Akechi, Mitsuhide b. 1526 d. July 2, 1582 Japanese Military Leader. He rose to prominence as a general serving under territorial lord Nobunaga Oda. He received the castle at Sakamoto for his services and was appointed governor of the province of Kyuga. He subsequently led an army that conquered for Oda the province of Tamba. On June 21, 1582, for reasons not entirely understood, Akechi betrayed Oda and attacked him at Kyoto's Honnoji Temple, forcing the latter to...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kongobu-ji Temple Group Cemetery Complex, Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan
Kukai Religious Leader. Also known by his posthumous honorific name, Kobo-Daishi, he was a Japanese priest, scholar, and artist, and founder of the "Shingon" or "True Word" sect of Buddhism. After departing from classical Chinese studies at a university, he left to become a wandering ascetic who eventually made a commitment to Buddhism. From 804 to 806 he served as a member of a Japanese embassy to T'ang China, where he studied the Buddhist Tantra. He returned to Japan with many scriptures and art...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Okuno-in Temple Cemetery, Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan
Saigo, Takamori b. 1827 d. September 24, 1877 Legendary Samurai. A popular statesman in the 19th century and a brilliant military commander, he was one of the leaders of the Meiji revolution and became its highest ranking general. In 1873, when his opinion about the necessity of an invasion of Korea was refuted by the other members of the government, he retired and went back to Satsuma, the region where he was born, and founded a private military training school for young samurai. When the Meiji government sought to dismantle an arsenal at...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kongobu-ji Temple Group Cemetery Complex, Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan
Takeda, Katsuyori b. 1546 d. April 3, 1582 Leading warlord during Japan's feudal period. He was the son of Shingen Takeda and succeeded his father as lord of the Kai, Shinano, Suruga dn Kozuke provinces. Unlike his father, he was unable to defeat the large armies of Nobunaga Oda and Ieyasu Tokugawa, who defeated him in the Battle of Nagashino in 1581. Thereafter, Takeda was abandoned by his allies, unable to resist attack with his own army and forced to flee. Trapped, he was forced to commit ritual suicide. His death marked the end of...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kongobu-ji Temple Group Cemetery Complex, Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan
Takeda, Shingen b. November 3, 1521 d. May 13, 1573 Feudal lord and legendary warrior, also known as "Harunobu Takeda" and earned the nickname, "The Tiger of Kai." He was born in Ichimizudaira Castle as the oldest son of Nobutora Takeda as the eldest son of Takeda Nobutora, prince of the Kai province. After succeeding his father, he began an aggressive campaign of conquest of his surrounding areas and subsequently attacked Kenshin Uesugi, lord of Echigo province, and defeated him after a famous series of battles from 1553-1564. He defeated the...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kongobu-ji Temple Group Cemetery Complex, Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan
Yoritomo, Minamoto b. 1147 d. 1199 Legendary warrior and founder of the shogunate -a feudal form of government that lasted nearly 700 years. Born into the Minamoto family, a powerful military clan of imperial descent, Yoritomo was exiled as a youth after an abortive rebellion in 1160 against the rival Taira family in which his father died. He married into the family of one of his jailers, the Hojo clan, who later became shoguns after his death. In 1180 he joined another Minamoto rebellion and established his headquarters at...[Read More] (Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett) Kongobu-ji Temple Group Cemetery Complex, Koyasan, Wakayama, Japan
b. 1526 d. July 2, 1582