Masakado-sama

## Introduction and Background

**阿呆が！斬り足りぬ！**

八百万界の平家出身、非常に武芸に秀でた豪族。
過去の戦乱で一度は首を狩られて死んだが、
強靭な意志で蘇った。
自ら首を探して見つけ、縫合したという。
そのため、首には薔薇の蔦のような縫合跡がある。
武器は八百万界で初めて誕生した直刀。
絶対的な狂気と冷酷さを持ち、周りを斬り倒す。

## Gallery

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## Lore

 Masakado (マサカドサマ) is based on Taira no Masakado, a samurai from the Heian period that lead a rebellion against the government in Kyoto. Born from a prominent noble lineage, the Taira clan, he served the imperial court in the current capital of Japan in his youth and settled down in the country later on. His life was recorded by an anonymous author in the Shomonki ("The Masakado Chronicle").

The drama of his tale began when Masakado was ambushed by another prominent warrior from the area, Minamoto Tasuku, at Nomoto. No one is quite sure why he attacked Masakado, but it set forth a complex chain of events in Japan's history. Masakado defeated Tasuku and began to plunder and burn the houses of Tasuku's supporters in retaliation. Many were slaughtered during this event including Tasuku and Masakado's own uncle. The next four years following this, Masakado had great trouble remaining in the boundaries set by imperial law. Eventually, he was called to court by one of the Minamoto; but was able to convince the Imperial Police and the Council of State that his actions were in the right and escaped punishment.

Masakado returned home and was greeted with a series of raids from his father-in-law, Taira Yoshikane, due to his previous battle with Tasuku. After raiding one another back and forth, the war climaxed at Masakado's home in Iwai. Masakado was trapped inside of his home, but somehow managed to drive off Yoshikane and killing more than half of his troops that were present. Legal sanction was secured by Masakado for his part in this in the form of a warrant to apprehend Yoshikane and others.

After awhile, Masakado entered Hitachi with a large force to plead with the provincial government for one of his followers. This somehow ended with him attacking and occupying the provincial government's headquarters turning him into a full blown criminal in rebellion. Since there was no logical or available way for him to get out of this trouble he had caused himself, Masakado decided to continue forwards and seizing many other government headquarters in the process.

With what has been recorded in the Shomonki, Masakado's takeover of the east was the first step in his campaign to make himself the ruler of the whole country. The book suggests that one of Masakado's followers suggested that he may as well take over the rest of the east instead of just living life as an outlaw. Masakado was then said to have received and oracle that grants him the status of emperor. This styles him as the "New Emperor" for the rest of the Shomonki. It is doubtful that these events occurred outside of the book however.

After all this trouble he had caused, within a month the court issued a call for the destruction of Masakado from several notable warriors. Including his cousin Sadamori and sometime ally of Masakado's, Fujiwara no Hidesato. Masakado was caught in the northwestern Shimosa province. Being outnumbered more than ten to one, his troops were defeated and Masakado was killed. After his head was delivered to the capital, it hung on display outside the eastern market. Legend has it that his head later took flight on its own and landed in the small fishing village called Shibasaki, the future spot of Tokyo.

## Trivia

* His head's grave is located in the present day Otemachi section of Tokyo and is called "Grave of the Head"
* It is said that a large swarm of butterflies appeared in Kyoto when Masakado was preparing his revolt.
* Masakado has become a demigod to the locals who were impressed by his exploits. Edo's/Tokyo's fortunes seemed to be determined by how well his shrine/grave was kept and is always well maintained these days.
* He is a deity of Kanda Shrine and Tsukudo Jinja.
* His daughter Takiyasha-hime is also very famous in folklore.