Japanese Robin Hood
Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 17:07 -0700
Ishikawa Goemon (1558-1594) was a legendary ninja warrior and bandit hero who stole gold and valuables and gave them to the poor. There is little historical information on Ishikawa's life, and thus he has become a folk hero, whose background and origins have been widely speculated upon. However, there is evidence that he may have been a member of the Akechi clan, son of Akechi Mitsuhide. He is notable for being boiled alive after a failed assassination attempt on Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A large iron kettle-shaped bathtub is now called a Goemon-buro.
In one version of the story, Ishikawa tried to assassinate Toyotomi to avenge the death of his wife and capture of his son, Gobei. He entered Toyotomi's room but knocked a bell off a table. The noise awoke the samurai guards and he was captured. He was sentenced to death by being boiled alive in an iron cauldron along with his young son, but was able to save his son by holding him above the oil.
In another version, Ishikawa wanted to kill Toyotomi because he was a despot. When he entered Toyotomi's room, he was detected by a mystical incense burner. He was executed on August 24 along with his whole family by being boiled in oil
I wonder if Sensei Sakai would ever consider writing a story about this Robin Hood esque character and what type of animal he would be...Also, how he would fit into Miyamoto Usagi's world.
http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/s-koshi/misc/goemon2.html
Arigato,
Hareblade
In one version of the story, Ishikawa tried to assassinate Toyotomi to avenge the death of his wife and capture of his son, Gobei. He entered Toyotomi's room but knocked a bell off a table. The noise awoke the samurai guards and he was captured. He was sentenced to death by being boiled alive in an iron cauldron along with his young son, but was able to save his son by holding him above the oil.
In another version, Ishikawa wanted to kill Toyotomi because he was a despot. When he entered Toyotomi's room, he was detected by a mystical incense burner. He was executed on August 24 along with his whole family by being boiled in oil
I wonder if Sensei Sakai would ever consider writing a story about this Robin Hood esque character and what type of animal he would be...Also, how he would fit into Miyamoto Usagi's world.
http://www.page.sannet.ne.jp/s-koshi/misc/goemon2.html
Arigato,
Hareblade