The Fall of Daigo
Book 3 of the Dororo Novel Series
Toriumi Jinzō
Glossary
Akamatsu Masanori (Japanese: 赤松 政範, d. 1577) was one of the chief generals of the Hosokawa clan in the Ōnin War. Masanori succeeded his father as head of the Akamatsu clan. In 1458, Masanori was appointed governor or constable (shugo) of northern Kaga Province.
Akamatsu Sanshuza (Japanese: 赤松三首座) Akamatsu Sanshuza was one of the followers of Jion, the monk who invented the Nen Ryū school of fighting. He taught Ito Kennōjō this fighting style, which was in turn passed down to Sabame Nuinosuke.
Amida Buddha (Japanese:阿弥陀仏) Amida Buddha is a celestial Buddha, according to the scriptures of Mahayana Buddhism. Amida is the principal Buddha in Pure Land Buddhism, a branch of East Asian Buddhism. Amida possesses infinite merit resulting from good deeds over countless past lives as a Bodhisattva named Dharmākara. Amida means "Infinite Light."
Anazawa Yozaemon Morisada (Japanese: 穴沢与左衛門盛貞) Anazawa Yozaemon Morisada is one of Daigo Kagemitsu's right-hand men and a master swordsman. He appears to be fictional, but his clan is not; the Anazawa Clan served as retainers to the Ashina Clan during the Warring States Period. The Ashina Clan ruled Mutsu Province (which is now part of modern-day Fukushima Prefecture).
Asakura Kagefuyu (Japanese: 朝倉景冬) Asakura Kagefuyu (birth date unknown – October 17, 1495) was a Japanese military commander in the end of Muromachi Period and one of Asakura Takakage's brothers.
Asakura Mitsuhisa (Japanese: 朝倉光玖) Asakura Mitsuhisa was a warlord and monk from the middle of the Muromachi Period to the beginning of the Sengoku Period of Japan. He was the vassal and younger brother of Asakura Takakage.
Asakura Takakage (Japanese: 朝倉孝景) Asakura Takakage was a military commander in the middle of the Muromachi period. He was the seventh head of the Asakura Clan and a general in the Western Army.
ashigaru (Japanese: 足軽) Ashigaru were infantry employed by the samurai class of feudal Japan. In the Ōnin War, ashigaru gained a reputation as unruly troops when they looted and burned Miyako (modern-day Kyōto). Ashigaru became the backbone of many feudal Japanese armies.
Ashikaga Takauji (Japanese: 足利 尊氏, August 18, 1305 – June 7, 1358) Ashikaga Takauji was the founder and first shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate. His rule began in 1338, beginning the Muromachi period of Japan, and ended with his death in 1358.
Asakura Tsunekage (Japanese: 朝倉経景) - Tsunekage Asakura (1438-March 15, 1491) was a busho (Japanese military commander) in the Muromachi period and one of Asakura Takakage's brothers.
Ashikaga Yoshimochi (Japanese: 足利 義持, March 12, 1386 - February 3, 1428) was the fourth shōgun of the Ashikaga shogunate who reigned from 1394 to 1423 during the Muromachi period of Japan. Yoshimochi was the son of the third shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu. His wife summoned Tanbano Hisamaro to the imperial court when his son, Yoshikazu, fell from a horse.
Ataka (Shrine) (Japanese: 安宅) Ataka Shrine is the place where Minamoto no Yoshitsune, the warrior monk Benkei, and Lord Togashi Saemonnojō joined forces during the Genpei War. Statues of Yoshitsune, Benkei, and Lord Togashi are erected there to commemorate the event.
Battle of Kurikara (Japanese: 倶利伽羅峠の戦い) The Battle of Kurikara, also known as the Battle of Tonamiyama (砺波山), was a crucial engagement in Japan's Genpei War; in this battle the tide of the war turned in the favor of the Minamoto Clan, who eventually won the war.
Battle of Shinohara (Japanese: 篠原の戦い) The Battle of Shinohara occurred in 1183 during the Genpei War in Japan, in what is now Kaga city, Ishikawa prefecture. Following the Battle of Kurikara, Minamoto no Yoshinaka caught up with the retreating Taira no Munemori. An archery duel by champions on both sides preceded general fighting, which included several celebrated instances of single combat. Victory went to the Minamoto. However, Yoshinaka's old retainer, Saito Sanemori, was a casualty.
Benkei (Japanese: 西塔武蔵坊弁慶, 1155–1189), Saitō Musashibō Benkei, popularly known as simply Benkei, was a Japanese warrior monk (sōhei) who lived in the latter years of the Heian Period (794–1185). Benkei led a varied life, first becoming a monk, then a mountain ascetic, and then a rogue warrior. He later came to respect and serve the famous warrior Minamoto no Yoshitsune. He is commonly depicted as a man of great strength and loyalty, and a popular subject of Japanese folklore, showcased in many ancient and modern literature and productions.
Yoshitsune defeated Benkei in a duel at Gojo bridge in Kyōto. From then on, Benkei became Yoshitsune's retainer, eventually dying with him at the Siege of Koromogawa.
Bhaisajyaguru (Japanese: 薬師仏) Bhaisajyaguru is the Buddha of healing and medicine in Mahāyāna Buddhism. Commonly referred to as the "Medicine Buddha," he is described as a doctor who cures suffering using the medicine of his teachings.
Black Tortoise (Chinese: 玄武)
The Black Tortoise is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. Despite its English name, it is usually depicted as a turtle entwined together with a snake. Furthermore, in East Asian mythology it is not called after either animal, but is instead known as the "Black Warrior" under various local pronunciations. It represents the north and the winter season, thus it is sometimes called Black Tortoise of the North. In Japan, it is named Genbu and is one of the four guardian spirits that protect Kyōto.
Blue Dragon (Chinese: 青龍)
The Blue Dragon is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. The Blue Dragon represents the east, the element of water, and the spring season.
Chōsuke (Japanese: 長助) Chōsuke is Kahei's brother-in-law and Chōtarō's father. He lives in Unotani Village.
Chōtarō (Japanese: 長太郎) Chōtarō is Kahei's son-in-law. He lives in Unotani Village.
Daigo Kagemitsu (Japanese: 醍醐景光) Daigo Kagemitsu is Hyakkimaru's biological father. He sold Hyakkimaru's body to forty-eight demons in exchange for power.
Daigo Tahōmaru (Japanese:醍醐多宝丸) Tahōmaru is Hyakkimaru's younger brother.
Daima Fortress (Japanese: 大魔城) Daima Fortress is the name of the castle where the Hall of Hell demons dwell.
Eastern Army (東軍)
The Eastern Army supports shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimasa in his desire for his brother to inherit his position instead of his son. The Eastern Army is led by Hosokawa Katsumoto.
Echigo Province (Japanese: 越後) Echigo Province was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It bordered on Uzen, Iwashiro, Kōzuke, Shinano, and Etchū Provinces. It corresponds today to Niigata Prefecture, minus the island of Sado.
Eguri Valley (Japanese: 江栗の谷間) Eguri Valley is the location of a True Pure Land Sect Buddhist community headed by Ochika. Ochika saves Dororo after she falls from a horse.
Emperor Wu of Zhou (Chinese:周武王) Emperor Wu of Zhou was the first Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China. The chronology of his reign is disputed, but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BC and ended three years later in 1043 BC. In most accounts, his older brother Bo Yikao was said to have predeceased his father, typically at the hands of Emperor Zhou, the last Emperor of the Shang Dynasty. In 1046 BC, Emperor Wu took advantage of Shang disunity to launch an attack along with many neighboring nobles. The Battle of Muye destroyed the Shang Dynasty's.
Emperor Wu—the name means "Martial"—followed his victory by establishing many feudal states under his 16 younger brothers and clans allied by marriage, but his death three years later provoked several rebellions against his young heir.
Emperor Zhu Jianshen (Chinese: 成化; 9 December 1447 – 9 September 1487) Emperor Zhu Jianshen was the ninth Emperor of the Ming dynasty, who reigned from 1464 to 1487. He was only two years old when his father was captured by the Oirat Mongols and held captive in 1449. He ascended the throne at the age of 17. During the early part of his administration, he carried out new government policies to reduce tax and strengthen the Ming dynasty. However these did not last and by the closing years of his reign, governmental affairs once again fell into the hands of eunuchs. Peasant uprisings occurred throughout the country that were violently suppressed. His reign was also more autocratic than his predecessors' and freedom was sharply curtailed when the emperor established institutes such as the Western Depot, monitoring all civilians' actions and words. This institute, not unlike a spy agency, would administer punishment to those whom they suspected of treason.
En no Ozunu (Japanese: 役小角, b. 634, d. c. 700–707) En no Ozunu was a Japanese ascetic and mystic, traditionally held to be the founder of shugendō, the path of ascetic training practiced by mountain worshipers. He was banished by the Imperial Court on June 26, 699, but folk tales as old as 800 recount his supernatural powers and exploits.
Enryaku Temple (Japanese: 延暦寺) Enryaku Temple is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyōto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period (794–1185) by Saichō (767–822), who introduced the Tendai Sect of Mahayana Buddhism to Japan from China. Enryaku-Temple is the headquarters of the Tendai Sect and one of the most significant monasteries in Japanese history.
Etchū Province (Japanese: 越中国) Etchū Province was a province of Japan in the area that is today Toyama Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Etchū bordered on Noto and Kaga Provinces to the west, Shinano and Hida Provinces to the south, Echigo Province to the east and the Sea of Japan to the north.
Ezichen Province (Japanese: (越前国) Ezichen Province was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. Echizen bordered on Kaga, Wakasa, Hida, and Ōmi Provinces. The fighting done between the provinces of Ezichen and Kaga was particularly fierce during the Ōnin War.
feng shui (Chinese: 風水) Feng shui, also known as Chinese geomancy, is a pseudoscientific traditional practice originating from ancient China, which claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. The term 'feng shui,' literally translated as "wind-water" in English, is taken from a passage of the now-lost Book of Burial recorded in Guo Pu's commentary.
Historically, feng shui was widely used to orient buildings—often spiritually significant structures such as tombs, but also dwellings and other structures—in an auspicious manner. Depending on the particular style of feng shui being used, an auspicious site could be determined by reference to local features such as bodies of water, stars, or the compass.
Fukushima Kunio (Japanese: 福島邦男) Fukushima Kunio is one of the doctors Toriumi Jinzō consulted with regarding the medical details of the Dororo novels.
General's Cannon (Chinese: 大将軍砲) A General's Cannon is a large artillery weapon. It is more than four meters long, weighing 2,000 pounds, with a range of one to two miles. The General's Cannon can shoot hundreds of small projectiles or 50 larger projectiles at once. It has a large spread area and can effectively kill and damage hundreds of enemies in tight defensive formations. The General's Cannon played an important role in Chinese wars against Japan in the late 1500s. Manufacturing of these weapons in mass amounts began in October 1530. The General's Cannon came in various sizes, though the largest was the most common type. At first, it was believed that the General's Cannon was too heavy to be maneuverable. Later, it was attached to various vehicles (including ships and carts) and became a weapon with more flexible uses.
Genkai Sea (Japanese: 玄界灘) The Genkai Sea is a body of water that comprises the southwestern tip of the Sea of Japan and borders the northern coasts of Fukuoka and Saga prefectures.
Genkai Nadaemon (Japanese: 玄海灘衛門): A purported sea merchant with strong ties to pirates and the Matsūra faction. He is probably related to the Ōuchi Clan, though this is never confirmed. He protects Tanbano Hisamaro and his son, Tajumaru (Jukai) while they are being pursued by agents of the shōgun. He fails in his duty because his wooden leg breaks in the middle of an attack. Hisamaro is killed; Nadaemon then takes Tajumaru to China to train as a doctor. He is Genkai Namitarō's father.
Genkai Namitarō (Japanese:玄海浪太郎) Genkai Namitarō is a pirate who allows Jukai and Sakuzō to live on an estate on the mountain of Kurama in exchange for free medical treatment for himself and his crew. He brings Jukai rare books, medicines, and tools. He and Jukai were childhood friends. In this book, Jukai requests passage to Kaga for himself, Hyakkimaru and Dororo on Namitarō's pirate ship.
Genpei War (Japanese: 源平合戦, 1180–1185) The Genpei War was a national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto Clans during the late Heian period of Japan. It resulted in the downfall of the Taira and the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate under Minamoto no Yoritomo, who appointed himself as shōgun in 1192, governing Japan as a military dictator from the eastern city of Kamakura.
Gōshō (Japanese:呉尚 ) Gōshō is the Chinese surgeon that Jukai studied under in China for more than twenty years. Gōshō took Jukai (then Tajumaru) in after his father's death.
Hakui (Japanese: 羽咋) Hakui is an old woman who lives in Unotani Village. She disturbs one of the burial mounds while picking wild vegetables.
hand cannon (Chinese: 手銃 shŏuchòng, or 火銃 huŏchòng) The hand cannon, also known as the gonne or handgonne, is the first true firearm and the successor of the fire lance. It is the oldest type of small arms as well as the most mechanically simple form of metal barrel firearms. Unlike matchlock firearms, it requires direct manual external ignition through a touch hole without any form of firing mechanism. It may also be considered a forerunner of the handgun. The hand cannon was widely used in China from the 13th century onward and later throughout Eurasia in the 14th century. In 15th century Europe, the hand cannon evolved to become the matchlock arquebus, which became the first firearm to have a trigger.
Harima Province (Japanese: 播磨国) Harima was a province of Japan in the part of Honshū that is the southwestern part of present-day Hyōgo Prefecture. Harima bordered on Tajima, Tanba, Settsu, Bizen, and Mimasaka Provinces. Its capital was Himeji.
Harima Province was established in 7th century. Akamatsu Masanori became governor of the province at the start of the Ōnin War.
Hasebe Nobutsura (Japanese: 長谷部信連) (year of birth unknown - 1218) was a military commander between the end of Heian period and the beginning of Kamakura period. He was the son of Tametsura, who was an officer for managing horses. Nobutsura's character was brave and fearless. He once captured a robber getting into Tokiwa-den as a Takiguchi musha the guard of Inner Palace. He was promoted to the director of the left part of center palace guard. Later, Nobutsura served Prince Mochihito. In 1180, Prince Mochihito plotted an attack against the Taira clan with Minamoto no Yorimasa, one of the Minamoto Clan families. However, the plot leaked before implementation. Nobutsura helped the prince escape from the Imperial Palace. Nobutsura continued fighting alone against Imperial Guards, using only a ceremonial sword, defeated only when the end of the sword broke off.
Hatakeyama Clan (Japanese: 畠山氏) The Hatakeyama Clan was a Japanese samurai clan. Originally a branch of the Taira clan and descended from Taira no Takamochi, they fell victim to political intrigue in 1205, when Hatakeyama Shigeyasu and his father Shigetada were killed in battle by Hōjō forces in Kamakura.
The clan was an ally of the Ashikaga shogunate against the (Imperial) Southern Court during the wars of the Northern and Southern Courts Period, and was rewarded by the shogunate with the hereditary position of military governor of the provinces of Yamashiro, Kii, Kawachi, Etchū, and Noto, at the end of the 14th century. Around 1450, there was a split in the clan, and the internal conflict weakened the clan as a whole, causing it to lose the position of shōgun's deputy to the Hosokawa Clan. This split began with a feud between Hatakeyama Masanaga and Hatakeyama Yoshinari over succession to the position; it quickly grew, as each side gained allies, and was one of the sparks that ignited the Ōnin War.
Hatakeyama Yoshimoto (Japanese: 畠山義統 ) Hatakeyama Yoshimoto was an ally of the Western Army during the Ōnin War (1467-77). In this novel, he leads the army that protects Noto Province.
Hatakeyama Yoshimune (Japanese: 畠山義統) Hatakeyama Yoshimune is the governor of Noto Province in the novel. The Hatakeyama Clan governed the province for hundreds of years before the Meiji Restoration in the 1800s. Hatakeyama Yoshimune supports the Eastern Army during the Ōnin War.
Hatakeyama Yoshinari (Japanese: 畠山義就, c.1437–1491 )
Hatakeyama Yoshinari is a Japanese samurai and feudal lord. He is most known for his rivalry with Hatakeyama Masanaga over the position of shōgun's deputy. This rivalry grows out of the larger conflict between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen, which escalates into the Ōnin War.
Hayashi Clan (Japanese: 林氏) There are several Hayashi Clans of note in Japanese history, including Hayashi scholars who served as counselors to the shōgun or as retainers of Oda Nobunaga. The Hayashi Clan of this novel is based in Kaga Province and is both wealthy and influential.
Hibukuro (Japanese: 火袋) Hibukuro was Dororo's father and Ochika's husband. He was killed by samurai after being betrayed by Itachi no Gonza.
Hida Province (Japanese:飛騨国) Hida was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern portion of Gifu Prefecture in the Chūbu region of Japan. Hida bordered on Echizen, Mino, Shinano, Etchū, and Kaga Provinces.
During the Heian and Kamakura Periods, Hida's extensive forests were a major source of timber and metals for other provinces. River traffic from Hida down to Mino Province and Owari Province was heavy. By the Muromachi period, the Kyōgoku Clan held the position of governor for many generations; however, towards the start of the Sengoku Period, the province was fragmented into many small warlord territories, with the province as a whole becoming contested territory between the powerful Takeda Clan based in Kai Province and the Uesugi Clan based in Echigo Province. The Ikkō-ikki movement from neighboring Kaga and Etchū Provinces also added to the instability.
Higashi Clinic (Japanese: 東クリニック) Higashi Clinic employed Dr. Higashi Tettoku while the Dororo novels were being written.
Higashi Tettoku (Japanese: 東哲德) Higashi Tettoku iis one of the doctors Toriumi Jinzō consulted with regarding the medical details of the Dororo novels.
Hokuriku Road (Japanese: 北陸道) The Hokuriku Road goes north from Kurama through Arachi Mountain Pass to several provinces that border the Sea of Japan. Hyakkimaru takes this road on his journey to find Daigo Kagemitsu.
Hongan Temple (Japanese: 本願寺) The Hongan Temple was established in 1321, on the site of the Otani Mausoleum, where Shinran, the founder of the True Pure Land Sect, was buried. The Hongan Temple first gained power and importance in the 15th century, when Rennyo became its eighth temple head. However, the Tendai Sect based on Mount Hiei saw this expansion as a threat and attacked the Hongan Temple three times with their army of warrior monks. Rennyo fled to Yoshizaki, where he established a new temple compound.
Hōkaibō (Japanese: 宝芥坊) Hōkaibō is a devout monk that Hyakkimaru meets near Ataka Shrine while traveling through Kaga Province.
Hōnen (Japanese: 法然, May 13 (April 7), 1133 – February 29, 1212) Hōnen was a religious reformer and founder of the first independent sect of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism. Hōnen became a Tendai initiate at an early age, but grew disaffected and sought an approach to Buddhism that anyone could follow. After discovering the writings of the Chinese Buddhist Shandao, he undertook the teaching of rebirth in the pure land of Amida Buddha through the recitation of the Buddha's name.
huolongchushui (Chinese: 火龙出水) Huolongchushui, which means "fire dragon issuing from the water," were the earliest form of multistage rockets and ballistic cruise missiles used in post-classical China. The name of the weapon was used to strike fear into enemy troops. It acted as one of the world's earliest multistage rockets and ballistic cruise missiles, fired at enemy ships in naval battles. The huolongcushui could be used on both land and sea. An illustration of the huolongchushui is found in the 14th century Chinese military treatise Huolongjing by Jiao Yu and Liu Bowen during the early Ming dynasty. The illustration depicts the world's earliest form of the multistage rocket and ballistic missile used by the Chinese army and navy.
Ichijōdani (Japanese: 一乗谷) Ichijōdani is a valley located to the southeast of modern-day central Fukui, Japan. The Asakura family ruled over the province of Echizen from Ichijōdani for five generations. Several centuries later, the Ichijōdani Asakura Clan Ruins were excavated and have been partially reconstructed. The Ichijōdani ruins were designated a Japan Heritage Site in 2019.
Imohori Togoro (Japanese: 藤五郎) Imohori Togoro was digging for potatoes when flakes of gold washed up in a marsh. The place was later called Kanazawa, meaning "marsh of gold."
Iō Temple (Japanese: 医王寺) Iō Temple is built on the side of a mountain in what was, historically, Kaga Province. The temple is said to have been founded by the high priest Kukai in the Heian Period (794-1185). The wooden Bhaisajyaguru statue (the Buddha to cure all ills) was designated as an Important Cultural Property of Hiroshima and is open to public once every six years.
Ishikawa Clan (Japanese: 石川氏) The Ishikawa Clan is a Japanese samurai family which descended from the Seiwa Genji. The clan traces its history from Minamoto no Yoshiie through his son Minamoto no Yoshitoki. One branch of their line were lords in Kaga Province.
Itachi no Gonza (Japanese: 鼬の権左) Itachi no Gonza was Hibukuro's lieutenant before he betrayed him to samurai lords and left him to die.
Itagaki Shūsuke (Japanese: 板垣修介) Itagaki Shūsuke is an ex-retainer of the Togashi Clan. He lost his leg fighting Akamatsu Masanori on behalf of his lord, Togashi Shigeharu. Jukai gives him a prosthetic leg. In exchange, he tells Jukai and Hyakkimaru all about the Daigo Clan.
Iwazaki Kunshi (Japanese: 岩崎訓氏) Iwazaki Kunshi helped Toriumi Jinzō with ideas and storyboarding during the composition of the Dororo novels.
Jiraiya (Japanese: 地雷也) Jiraiya is the name that Kahei gives the supposed thunder god that appears near Unotani Village.
Jukai (Japanese: 寿海) A former doctor for the Japanese imperial court who now treats the common people. His surname is Tanbano. He discovered Hyakkimaru abandoned in the Takano River and adopted him.
Kahei (Japanese: 嘉平) Kahei is an aged warrior and devout Buddhist, following True Pure Land Sect teachings. He seeks out Ochika after being separated from his congregation and tells her, Hyakkimaru, Dororo, Hōichi and the bandits about strange goings-on at Mount Dankun.
Kamakura shogunate (Japanese: 鎌倉幕府) The Kamakura shogunate was the feudal military government of Japan during the Kamakura period from 1185 to 1333. The Kamakura shōguns were members of the Minamoto clan until 1226, the Fujiwara clan until 1252, and the last six were minor princes of the Imperial family. The Kamakura shogunate was overthrown in the Kenmu Restoration under Emperor Go-Daigo in 1333, re-establishing imperial rule until Ashikaga Takauji overthrew the Imperial government and founded the Ashikaga shogunate in 1336.
Kanazawa (Japanese: (金沢) The area around Kanazawa was part of ancient Kaga Province. The name "Kanazawa," which literally means "marsh of gold," is said to derive from the legend of the peasant Imohori Togoro, who was digging for potatoes when flakes of gold washed up. The area where Kanazawa is was originally known as Ishiura, whose name is preserved at the Ishiura Shrine near the Kenrokuen.
During the Muromachi period (1336 to 1573), as the powers of the central shōguns in Kyōto was waning, Kaga Province came under the control of the Ikkō-ikki, followers of the teachings of priest Rennyo, who displaced the official governors of the province, the Togashi Clan, and established a kind of theocratic republic later known as "The Peasants' Kingdom." Their principal stronghold was the Kanazawa Gobo. Backed by high hills and flanked on two sides by rivers, it was a natural fortress, around which a castle town developed. This was the start of what would become the city of Kanazawa.
Katada congregation (Japanese: 堅田) The Katada congregation was the monk Rennyo's congregation in Kaga Province, before attacks by the Tendai Sect of Buddhism scattered them.
Kishi (Chinese: 箕子) Kishi was a semi-legendary Chinese sage who is said to have ruled Korea in the 11th century BCE. Early Chinese documents like the Book of Documents and the Bamboo Annals described him as a virtuous relative of the last king of the Shang Dynasty who was punished for protesting against the king. After the Shang Dynasty was overthrown by the Zhou Dynasty in the 1040s BCE, he allegedly gave political advice to King Wu, the first Emperor of the Zhou Dynasty. Chinese texts from the Han Dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) onwards claimed that King Wu made Kishi the ruler of Joseon (Korea).
According to the Book of Han (1st century CE), Kishi brought agriculture, sericulture, and many other facets of Chinese civilization to Korea.
The first extant Korean text to mention Kishi was the Samguk Sagi (1145). Starting in the late thirteenth century, Kishi was fully integrated into Korean history. Following the spread of Neo-Confucianism in Korea in the 14th century, scholars of the Joseon Dynasty (est. 1392) promoted Kishi as a folk hero who had raised Korean civilization to the same level as China, and Kishi became an integral part of Korean cultural identity.
Following the rise of Korean nationalism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, however, Korean intellectuals lost their pride in association with Kishi and started to doubt the traditional account of his rule of Korea. Shin Chaeho (1880–1936) questioned the extent of Kishi's cultural contributions, in part because Kishi, being Chinese, did not fit into Shin's view of Korean history. Postwar Korean scholars in both North and South Korea have also strongly criticized the story of Kishi's migration to Korea in the eleventh century BCE.
Kishi River (Japanese: 箕子川) The Kishi River is a river near Unotani Village that flows to the base of Mount Dankun from the west. It is named after the semi-legendary Korean ruler (of Chinese extraction), Kishi.
Kiyoji (Japanese: 清次) Kiyoji is Sakuzo's son-on-law, married to his daughter Oryo.
Kojima Katsuroshi (Japanese: 活郎氏活郎氏) Kojima Katsuroshi is the editor of the Dororo novels.
Korea (Japanese: 朝鮮国) Korea is a region in East Asia. Korea consists of the Korean Peninsula, Jeju Island, and several minor islands near the peninsula. It is bordered by China to the northwest and Russia to the northeast. It is separated from Japan to the east by the Korea Strait and the Sea of Japan (East Sea).
During the first half of the 1st millennium, Korea was divided between three states, Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla, together known as the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The Three Kingdoms were constantly at war for much of the nation's history. Toward the end of the 1st millennium, Goguryeo was resurrected as Goryeo, which defeated the two other states and unified the Korean Peninsula as a single sovereign state.
Multiple incursions by the Mongol Empire during the 13th century greatly weakened the nation, which eventually agreed to become a vassal state after decades of fighting. Following military resistance that ended Mongol political influence, severe political strife followed, and Korea eventually fell to a coup led by General Taejo, who established Joseon on 17 July 1392.
Korikuma (Japanese: 狐狸熊 ) Korikuma literally means foxes, tanuki (raccoon dogs) and bears, which are all wild animals known for being clever. It is the name of a famous bandit leader in Ezichen province who Hyakkimaru killed.
Kukurihime (Japanese: 白山妙理大権現) Kukurihime is a goddess equated with Mount Haku in Kaga Province. Kukurihime is worshiped in 3,000 shrines across Japan, and was later merged with the goddess Kannon.
Kumagai no Jirō Naozane (Japanese: 熊谷 次郎 直実, (1141 –1207/ 1208) Kumagai no Jirō Naozane was a famous soldier who served the Minamoto Clan during the Heian Period of Japanese history. Kumagai is particularly known for his exploits during the Genpei War, specifically for killing the young warrior Taira no Atsumori at the battle of Ichi-no-tani in 1184. Atsumori's death and the circumstances surrounding it went on to be fictionalized and retold in numerous forms, including the Tale of the Heike epic, a number of Noh plays, and in kabuki theatres as well.
Kurikara Pass (Japanese: 倶利伽羅峠) Kurikara Pass is a mountain pass between Etchū and Kaga Province.
Kuroiwa Satoekoshi (Japanese: 黒岩里恵子氏) Kuroiwa Satoekoshi is a dialect expert that Toriumi Jinzō consulted with during the composition of the Dororo novels.
Kyōto (Japanese: 京都) Kyōto is one of the oldest municipalities in Japan and was chosen as the seat of Japan's Imperial Court by Emperor Kanmu. The original city was arranged in accordance with traditional Chinese architecture following the model of the ancient Chinese capital of Chang'an. The Emperors of Japan ruled from Kyōto in the following eleven centuries until 1869. It was the scene of several key events of the Muromachi Period and the Warring States Period, including the Ōnin War. Japan's capital was relocated to Tōkyō after the Meiji Restoration.
In the novel Hyakkimaru's Birth, Dororo lives in a burned-out temple in Kyōto.
manjū (Japanese: 饅頭, まんじゅう) is a traditional Japanese confection. Of the many varieties of manjū, most have an outside made from flour, rice powder, kudzu, and buckwheat, and a filling of anko (red bean paste), usually made from boiled adzuki beans and sugar.
Manzō Carpenter's Guild (Japanese: 大工の万蔵) Manzō Carpenter's Guild is the guild Dororo pretends to belong to in order to get inside Nomitadani Fortress. The guild is entirely fictional.
Matsutani Takayuki (Japanese: 松谷孝征氏) Masutani Takayuki was the leading editor of Tezuka Productions during the late 1980s.
Minamoto Clan (Japanese: 源氏) Minamoto was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility from 1192 to 1333. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian period (794–1185 AD), although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku period. The Taira were another such offshoot of the imperial dynasty, making both clans distant relatives. The Minamoto clan is also called the Genji. The Minamoto were one of four great clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period. The other three were the Fujiwara, the Taira, and the Tachibana.
Minamoto no Yoshinaka (Japanese: 源義仲, 1154 – February 21, 1184) Minamoto no Yoshinaka was a general of the late Heian period of Japanese history. A member of the Minamoto clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo was his cousin and rival during the Genpei War between the Minamoto and the Taira Clans. Yoshinaka was born in Musashi province.
Minamoto no Yoshitsune (Japanese: 源 義経, c. 1159 – June 15, 1189) was a military commander of the Minamoto clan of Japan in the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. During the Genpei War, he led a series of battles which toppled the Ise-Heishi branch of the Taira clan, helping his half-brother Yoritomo consolidate power. He is considered one of the greatest and the most popular warriors of his era, and one of the most famous samurai fighters in the history of Japan. Yoshitsune perished after being betrayed by the son of a trusted ally.
Mino Province (Japanese: 美濃国) Mino is one of the old provinces of Japan, encompassing the southern part of modern-day Gifu Prefecture. Although the ancient provincial capital was near Tarui, the main castle town was at Gifu, the home of Inabayama Castle. In 713, the road crossing through Mino and Shinano Provinces was widened to accommodate increasing numbers of travelers. Mino Province served an important military and political role as the best-maintained path to Kyōto.
Mio (Japanese: 美緒) Mio is a war survivor whose family was wiped out by the Eastern Army. She took in abandoned and injured children and cared for them at a ruined temple in Kinome Pass. She was killed by a Hall of Hell demon in Demon Sword Dance.
Mori Toshisada (Japanese: 森歳貞) Mori Toshisada is a cowardly magistrate. Itachi no Gonza betrays Hibukuro and his family to him.
Mount Dankun (Japanese: 檀君山) Mount Dankun is a fictionalized mountain to the south of Nomitadani Fortress (which is also fictionalized). It is located in Kaga Province and is the site of a large number of burial mounds devoted to Korean royalty.
Mount Haguro (Japanese：羽黒山) Mount Haguro is a mountain in the city of Tsuruoka, Japan. A path of 2,446 stone steps leads to its summit amidst 600-year-old cedar trees, past the famous Gojūnotō five story pagoda, Grandpa Cedar (the 1000-year-old cedar tree), and numerous shrines.
Mount Haku (Japanese: 白山), Mount Hakusan is a dormant stratovolcano in Japan. It is located on the borders of Gifu and Ishikawa, on the island of Honshū. Mount Haku is thought to have first been active 300,000 to 400,000 years ago, with the most recent eruption occurring in 1659. Along with Mount Tate and Mount Fuji, it is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains."
Mount Hiko (Japanese:英彦山) Mount Hiko is a mountain on the border between Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Prefecture in Kyūshū, Japan. It is an important site for shugendō, and a famous place for rock climbing. There is a legend that Miyamoto Musashi stayed there in order to train after surviving the Toyotomi Clan defeat at Sekigahara.
Mount Hino (Japanese:日野山), Mount Hino, nicknamed "Mount Fuji of Echizen," is a mountain located in modern-day Echizen City, Fukui.
Mount Hōdatsu (Japanese: 宝達志-check) Mount Hōdatsu, the highest mountain in the Noto Peninsula, is located in the modern-day town of Hōdatsushimizu. Kahei is from a village close to Mount Hōdatsu.
Mount Kannon (観音山) Mount Kannon is a mountain in ancient Kaga Province. It is near the main Judicial Office of the province, in the shadow of Mount Haku.
Mount Katsuragi (Japanese:大和葛城山) Mount Katsuragi is a mountain in the Kongō Range straddling the prefectural border between Chihayaakasaka, Osaka and Gose, Nara in Japan. The base of the mountain has many different Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The mountain is accessible via the Katsuragisan Ropeway on the east side, as well as several different hiking trails on all sides of varying difficulty and length.
Mount Kumano (Japanese: 熊野山) Mount Kumano was one of the popular sacred mountains for shugendō worship. It is located on the Kii Peninsula of Japan.
Mount Kurama (Japanese: 鞍馬) Kurama is the name of the mountain where Jukai and Sakuzō live. This is where Hyakkimaru grows up. It is also the site of a famous Buddhist temple founded in the eighth century. The town of Kurama is located near Kyōto, the ancient capital of Japan.
Mount Monju (Japanese:文殊山) Mount Monju is a mountain in current-day Fukui Prefecture, Japan. The name of the mountain is derived from the Manjusri Bodhisattva enshrined at the top of the mountain.
Mount Wutai (Chinese:五台山) Mount Wutai is a sacred Buddhist site at the headwaters of the Qingshui in Shanxi Province, China. Its central area is surrounded by a cluster of flat-topped peaks roughly corresponding to the cardinal directions. The north peak is the highest point in northern China.
Mount Yoshino (Japanese：吉野山) Mount Yoshino is a mountain located in the town of Yoshino in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan that is a major religious and literary site. It is renowned for its cherry blossoms and attracts many visitors every spring, when the trees are in blossom. Mount Yoshino is famous for having more than 30,000 sakura flowering cherry trees. Several important religious and pilgrimage destinations are located around Mount Yoshino, including Yoshino Mikumari Shrine, Kimpu Shrine and Kimpusen Temple.
Musashi Province (武蔵国) Musashi was a province of Japan, which today comprises Tokyo Metropolis, most of Saitama Prefecture and part of Kanagawa Prefecture. Musashi was the largest province in the Kantō region. During the time period in which this novel is set, it was known for the manufacture of gunpowder.
Nabetani River (Japanese: 鍋谷川) The Nabetani River is a river in Kaga Province that flows through the city of Nōmi.
Nanao (Japanese: 七尾市) Nanao is a city located in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Nanao is the fifth largest city by population in Ishikawa, behind Kanazawa, Hakusan, Komatsu, and Kaga. Historically, the area around Nanao was part of ancient Noto Province and contained the Nara period provincial capital and provincial temple. During the Sengoku Period (1467–1568), Nanao Castle was a major stronghold of the Hatakeyama clan, and was contested by the Uesugi clan and Maeda clan.
Nen-ryū (Japanese: 念流) Nen-ryū is a traditional school of Japanese martial arts founded in 1368 by the samurai Sōma Shiro Yoshimoto in modern-day Nagano Prefecture, where Yoshimoto is said to have taught only fourteen students until his death.
Nerima Hospital of Plastic Surgery (Japanese: 練馬整形外科病院) Nerima Hospital of Plastic surgery employed Dr. Fukushima Kunio while the Dororo novels were being written.
Nomitadani Fortress (Japanese: 能美谷の砦) Nomitadani Fortress is a castle in Kaga Province. It is owned by the Daigo Clan.
Noto Province (Japanese: 能登国) Noto was a province of Japan in the area that is today the northern part of Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, including the Noto Peninsula, which is surrounded by the Sea of Japan. Noto bordered on Etchū and Kaga provinces to the south, and was surrounded by the Sea of Japan to the east, north and west.
Nōmi (Japanese: 能美郡) Nōmi was a city in ancient Kaga Province. Hyakkimaru passes through it on his way to Nomitadani Fortress.
Nukakuma Yasha (Japanese: 額熊夜叉) Nukakuma Yasha supported the Western Army in the Ōnin War. He used Togashi Kochiyo, who was still a young boy, as a figurehead to rally behind as he recruited for the Western Army in Kaga Province.
Ochika (Japanese: お千賀) Ochika is a believer in True Pure Land Sect Buddhism. She helps Dororo recover after falling from a horse and looks like Dororo's mother.
Oniwakamaru (Japanese: 鬼若丸) Oniwakamaru was Hyakkimaru's childhood name. Hyakkimaru is his adult name. See Hyakkimaru.
onryō (Japanese: 怨霊) In Japanese traditional beliefs and literature, an onryō (literally "vengeful spirit", sometimes rendered "wrathful spirit") refers to a ghost believed to be capable of causing harm in the world of the living, injuring or killing enemies, or even causing natural disasters to exact vengeance to redress the wrongs it received while alive, then taking their spirits from their dying bodies.
Ōgawara (Japanese: 大河原) Ōgawara is a spy for the Western Army, serving the Asakura Clan. He rescues Hyakkimaru when he is trapped and surrounded in Nomitadani Fortress.
Ōmi Province (Japanese: 近江国) Ōmi is an old province of Japan, which today comprises Shiga Prefecture. It was one of the provinces that made up the Tōsandō circuit. Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, is located at the center of the province. "Ōmi" came from awaumi or "fresh-water sea" and the kanji of "Ōmi" means "an inlet near the capital." The ancient capital was near Ōtsu, which was also a major castle town. Northern Ōtsu is home to Enryaku Temple, one of the most important temple complexes of Tendai Sect Buddhism.
Ōnin War (Japanese: 応仁の乱) The Ōnin War was a civil war that lasted from 1467 to 1477. Ōnin refers to the Japanese era during which the war started; the war ended during the Bunmei era. A dispute between a high official, Hosokawa Katsumoto, and a regional lord, Yamana Sōzen, escalated into a nationwide civil war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyō in many regions of Japan. The war initiated the Sengoku period, "the Warring States period." This period was a long, drawn-out struggle for domination by individual samurai lords, resulting in a mass power struggle between the various houses to dominate the whole of Japan.
plane tree (Japanese: 鈴懸の木) Plane trees are native to the northern hemisphere. All mature plane trees are tall, reaching 30–50 m (98–164 ft) in height. Some North American species are called sycamores (especially Platanus occidentalis) although the term is also used for several unrelated species of trees.
Rennyo (Japanese:蓮如, 1415-1499 ) Rennyo was the 8th head priest of the Hongan Temple of the Jōdo Shinshū sect of Buddhism, and descendant of the founder Shinran. During the conflict of the Ōnin War and the subsequent warfare that spread throughout Japan, Rennyo was able to unite most of the disparate factions of Buddhism under the Hongan Temple, reform existing liturgy and practices, and broaden support among different classes of society. The monks of a rival faction noticed Rennyo's successes in the provinces around Kyōto. In 1465, Mt. Hiei sent a band of warrior monks to Hongan Temple and destroyed most of the temple complex. The temple was almost entirely destroyed before armed men from the Takada congregation were able to chase away the attackers. According to one account, Rennyo was able to fleet at the last minute due to timely assistance from a cooper who saw the attackers coming, and led Rennyo out through the back.
Ryo Botto (Japanese: 呂遡斗) Ryo is Genkai Namitarō's supplier of weapons and firearms in China.
Sabame Nuinosuke (鯖目縫之介) Sabame Nuinosuke was a retainer of Ogosawara Arimune. He wielded a demon-possessed sword made by Muramasa called Nihil. Hyakkimaru broke the sword, destroying the demon. Nuinosuke killed himself with the sword's broken shards.
Saruyoshi (Japanese: 猿吉) Saruyoshi is Ochika's lieutenant and a military leader of the bandits of Eguri Valley.
Satō Keishi (Japanese: 左藤圭氏) Satō Keishi granted Toriumi Jinzō an interview about Ichijōdani and assisted him with historical research for the Dororo novels.
Sea of Japan (Japanese: 日本海) The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the Russian mainland. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it has almost no tides due to its nearly complete enclosure from the Pacific Ocean.
Shinran (Japanese: 親鸞, May 21, 1173 – January 16, 1263) Shinran was a Japanese Buddhist monk, who was born in Hino (now a part of Fushimi, Kyoto) at the turbulent close of the Heian Period and lived during the Kamakura Period. Shinran was a pupil of Hōnen and the founder of what ultimately became the True Pure Land Sect of Japanese Buddhism.
Shugendō (Japanese: 修験道) Shugendō was a set of religious practices that blend Shinto mountain worship and Buddhism. The final purpose of shugendō was for practitioners to find supernatural power and save themselves and others by conducting religious training while climbing mountains.
Shūhei (Japanese: 宗叡, died 884) Shūhei was a monk who traveled from Kyōto to Kaga to help spread the word about shūgendo, a then-new form of mountain worship.
Songrim (Japanese: 松村; Korean: 송림시) Songrim is a city on modern-day North Korea. Jukai and Namitarō go there for gunpowder in this novel.
Taichō (泰澄, July 20, 682 – April 20, 767) Taichō was a monk in Nara period Japan. He was raised in Echizen Province, which was in the southern portion of present-day Fukui Prefecture. He was the second son of Mikami Yasuzumi (三神安角). He is said to be the first person to reach the top of Mount Haku in neighboring Kaga Province and other peaks in the Ryōhaku Mountains.
Taira Clan (Japanese:平氏) The Taira Clan was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history—the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. In 1180, Yoritomo organized a large-scale rebellion against the rule of the Taira Clan (the Genpei War), which culminated with the destruction of the Taira Clan by the Minamoto Clan.
Taira no Atsumori (Japanese: 平 敦盛) (1169–1184) was a samurai famous for his early death in single combat. At the Battle of Ichi-no-Tani, Atsumori engaged Kumagai Naozane, an ally of the Minamoto, and was killed. Kumagai had a son the same age as Atsumori. Kumagai's felt great remorse for his actions and became a monk, causing this otherwise unremarkable event to become well known for its tragedy.
Takefu (Japanese: 武生) Takefu is the site of the main Judicial Office in Ezichen Province. Hyakkimaru decides to go there to look for records about Daigo Kagemitsu.
Takenōchi Tokuzō (Japanese: 竹内徳蔵) Takenōchi Tokuzō is a messenger of Genkai Namitarō who finds Jukai near Nomitadani Fortress.
Takō Fortress (Japanese: 高尾城) Takō Fortress is a Japanese castle that existed in Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, in ancient Kaga Province. It was the family seat of the Togashi Clan.
Tale of the Heike (Japanese: 平家物語) The Tale of the Heike is an epic account compiled prior to 1330 of the struggle between the Taira clan and Minamoto clan for control of Japan at the end of the 12th century in the Genpei War (1180–1185). Heike (平家) refers to the Taira (平), hei being the Sino-Japanese reading of the first Chinese character.
Tamura Ryōjun (Japanese: 田村涼順) Tamura Ryōjun was a samurai lord who served Togashi Masachika, the lord of Kaga Province, along with Daigo Kagemitsu and others.
Tanbano Hisamaro (Japanese: 丹波寿麻呂) Father of Jukai and a famous court physician obsessed with advancing medical research. Married Fujiwara Seiko and was persecuted for his beliefs and research by the Japanese imperial court.
Taniwaka Shōken (Japanese: 谷分章憲) Taniwaka Shōken was a samurai lord who served Togashi Masachika, the lord of Kaga Province, along with Daigo Kagemitsu and others.
Tarao Tenzen (Japanese: 多羅尾典膳) Tarao Tenzen is one of Daigo Kagemitsu's right-hand men and a master swordsman. He appears to be fictional, but his clan is not; the Tarao Clan ruled Ōmi Province, which is near Kaga Province, until the end of the Edo Period in the 1800s.
Tedori River (手取川, Tedorigawa) The Tedori River is a river in southern Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku region of Japan. The river originates on Mount Haku, the highest peak in the Hakusan National Park on the border between Ishikawa and Gifu Prefecture, and flows in a generally northern direction to the Sea of Japan.
Tendai Sect (Japanese: 天台宗) Tendai is a Buddhist sect established in Japan in the year 806 by the monk named Saichō, posthumously known as Dengyō Daishi. The Tendai Sect rose to prominence during the Heian period (794-1185), gradually eclipsing the powerful Yogacara Sect and competing with other forms of Buddhism to become the most influential at the Imperial Court.
Togashi Clan (Japanese: 富樫氏) The Togashi Clan was an offshoot of the Fujiwara Clan whose territory encompassed most of Kaga (modern-day Ishikawa Prefecture). The clan was split over which side to support during the Ōnin War.
Togashi Chakuryū (Japanese: 富樫嫡流) Togashi Chakuryū fell out of favor with the Ashikaga shōguns and briefly lost his family's right to govern Kaga Province.
Togashi Masachika (Japanese: 富樫政親, died 1488) Togashi Masachika was a general samurai lord in Japan during the Muromachi period. A member of the Togashi family, he ruled Kaga Province as military governor. When the Ōnin War broke out, Masachika sided with the Hosokawa Clan (Eastern Army), while his brother Kochiyo sided with Yamana Clan (Western Army).
Togashi Norie (Japanese: 富樫教家) Togashi Norie was the regional governor of Kaga Province before the Ōnin War. He was engaged in a power struggle with his younger brother Yasutaka over who would rule the province.
Togashi Saemonnojō (Japanese: 富樫左衛門尉) Togashi Saemonnojō made peace with Minamoto no Yoshitsune and the warrior monk Benkei during the Genpei War. He was a ruling lord of Kaga Province.
Togashi Shigeharu (Japanese: 富樫成春, died 1462) Togashi Shigeharu was a military commander of Japan in the Muromachi Period.
Togashi Taisei (Japanese: 富樫泰成) Togashi Taisei was the son of Togashi Yasutaka. He died of an illness.
Togashi Takaie (Japanese: 富樫高家) Togashi Takaie served under Ashikaga Takauji to pacify Kaga Province in the 1330s. He was permitted to govern Kaga Province as a reward.
Togashi Yasutaka (Japanese: 富樫泰高 ) Togashi Yasutaka was Togashi Norie's brother. He fought with him over who had the right to rule over Kaga Province and eventually ruled the province for several years. His nephew Masachika inherited control of the province from him.
Togashi Yukichiyo (Japanese: 富樫幸千代) Togashi Yukichiyo was the younger brother of Togashi Masachika. Masachika supported the Eastern Army in the Onin War while Yukichiyo supported the Western Army. The two fought for control of Kaga Province, which was their clan's domain.
Tokumo Sachihikoshi (Japanese: 徳毛祐彦氏 ) Tokumo Sachihikoshi provided Toriumi Jinzō with assistance on general historical information during the composition of the Dororo novels.
tororo soba (Japanese: とろろそば) Tororo soba is a Japanese dish of grated yams served on top of noodles.
True Pure Land Sect (Japanese: 浄土真宗) The True Pure Land Sect is a school of Pure Land Buddhism. It was founded by the former Tendai Japanese monk Shinran. Shin Buddhism is considered the most widely practiced branch of Buddhism in Japan.
The monk Shinran (1173–1263) lived during the late Heian to early Kamakura period (1185–1333), a time of turmoil for Japan when the emperor was stripped of political power by the shoguns. Shinran left his role as a practice hall monk at Mount Hiei and undertook a hundred-day retreat, where he had a prophetic dream. In this dream, Prince Shōtoku appeared to him, espousing a pathway to enlightenment through verse. Following the retreat, in 1201, Shinran left Mount Hiei to study under Hōnen for the next six years. Hōnen (1133–1212) another ex-Tendai monk, left the tradition in 1175 to found his own sect, the Pure Land Sect. From that time on, Shinran considered himself, even after exile, a devout disciple of Hōnen rather than a founder establishing his own, distinct Pure Land school.
Early True Pure Land Buddhism did not truly flourish until the time of Rennyo (1415–1499), who was the eighth leader of the sect. Through his charisma and proselytizing, True Pure Land Buddhism was able to amass a greater following and grow in strength. Rennyo formalized much of the True Pure Land ritual and liturgy, and revived the thinning community while asserting newfound political power. Rennyo also proselytized widely among other Pure Land sects and consolidated most of the smaller sects. Rennyo is generally credited by True Pure Land Buddhists for reversing the stagnation of the early community, and is considered the "Second Founder" of the sect.
Tsubata (Japanese: 津幡) Tsubata is a town located in modern-day Kahoku District, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. It plays an important role as a crossroads between the Kaga region, the Noto region, and Toyama Prefecture.
The area around Tsubata was mostly part of ancient Kaga Province, with a small region in its northeastern side as part of Noto Province. The area became part of Kaga Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate.
Tsubata Clan (Japanese: 津幡氏) The Tsubata Clan was an ancient clan that controlled part of Kaga Province.
Tsukihashi Yajirō (Japanese: 槻橋弥次郎) Tsukihashi Yajirō was a samurai lord in Kaga Province. In the dispute between Togashi Masachika and his younger brother Kochiyo, he supported Masachika, who became the ruling governor of Kaga.
tub-sided samurai cuirass (Japanese: 桶側胴) A cuirass is armor that protects the chest and back. "Tub-sided" and refers to the obviously tub-like shape of the cuirass and its construction. The most common variety of samurai cuirass is one in which the plates are riveted in horizontal rows, with a single hinge under the left arm. The lames (solid pieces of sheet metal used as a component of a larger section of plate armor) can be straight, cut to represent scales, wavy, etc. The rivets are usually ground flush with the surface, although raised low dome rivets are also common. Tub-sided samurai cuirasses are one of the most common forms of samurai retainer armor.
Unotani Village (Japanese: 宇ノ谷村) Unotani Village is Kahei's home village. He guides Hōichi, Hyakkimaru, and Dororo to it on their way to Mount Dankun.
Unryū (Japanese: 雲龍) Unryū is a fictional temple complex in Fushimi (a place known for its temples). Unkei, a Buddhist image maker and the disciple of Unga, carves forty-eight demon statues and seals them inside one of the temples there. This temple is called the Hall of Hell.
Vermilion Bird (Chinese: 朱雀) The Vermillion Bird is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. According to the Taoist five-elements system, it represents the fire element, the direction south, and the season of summer. It is sometimes called the Vermilion Bird of the South. It is described as a red bird that resembles a pheasant with a five-colored plumage and is perpetually covered in flames. It is known as Suzaku in Japanese.
Wakasa Province (Japanese: 若狭国) Wakasa was a province of Japan in the area that is today the southwestern portion of Fukui Prefecture in the Hokuriku (northwestern) region of Japan. Wakasa bordered on Echizen, Ōmi, Tanba, Tango, and Yamashiro Provinces. It was part of Hokurikudō Circuit, which refers to a series of roads that connected the capitals of each of the provinces that made up the region.
Western Army (西軍) The Western Army supports the son of shōgun Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Yoshihisa, to inherit his position instead of his brother. The Western Army is led by Yamana Sōzen.
Western Depot (traditional Chinese: fix東廠) The Western Depot was a Ming dynasty spy and secret police agency run by eunuchs. It was established by Emperor Zhu Jianshen 1477. It original purpose was to search for witches.
White Tiger (Chinese: 白虎) The White Tiger is one of the Four Symbols of the Chinese constellations. It is sometimes called the White Tiger of the West. It represents the west in terms of direction, the element of metal, the autumn season. It is known as Byakko in Japanese.
Yamagō Fortress (Japanese: 山川三河) The Yamagō Fortress is built on top of a mountain ridge that extends eastward in ancient Kaga Province. The age of the castle is unknown. The lords of the castle were the Yamagō Clan, chief retainers of the Togashi Clan, who governed Kaga Province.
Yamagō Takafuji (Japanese: 山川高藤, died 1489) Yamagō Takafuji was a retainer of Togashi Masachika, who was the governor of Kaga Province. He was the commander of Yamagō Fortress and was among the strongest of Togashi Masachika's supporters.
Yamato Province (Japanese: 大和国) Yamato was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. Around the 6th century, the local chieftainship gained national control and established the Imperial Court in Yamato Province. The Imperial Court eventually moved to Kyōto in the Heian Period.
Yangtze River (Japanese: 長江) The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia, the third-longest in the world and the longest in the world to flow entirely within one country. The Yangtze has played a major role in the history, culture and economy of China. Tajumaru (Jukai) transfers from Nadaemon's Japanese ships to Chinese junk ships during his sea voyage to China.
Yata (Japanese: 弥太) Yata is a young boy who approaches Jukai at Iō Temple.
Yōda (Japanese:瑤陀) Jukai's old master and teacher. He gave Jukai the knowledge to create advanced prosthetics that could move like real limbs. He also taught Jukai psychokinesis.
yōkai (Japanese: 妖怪) Yōkai are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese folklore. Yōkai are also referred to as ayakashi (あやかし), mononoke (物の怪) or mamono (魔物). Yōkai are not literally demons in the Western sense of the word, but are instead spirits and entities, whose behaviour can range from malevolent or mischievous to friendly, fortuitous, or helpful to humans. The nearest or equivalent definition for yōkai in Western world should be "specter".
Yōkai often have animal features (such as the kappa, depicted as appearing similar to a turtle, and the tengu, commonly depicted with wings), but may also appear humanoid in appearance. Some yōkai resemble inanimate objects (such as the tsukumogami), while others have no discernible shape. Yōkai are typically described as having spiritual or supernatural abilities, with shapeshifting being the most common trait associated with them.
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