Wada Tsunemori (和田常盛)
Tsunemori WADA (1172-1213) was a gokenin (an immediate vassal of the shogunate) of Kamakura bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun). He was Sahyoe no jo (third-ranked officer of Sahyoe-fu, the Left Division of Middle Palace).
He was a legitimate son of Yoshimori WADA, and the father of Tomomori WADA, and an elder brother of Yoshihide ASAHINA.
Career
It is said that he was a master of yumi (bow) and served shogun MINAMOTO no Yoriie and MINAMOTO no Sanetomo.
In the Conspiracy of Yoshikazu HIKI in 1203, he joined tsuito-gun (the army to search and kill) along with his father.
Also, in the Battle of Wada in 1213, he fought along with his family and died on the battle field. He died at the age of 42.
Anecdote
In October of 1200, MINAMOTO no Yoriie participated in kasagake (horseback archery competition) at Kotsubo-no-hama Beach near Kamakura with children of gokenin, and held a feast on a ship.
Then, his younger brother, Yoshihide who was rumored to be a master at swimming, was ordered to show his skills. Ordered by shogun, Yoshihide dived into the sea and swam to and from the bottom for ten times, and captured three sharks and presented them to shogun.
Shogun Yoriie highly praised Yoshihide, Tsunemori's younger brother, and gave him a horse from Mutsu Province. However, this famous horse was what Tsunemori himself had wished for, so Tsunemori stood up saying that he would not lose a sumo fight against his younger brother, and the two fought a sumo match on the beach.
But both of them were so strong that the fight did not end easily, so Yoshitoki HOJO had to separate the two and draw the match. It is said that Tsunamori who felt humiliated, rode on horseback without wearing his clothes and left.
Yoshihide was greatly ashamed of his elder brother's conduct, however, the onlookers had a hearty laugh.