Kakita Ichiro

Please note: This article is about the son of Kakita Toshimoko. For other uses of the term, please see Ichiro (disambiguation).
Kakita Ichiro was the son of Kakita Toshimoko and half-brother of Seppun Toshiken. Rather than take up the blade as his father had done, Ichiro was trained by Kakita Yoshi in the ways of politics. Ichiro planned to kill his father, but was slain by his brother Toshiken when he tried to enact his assassination. After his death Toshiken adopted his son, Kakita Noritoshi. Blessings and Curses, by Rich Wulf
== Demeanor ==
Ichiro was arrogant, weak, and he despised all that the Crane stand for. A Son of the House, by Ree Soesbee
==Family ==
=== Mother ===
Ichiro had been born of an arrangement, a planned birth at the command of the Crane Clan Champion. The young courtesan was beautiful and of noble birth, but she never captured Toshimoko's heart. Toshimoko had done his duty, and left the next day for the lands of the Crab. Nine months later, Ichiro was born. 
=== Kakita Yoshi ===
Ichiro was student of his uncle Kakita Yoshi, the Kakita Daimyo and Imperial Advisor. 
=== Father ===
Ichiro never was the son his father desired, and the hatred in Ichiro grew with the time, refusing his father's teachings.
=== True Father? ===
There were rumors that the Scorpion courtier Bayushi Goshiu was the true father of Ichiro, but it was never confirmed. Kakita Toshimoko, his father in papers, believed them. 
=== A half brother ===
Doji Teioko brought a secret letter from Seppun Jifuhime to Toshimoko, informing him of the birth of his son, Seppun Toshiken. The letter was almost intercepted by Ichiro, but Teioko managed to deliver it in the end. Ichiro was so incensed with her actions that he vowed to kill her. 
== Gempukku ==
In 1123, when Ichiro was fifteen years old, he would pass his gempukku. Bayushi Kachiko planned to hold in his honor a feast. The Bayushi would prepare a whole cooked crane, so if the Crane refuse the meal the Kakita insulted the Bayushi's attempt to 'honor' the young man. If the Kakita ate the meal they insulted the spirit of their own clan. Ichiro had made a deal with the Scorpion to deliver his father's sword after the feast, taking advantage of the awkward situation to attempt to blackmail his father into giving him the sword. The Scorpion in exchange would support Ichiro as the next Kakita daimyo. It was not known what was the outcome. Winter Court: Kyuden Seppun, p. 57
== Meddling with his half-brother ==
An embittered Ichiro was too happy to lie his half-brother Toshiken of how their
father was shamed by his illegitimate son and how Toshimoko despised him, "a foul accident, a bastard abomination doomed to failure." Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 110
== Station ==
When this year he began his career at the Imperial Court Ichiro gave support to others instead to his father and spoke against Toshimoko who was fighting in the Lion-Crane War. Ichiro spent most of his time with the Kakita Daimyo Kakita Yoshi, learning from his experience at court. Otosan Uchi:Book 2, p. 82
== War with the Lion ==
In 1125 Ichiro was leader of the Crane diplomats who attempted a truce with the Lion when they claimed the Plains of the Emerald Champion during the Lion-Crane War. He and Matsu Morishigi had ended with no results the talk negotiations and the ensuing battle was ready to start. Miya Yumi appeared and dismissed Ichiro and Morishigi as representatives of their respective Clans, leaving the peace talks in her hands and Morishigi's assistant, the young Sodan-senzo Kitsu Sanako. Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 26
== Winter Court - 1125 ==
This year Ichiro attended Winter Court at Kyuden Kakita where he constantly humiliated Hida Kuroda. Ichiro tricked the Crab into joining a poetry contest and making snow-dragons with old maids in a garden. Finally, Kuroda won a wrestling tournament. Enjoying his victory, Kuroda gloated to Ichiro. Ichiro only smiled as a Seppun guardsman escorted Kuroda to Hantei XXXIX, where Kuroda was expected to perform a bugaku dance in front of the entire court, as it happened which every sumai winner. Kuroda bemoaned his fate, as Kuroda had no experience as a dancer. Winter Court: Kyuden Kakita, p. 63
== Death ==
After the return of his father in the Assault on Otosan Uchi, Ichiro and Toshiken confronted Toshimoko. They were resentful of his failure as a father, neglecting them. Toshimoko admitted his guilty, but sticked he had little choice but to fullfill his duties and asked his son's forgiveness. In 1132, Hidden Emperor', p. 65 when the Grey Crane was speaking his son Toshiken about joining him as Emerald Champion, Ichiro drew a knife to kill him, Return of the True Champion (Fire and Shadows flavor) but he was swiftly killed by his half-brother. Brothers in Blood (Soul of the Empire flavor) 
== See also ==
* Kakita Ichiro/Meta
== External Links ==
* Kakita Ichiro (Crimson and Jade)
* Kakita Ichiro Exp (Ambition's Debt)
Category:Crane Clan Members