Weird Legends About the Posthumous Lives of Famous Japanese Figures
List of Contents:
Minamoto no Yoshitsune Became Genghis Khan
Oda Nobunaga Became Giordano Bruno
Saigo Takamori Became Mars
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Minamoto no Yoshitsune Became Genghis Khan
Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–1189) is one of the most famous warriors in Japanese history. A key figure in the Genpei War that helped samurai gain control of the country, he was the half-brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun, and the brother-in-law of Hojo Masako, the
Nun Shogun
.
The Yo Bros sadly became enemies after the war, and Yoshitsune was ultimately betrayed, surrounded and forced to commit seppuku, all while the
warrior monk
Benkei
gave his life
to give him some privacy. Yoshitsune's suicide is still considered one of the most tragic — but also one of the most poignant — deaths in Japanese history. Nevertheless, some people decided to ruin it by inventing legends that Yoshitsune actually survived, escaped to Hokkaido and sailed from there to mainland Asia, where he became THE Genghis Khan (1162–1227 — or maybe that's what
they
want you to believe.)
Interestingly, we know exactly who these 'some people' were. It was just one guy, Kencho Suematsu, who came up with the story to raise Japan's status after the Meiji Restoration.
In 1868, Japan abolished the feudal system and entered a new age of modernity, but technologically, the country was way behind most of the world. Suematsu may have just wanted to exalt Japan by bringing up its past and got carried away, claiming that the man who created a vast empire that, under subsequent rulers, stretched from eastern China to Poland was actually Japanese. He probably omitted the fact that Genghis' descendants
invaded Japan twice
.
While Suematsu's reasons are MAYBE understandable, the way he went about proving the theory was just … bizarre. One of his arguments was that if you read Yoshitsune's name the Sino-Japanese way, it would be 'Gen Gi-kei,' which sounds a little like the Japanese pronunciation of Genghis Khan! Also, the title 'khan'
could
come from the Japanese word
kami,
meaning 'god'! To be fair, some of the 'evidence' that Suematsu presented came from outside sources who have been pushing a Japan-Mongol connection for centuries to get Japan more street cred. Next time, just brag about Japan's
samurai gun assassins
. That's both cool AND real.
Oda Nobunaga (left) and Giordano Bruno (right)
Oda Nobunaga Became Giordano Bruno
Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) was
the first of Japan's great unifiers
who tried to bring the country together after the collapse of the imperial and military governments in the mid-15th century. He's also known as the '
Demon King
,' a nickname that he gave himself to torment his devout Buddhist enemies.
The feared warlord was ultimately betrayed by one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, and forced to commit seppuku in the burning Honno-ji temple. But his body was never found, so going by comic book rules, he must have survived! That's really the entire basis of the MANY legends about Nobunaga living past 1582. The wildest one says he was smuggled out of the country by Jesuit monks — with whom he had a pretty good relationship — and brought to the Philippines. From there, he made his way to Europe and became none other than the 'Italian' astronomer Giordano Bruno!
The Philippines escape story has actually been told for centuries, but the Bruno connection is a pretty recent invention. We don't know exactly when it started, but it seems to be based almost entirely on the fact that 'Giordano Bruno' in Japanese is Jorudano Buruno. J
o
ru
dano Bu
runo. Oda Nobu! The sly fox was hiding in plain sight the entire time!
Some versions of the legend say that Akechi Mitsuhide was in on the plan and actually helped Nobunaga fake his death so he could take his philosophy of world conquest global. That … did not really work out, as Bruno was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church in 1600 for supporting Copernicus, claiming the universe is infinite and other 'heresy.' If that really WAS Oda Nobunaga, then you have to admit the weird cosmic coincidence of both his 'deaths' occurring while he was surrounded by fire (maybe that's another clue?!).
Saigo Takamori and a woodblock print depicting him as the planet Mars by Utagawa Kunisada III (c. 1877)
Saigo Takamori Became Mars
Saigo Takamori (1828–1877) led the last samurai rebellion against the Japanese government, as grossly misrepresented in
The Last Samurai
, where,
in typical Western fashion
, his name was changed. The exact details of the Satsuma Rebellion are not important right now; what is important is that Saigo Takamori lost and chose to commit seppuku, exemplifying the samurai spirit to the very end.
Or so the story goes. The truth is that Saigo was probably too riddled with bullets to actually open his stomach and was simply beheaded by his second to avoid capture and retain his honor. But being a samurai is about more than self-disembowelment, and Saigo
was
a samurai who fought
for
samurai. Maybe that's why the rumor that he faked his death and escaped to Russia (not very samurai-like) isn't as popular as the rumor that his spirit rose to Mars, where it sort of … fused with the planet.
The belief may have been inspired by (unconfirmed) reports that the planet Mars was unusually bright after Saigo's death, pointing to his heavenly ascension. There is also a long Japanese tradition of deifying great warriors. Kusunoki Masashige (1294–1336) is today enshrined as a kami because of his fierce loyalty. Taira no Masakado is technically a
god
of wrath still cursing Tokyo from
his head's grave in the center of the city
. Saigo becoming Mars is an extreme example, but it's not that out of the ordinary.
But that's not why the legend started. It's simply a case of contrarianism. Saigo fought the Meiji government, which was all about leaving the past behind and embracing modernity, science and rationality. So, Saigo's supporters came up with the most traditional, unscientific, irrational theory about the last samurai as a form of protest against the people who killed him. Who knows, though? Maybe if you believe something strongly and long enough, it becomes true, and Saigo Takamori IS looking at us through the eyes of Mars and still screaming about all the historic inaccuracies in
The Last Samurai.
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Japan Times
6 hours ago
- Japan Times
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Tokyo Weekender
7 hours ago
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Experience Refined Yakiniku: A Review of Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo
For meat lovers coming to Japan, a visit to a yakiniku restaurant is a must. This beloved Japanese style of barbecue involves grilling bite-sized pieces of raw meat and vegetables at the table, creating a fun, hands-on experience that's often lively, smoky and a little noisy. Sometimes, though, after a long day of sightseeing, you want something a bit quieter and more sophisticated. That is what diners at Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo can expect. Located on the basement floor of a small shopping street in the upscale district of Hiroo in Tokyo, Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo is an intimate fine dining restaurant — featuring several semi-private rooms and one private room — which serves impossibly juicy and tender cuts of meat that feel like they melt in your mouth. It sources top-grade beef from trusted meat distributors across Japan in renowned regions like Kobe, Yonezawa and Matsuzaka. However, the primary beef at this fine-dining yakiniku eatery is Takamori wagyu from Yamaguchi Prefecture. 'It is selected with care down to the cattle, the farm and even the feed,' restaurant owner Keisuke Inoue tells TW. 'When I first heard about this exceptional beef, I visited the producers in person. After tasting it on-site, I was deeply moved and immediately started negotiations to bring it to Tokyo. We work with a farm that inherits traditions dating back to the Meiji era. They use a proprietary feed blend that includes sake lees and rice flour from the famous local sake, Dassai.' List of Contents: Takamori Wagyu The Meal at Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo About Keisuke Inoue Related Posts Takamori Wagyu The beef is nicknamed 'drunken wagyu' due to the diet of the cattle, which gives the meat a mild and silky texture. Known for its distinctive sweet flavor and high-quality marbling, it is highly sought-after, yet extremely difficult to get hold of as the Iwakuni Farm produces less than 200 cattle annually. Inoue first visited the farm in 2016, when he sampled a large chunk of beef, more like the style you would get at steak restaurants in the US. Yakiniku eateries in Japan tend to serve meat in thin slices. But Inoue, who lived in the States, was more interested in the thicker, American-style cuts he enjoyed at Iwakuni Farm. Simply procuring first-rate meat, though, wasn't enough for the entrepreneur. He also purchased special smokeless roasters to enhance the quality of the beef. Placed in every room, these roasters all feature far-infrared technology that cooks the meat slowly and evenly, allowing for perfect medium-rare steak. Of course, even with the best roaster, it is still possible to undercook or overcook meat; at typical yakiniku restaurants, customers choose from a variety of beef cuts and are then usually left to their own devices. Things are done differently at Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo. There's no a la carte menu, and the attentive servers roast the meat in front of you to ensure everything is cooked to perfection. The Meal at Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo Our meal began with two rich and extremely tender dishes: melted meat yukke — dual-layered raw wagyu marinated in seasonings — followed by four slices of the fattiest part of the tongue served with ponzu sauce, which has a salty umami base. Both tasted divine, but what came next was even better. The slider burger, featuring a wagyu fillet cutlet fried with the rice flours of Dassai, was arguably the highlight of the meal. The only problem was that it was consumed too quickly. It was then time to cleanse the palate with some granita before devouring a sumptuous meat sushi dish of sea urchin on top of wagyu tartar. That was a lovely prelude to the heavyweight dishes that came next: Chateaubriand served with Kawamura soy sauce, followed by Takamori wagyu with raw egg and truffles. Inoue waxed lyrical about the quality of the meat from Iwakuni Farm prior to our meal, and it certainly didn't disappoint. Afterwards, there was still just enough room for another beef and rice dish, followed by homemade cheesecake and gelato for dessert. As Inoue's mother made him the same cake when he was a child, it holds sentimental value for the owner. Combining delightfully with the ice cream, it was a wonderful way to end what had been a heavenly culinary experience. We were even presented with some onigiri to take home. About Keisuke Inoue After starting his career in the real estate industry, Inoue moved to the United States, where he earned an MBA from the University of California, Irvine. Returning to Japan, he worked as a producer at a venture company that invested in anime production. Realizing he wanted to spread happiness through food, he founded Smile Cube, Inc. in 2008. Since then, he has operated various types of establishments, including cafes, beach houses, bars, ramen shops and pizza restaurants. He currently manages six different restaurant locations, though Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo is arguably the jewel in his crown. Inoue opened the restaurant in 2016 after the headquarters of a franchised pizza business he was running went out of business. It proved a wise move. Onikuya Keisuke Sannanbo has garnered quite the reputation and has been listed in Tabelog's 100 best restaurants for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2024. 'I wanted something that could succeed internationally and appeal to both Japanese and foreign guests,' says Inoue. 'Rather than just offering traditional yakiniku, we serve meat-based cuisine inspired by both Japanese and French culinary styles. What sets us apart is our dedication to providing guests with the very best meat possible. The thing I enjoy most is hearing customers say, 'That was delicious. Thank you.' There aren't many industries where you receive gratitude even after receiving payment.' Related Posts Move Over Kobe — Gourmands Are Heaping Praise on Hida Beef The Secret to Yakiniku's X's Success Gonpachi Introduces a Muslim-Friendly Halal Wagyu Beef Course
