Yasuda Kunitsugu (安田国継)
Kunitsugu YASUDA (1556 - July 16, 1597) was a military commander during the Warring States period and Azuchi-Momoyama period. His childhood name was Iwafuku. He was known by the name of Sakubei YASUDA.
He was a retainer of Toshizo SAITO who was under the command of Mitsuhide AKECHI. He lived in Yasudamura village, Mino Province. He was one of the best three vassals of Akechi.
In the Incident at Honnoji, he was the first to enter Kyoto and attacked Nobunaga ODA with his spear. Naritoshi (also known as Ranmaru) MORI intercepted him, piecing him with a cross-shaped spear in the abdomen, but he managed to kill Naritoshi, which was part of the distinguished service he rendered in the battle.
In the subsequent battle of Yamazaki, he was routed – then, he changed his name to Genemon AMANO and become a lordless warrior.
He successively served Hidekatsu HASHIBA, Hidenaga HASHIBA, and Ujisato GAMO, and finally, employed by Nagayoshi MORI, who was an older brother of Naritoshi he killed, in recognition of his bravery.
He did not attend Nagayoshi in the Komaki-Nagakute campaign, and after the death of Nagayoshi, he flew the Mori family and became a lordless warrior again.
Later, he served Muneshige TACHIBANA. It is said that he distinguished himself in the Kyushu campaign in the army of Muneshige TACHIBANA. His name appears as a messenger between the Toyotomi family and the Tachibana family during the warfare of the Bunroku-Keicho eras in the Toyotomi's Korean invasion campaigns. Finally, he served Hirotaka TERAZAWA and was granted land worth 8,000 koku of rice (one koku weighs about 150kg).
In 1597, he died. He was 42 years old. It is said that he committed suicide as he was depressed by the worsening of a growth on his cheek. Ironically, the date of his death was the anniversary of Nobunaga ODA's death.
His grave is in Jodaiji Temple in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture. His posthumous Buddhist name was Zenyochisenninzenjomon.