kamakura Shogunate's Samurai-dokoro, Senior Retainer of Yoritomo Who Laid the Foundations of Warrior Government
Wada Yoshimori (1147-1213) was a warrior of Sagami Province and a member of the Miura clan. Followin...
Fujiwara no Hidesato
Tawara Tōta — Slayer of Taira no Masakado and the Giant Centipede
Fujiwara no Hidesato (c. 890–c. 958), widely known by his nickname Tawara Tōta ('Rice-Bale Tōta'), w...
Minamoto no Tametomo
Master Archer of the Hōgen Rebellion
Minamoto no Tametomo (1139-1170) was a fierce warrior of the late Heian period, a supremely gifted a...
Kitabatake Akiie
The Winter General — teenage commander of Mutsu who twice marched his army from Tohoku to the capital
Kitabatake Akiie (1318–1338) was a prodigious young commander who became one of the foremost militar...
Miura Yoshimura
The scheming Sagami warrior who navigated Kamakura's power struggles as head of the Miura clan
## Life Miura Yoshimura (d. 1239) headed the powerful Miura clan of Sagami Province and, alongside ...
Nasu no Yoichi
Master Archer Who Shot the Fan Target at Yashima
Nasu no Yoichi (exact dates uncertain, c. 1169-c. 1232) was a late Heian period warrior and master a...
Nitta Yoshioki
Courageous general of the Southern Court; second son of Nitta Yoshisada, slain by treachery
Nitta Yoshioki (1331–1358) was a samurai of the Nanboku-chō period and the second son of Nitta Yoshi...
Minamoto no Yoshitsune
The Tragic Hero of the Genji
Minamoto no Yoshitsune was the tragic hero whose brilliant military genius destroyed the Taira clan ...
Hangaku Gozen
A master archer — the Kamakura-era woman warrior who held a mountain fortress during the Kennin Rebellion
## Life Hangaku Gozen (dates unknown) belonged to the Jo clan, a powerful family of Echigo Province...
Nen'ami Jion
The monk-swordsman who founded Nen-ryū, oldest of the three great sources of Japanese swordsmanship
## Origins and Entry into the Priesthood Nen'ami Jion (born around 1350; date of death unknown) was...
Ashikaga Motouji
First Kamakura Kubō
## Overview Ashikaga Motouji was the fourth son of Ashikaga Takauji, founder of the Muromachi shogu...
Nawa Nagatoshi
Loyal retainer of the Nanboku-chō period who rescued Emperor Go-Daigo and supported the Kenmu Restoration
Nawa Nagatoshi (birth year unknown–1336) was a powerful feudal lord of Hoki Province (present-day To...