Kumagai Naozane

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Kumagai Naozane (熊谷直実, Kumagai Naozane^?) (March 24, 1141 - December 4, 1208 in the Gregorian calendar) was a famous retainer of the Japanese clan of Minamoto during the Heian period of Japan.

Throughout Naozane's service under the Minamoto, he would primarily battle in the Genpei War. During the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani --fraction of the Genpei War-- in 1184, Naozane ran into a certain young enemy officer known as Taira no Atsumori of Taira. Atsumori had run into Naozane due to coming from a shorline in this conflict. Atsumori had told Naozane to take his head at will, but Naozane was hesitant due to the fact that Atsumori was very young, which led to Naozane thinking of how his own young son could have ended up in the same situation. Naozane wished to have spared Atsumori's life through his kind nature, but was relatively forced to resign that thought due to the fact that his allies of the Minamoto were currently approaching. Naozane then killed Atsumori while looking away, with tears streaming down his face.

Due to the fact that Atsumori's name did not ring a bell to Naozane, he then knew that Atsumori had never been in a battle before. After Naozane had taken the time to look through the belongings of Atsumori, he found a certain flute, known as the "Saeda" (little twig). After Naozane had discovered that the flute was given to Taira no Tadamori by Emperor Toba, and later passed down to Atsumori, he fell more sad for his death. This was because the night before while Naozane was in his tent, he had heard someone playing the flute with skill outside the camp of the enemy, in which he now realized that that had been Atsumori. After the Genpei War had then ended, Naozane retired as a samurai and become a buddhist monk.

[edit] Reference

Real-Life of Taira clan

'Memoirs of the Warrior Kumagai, A Historical Novel" Author: Donald Richie. Published by: Charles E. Tuttle, 1998 ISBN 0-8048-2126-7