Hey guys, in this video we’ll be talking about some cool samurai legends.
To help me, I’m joined by The Shogunate, from the YouTube channel The Shogunate.
We’re gonna see who can come up with the best legends about samurai.
Let’s go.
First off I bring you the legendary duo of Yoshitsune and Benkei.
This is one of the most famous bromances in Japanese folklore.
Minamoto no Yoshitsune 源 義経 was a great military general and a samurai hero.
Tales of his adventures are written all over my bookshelf.
He had a sidekick of sorts, a follower, by the name of Saito Musashibo Benkei 西塔武蔵坊弁慶.
Benkei’s name was only mentioned a few times in history, and he was pretty irrelevant,
but in stories, he was an awesome figure.
Stubborn from the very beginning, Benkei stayed in his mom’s belly
for 18 months before he came out.
Benkei was a big ugly feller with a booming voice.
He was a monk, but left his temple and travelled around Japan basically being a twat to people.
Here is the well-known story of how these two warriors met.
One day, Benkei decided that he would collect 1000 swords.
Why?
Well because he looked around and saw that one rich guy had 1000 horses, and another
rich guy had 1000 bows, it seemed like rich people always had 1000 of something or other.
So, logically, if he had 1000 of something too, people would see him as rich.
Benkei roamed the streets of Kyoto at night.
Woe to any man who came across him, because Benkei would challenge him,
beat him, then take his sword.
Soon a rumor spread that a 10 foot tall monster monk was going around stealing swords.
After a few months of Grand Theft Katana, Benkei had collected 999 swords.
He was hoping to find a nice quality blade for his one thousandth.
In the most popular version of this story, Benkei reached a bridge called Gojo Bridge
and heard the beautiful notes of a flute floating through the air to massage his eardrums.
He saw a dainty young man on the bridge, playing a flute and wearing a woman’s cloak.
He was small and had soft features, like a girl.
When Benkei looked down, he started salivating because he saw the fanciest sword hanging
from the young man’s waist.
He figured he could easily take this pretty boy, so in a booming voice, Benkei told Yoshitsune
to hand over the sword.
Yoshitsune had heard the rumors of a sword stealing monster, and figured this was him.
He refused, and the fight began.
The fight didn’t go as Benkei had planned because even though Yoshitsune was small,
the adorable little man was quick and jumped around all over the place.
Once, Benkei stood right in front of Yoshitsune’s jump, and thought he had him, but Yoshitsune
pulled a double jump in midair.
He switched direction in midair.
In the end, Yoshitsune won, but he thought this big oaf was really strong, so he asked
Benkei to be his follower.
And from then on, the bromance blossomed and Benkei became Yoshitsune’s most loyal samurai.
Benkei’s loyalty lasted until the end.
During their final battle, Yoshitsune realized that he had lost and resolved to commit seppuku,
ritual suicide.
Benkei protected Yoshitsune so no one would interrupt the suicide.
He fought like a monster, killing hundreds.
Even when riddled with arrows, Benkei slammed his weapon down and stood like a statue,
not letting anyone pass.
The enemy soldiers waited for a long time, afraid to approach, but after seeing the gigantic
warrior stand there unmoving, they realized that Benkei had already died standing up,
guarding his lord even after death.
Yoshitsune was able to commit suicide along with the rest of his family.
Yoshitsune and Benkei.
Names that will without a doubt forever be remembered as some of Japan's most valiant warriors.
Great were their lives yet tragic were their fall.
However I'll do you one better.
A samurai who not only had an extensive and legendary career,
but also survived every battle he fought in without ever receiving a single scratch.
Let us look at Honda Tadakatsu, the warrior who surpassed death.
If you know anything about samurai history, the name Tadakatsu should be very familiar to your ears.
He was a native of Mikawa,
And for many years was a devout follower of the true Pure Land sect of Buddhism,
championed by the radical Ikko-ikki.
Yet when Tokugawa Ieyasu, at that point still known as Matsudaira Motoyatsu,
returned to Mikawa to reclaim his birthright in the aftermath of the defeat at Okehazama.
Tadakatsu abandoned the true Pure Land faith and took the side of his lord.
For the remainder of his life, he would server Ieyasu with unwavering loyalty,
serving as one of his top commanders across numerous battles,
from Anegawa to Mikatagahara,
Nagashino to Komaki-Nagakute,
Odawara to Sekigahara,
and so many more.
His sheer presence on the battlefield was also said to be an intimidation factor,
not only because he was a beast of a man and a powerful warrior,
but also due to his iconic look,
crowned with antlers and clad in black, wielding a legendary spear known as the Tonbokiri,
but also one of Masamune's master work swords.
His legacy and reputation became so well respected that once while buying time for his lord Ieyasu,
he would face sure defeat against Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Yet upon seeing the bravery of Tadakatsu, Hideyoshi decided to actually disengage.
However his career alone is not what makes him so significant.
No, instead it is that even though he fought his way through countless battles,
he never once was injured.
Thus by the time of his peaceful passing in 1610,
He came to forever be remembered as not only one of the greatest warriors Japan had ever seen,
but also the warrior who himself surpassed death.
He never got cut huh?
So he wouldn’t even suffer a papercut for his lord?
Let me tell you about a guy who sacrificed everything for his lord.
Kusunoki Masashige’s 楠木 正成 story is one of loyalty.
The first shogunate was a military government founded in 1185.
It eventually grew more powerful than the imperial court, and Emperor Godaigo was not
happy about it.
The emperor decided to gather an army and overthrow the shogunate.
Masashige was a loyal general in that army.
The emperor’s new reign lasted about two and half years,
until a dude named Ashikaga Takauji 足利 尊氏 revolted.
Takauji wanted the samurai back in charge and marched on the capital
with a much bigger army.
Masashige warned that it was suicide to attack the invaders head on, and suggested they get
heck out of the capital and take a more guerilla war type approach.
The emperor thought this was a good idea, then listened to some dum dum and decided
to meet the larger army head on in the field.
Masashige knew this meant death, but out of loyalty, he didn’t run.
He would go to battle and probably die.
Before he left, he met with his 11-year-old son and told him that no matter what happened
in the battle, he should remember his loyalty to his emperor.
It was the Battle of Minato River.
They fought for hours, but it didn’t go well for the defenders.
When it was only Masashige, his brother, and a few dozen samurai left,
they all decided to, of course, commit suicide.
Instead of showing despair, Masashige’s brother famously said,
“Would that I had 7 lives to give for my country!”
And Masashige agreed.
Then they all killed themselves.
Years later, Masashige’s son, the one he talked to before going to war,
would also die for his emperor.
So it’s really the whole Kusunoki family that was a symbol of great samurai loyalty.
You bring before me another tale of a heroic last stand.
Although I will admit, Masashige will forever be remembered for his sacrifice
and the influence he left on samurai warfare.
But now let me tell you of someone else whose legacy would also come to influence Japan for generations.
A legend largely overlooked:
that of Amakuni,
the swordsmith who is credited with designing the first tachi, the precursor to the katana.
Around the year 700 in Yamato Province, there lived a swordsmith named Amakuni.
At the time his work was unremarkable, following the trends of the age.
His swords looked and functioned like all the rest.
He could only dream of one day making a name for himself and his work.
His designs, like all the others, were from the mainland, swords typical of China and Korea,
straight blades with edged either on one or both sides.
They worked well enough for their purpose, however swords at this time were not particularly
well crafted or suited for the shifting face of Japanese warfare.
It had been recorded from these more ancient conflicts across Japan
that early Japanese swordplay relied heavily on slashing and cutting motions and did not employ
nearly as much stabbing thrusts as mainland warriors used.
Because of this, these original straight-bladed Japanese swords was often prone to much abuse,
often bending or shattering along with dulled or disfigured edges.
This may have also been heavily influenced by the poor quality of metalworking at this time in Japan.
Thus when soldiers returned home from battle, Amakuni would inspect his work.
As he continued to see his own blades broken, dulled, or bent,
He became increasingly saddened.
What could he do to improve his design?
Eventually, he decided to take a drastic course of action.
He and his son locked themselves away in their workshop,
praying endlessly to their Shinto gods for guidance.
For 7 days and 7 nights, they prayed and they prayed, until finally enlightenment seemed to have finally come.
Immediately setting to work, he would craft a blade unlike any other.
Using methods of blade quenching, and perhaps even folding steel to remove impurities
and weaknesses from the metal.
He would create the first ever tachi.
A strong curved single edged blade that functioned far better for the Japanese methods of swordsmanship.
Initially other craftsmen of the time were skeptical of his new design.
Could it really surpass the types of blades that Japan had been making and using for centuries?
As it turns out, absolutely.
Soldiers armed with Amakuni's new swords began to return home from battle,
with their blades in fantastic conditions and with tales of their fine usage.
Indeed, Amakuni had struck gold.
Soon the tachi was to take over as the primary type of sword used across Japan.
In the centuries to come, more improvements to its design would be implemented.
And even newer models would be crafted.
Swords such as the nodachi, wakizashi, and of course the katana.
Yet the pathway to these famous blades would have never been revealed were it not for the
ingenuity of Amakuni.
Yeah that’s good and all, but the guy just made swords,
let me show you a man who actually mastered swords.
His name was Miyamoto Musashi 宮本 武蔵, and he was called a sword saint.
They said he fought over 60 duels and was undefeated, but he had a legendary duel with
his toughest opponent, Sasaki Kojiro 佐々木 小次郎.
Kojiro was a big man, and he had a big sword, an odachi, which means great big sword.
On the day of the duel, while Kojiro and spectators waited, Musashi overslept on a boat.
Some say he meant to do this to throw Kojiro off his game, maybe to anger him so he would
maybe to anger him so he would make mistakes.
Musashi was not only a master swordsman, but a master of using any advantage he could get.
He then did a really weird thing, he took an oar and carved a wooden sword out of it.
Why?
There are all kinds of speculation about this.
Some say it was a case of sword envy.
He needed a bigger sword because Kojiro’s sword was so big.
Others say he wanted to surprise Kojiro by hiding the tip of the wooden sword in the
water before the fight.
Whatever the case, when Musashi finally came on shore, Kojiro was furious that he had to
wait 3 hours, and got even more furious when he saw that Musashi was using a wooden sword.
He thought Musashi was taking him lightly.
Kojiro leapt and tried his signature move, called the “swallow cut.”
Musashi also struck out with his big wooden sword.
Kojiro’s blade cut Musashi’s headband, but the wooden sword crushed Kojiro’s head,
killing him.
Miyamoto Musashi was still undefeated.
Alright, this legendary discussion continues here, on The Shogunate’s channel.
Check it out and give him a sub.
He has a really cool channel on Japanese history.
Alright guys, I love you, and spread the knowledge!