HATTORI HANZO YASUNAGA AND MASANARI
Hattori Hanzo Yasunaga was the head of Iga's powerful Hattori Hanzo family. He left Iga to serve Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, Tokugawa Ieyasu's grandfather.
Hattori Hanzo Masanari was Yasunaga's fifth son, born the same year as Tokugawa Ieyasu. Masanari earned the nickname "Demon Hanzo" because of his fierce fighting style. Masanari was loyal to Leyasu and was distinguished by his service and many fights. He was only sixteen in his first campaign, were he fought alongside the warriors who attacked Udo castle. At that time, he commanded seventy Iga ninja.
Masanari safely led Tokugawa Ieyasu to Mikawa just after the Honnoji incident in 1582 (in which Oda Nobunaga died in Kyoto). For his distinguished service ha was given koku (one koku amounted to about 180 litres of rice) and entrusted with 200 vassals. Some Hattori subordinates were ninja, and so Masanari is often associated with ninja history. However, a more accurate picture of Hattori Hanzo Masanari is as an able military commander who loyaly served the Tokugawa.
In 1579 when Nobuyasu, the son of Leyasu, commited suicide at Futamata Castle on the orders of Oda Nobunaga, Masanari was commanded by Leyasu to be his son's second in his seppuku. When Ieyasu learned that Masanari was unable to bring his sword down on his son's head, Ieyasu exclaimed: "Even Demon Hanzo is unable to strike the head of his master's child!"
Hanzo-mon is a district in Tokyo named after the Hattori Hanzo family which lived ther during the Edo period. They displayed their family crest(mon) at that time.
MOMOCHI TAMBA (SANDAYU)
In public Momochi Tamba was a dogo, a powerful local clan lord from Nabari. But, in reality he was one of the Iga-sanjonin, the three powerful Iga familiys that controlled all Iga ninja.
Oda Nobunaga, who felt treathened by ninja, once called Iga, "devilish and monstrous country". He finally ordered his second son, Oda Nobukatsu, to attack Iga with an army of 10 000 soldiers. Momochi Tamba moved Iga ninja freely and repulsed Oda's forces in Igazeme in 1579.
Oda Nobunaga, outraged, attacked Iga with a huge army of 50-60 000 in 1581. Momochi Tamba resisted by barricading himself and 500 other ninja in Kashiwara Castle. It is said that Tamba escaped safely with one hundred remaining Iga ninja to Negoro in Kishu, now western Wakayama Prefecture.
But there are many uncertain points concerning Tamba's life. Some theories suggest that he was the same man as Momochi Sandayu the ninjutsu master of Ishikawa Goemon, who was a very famous thief in Japan.
It is thought that Momochi Sandayu also was from Nabari and founder of the Iga School of Ninjutsu during the Warring States period. Legend has it that he learned ninjutsu from the Immortal Gamo Sennin who appeared riding a red-eyed bull at the Forty-eight Waterfalls of Akame.
FUMA KOTARO
Fuma Katuro was the fifth headman of the Fuma School, a ninja group that was active around Mt. Hakone. They served and spied for Hojo Ujimasa and his son Ujinao. The Fuma ninja were good at fighting on horseback, leading to speculation that they were perhaps descendants of nomadic tribes.
Fuma Kotaro cut a legendary figure - he was tall at 216cm, had great muscles, up-tilted eyes, and a huge mouth. People imagined him to have such a horrible face that it was said he had four tusks. It was rumored that his loud cry could be heard as far as five kilometres away.
About 200 Fuma warriors led by Fuma Kotaro engaged Takeda Katsuyori, head of the Suwa Clan, in 1580. The Fuma warriors skillfully forded a fast-running river and raided Takeda's camp at night. They placed straw figures on horses that they drove into the camp, throwing it into utter confusion. Soldiers of Takeda couldn't sleep at night, they fell into various trap and fought among themselves.
When the Hojo family fell into ruin, and the period of war ended, Fuma Kotaro and the remnants of the Fuma became thieves in Edo. The Tokugawa Shogunate organized a special security force, and enlisted informants with the promise of reward, to root out the Fuma. Fuma Kotaro ws finally caught and executed.
KATO DANZO
Kato Danzo was an illusionist, a master of ninjutsu, and a legendary character. He was nicknamed "flying Kato" because of his ability to jump to high places.
Word of Kato's fantastic tricks had spread to the warlordof Echigo Province, Uesugi Kenshin. Uesugi invited Kato to his Kasugayama Castle to perform magic. Impressed, Uesugi challenged Kato to steal a celebrated sword. Kato soon returned to the castle with the sword and an eleven-year-old girl who had witnessed his great and daring feat. Uesugi felt great admiration for Danzo's consummate skill, but at the same time feared his abilities and therefore ordered Kato be put to death. However, Danzo managed to escape to Koshu.
Afterwards, he fell into the service of Takeda Shingen, the Daimyo of the provinces of Shinano and Kai. Even though Kato had excellent ninja skills that should have warned him of an impending plot, he was assassinated in 1569, supposedly for having communicating in secret with Oda Nobunaga.
MATSUO BASHO
One rather eccentric theory posits that the great haiku poet of the Edo period, Matsuo Basho, was also a ninja.
Matsuo Basho was born in Iga Ueno to the Musokunin family. He set out on journeys many times, especially between the ages 41 and 51, and was said to be a good walker. For these reasons alone, som suspect that he may worked as a ninja. However this theory is full of holes.
Sora Tabi niki was a travel diary written by Sora, the apprentice who accompanied Basho on many of his journeys. When Sora's travel diary was reprinted in 1943 and compared with Basho's travel diary, Okuno Hosomichi, some eighty points of contention were discovered. As a result, some believe that Sora was a ninja who had been given a mission by the Shogunate and traveled with Busho for camouflage.
SONINJUTSU OF YAMADA HACHIEMON
The following story is about Yamada Hachiemon, a manager of Aekuni Shrine.
Once a year a meeting was held at Aekuni Shrine to prepare for the local festival, and a small feast was held. While everyone was enjoying the party, one samurai showed off his sword, bragging to everyone persent: "If there is any fellow here who can steal this sword from my waist, then I will let him keep it. But if he should fail, he must buy me five-to of sake (about 90 litres). Will no one accept my bet?" Hachiemon responded at once, saying: "I accept your challenge!" And so it was decided that the two men would meet before the worship hall of Akueni Shrine at noon on the day of the festival where they cpuld make their prayers. However, whoever wast late to this worship would be considered the loser. And if the sword was still attached to the samurai's waist when the prayers ended, then the samurai could claim victory; and if the sword were gone, then Hachiemon would win the bet.
The samurai decided to employ two friends to shadow Hachiemon on the morning of the festival. Hachiemon left home at a quickly pace. On his way to the shrine, he stopped in a farmer's house, crying out loudly: "I will go to pray early today." He then headed toward the shrine at a quick pace again. However, Hachiemon suddenly turned down a road that led to a hill in back of a worship hall. The samurai's two frineds chased after him. Hachiemon sat down on a big rock with his back turned to the two men and began to smoke his pipe.
At the same time this occured, the impatient samurai ran to the worship hall since noon was fast approaching. At the hall was a decrepit old woman, whose back was bent and hands joined in prayer. The noon bell had just begun to rung. The samurai gleefully said in his mind: "Hachiemon, you are late! You have lost my challenge!" and he pulled the rope with both hands. At just that instant, the old woman pulled out the samurai's sword, exclaiming: "I Win!" Hachiemon was disguised as the old woman, and had earlier changed places with the farmer who had imitated Hachiemon, and was still smoking his pipe on the hill in back of the shrine.
Hattori Hanzo Yasunaga was the head of Iga's powerful Hattori Hanzo family. He left Iga to serve Ashikaga Yoshiharu and Matsudaira Kiyoyasu, Tokugawa Ieyasu's grandfather.
Hattori Hanzo Masanari was Yasunaga's fifth son, born the same year as Tokugawa Ieyasu. Masanari earned the nickname "Demon Hanzo" because of his fierce fighting style. Masanari was loyal to Leyasu and was distinguished by his service and many fights. He was only sixteen in his first campaign, were he fought alongside the warriors who attacked Udo castle. At that time, he commanded seventy Iga ninja.
Masanari safely led Tokugawa Ieyasu to Mikawa just after the Honnoji incident in 1582 (in which Oda Nobunaga died in Kyoto). For his distinguished service ha was given koku (one koku amounted to about 180 litres of rice) and entrusted with 200 vassals. Some Hattori subordinates were ninja, and so Masanari is often associated with ninja history. However, a more accurate picture of Hattori Hanzo Masanari is as an able military commander who loyaly served the Tokugawa.
In 1579 when Nobuyasu, the son of Leyasu, commited suicide at Futamata Castle on the orders of Oda Nobunaga, Masanari was commanded by Leyasu to be his son's second in his seppuku. When Ieyasu learned that Masanari was unable to bring his sword down on his son's head, Ieyasu exclaimed: "Even Demon Hanzo is unable to strike the head of his master's child!"
Hanzo-mon is a district in Tokyo named after the Hattori Hanzo family which lived ther during the Edo period. They displayed their family crest(mon) at that time.
MOMOCHI TAMBA (SANDAYU)
In public Momochi Tamba was a dogo, a powerful local clan lord from Nabari. But, in reality he was one of the Iga-sanjonin, the three powerful Iga familiys that controlled all Iga ninja.
Oda Nobunaga, who felt treathened by ninja, once called Iga, "devilish and monstrous country". He finally ordered his second son, Oda Nobukatsu, to attack Iga with an army of 10 000 soldiers. Momochi Tamba moved Iga ninja freely and repulsed Oda's forces in Igazeme in 1579.
Oda Nobunaga, outraged, attacked Iga with a huge army of 50-60 000 in 1581. Momochi Tamba resisted by barricading himself and 500 other ninja in Kashiwara Castle. It is said that Tamba escaped safely with one hundred remaining Iga ninja to Negoro in Kishu, now western Wakayama Prefecture.
But there are many uncertain points concerning Tamba's life. Some theories suggest that he was the same man as Momochi Sandayu the ninjutsu master of Ishikawa Goemon, who was a very famous thief in Japan.
It is thought that Momochi Sandayu also was from Nabari and founder of the Iga School of Ninjutsu during the Warring States period. Legend has it that he learned ninjutsu from the Immortal Gamo Sennin who appeared riding a red-eyed bull at the Forty-eight Waterfalls of Akame.
FUMA KOTARO
Fuma Katuro was the fifth headman of the Fuma School, a ninja group that was active around Mt. Hakone. They served and spied for Hojo Ujimasa and his son Ujinao. The Fuma ninja were good at fighting on horseback, leading to speculation that they were perhaps descendants of nomadic tribes.
Fuma Kotaro cut a legendary figure - he was tall at 216cm, had great muscles, up-tilted eyes, and a huge mouth. People imagined him to have such a horrible face that it was said he had four tusks. It was rumored that his loud cry could be heard as far as five kilometres away.
About 200 Fuma warriors led by Fuma Kotaro engaged Takeda Katsuyori, head of the Suwa Clan, in 1580. The Fuma warriors skillfully forded a fast-running river and raided Takeda's camp at night. They placed straw figures on horses that they drove into the camp, throwing it into utter confusion. Soldiers of Takeda couldn't sleep at night, they fell into various trap and fought among themselves.
When the Hojo family fell into ruin, and the period of war ended, Fuma Kotaro and the remnants of the Fuma became thieves in Edo. The Tokugawa Shogunate organized a special security force, and enlisted informants with the promise of reward, to root out the Fuma. Fuma Kotaro ws finally caught and executed.
KATO DANZO
Kato Danzo was an illusionist, a master of ninjutsu, and a legendary character. He was nicknamed "flying Kato" because of his ability to jump to high places.
Word of Kato's fantastic tricks had spread to the warlordof Echigo Province, Uesugi Kenshin. Uesugi invited Kato to his Kasugayama Castle to perform magic. Impressed, Uesugi challenged Kato to steal a celebrated sword. Kato soon returned to the castle with the sword and an eleven-year-old girl who had witnessed his great and daring feat. Uesugi felt great admiration for Danzo's consummate skill, but at the same time feared his abilities and therefore ordered Kato be put to death. However, Danzo managed to escape to Koshu.
Afterwards, he fell into the service of Takeda Shingen, the Daimyo of the provinces of Shinano and Kai. Even though Kato had excellent ninja skills that should have warned him of an impending plot, he was assassinated in 1569, supposedly for having communicating in secret with Oda Nobunaga.
MATSUO BASHO
An old pond,
An frog jumps in
The sound of water
Matsuo Basho was born in Iga Ueno to the Musokunin family. He set out on journeys many times, especially between the ages 41 and 51, and was said to be a good walker. For these reasons alone, som suspect that he may worked as a ninja. However this theory is full of holes.
Sora Tabi niki was a travel diary written by Sora, the apprentice who accompanied Basho on many of his journeys. When Sora's travel diary was reprinted in 1943 and compared with Basho's travel diary, Okuno Hosomichi, some eighty points of contention were discovered. As a result, some believe that Sora was a ninja who had been given a mission by the Shogunate and traveled with Busho for camouflage.
SONINJUTSU OF YAMADA HACHIEMON
The following story is about Yamada Hachiemon, a manager of Aekuni Shrine.
Once a year a meeting was held at Aekuni Shrine to prepare for the local festival, and a small feast was held. While everyone was enjoying the party, one samurai showed off his sword, bragging to everyone persent: "If there is any fellow here who can steal this sword from my waist, then I will let him keep it. But if he should fail, he must buy me five-to of sake (about 90 litres). Will no one accept my bet?" Hachiemon responded at once, saying: "I accept your challenge!" And so it was decided that the two men would meet before the worship hall of Akueni Shrine at noon on the day of the festival where they cpuld make their prayers. However, whoever wast late to this worship would be considered the loser. And if the sword was still attached to the samurai's waist when the prayers ended, then the samurai could claim victory; and if the sword were gone, then Hachiemon would win the bet.
The samurai decided to employ two friends to shadow Hachiemon on the morning of the festival. Hachiemon left home at a quickly pace. On his way to the shrine, he stopped in a farmer's house, crying out loudly: "I will go to pray early today." He then headed toward the shrine at a quick pace again. However, Hachiemon suddenly turned down a road that led to a hill in back of a worship hall. The samurai's two frineds chased after him. Hachiemon sat down on a big rock with his back turned to the two men and began to smoke his pipe.
At the same time this occured, the impatient samurai ran to the worship hall since noon was fast approaching. At the hall was a decrepit old woman, whose back was bent and hands joined in prayer. The noon bell had just begun to rung. The samurai gleefully said in his mind: "Hachiemon, you are late! You have lost my challenge!" and he pulled the rope with both hands. At just that instant, the old woman pulled out the samurai's sword, exclaiming: "I Win!" Hachiemon was disguised as the old woman, and had earlier changed places with the farmer who had imitated Hachiemon, and was still smoking his pipe on the hill in back of the shrine.
Ingen kommentarer:
Legg inn en kommentar